This Walking Community

One thing I love about Nepal is how it is made up of walking people.  Everyone walks, or takes buses, but almost no one owns a car - it’s too expensive.  And I like this because you see people you know all the time, everywhere you go.  I take a hike to the tower, and I pass other hospital employees and patients from PT.  I walk into Banepa to get groceries, and I pass by the houses of at least two elderly gentlemen who come to PT almost everyday.  I walk towards the temple at the end of town, and I pass nearly 20 people who go to our church or work at the hospital.  I walk past Everest Academy at 10 am, and half the student body waves to me instead of singing the national anthem during role call.

This morning I went for a run at 6:15 am.  First though, I walked to the cutoff to the temple, because I know WAY too many people in that part of town to be seen running.  Nobody runs here, and so to be the only white person on the street AND to be running - that’s just too much.  And I was especially glad I did that, because a whole horde of folks were coming down from the early morning temple rituals.  They were armed with every kind of instrument, from trumpets to saxophones to drums, and they took up the entire road.

But I love seeing people I know.  I saw Shrijan from church and he shook my hand (like he does multiple times a day) and asked me if I was going on a morning walk.  On the way back I saw Ashal, and I spun her around in a circle before heading on my way.

I also like this walking community thing for some pretty obvious health reasons.  Just think, if Yakima took up this lifestyle, it wouldn’t be the 8th fattest city in America!  :::  And this morning’s run was amazing.  I don’t know how I kept running, but I definitely ran up the steepest hill I have ever run up in my life.  Doomsday Hill, you’ve got nothin’ on me now!

PS: I also played the most amazing game of soccer tonight.  A little more intense than some of the games we play, we even had a few tempers rise - which always makes for exceptional playing.  (An angry goalie lets nothing by!)  It was the first game I’ve played since 7th grade where I actually felt on top of my game.  I made 5 goals!!  Maybe there’s hope for me after all!

This is an older picture, but includes some of the regulars.