Napoli and Nepali Collide
When pizza and the Himalayas create unique memories
1. Ground Covered
Coming to Nepal was unplanned, but my time here was exactly what I didn’t know I needed. Here is a summarized list of places visited:
Kathmandu
Bandipur
Phokara
Baglung
2. What I’m Reading
It’s still Q4 and I’m still focused on becoming a better listener. Also, trying to get some key reading in before my silent meditation, where I won’t have access to books or devices for 10 days.
Reflections on Books Completed
Helpful but hard to take it all in. This will be a resource I return to.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking
The author’s research shows most Americans develop an extroverted persona to fit into a society that rewards such behaviors, yet over 1/3 of the population are introverts.
There are a lot of benefits to being an introvert and perhaps we should let them be and harness their power more, rather than forcing them to change.
Loved this and hits on similar themes as ‘You’re Not Listening’ and ‘How to Know A Person’. Author states we live in hurried times that prevent people from listening.
Hal/Harry/King Henry doesn’t command but truly leads and inspires the people of England to win an impossible battle against the French. His ability to see himself as no different than a commoner and yet be a guiding light is his magic.
Hal falls in love and the words used to court Kate are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever read.
Current Bookshelf (physical, digital, and audio):
Henry VI - Parts 1, 2, and 3
3. Experiences
Nepal is the least developed country I have ever visited. Its capital city Kathmandu lacks basic infrastructure I’ve only experienced in rural towns of Egypt. Kathmandu doesn’t have many sidewalks, air pollution is so bad I wore a facemask whenever I stepped outside, and access to clean drinking water takes effort. At first, Kathmandu was a shock but as I settled in I began to see its beauty and appreciate its realness.
This might sound odd, but I think Nepal has been my favorite place thus far because it’s real and we define authenticity the same way. Its people are hardworking, kind, and honest, and those are things I appreciate more than all the luxuries and beautiful landscapes in the world. I also met the most beautiful souls here and made connections I hope last much longer than my visit.
Empowering Women & A Pizza Party
I came to Nepal to volunteer with a women’s empowerment program, but the whole thing started off a bit rocky, despite my proactive planning and attempts.
When I arrived, the women in my class (mothers of the students at the school I was assigned) weren’t available - so they had me teach various classes ranging from 5 -15 years old.
So, that first day I told all the students I quit my job and went to pizza school in Italy.
I’m not sure they thought that was a good idea. I wasn’t sure telling them was a good idea either!
During our conversations, I learned that pizza is rare and expensive in Nepal. Most of the younger students have never had pizza, and the other ones including the teachers have only had pizza 1 or 2 times in their life.
Working with the mothers was a different challenge but one of the most rewarding things I’ve done.
I was instructed to teach English - basic letters and numbers, but I soon realized some women in my class were more advanced and some were illiterate, which made my earlier lesson plans useless.
I’m not sure the volunteer organization cared about the empowerment piece as much as I did, but they gave me the freedom to teach what I wanted. So, I got creative with my lesson plans and incorporated a lot of role-playing, like how to generate a profit from owning a pizza shop and negotiate down prices of purses. You know - the important things in life. ;-)
I was impressed by how eager the mothers were to learn and the effort they put into my class. I was also surprised by how into TikTok they were, and how often they wanted to make dance videos after class.
One day after class, the mothers took me out for momo and a tour of Kathmandu. It was the sweetest thing as they treated me to local dishes and planned the route throughout the city, explaining the various sites as we moved along.
Another day I joined the 5th grade students on a field trip to the Monkey Temple, where I learned more about Buddhism and Nepali prayer flags, I’m sure the students learned other things that were lost in translation to me.
Note: None of the students needed to use the bathroom during the 4-hour field trip or complained about how far they needed to walk. Impressive!
Scenes from Volunteering in Kathmandu (from top left to bottom right): The school, other volunteers, 5th graders on field trip, and group picture with women in my class
Thanksgiving was coming up, and as I went around Kathmandu trying pizza and making progress toward my slice goal, an idea popped into my head.
I SHOULD THROW A PIZZA PARTY FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL!
After learning there were about 300 people (students, staff, and mothers), and knowing the global average is 8 slices per pie (stat from my pizza database). I figured I’d need 75 pizza pies to yield 600 slices, so each person could have 2 slices of pizza.
The next challenge was finding a pizzeria that could make that many pizza pies and deliver them to the school warm. As you might expect, several pizzerias turned me down saying they couldn’t make that many pizzas at a time (lack of supplies and space) nor did they have a car to deliver them. Yikes.
If you know me, you know I don’t give up that easily.
The best pizza I found in Kathmandu was Vera Pizza and long story short, Vera’s owner Sandesh made my pizza dreams come true. He and his team not only came through, but they also personally delivered the pizzas to the school and helped me hand out the slices to each student. It was an epic pizza party that none of us will forget! Below is a quick video of the experience.
Oh, also the principal and students had a small goodbye ceremony for me where I was presented with Khata. Each student came up to me and placed a silk scarf around my neck, which I later learned was a gesture of respect, honor, and goodwill.
The whole experience was heartwarming and brought me to tears. I don’t have any other words to describe it.
Six-Day Trek Through The Himalayas
Here I could brag about my accomplishment of reaching some high peak and the amazing views of Mardi Himal, but that’s not what I care about nor what I’ll remember most from this experience.
What is special is that ~2 years ago I had a bum knee, probably from sitting too much at my computer, but now, I just trekked a massive distance with zero issues!
What I’ll remember most are the people I met along the journey. Maybe it has something to do with the mountains, or Buddha being born here, or the extreme poverty. While in Nepal, locals and tourists that I met and connected with are heart-based, taking on challenges, and pausing to reflect on how they’re living and how they want to approach upcoming decisions.
While all our decisions are different, the reasons for being in Nepal are the same. This isn’t everyone I met, but the below photo is a snapshot of the types of connections made.
Here are photos from my trek to Mardi Himal Base Camp. The strong trekking culture in Nepal made it easy to find a guide and complete the journey from Kathmandu. I’ll always be grateful to my roommate Sasha for encouraging me to do this. In the next two years, I’m thinking about taking on Everest Base Camp, if any of you reading this are interested in joining.
Scenes from the trek to Mardi Himal and my guide Amrit
P.S. Thailand Follow-up
The Chiang Mai Lantern Festival was a tourist trap, but the photos and videos captured are beautiful. They are probably exactly the same as the ones you can google.
Had a good time with friends, but don’t think I’ll return to Thailand unless I visit a remote island with white sand, clear water, and zero people (maybe that’s the introvert in me).
4. Learnings
Nepal’s flag is the only country flag in the world that isn’t rectangular
Butcher shops in Nepal are very fresh, the goat waits outside chewing hay until an order is placed, chop!
Nepal has a 6-day work week, even the banks are open on Sunday
Nepal hasn’t won any Olympic medals since it began participating in the Olympics in 1964, but finds honor in sending athletes
Sherpa is an Indigenous caste, not an occupation
Nepal and Napoli are similar in many ways, but especially the warm people that live in each of these places
“Listening isn’t a need we have, it’s a gift we give.” - Michael P. Nichols
5. Questions I’m Contemplating
Does having less make you more generous?
Does experiencing the harsh realities of life make you appreciate more and complain less?
Why do some people consistently end sentences during a conversation with “do you know?”, or “does that make sense?” or “do you understand?”, and what are they really trying to say?
Why is WiFi more accessible than clean drinking water?
Why does Nepal have such a limited supply of feminine hygiene products?
6. What’s Next?
Cambodia, my next challenge is a 10-day silent meditation
Tokyo for New Year’s and some exploring
Then, I’m going home!
7. Feedback?
Would you be interested in trekking to Everest Base Camp in 2025 or 2026?
Have you ever met a group of people who were just like you in an unexpected place?
Tell me something good!