In Nepal...

August 22 2006

24 Random Facts about Life in Nepal...

1. Cows have the right of way in the streets.
2. Male to male public displays of affection gets a little out of control and it is the only form of public affection that is accepted.
3. A typical Nepali work day is 10am-3pm.
4. Babies wear very thick black eyeliner under their eyes which is believed to keep evil spirits away.
5. A Nepali garbage can is the gutter along the street.
6. Flip-flops come in one size only (for the most part)!
7. There are more holidays in one month in Nepal than we have in one year.
8. Entire families live under one roof, when a son marries his wife moves in with his family and assumes all domestic duties.
9. Arranged still marriages occur quite frequently.
10. Male children are preferred because they ensure a more luxurious future for the parents.
11. All purchases are wrapped in old newspaper and placed in small black bags that resemble garbage bags.
12. If you ask for any modifications in a meal at a restaurant you are greeted by one comment only: “Not Possible!”
13. Avril Lavigne is more popular in Nepal than she will ever be in Canada - her picture adorns t-shirts, taxi cab windows and the back of buses!
14. You can get an entire meal for $1 Canadian.
15. Power outages are almost a daily occurrence.
16. No need to hail a taxi- they constantly hail you!
17. Seatbelts are not required in Nepal and often times do not even exist.
18. There are no rules of the road - u-turns are made frequently in bumper to bumper traffic.
19. People ride sitting on the top of buses.
20. In Canada a microbus would seat 12 people but in Nepal it will seat at least 20!
21. Crosswalks exist but pedestrians NEVER have the right of way.
22. There is no legal working/drinking/smoking age.
23. Helmets are not mandatory for passengers on motorbikes.
24. Bathrooms do not come equipped with toilet paper.