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The Homecoming

Writer's picture: Vincent SablichVincent Sablich
Namaste -- a greeting that is well overdue. For some reason, I have been pushing this blog down the list of priorities. With my LSAT (almost) over, I now have more time to sit and reflect. However, being in Nepal for the second time, I find it hard to relay my experience. Mainly because I have no clue what direction life is taking me. Also, I am not sure whether or not to use this blog as a personal expression or a more professional, academic presentation of my travels. Perhaps both are possible, but this post will be sort of a photo essay that captures the three prime takeaways, which, I hope, will help both you and me better understand what my past months have looked like and what is next to come. Thus, let's begin...

  1. We live in a world of subjectivity

    Before coming to Nepal I had the opportunity to visit one of my best friends Rongwei in his native China. I'll preface by saying I never thought I would visit China. Obtaining a visa seemed impossible, but, to my surprise, the Biden-Xi Summit in San Francisco this past year loosened the application requirements. Rongwei and I have had many discussions about Sino-American relations and often joke that we would be the representatives to improve ties. This felt more like a reality once I received my approved visa and met Rongwei at the Beijing airport.

    From prior conversations with Rongwei, I was aware of China's unique perspective on the world. For example, the government is a vessel for people's economic and social prosperity. In exchange for this, there is an expected obedience to the government's policies and leaders' decisions. During my trip, I better understood how China's antagonism to the West stems from historical humiliation. There is a history of the British taking advantage of China in the 19th century and the Japanese in the 20th. This phenomenon is well alive in China today, as tourists can visit various sites of cultural destruction. Tiananmen Square to the Chinese, however, represents the grandeur cultural triumph of China post-1949, instead of the site of the 1989 massacre as Westerners know it. Visiting this landmark was surreal, especially as an American. The picture of Mao Zedong, water fountain show, and patriotic music all added to the experience. What was most interesting was the pride people displayed holding Chinese flags and taking photos in front of the Tiananmen Tower. This wasn't limited to ethnic Chinese but also the other ethnic groups. Tibetans and Uigurhs were present. I am not here to comment and write about politics, but this was a very strange observation. The world is so much more complex than it seems. Rather than leaving China with any new political perspective, I left understanding that the world is subjective. Everyone's opinions are based on experiences that have shaped our lives. This is a simple fact but I believe it is a necessary action for creating peace and establishing religious freedom, something Rongwei and I hope to achieve. Funny enough, this relates to Buddhist philosophy such that the world is comprised of causes and conditions. All phenomena are interdependent. No matter how big the difference is, there is always a way to relate and understand one's experience.

    The night before my flight to Nepal, we ate at a local Xi'an barbeque restaurant and drank some Chinese beer. Rongwei's friend took me around table to table to cheers with the locals. One man after hearing I was from the US stood up and said, "We love you Americans!" I left China the next morning with this memory playing in my head...

  2. Humans can get only as far as their health

    Nepal Nepal Nepal. I fall in love with this country every day, but that is not to say there are some challenges-- like any love affair. This time around I've been struggling more with stomach problems and all the wacky quirks of Kathmandu. (I will admit that some of the stomach problems may have been a result of eating bonemarrow-infused buffalo intestines and deep-friend lungs among various other street food delicacies.) Regardless, whatever health issues may arise it is always a reminder that we can only get as far as our health. This relates to the Buddhist teaching of impermanence, which I have written about before. Buddhists believe contemplating the impermanent nature of all things is actually a way to happiness and not frustration. It is also a way to keep your ego in check. The photo above is of me and my very good friend Gyalzen Sherpa on top of Kyanjin Ri (4,400 meters) in the Langtang region of Nepal. We hiked up in the evening reaching the top in half the time it takes the average person. I felt incredible and evening did a "gonna fly now" Rocky Balboa imitation at the summit. The trek was nothing short of incredible. However, on the Jeep ride back I got clammered by motion sickness, something that's never happened before. After drinking some tea and eating fantastic roadside daal bhaat, I felt much better, but it served as a reminder that no matter how strong we are, the human body can crumble in an instant. Still, I agree with the Buddhists that impermanence is a source of happiness rather than frustration or sorrow. I am thankful for every day I feel healthy and that my body gives me to do things...

  3. The past, present, and future is a result of the mind
    I recently met with my friend Ravi and his older friend who was born in Nepal but now lives in the US. The topic of conversation was related to Ravi and his friend, but it felt like an inner dialogue. They talked about how one should reconcile the past to construct the future. I've recently thought a lot about my past and where it has led me. With this have come many doubts about where I am today and what the future holds. However, Ravi's friend's advice was quite simple. While one should not completely forget the past, one should not let it negatively affect their present mindset. Every experience is a learning one and with tranquility, one can properly assess past decisions and make future ones.

    The photo above was taken with my little brother on Dashain (sort of like a Nepali version of Christmas). The tikka (red mark on the forehead) is a blessing, which on Dashain, symbolizes the goddess Durga's victory over evil. The tikka is given by the eldest in the family, who in Nepal is most respected. The forehead is a sacred place of the body, which I believe is a representation that the mind is something much greater than a physical body part. There is untapped knowledge yet to be discovered, and day by day is an effort to learn more...

 

As we say in Nepal, "Jham Jham!" -- "Let's get going!"
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Avery Nitta
Avery Nitta
Nov 04, 2024

Excited to see where this takes you! Your perspective is nothing short but amazing and I know you will go far.

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