Challenge 71: Neighborhood

12. Tell us about the neighborhood that you grew up in and how it helped shape you into the kind of person you are today. (Yale and the University of Chicago)

 Born and raised in Kathmandu, I always found the view of the dusty city and the uneven houses comforting and familiar whenever I flew back home from school. The distant Himalaya that the hostesses always mentioned as we descended were nothing more than a distant view for me as well. I had always been inside the premises of the valley and seldom left it for any other part of the country. When I was a little girl, I wanted our family to move to the hill stations I used to visit as a child: Godawari and Nagarkot. However, that was always left as a desire and the city really managed to bind itself to the first twelve years of my life.

When I was little, we moved a lot. My father had his job abroad and my mother, my sister, and I used to live at a rented house. There is a picture that keeps flashing back into my mind when I think of that place: I am cutting my seventh birthday cake and my cousins are all eagerly waiting for some cake. I have a "Hello Kitty" jacket on, the same one by sister wore after me and then my brother. That was some eleven years ago. My cousins all had their houses in the same street and that meant a lot of family-bonding time. As an individual, I think that helped me establish a strong relationship with them and conserve them, even as a child.

From there, we moved to another flat while our house was being built. The neighborhood was a silent one. There are just a few memories that pop up when I think of those times. During one Holi festival, I remember we threw a bucket full of water at a passer-by. He was so angry that he swore even to children. We laughed our heads off. That particular experience probably taught me that there were some grumpy people around that you just had to ignore. Another good memory was when I first learned to ride a bicycle. Although it was a four-wheeler, I was immensely proud when I could ride it around with just one hand on the handle. I remember receiving compliments from my neighbors and feeling high and mighty. Even though it only lasted for a few days, that experience helped me gain confidence in myself by trusting my abilities.

Our house was built by 2003 and we moved in. This neighborhood was a rather noisier one than our family preferred, but we learned to adjust. There is a big field right in front of the house. The sun shines beautifully through our window. I get to make the most of it during winter. The neighbors are usually kind people, although they anger me from time to time because of their irrational thinking. However, I have learned to not blame them for their thinking and rather, try to improve the situation. Other than that, I think that the neighborhoods I grew up in definately gave me some qualities that have grown in me.