Random hits on the keyboard

Earlier this week, as soon as I landed in Yangon, I flew to Myitkyina, the Northern city. The city appears historical, with many pagodas and temples. I was told that there are many Nepali in the town. To my surprise, I encountered a Nepali community while visiting a restaurant for dinner. They include me at their table. They had so many questions about Nepal. They were curious about the places in Nepal, food, politics and many more. I see their love for Nepal. They have a desire to know more about their ancestors. They are third generation here. One thing I was pleasantly surprised by was that they could speak Nepali with native fluency.  They also have disdain towards politicians. Balen is seen as the young, energetic mayor who will transform the country. I had no comments for them. I see how social media plays a pivotal role in creating a perspective about the people and context. All and all, Myitkyina is the world in itself.  As soon as I am back to Yangon, I can not wait t...

Our lives are shaped not by one big action, but by the small choices we make every day. Even the "big" actions are the sum of countless smaller ones. Lately, I’ve been paying closer attention to those little things that often seem trivial—the daily decisions that quietly have vastly changed my day-to-day life. I’ve been making small changes often for my own, a little dose of dopamine.  For instance, I recently changed the ringtone and wallpaper of my phone. It gives some newness. I’ve switched the display to black and white. This has reduced the temptation to unlock the screen impulsively. My temptation to scroll has reduced. I've also set a rule for myself—no phones in the toilet. I’m in and out within minutes. These small tweaks have added a few more minutes to my day. I also have the Screen Zen app on my mobile. When I try to open selected apps (WhatsApp, YouTube) it makes me wait for 5 seconds. The unlock limit is 10 times a day. I can disable the app, but it makes me...

The Kantipur Half Marathon, held on May 31, is one of the most anticipated runs in Kathmandu. I was privileged to be among the runners. As always, the environment was energetic. Although the weather was less ideal, the majority of the runners were participating for fun. I met many of my friends, and I met many familiar faces at the starting point. The drones were hovering above us, and cameras were surrounding us. It was live on national TV, and it was lively.  There were some mismatches. The inauguration by the Prime Minister was a bit of a disappointment. Any sports person would have been a better choice to kick off the run. The PM made the runners wait. He was not on time. He came 17 minutes late. Furthermore, he arrived in the long car convoy. The slogan 'let's run for greener tomorrow' was an unnoticed joke. The crowd was not impressed. They (we) boo the PM. He was about to further delay with his speech, but the crowd was visibly annoyed. The funniest and embarrassing ...