Nepal After Four Years!

It’s been a month since my arrival to this beautiful nation of Nepal. Even though it’s my ‘OWN’ nation, many things have been changed. When I came to Nepal for my summer break two years ago, I was terrified to see how things work in this country. I couldn’t understand why the streets were so unorganized. I didn’t understand why there is lack of drinking water in a nation known for its abundant water resources, second after Brazil in the World. At that time, I was depressed and didn’t want to return to Nepal.

Four months ago, as we started packing and preparing for Nepal, I protested. I didn’t want to come back to this troubled nation. Strikes everyday (according to local news), oil prices so high, Nepal bandh so often and only 4 hours of electricity! Well, I didn’t have any choice, did I? Having to return to this country, I grumped at every opportunity and tried influencing my parents’ decision to return back to Nepal. Even during my exams I continuously insisted on staying back in Dhaka.Honeslty speaking, the day before I left Dhaka, I was trying to influence my parents’ decision. However he was determined and also did not have choice and we HAD to move!

On 3rd June, 2009, I arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport with my family. As soon as we came out of the green channel, my mom went to her dad. My dad was busy with someone who came to pick us up.However; I was busy noticing the change around me. The airport had changed! Now they have a CCTV camera inside so that people waiting outside can see their people coming through the airport passage. Not just that, we found better trolleys for our luggage and more taxis to make traveling easier. I also noticed another significant change: there were more English speaking guides to help foreign tourists.

I’ve been writing for the past 10 minutes without actually knowing why! Well I wanted to express some ideas about my country, and I wanted my friends to know what my country is like.Well, I’ll be honest: Nepal has changed! Four years ago, when I left this nation, it was not as developed.Today,I see more buildings, better roadways, taller buildings, more modern people and moreover a changed nation. However, by change, I don’t mean only the good part. There are a lot of negative sides that we can ignore such as growing number of cars; we have more traffic, more pollution and less greener inside the city. Noise and cacophony of the city nearly killed me. I could not understand why they honk all the time. I also failed to notice trees or other plants on the sideways of the streets in Kathmandu. What a pity sight for a capital of the naturally blessed country of Nepal.

Another important point that I have noticed in Nepal is the number of private schools that I found on the every nook and corner of the city. Yes, today we find schools after every two blocks and each school has a foreign name (my school for example!).The good part about these schools is that most of them provide Cambridge A’ Levels which means higher quality. This shows a better prospect for most talented students to go abroad and avail international education.

Banking is another important development in Nepal. Most banks today try to lure customers offering high interest rates and we can find banks on every other block. Most people invest in Banks and dream to live lavished life. Another use of banks is the buying of houses. Now days you have to pay only 30% while buying a house and the rest 70% will be provided by the bank. No wonder so many housing colonies are developing! As people get rich, better houses are being built and huge apartments are being developed.

Finally, Nepal is not the same as it used to be four years ago. Things have changed and it has changed for better. I didn’t expect Nepal to be so developed after just four years. However I don’t want to mislead my foreign friends by saying that Nepal is now completely developed! It’s a developing nation and development takes place slowly. If you visit Nepal, you are sure to receive first class treatment and trust me, you’ll have more than two weeks to enjoy! To my Nepali brothers and sisters who live abroad, I want to say: come back to your nation once you complete your mission anywhere in the world. I know this nation isn’t developed. However it’s for people like you and me to develop this nation. We can’t depend on our useless, illiterate and old leaders. It’s for the youth to change this country and WE are the youth! I urge all my friends to come back ONCE and see what has happened in all these years. There’s a lot of scope for improvement and we can create international name for ourselves by bringing change in the country that is dear to you and me. Remember one thing my friends: someone will have to bring the change, someone! Why not YOU be that someone?

---