A New Home

Somehow, my host siblings knew I would choose their family. I asked them how they knew, and they said that when the six American ETAs visited their house, I had joy in my eyes. "We just knew you would come," they said, "and today we have a new Didi (sister)." When my host father came home from teaching, he said "today I am so happy because I have another daughter now."

Interestingly, the members of my host family are not the only people who knew I would come to Shree Gorkhali Primary School. One of the ETAs from last year was neighbors with Sabitra, the English teacher at my small primary school. When I told Kelly, the ETA from last year where I would be teaching, she said, "Somehow I knew you would be working with Sabitra."

After visiting the six schools and homestay families, I couldn't imagine myself spending eight months in Nepal anywhere except with the family and school where I am now. Never in my life have I so powerfully felt that the gift of a greater power has brought me here to this place.

When I visited my school, it was during vacation time, so I did not get to meet any children. Yesterday, before moving in with my homestay family, the NELTA (Nepali English Teachers Association) stopped to talk with the headmaster of my school. I got a first glimpse of the children I had traveled across the world to meet.

I saw the children in class two shyly watch me as I spoke with their loving teacher, Sabitra. There were about ten students. I wish I had a picture of that moment to share. Ten small faces, some with snot dripping from their noses, eagerly peering out of the classroom door. What beautiful children. Suddenly my arms were covered in goose bumps because in that moment I knew I had come to Nepal for each of these children.

Today, my name is Sarswoti Kapri; a name given to me by my host siblings. Together, they took me on a walk to show me their school, also the place there their father teaches math. As we stood on the roof, they pointed out a collection of homes and explained that the people who live there are very poor. My sister Sankalpa said something along the lines of, "these people have been treated very poorly, but I think it is important to give love to all people and not look down upon them." It was a beautiful moment. I told her I admired her profound statement. Earlier in the day, I had jokingly mentioned that I needed a new name because all of my host siblings' names began with the letter "S." Suddenly, Sankalpa said that she thought of a name for me, Sarswoti, the Hindu goddess of knowledge. Today, not only do I have a new name, I wholeheartedly feel part of a beautiful Nepali family. What a gift.