Traveling In Nepal: CULTURE SHOCK


Posted December 6, 2019 by elancekailash

When traveling to a country in which you have nothing in common to matters or really little back home, experiencing culture shock is quite natural.
 
When traveling to a country in which you have nothing in common to matters or really little back home, experiencing culture shock is quite natural. Notably in Nepal, in case experience the unique culture of Nepal or you've begun to trek the hills, some things will definitely shock you!

In your travel to Nepal (https://www.breezeadventure.com/blog/travel-to-nepal/) - from the minute you land in Nepal's only global airport - Tribhuwan International Airport, you'll start wondering how it all works- by the immigration processes, to the baggage handling and finally to the transport system available for you to the city, as everything is in utter disarray!
Eventually once you've obtained your luggage and found your transport and when you think the chaotic area is completed with, you are going to be from the airport and to the chaos of the city!
Since Kathmandu's narrow streets see five times more vehicles compared to their capacity, you're sure to get stuck in a couple of traffic jams.
The culture shock that started as soon as you landed will last on the way from the airport to a hotel since you'll be witnessing sights you would not find anywhere else in the world.
Seeing all this chaos unfold before your eyes, you may believe there aren't any principles in any way, but you will find - It takes some time to grasp them! The locals throwing these rules doesn't help either, but you will get used to it soon .
For individuals wanting to push in their own (although it's sensible not to if you are staying for a short time period in Kathmandu's visitors ), and for those who don't understand, we push the left side of the street rather than the right.
There are not any checks on speeds within the city and so public transportation here are notorious either because of their heart-stopping speed or for going at a snail's speed.
You'll never understand before you get on one, and usually they are totally packed! Also, get ready to listen to neighborhood songs on full volume and a good deal of Bollywood while traveling on buses and on mobile phones of passengers.
Buses/micro-buses will cease at any certain place, if there is not any traffic cop near. All you need to do is wave your hand- if you hitchhiked but.
Just watch out and maybe step back as the bus approaches you since you never know, they stop so near - they could just hit you!
POLLUTION
Thousands of vehicles in a small city means there's going to be pollution. A growing amount of people have begun wearing masks to protect themselves just or in the vehicles' thick smoke from the dust in the atmosphere.
The constant loud honking sounds won't escape your notice !
You'll find another sense of shock once you see the amount of cows and street dogs roaming around the streets and grazing, sleeping and eating on large heaps of garbage thrown on the side of the road.
You also need to know that street dogs of Kathmandu are notorious for their relentless barking and howling at the nighttime.
Also, the sailors wake up pretty early in the morning and there's bound to be a lot of racket out of early mornings if you're staying in the center of the town.
And also, you can find crows and pigeons EVERYWHERE so you may find any bird-poo on you personally. As you're traveling, just in case Take some wet-wipes.
Load losing schedule - whatever you do here will depend on this! Load shedding is the term.
Ironically, Nepal is the second richest nation on earth for water resources!
If you are staying in a fantastic hotel that has inverters or generators, then there's not anything to worry about, but the majority of the smaller places don't possess the backup ability, which makes it hard for you to receive your work done or to charge your electronic equipment.
So be wary of the timings of the load shedding.
Additionally, you don't wish to get stuck in the toilet in the dark!
NO SHOES
When you visit any temples or holy places, you'll observe clear signs stating that you aren't permitted to enter the premises or its inner sanctum wearing shoes or carrying leather things.
Also, the shoes have to remain outside the doorway before entering someone's house, as sneakers are considered dirty which would create the house dirty also. And that is 100% correct in the case of Nepal - just look at the roads out!
Folks here tend to get annoyed or even mad when they see sandals or shoes upturned, as they think it brings in misfortune. Always keep them vertical!
RESTROOMS
Apart from the homes and hotels in the city, there are no showers at the rural regions. pouring water over their bodies from a mug with water from a bucket people wash themselves. In rural areas, you might have to wash and get your laundry.
Also, here you'll find more eastern style"squatting" bathrooms instead of the western style"sitting" bathrooms, and individuals use water to wash themselves rather than using toilet paper. You may have a hard time with this one!
Toilets in Nepal are usually dirty and very smelly, even those in great cafes or restaurants. Keep your anticipation low when going to one. Will be without or clean any smells, just because it's a place doesn't mean that the bathrooms. But it's fine to hold handson. Also, it's common to see same gender people holding hands and it does not necessarily mean they are in a same-sex connection.
ANIMAL SACRIFICES
In Nepal, animal sacrifices during festivals are extremely common. Some are even done openly in courtyards of houses or woods, and worship the gods afterwards, and several men and women come to witness the sacrifices. For instance - Dashain!
PUNCTUALITY
The phrase"Nepali Time" is frequently sarcastically used here to mean that nothing ever gets completed on time or nobody ever reaches anywhere on time. Expect with some of your meetings and waits everywhere you go. Sometimes, it even takes 1 or 2 hours to get a simple task done.
HAWKERS, BEGGARS AND STREET CHILDREN
Hawkers surrounding you, asking you to get their stuff, and beggars asking for money could be bothersome.
You'll discover the sight of street kids sleeping on pavements and sniffing glue (supposedly lessens hunger) a bit disturbing but you have to face the reality that Nepal is a developing country and there are lots of problems it is struggling to get control over; poverty being the topmost among the.
CREMATION It might be disturbing for a few also.
Another thing is that the stated holy river including others that flow through the towns and populated settlements are extremely polluted.
Also, most Sadhus (holy men) will charge you a bit of fee for taking their pictures.
GET IN LINE
On account of the shortage of clean drinking water at Kathmandu, people can often be viewed in a lineup with two or three buckets together in public taps, or else you'll see big water tankers that visit homes and fill their subterranean tanks.
The other line you'll see is for petrol. You might discover that there is often a shortage of petrol in Kathmandu when you see lines of automobiles and motorbikes at the gas channels, and this can be clear. These can be another reason for the traffic jams in Kathmandu.
STRONG AND ACTIVE WOMEN
You will be pleasantly surprised to see more girls doing household chores, taking care of kids, farm work as well as their small businesses, whereas you'll find men just idly passing days just sitting around or playing smoking or cards all day especially in rural locations.
In building websites, you will encounter many women toiling away with their male counterparts, carrying heavy bricks and cement in their heads while wearing vibrant kurta-salwar and/or saris.
OTHERS
There are still many things which may take you by surprise or even shock you, like being groped in public transportation or crowded parts of Thamel, locals throwing garbage wherever they like- even from a moving car, which might smack you in the face, and spitting in public which is gross no matter which corner of the planet you come from!
You might find it rather funny when you hear people having loud conversations on their cell phones, occasionally with their speakerphone on!
In Newar communities, you may encounter and be confused with the ritual of Ehee and Bahra Tayegu in which young women are'married' to a fruit in former and into the Sun in latter. This is done so they don't need to endure a harsh life of a widow when their husbands die.
Different experiences have very different impacts on different people. You will never know what will affect you and what will not. The shock anywhere is to keep an open mind.
Additionally, keep in mind that a part of moving someplace new is experiencing and celebrating their culture also. Take your time to immerse yourself in the culture here, learn a few words of the vocabulary, get to know the people in adjusting to the culture and acknowledge that your progress.
Finally, make the most of the experience and enjoy your stay in Nepal!
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Issued By Kailash Karki
Country Nepal
Categories Travel
Tags tourism , traveltonepal , visitnepal
Last Updated December 6, 2019