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| Bijaya Dahal: Bijaya and I would sit down regularly for some great chess matches. He swindled me into playing the game under Nepalese rules which entailed being able to move the pawns two sqaures at a time, anytime, not just the frist moves. He also showed me much of the Jitpur mountains, the trails and the footpaths. Great Guy. Never hesitant to help around the house and always had a quick jab or joke about something. |
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| Megh B. Dahal: This guy never stopped moving. Up and Out the door by 4:30 a.m. every morning to open the family shop. He would return to the house by 9:00 to take a quick bath, eat, change clothes and then would be off to school to teach and be a head master until 4:00 p.m. At 4:00 he would return home, change clothes again and then return to the shop where he worked until 7:00/7:30. He would then return home again, wash, eat, and be in bed with lights our by 8:00 p.m. He did this every single day I was a guest in his home......he just kept going. On my last morning with the family Megh asked me to take a walk with him to the shop for some milk tea. During the walk he asked me again the route I was to take for my flights and he answered me with a look of disbelief. It was all a million miles away to him........little did he know......Megh had a quiet presence about him, stoic at times, but never daunting as he himself was never daunted.......he just kept going. |
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| Daviki Dahal This was my host mother, wife to Megh. Daviki had the best sense of humor and played second support hardly nuthin'. Large presence she carried and worked in the shop while Megh was teaching. There was a moment I watched her among other village folk gather around a vegetable salesman selling produce from his bike. There had to be 12-15 people around his bike all were making deals on price of the vegatables while questionng the salesman of their quality. From that group Devaki was the only one I heard and she knew she had the ear of everyone. You can believe that whatever that salesman was dealing on our dinner table later that night we had his best. Daviki was never over-bearing but never a softy, she had a knack for modulation; knowing when to customize herself to the social situation. |
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| Subha Kamari Dahal: This was the paternal grandmother. Continues to do her own laundry, at times cook, and do some long distance walking as there a couple of times I saw her up by Jitpur School during the day which is a 40 minute walk from the house. She did not speak any English and when I conversed with her I always needed my Nepalese/English dictionary close. She was very kind and took this ole American in stride. She always made me feel very welcomed. As the days grew cold she would build a small fire just outside the back door of the kitchen on the roof of the house (where she is sitting in this photo) and several times I would kneel beside her and together, in silence, we would sit close to the flame for warmth. |
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| Ranju and Sirju Dahal: These two sisters had a deep love and care for each other. Ranju (on the left) was really good to give up her room for me during my stay. Both of these ladies have big dreams and aspirations and yet are grounded enough to know the ethic it takes to have or achieve a large life. They both have street smarts and are excellent with the English language. In fact, it was these two who bridged many language barrier gaps between me and their mother, or other friends/guests who would vist the home. |
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