Knowing thyself

The red tomato achar (Tomato Sauce) on top of the white Momo (Dampling) and the fresh smell of steamed green chili hugged me with a way where I can feel that Nepal is not foreign to me. Despite the spice and hot test in my mouth, the roll of water run from my eyes on my face was also for the happiness to be with them and share the food with sisterhood. That was the first time I ate Momo with some Nepalese at my campus in Bangladesh. We together made the food, it is very difficult and time consuming to make Momo. I found Nepalese to be hard working and love to host guests otherwise just to give the Bangladeshi friends an experience of Momo they would not have that courage to cook even in a very busy schedule. We had to make so many little round routies (Asian food) out of flour where we need to pay attention with the size and thickness. The perfectionist Nepalese were instructing me with their caring tone taught me how to be polite even if you are angry. Their culture values that the guest are like goddess, so treat them as they deserve it. I came to know that information while making the mistakes and not getting scolded. One of the hardest parts was to put all the warped routies on the pan from where they were making steam. However, they were successful because their patient for welcoming guest and culture of celebrating special days determined them to be the best. I felt the way they were putting the rolled routies on top of the steamed with care and love it was some of the ingredients that I was unable to buy at the shop. The creativity of wrapping the curry with the routi and showing me how to do was the most important part of the relationship I built with them. The traditional technique of creating steam from water was very similar to Bangladeshi technique which indicates me that they are preserving the culture with love rather substitutes it with modern technologies. While working with them as a group, I thought myself as a Nepalese. Their culture of warm hosting did not fade away even when they were far from their country. Now it is very clear to me why Nepal makes most of their GDP boost from their tourism industries. Nepal is still trying hard to improve in many sectors and by looking at the red faces due to the fire of the stove in the kitchen, situated in a tiny town in global south I can assure that the people love their nationality and their country. This love will help them to success in their future and teach people how to adore own culture.