November 2014 – Children of Shangri-Lost

Introducing our team: Puspa

November 30, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

Hi, my name is Puspa Nepal. I was born in a refugee camp in Nepal. My parents are from Bhutan. I am going to be a senior at Baldwin High School this fall. I left the refugee camp for the United States when I was 11 years old. My life in the camp was totally different from here. We did not have good houses. We lived in huts, and ate basic foods like rice and lentils- no fruits, milk, or meat. We went to school, where our classrooms were under trees. We came to America for a better future. I want to work hard and lead a good life here. My parents say that they have great hopes for me and I am trying to live up to their expectations.

My first day in America was a big challenge for me and my family due to language and other barriers. I was both happy and scared because I knew there would be changes in my life, and making those changes and adapting to them was scary. When I got to our apartment I had no one to talk to except my family. We did not know how to use things in the apartment. Our case worker had to help us with basic things. I thought that I would never have friends again.

We were first resettled in Idaho. My grandparents felt so lonely because there were so few Bhutanese families there. Then we moved to Pittsburgh. They are happier here. Both my mom and dad work hard at entry level jobs. They were able to save some money which helped them to buy a house. Now I live in a house with my parents, my grandparents, and my brother. We are a happy family, although my grandparents miss Bhutan a lot.I am 16 now.

I help my family with various things. I interpret for them, answer calls, and teach them basic English. I babysit my nephew and niece over the weekends, allowing their parents to go to their jobs. From the first day, when I was so scared, to this day, I have made so many changes in my life. Now I am out of the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at school, I have good grades, and I participate in different activities. I am a Junior Achievement Star Student. I have many friends to talk to. I feel that getting the opportunity to come to America and being a student here is good luck for me and my family. Finally, I would like to say that refugees are not bad people. Given the opportunity, they can do as well as other people do. I am proud to be here, and I hope to become a pharmacist and serve people.

COSL helps CMU FORGE celebrate Bhutanese-Nepali culture

November 25, 2014 Diwas Timsina No Comments Blog

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Children of Shangri-Lost (COSL) heartily thanks CMU FORGE for inviting us to be a part of their annual Bhutanese-Nepali cultural night on November 14, 2014. This is the second year that CMU FORGE has organized this event to celebrate Bhutanese-Nepali culture by inviting all Bhutanese living in Pittsburgh to join them and share. Over 25 Bhutanese community members, mostly students, were present at the event.

FORGE, which stands for Facilitating Opportunities for Refugee Growth and Empowerment, is an active student volunteer group based at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. FORGE helps resettled refugees in Pittsburgh to acclimate to their new surroundings by providing in-home ESL tutoring, taking refugees on field trips/appointments, teaching about American culture, organizing events like this and much more. For the last two years they have been very successful in organizing an educational summer camp (PRYSE Academy) for the enrichment of refugee students in Pittsburgh.

On November 14, the COSL team actively participated to provide additional color to the event. The event included Nepali food, music, dances, games, and much more. Among many other activities, COSL gave cooking demonstrations, teaching how make momo (dumplings) to non-Nepali audiences. It was a great event that demonstrated cultural tolerance and compassion for other cultures. On the behalf of whole Bhutanese community, we would like to thank CMU FORGE for actively engaging Bhutanese students in events like this to make us feel at home in Pittsburgh!

The COSL team celebrates Tihar (Diwali)!

November 10, 2014 Alicia No Comments Blog

The COSL team celebrating Tihar together

The first Deusi-Bhailo program organized by the team of Shangri-Lost on the occasion of the auspicious festival of Tihar was a big success. The team designed a Deusi recitation of Nepali folk dances and songs. A Deusi recitation is, in essence, a narration of different mythological stories by a leader of a group in a catchy tune. During the Deusi recitation, team members clap their hands and repeat specific phrases after the leader to keep the message and tone of the recitation emphatic and interesting.

Tihar, also known commonly as Diwali, is a festival of light that is celebrated by Hindus all over the world. However, not all Hindus celebrate Tihar in same way. This festival’s celebration varies greatly from culture to culture. For instance, in Nepali culture, Tihar is observed for five days, and each day observes the existence and importance of different animals that are part of Nepali culture. On the fifth and final day, brothers and sisters build a strong bond of kinship by blessing one another. They put a tika (blessing) of rainbow colors on each other’s foreheads, exchange gifts, and enjoy food together to mark this major festival.

COSL team members dance on Tihar — ….and then dances for community members!

In Nepali culture, the third and fourth days are celebrated by both boys and girls performing Deusi. To preserve our beautiful culture and to pass it down to future generations, we decided to organize Deusi here in Pittsburgh. At the same time, we were able to raise funds for Children of Shangri-Lost and to teach the Nepali tradition of Deusi to the younger generation. Shangri-Lost teamed up and provided entertainment and merriment for many Pittsburgh Nepali families during the festival of Tihar.

We’re already looking forward to next year!