In the Khumbu Region

I burst through the door of the lodge and collapsed on the bench in the communal dining room. I sobbed, hard. In the Khumbu region in Nepal, at almost 5,000 meter in elevation, my head had been pounding for the last few days. I was angry at myself because I was only a few hundred meter away from Everest Base Camp but I knew I was spent.

A year ago I went to Nepal to trek the Himalayas but what I really got from it was beyond what the stunning scenery offered. I felt most privileged not only when I was gazing in awe of Mount Everest and the other dramatically jagged peaks, but also in the fact that I got to live amongst and observe the Sherpa community. There is one person in particular that represents the Sherpa community with his incredible work ethics, kindness and humility. His name is Kundu, and he was my porter in Khumbu. At 33 years old, Kundu has been a porter for more than half his life. The evening after my embarrassing crying episode, I walked out of the lodge into the pristine snow-covered landscape sulking at the sight of the well carved-out trail by other trekkers, and built myself a small snowman. The next morning, someone added limbs and horns to the snowman. "Nepali snow yeti" Kundu said, when he saw me. His humor was exactly the fuel I needed to persevere. He speaks very little English but told me, with a grin, as we detoured to his village to visit his wife and kids that his life is "only as a porter". I wish I can make him understand he is not "just a porter". Hardworking porters like him are undoubtedly, the backbone of the Sherpa community in Nepal.

During the trek, I experienced a gradual yet profound sense of contentment. As I subconsciously liberate myself of cynicism, I came to realize how much more I allowed myself to embrace without being suspicious of others' intention. I now aspire to master the art of being a cautious traveler but to approach everyone and everything with not only an open mind, but also an open heart.