Kathmandu

The Soaltee is by far the fanciest hotel I've ever stayed at! I haven't traveled much before this Dialogue, and I'm used to simple bed and breakfasts for no more than a night or two. This place was definitely an upgrade -- beautiful rooms, a great variety of food, and super friendly staff. We got some much-needed rest and relaxation after over 15 hours of flights. A lot of our group was able to meet up in Dubai because we were on the same connecting flight to Kathmandu, and it was nice to get to know each other in person after our Zoom orientations. We played card games and Bananagrams and explored the hotel grounds while we recuperated.

I think it's super interesting that Kathmandu Darbar Square and Patan Darbar Square are still important centers for everyday modern life. Learning about their history as royal palaces and seeing how they've evolved to become common spaces while retaining their cultural significance made me think a lot about the layering of different time periods on top of each other and how we don't really have an equivalent phenomenon in the US because the country is so young.

The Bouddha Stupa is an incredible piece of architecture. I'm always eager to learn about other faiths, and since I've had more exposure to Abrahamic religions in the past, visiting the stupa gave me more insight into Buddhism, which I know less about. I was able to juxtapose some of the theology and practices with those of other religions; while of course there are significant differences, core philosophies about reaching a higher state of being by living a righteous life seem to be a common theme.

I loved getting to meet students at Tribhuvan University! We swapped stories about college life in the US and in Nepal and discovered that some things are universal, like doodling during lectures and hidden campus hangout spots. The campus was gorgeous. I appreciated the commitment to creating greenspaces where students can relax.