Diwas Timsina

COSL Volunteer of the Month: Puspa Nepal

February 25, 2015 Diwas Timsina No Comments Blog, Recognition

Introducing our team from Pittsburgh: Narbada

February 21, 2015 Diwas Timsina No Comments Blog

Nepal is a small country. It is the birthplace of lord Buddha, and the homeland of many other gods. There are many Nepali people who are religious. According to many people, “it is the most peaceful country.’’ But unfortunately, it is not. In Nepal, there are lots of beautiful places to visit, such as the world’s biggest mountain, Mount Everest, lots of holy temples, and a beautiful place called Pokhara. Along with those, there are many, many other beautiful places. There are laws, but some people don’t follow them. Because of that, it affects Nepali people who are living there, because there is no one to control those bad people who are making it hard to live their lives. Nepal is nowhere near peace, only fighting.

Nepal is a very poor country. In Nepal, everything is just so expansive. However, there is one place where people struggle more than other Nepali people do. That place is called a refugee camp. Those people were told get out of their homeland of Bhutan. They didn’t have a place to stay so they came to Nepal and settled there in small refugee camps. Their houses were made out of sticks and their floors were made out of mud. It was very hard for them to live their lives. Some adults had to move away from their families to work. It wasn’t easy to just go to another country outside of the camp to work. They were not allowed- they had to escape in order to go.

In the camps, there were fires frequently because of the poor conditions. No firefighter could save the houses because there were no roads for the fire trucks, or the roads were too narrow. All they could do was pray to god, and pray for a better life. Then, luckily, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) decided to help, to bring them to America, and in fact not only to America but also to other countries, such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Many chose to go but many chose not to. Those who did had to fill out forms and pass interviews in order to go. All of these people are now in different countries living their lives happily. It wasn’t very easy to leave their homes and their relatives behind.

Hello, my name is Narbada, and I am also a refugee who came to the United States for a better life. I came here with my family in 2009, when I was 9 years old. We landed in Jacksonville, Florida, and I started school in the 3rd grade. We stayed there approximately 2 years, but we eventually had to move away from there because it was hard to find jobs. I am now currently living in Pittsburgh, PA. I have been in the United States for almost 7 years. I am 15 years old. I am a freshmen at Baldwin High School. I am at a place where I can be anything I want to be in the future. I have a good education and I am not giving up on my dreams.

Introducing our team from Atlanta:Heman

February 14, 2015 Diwas Timsina No Comments Blog

It was summer. I was playing hide and seek with my friend, when all of a sudden we hear a loud noise. Then we looked at the road, and everyone was running. There was a big fire. I was so scared, because I was alone in the house. My parents were at work, and my brother and sister were with their friends. I began to cry. The fire got bigger and bigger. It was about to burn our house too. Then after few minutes my mom came home from work. She told me to start packing my stuff and get out of there. I went to my room and started packing my important things. It was very hard for my mom, because we had my grandmother in our house. She couldn’t see that much in the dark. After I started packing my mom told me to go to the forest. Everyone was running and screaming. After I got to the forest, I heard a loud noise again. Everyone was saying the fire was getting bigger and bigger. I was so scared, because my mom and grandmother were still in the house. I ran as fast as I could, and grabbed my grandmother’s hand and started walking fast. My grandmother couldn’t run, so everyone was angry with her. Then we finally got to the forest. There were more than a thousand people in the forest.

That night nobody slept. Everyone was crying, but thank god nobody died. That night we searched for a place to live- all night long. My mom told me to just put my stuff next to a tree, and sleep there. I was so tired. I dropped my stuff and took a nap. The next day when I woke up, I saw my dad in front of me. He didn’t know that there had been a fire. He told me to come with him, and we went to the market to find something to eat.

After a few weeks, people started moving back to their old houses. I went back to see my old house. All I could see was black dust everywhere. All of my books were burned. People were rebuilding their houses. After few days, we also moved back to our old house. We had to rebuild everything. Days passed, and people from America came to help us. There was an organization called IOM (International Organization for Migration). They bring refugees to America for better jobs and education. We filled out a form, and then we waited for them to call us. After a few weeks they called us. I was so happy, because I had heard that America was a rich country. Then on September, 15, 2008 we came to America.

Hey guys, my name is Heman Kafley. I’m from Atlanta, Georgia. I was born in Jhapa, Nepal in 1998. I’m in the 11th grade right now. The short autobiography I wrote above was written when I was in the 8th grade. I made lots of mistakes there, and hope you guys excuse my mistakes. I didn’t want to change my mistakes, because I want it to be in my memories forever. Thank you for taking your time to read my short autobiography. 🙂

Introducing our team: Durga

January 30, 2015 Diwas Timsina No Comments Blog

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I was born in and grew up in a refugee camp in Nepal. My parents and grandparents were born in Bhutan. In 1980, the king of Bhutan introduced a dreadfully harsh new citizenship law, which was against the majority of the Bhutanese of Nepali origin called Lhotshampas, or “people of the south.” Some knowledge of Dzongkha language, Bhutanese customs, and traditional values became requirements for citizenship. But the Bhutanese of Nepali origin had their own language, culture, and customs. Thus, they were warned to flee the country. However, they protested and claimed their right to stay where their generation was born. They didn’t flee because they considered Bhutan to be their motherland, and their love for their nation pulled them back. For them, the place they lived had become a paradise. Waking up in the morning by the chirps of the birds, whistling with lyre bird’s soothing song while heading towards the farm at dawn, going to the barns because of the “mooo mooos” of cows, and climbing the fruit trees until they quenched their hunger had become their daily routine.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t continue that routine because a cultural cleansing began. Language and customs became the tools of persecution. Bhutanese soldiers were ordered by the government to kill people of Nepali origin. As a result, many women were raped, children became parentless, and parents lost their children. And at the end, all of the violence compelled them to leave their land and properties and flee from Bhutan to Nepal.

However, even though their culture, language, and customs were Nepali, Nepal didn’t accept them as citizens. So, an organization called UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) provided camps for all of the Bhutanese- Nepali to live their lives as refugees. My family and I are here today because we are refugees. I lived for fourteen years in a refugee camp in Nepal, which I would define as a desert. Everyone there searched for something to eat, but found little or nothing until international organizations started providing rations once every fifteen days; however, it was not enough. We survived in a place deprived of basic necessities for life such as food, electricity, healthcare and a quality education. We used to live in huts, fragile tent-like houses, made of up bamboo and thatch, so that the fear of being blown away with the huts during ominous storms on autumn days was always horrifying. The mortality rate had increased immensely because people ended up losing their lives because of the simplest illnesses, like fevers. People were crowded into the camp like chickens on a farm, which resulted in poor sanitation. To defeat starvation, parents had to leave their children at home and work for the whole day to put food on the table. I was left alone at home. There was nobody to give me food when I cried with hunger; there was nobody to stop me when I ate mud to quench my hunger. I missed the presence of my parents’ hands and eyes when I first learned to walk, I missed the presence of my parents’ ears when I first learned to talk, I missed my parents’ hands when I first learned to grasp. I just missed my parents’ presence in my roots.

When we were given the opportunity to move to the States, we knew that we were going to take it, because we heard about the US from people who came to the refugee camps encouraging us to move because they had already been here. The videos and the pictures of America that they showed us seemed fascinating because they looked like heaven, so beautiful- the skyscrapers, electricity 24/7, shiny cars, pitched roads. Those are things that we had never seen before. I knew I was going to have a better life if I moved. I knew I was going to receive a better education.

But I didn’t realize that moving to a new country, adapting to a new environment, and learning a new language would be this tough. Not being able to understand and speak English made me lonely in school. I had difficulty having conversation with Americans. In my first year in America, people would just walk away from me because they couldn’t understand me.

But I gradually learned the language because of my intrinsic hard work, and with the help of teachers and school here. Being a refugee, adapting to a new culture, and learning a new language were difficult hardships to endure, but I have learned a lot from it. Through pain comes opportunities; people should never give up and always be resilient.

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Nameste! My name is Rabina Phuyel. I am currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I am a Sophomore at Baldwin High School. I was born in 1999 in a small country called Nepal, as a refugee. While I was growing up I learned the bitter truth about the adults around me. I learned that they didn’t belong there. They were not meant to be refugees. The Bhutanese government decided to throw all the Nepali people out of their country because of their ethnicity. Every adult lived in the hope that one day the Bhutanese government would take them back, which never happened.

Living in the refugee camp was tough because of the conditions all around us. There was a lack of education, never enough food, and no sense of security. I was born in a family where I had all sisters. In foreign countries they often look down on girls, so I didn’t just have to deal with being a refugee, but also with being looked down upon. Yes, the government would give us food, but it was never enough. The roof would alway leak when it started raining. The houses were made of bamboo so it wasn’t a warm place in the winter. Even though we had a lot of conflicts we were all thankful for what we received. In years of 2007 and 2008 there was a major twist in every Bhutanese refugees’ lives: the United State of America and a few others countries decided to resettle Bhutanese refugees in a new world.

In February of 2009, my family got a letter that we would be flying to Kathmandu, Nepal, to come to United States. On February 9th my family and I got off a plane at the Salt Lake City, Utah airport. America was completely different than I had ever imagined. March 21st was the first day of school for me, at William Penn Elementary School. I was very nervous but also very excited. I was afraid- what if I don’t fit in with anyone? I was the only Nepali student in the school, so I didn’t know who to talk to and how to talk to them.

Life in the States was even harder for the elderly because they had no knowledge of English. At the beginning it felt like it was the wrong decision to come to this new world. The food was different, the religion was different, the people were different- basically everything was different. But there was a sense of freedom, and the thought that I was no longer a refugee excited me. The education was exceedingly better. There was access to almost everything, and for the first time in my life I felt like I could be anything if I worked hard.

In April of 2011, my family decided to move to Pittsburgh because all of our relatives were here. I reunited with my grandparents after three years of separation. It was like the best day of my life. In Pittsburgh, I started as a sixth grader at Harrison Middle School. Currently, I am a sophomore at Baldwin HIgh School. I want to do something great for my community and hope to leave a great legacy behind because I am a girl with dreams.

Introducing our team: Susma

January 10, 2015 Diwas Timsina Leave a comment Blog

I identify myself as Susma Adhikari, born and raised in a small refugee camp in Nepal. I am a current resident of Burlington, Vermont and have been living here for five years now. I am a sophomore at Burlington High School. My life back in Nepal was not as cruel as it was to some. Even though my family and I never struggled for food, shelter, or clothing, moving to the United States was, I believe, the best option. I would sincerely like to thank the UNHCR for giving us a massive opportunity to relive our lives with delight.

Moving halfway across the world has been immensely rough and problematic for me. Since people in Nepal speak Nepali and give their first priority to teaching Nepali in schools, my knowledge of English was lacking compared to others I met. I am sure you have experienced how it feels to be a new kid in school at some point in your lifetime. The feeling of loneliness was upon me. Not knowing anyone made it extremely hard for me to further my education at school.

My first few months in Vermont were strenuous for me. There was never a day where I wouldn’t wish to go back to Nepal. The life style in U.S. was so different from life in Nepal that it took quite some time for me to settle down. I believe that briefly all Nepali had trouble understanding English when first arriving here in the United States, as it was to me. Lacking English skills means no strong communication with others. Personally, comprehending English was the biggest challenge for me. It took me a while to adapt to life and culture here, but as time passed, life got much easier when my family moved to a different city in Vermont known as Burlington. I became best friends with three amazing girls who always supported and encouraged me throughout my tough times. Even though one of my friend moved to a different city in Vermont, we are still best friends, will always be and have each other’s back no matter where life takes us.

Doing well in school and passing each subject with good grades is a tremendous goal of mine. Though it is going to be difficult– since the subjects are getting a little harder than before, and being involved in sports makes it even more difficult– I will still try my hardest to make sure I get high grades. Getting better grades leads to better colleges, and attending better colleges is the key to success in the future. Attending one of the top universities and having a profession in the medical field has been my dream since childhood. I work extremely hard every single day at school to make the pathway to my dream more accessible.

Although at times I become a little insecure wondering if I will be qualified to attend the college of my dreams and have a profession as a nurse practitioner, seeing some familiar faces not accomplishing their dreams leaves me thinking, what if I fail to fulfill my dream to be a nurse? That is my biggest fear. I know it is arduous to accomplish what I have dreamt of, but it’s not impossible. There are countless amounts of challenges that I have to encounter before I achieve my childhood ambition, but I will not rest until I accomplish what I have dreamed.

Introducing our team: Shabika

January 2, 2015 Diwas Timsina No Comments Blog, Slider Posts

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Imagine living in a place where there is not sufficient food to eat, poor health care and no good educational resources for children. Fortunately, some of the educated people within the refugee community volunteered to teach the refugee children with the support of the UN and a few other NGOs. As refugees, my parents were not allowed to legally work outside the camps and they did not have a college education. The rations provided by the UNHCR were too limited to feed all of our family members, so my parents had to find other ways to support us. My mother is a middle school graduate; she was paid a small incentive for teaching the Nepali language to kindergarten children. My father worked at a bread factory. Both of my parents worked very hard to fulfill our basic needs.

My parents always wanted to go back to Bhutan, the country where they were born and raised. Even after living in the refugee camp for over 10 years, there was no sign of a solution to the refugee problem. They tried very hard to convince the government to return them to their home country, but it was all in vain. So at last, the government of the United States with the help of IOM (International Organization for Migration) helped resettle over 60,000 Bhutanese refugees to the US. My family was one of them. After a very difficult process, we finally arrived in the United Sates in 2008. When I arrived here, my heart was full of hopes and dreams. It was a big change for me to be in a new place, but it was a thousand fold better than life in the refugee camps in Nepal. I started attending school after a month of living here; it was different than what I had seen in Nepal. I also had difficulty communicating with my classmates and teachers. They could not understand me very well because I was not very proficient in English and my accent was thick.

As months passed by, my English got significantly better but I still struggled with my classes. I knew working hard was the only way out. As I started getting better in school and my grades improved, I also got involved with other extra-curricular activities. In high school, I was a member of Habitat for Humanity, FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), International Club, and R.S.I.E program . Being involved in these activities has changed my thinking ability. I was usually around people with different ethnicities while I was in high school and this has taught me a lot about other cultures and how to be open-minded towards people who are different from me. I’m currently a full time student at the University Of West Georgia and I can proudly say that I’m the first one to go to college in my family.

As far back as I can remember I have always wanted to be a leader and make my community better. Even at a young age, I was always helping people in whatever way possible. I had to grow up and learn responsibility at a very young age because I am the oldest child in my family. The responsibility has grown after coming to the United States as my parents have a very limited proficiency in English. Over the years I have tutored elementary school students, taught elderly immigrants to prepare them for their citizenship tests, and did an internship at the Dekalb Board of Health, Georgia. One of the achievements that I feel most proud of is creating a summer program for children in my community. It all started when a thought occurred to me- that I wanted to do something in the Nepali community where I can help children remember their culture and the place they came from.

With the support of a senior community leader, I coordinated and opened a summer school program along with my peers. On the first day no one came to the program, but I didn’t give up. With the help of my family and friends we told everyone about my idea and the program via emails, messages, calls, Facebook, posters, etc. On the second day, one child showed up. I knew that a drop of water would eventually make an ocean. Surprisingly, day by day more kids started coming and we ended up having 20 students.

It has been a difficult journey from life in the refugee camp in Nepal to being a college student in the United States, yet it was a great learning experience. Through the years I have found the value and meaning of life. I have learned how to accept problems and find a solution with a smile on my face. Now all I wish is to learn more every day and become a successful citizen of this great country that has given me and my family a place to live and start a new beginning with unlimited opportunities.

COSL Volunteer of the Month: Alicia Quebral

December 25, 2014 Diwas Timsina Leave a comment Recognition

On the behalf of Children of Shangri-Lost (COSL) we would like to express our sincere gratitude towards Alicia Quebral for her unselfish support for the enrichment of Bhutanese Community in Pittsburgh.

Alicia has been actively engaging in COSL as an advisor and the editor of the COSL website. Despite her busy work schedule she has been continuously supporting COSL and it’s team to carry out activities and projects.

At COSL she is the source of inspiration and her past works with the Bhutanese Community encourage us to do what we are doing right now. It is our great privilege to have you in our team and we would like to thank you for your kind help.

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