I lived with a host family who became some of my best friends. We did a lot together and it was so much fun getting to know Nepal from a Nepali, rather than just tourist, point of view. My host mom, dad, and brother were so amazing that I knew it would be hard to leave them. Thankfully, not long after my stay was over, they got green cards and immigrated to the US! They now live in Connecticut, near my real family. The Pradhans and Perrys are friends and also business partners in The Black Yak Trading Company. Please contact me if you are interested in more details about how you may purchase a variety of beautiful handmade Nepali goods.

After graduating college, my mom and I took another long trip to Nepal and India. This was a great time and we got to explore so many diverse places! The focus of our trip was on handicrafts, and through our travels along the eastern coast of India and up through central and northern India, we saw how many handicrafts are traditionally made. It was a wonderful experience (minus a couple 20 hour train rides!) and I hope to go back to India again soon. Of course, I would like to keep going back to Nepal my entire life.