Meditations On My Time In Nepal
Things have been busy at the office in preparation for World Day Against Trafficking In Persons. The agenda has been set to include a photo exhibition, panel discussion on strengthening efforts to combat trafficking in persons, award ceremony for Sunita Danuwar, remarks from Ms. Danuwar, herself, and a powerful slam poetry piece on the effects of human trafficking. The event has come together so quickly but I am excited to see everyone’s hard work pay off as we bring together various stakeholders for such an important issue.
That week will also be a busy time for me since it will coincide with my final week in Nepal and I could not think of a better way to wrap up my time with Hamro Samman. Despite my internship coming to a close soon, I have been working on new projects, including research on legal aid resources for survivors of human trafficking and some of what I’ve done here will even be featured in the project’s quarterly report. Learning about the NGOs in the region who help survivors by providing legal counsel and services has been very inspiring. It also reminds me of why I wanted to go to law school in the first place: to help people.
In law school it can be easy to get caught up with grades and competition, even at a school like William & Mary where my classmates have been helpful. When you’re stressed about your contracts final or not having enough extracurriculars or what journal you’ll get on, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger purpose that we’re each pursuing. Nepal has given me the opportunity to learn about myself and be reminded me about what I’m most passionate about. I’m excited to get back home and start the next year of law school, hopefully able to hold onto the perspective I’ve gained while here.
At the end of the week, it was the last day for one of our colleagues, who was leaving Hamro Samman for another development project. In typical Nepali fashion, a farewell celebration was in order, with snacks, cake, and we each went around the table giving our best wishes to him on his next endeavor. Our boss also presented him with a Khada garment, which is somewhat like a patterned scarf, signifying well wishes. It really is a lovely tradition that shows appreciation for what the individual brought to the organization.
Over the weekend, I headed back to the farmer’s market and tried out some breakfast at Le Sherpa, where I had a delicious meal - I am definitely going back before I leave Nepal. I wanted to go visit Aarya Ghat, the last item on my “to see” list, but I received a flood warning and thought it would be best to not travel near a river. Hopefully the weather will be better next weekend and I can flood this blog with more pictures of my experience.