http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/2011/01/3/Comment/17786
The article has been edited substantially by the editor and has come out differently than what I intended. The unedited version follows:
-SP
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“What time is it in Nepal?” was the question the passenger sitting in front of me asked the flight attendant as we were about an hour before touching down in Kathmandu. The flight attendant, with her desire to disdain from the passenger evident, politely requested the passenger to check the flight entertainment portal in front of her seat. The passenger apparently already having checked the portal only wanted to confirm that the portal had not gone haywire, for it was displaying time in Nepal that did not add or subtract evenly to the time from the origin. I could empathize with her since it isn’t exactly easy to add or subtract Nepal’s odd time zone (GMT+5:45) from any other time zone in the world.
Nepal’s integration with the global economy is as remote as the ability of an average tourist to calculate Nepal’s time in reference to any other country in the globe. I started to contemplate whether my decision to return to a country detached in many ways from the rest of the world, after having lived in the US for 16 years, was a wise decision. The “Reverse Brain Drain”, a pervasive phenomenon widely being experienced by other emerging economies, isn’t exactly Nepal’s forte, at least not yet, so what was my inspiration? Sixteen years ago, I was a 17-year-old rebellious teenage student in search of opportunities and freedom away from the inhibiting confines of Nepal. Sixteen years later, I was living the American dream with a good career, a house in the American suburbia, and the rest of the pieces slowly falling into place. The only thing I knew was that I had to work hard and pay taxes and the promise of America was there for the taking.
Most Nepalese of my generation in the US are preoccupied by a conflict; a conflict that involves a tug of war between two cultures. It’s a constant pull between the conveniences presented by the affluence of America, and a longing desire to come back home to contribute to our own country. Then we find ourselves making a sacrifice with each step; each step towards assimilation into the American culture means losing a bit of our identity as a Nepali. We are equally part of both the cultures, but truly belong into neither. We compare every bit of convenience in the US: responsible public policies, transparent bureaucracy, home deliveries, well paved roads, good hospitals, courteous customer service, and clean public toilets, to the innocent memories of home: the smell of morning fog, the gossiping over tea, the taste of momos, the cows on the streets, the gallis on which we sweated cricket matches. It is always a dream that we will one day return. But for most of us, this powerful longing to return home remains just simply that, as it is not easy to uproot ourselves because of careers, because of mortgages, because of kids who are American by birth, and for whom, Nepal is as alien as is Haiti.
But I decided to take the plunge. Not only because I wanted to contribute to Nepal, but also because I wanted my children to admire Nepal’s heritage. I wanted them to know what Dashain and Tihar mean, and I wanted them to build a perspective on third world hardships that are real rather than through discovery channel documentaries. These values are an integral part of children’s upbringing, and cannot be purchased in the U.S.
What follows below is a list of my experiences, gathered since our journey back home one year ago, such that they may be of use to others facing an eternal debate of whether to return. The points may be relevant to those that have lived abroad for more than 10 years.
If you are a returnee, the first thing you need to do is to internalize the primitive Bikram Sambat (B.S.) calendar system in reference to the Gregorian calendar. Use of this calendar, along with the time zone factor I mentioned earlier are two very evident deterrents for anyone abroad thinking of making a smooth transition into Nepal. These are factors that are economically relevant, which regrettably is not on anyone’s priority in Nepal at the moment.
Do not attempt to change the way things work immediately. It is simply impossible and will only invite aggravation. Hold on to your habits and set personal examples instead. Understand that when a meeting is scheduled to start at 10am, it may start at 10:45am, or it may never start at all. Also realize that mobile phone interruptions are very much part of the meetings, and it is perfectly OK for people to be holding side conversations on their mobile phones while the meetings continue. Interestingly these customs do not apply if the meeting is being held with a foreign entity, as in these meetings, all of a sudden, there is value for time, and mobile phones are also set on silent.
Do not expect people to follow rules on the roads. It is perfectly customary for people to honk the hell out of their horns even when stuck in miserable traffic jams as if the horns will miraculously clear the roads in an instant. It is also OK for a public transport vehicle to stop any where it chooses with no regard for the inconveniences it causes to the trail of vehicles following it. Be aware that the designated bus stops are merely symbolic. One may wonder what the traffic cops are for, but so far I have seen them do a good job at only one thing: blowing whistles.
Get used to working without deadlines. Even if deadlines are set, they are rarely met, and mostly extended. The political leaders here are very good at doing so, and this craftsmanship has also extended to the private sector rather seamlessly. There is very little negative repercussion for missing a deadline since the entire ecosystem seems to somehow move along without it.
Keep your reference of the US, or wherever you’ve returned from, to the minimum. People will perceive you as an insensitive misfit. Don’t compromise on your core values that you’ve built over the years, but understand and accept that things often work or are done differently than what you are used to.
Create your social network. It is not about what you know. It is not even about who you know. It is more about who knows you that matters the most. You may work hard and put in 14 hours a day in the office, but, in parallel, also work on building your social ecosystem. People need to know you if you want them to get things done your way.
If you have to go somewhere new, let go of the luxury to be able to Google the driving directions or rely on the GPS in your vehicle to give you step-by-step directions. Instead, get familiar with directions being given in reference to landmarks. Five minutes from the electricity pole, and just left to the meat shop. It will sharpen your geographical skills.
Admit that corruption, load-shedding, people throwing trash on the streets, people spitting in public, are part of everyday moment. These things are bound to raise your blood pressure, but, if possible, use some of that energy to focus on why you are here instead. Focus on the opportunities at work; if you have returned, more than likely you are at the front line of a new industry.
Take this as an opportunity to rediscover yourself. Be optimistic that someday, things will be different. Believe that someday you will have sitting in front of you in a plane a tourist who knows exactly what time it is in Nepal. It's far from easy, but it is possible.
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