Chillin' in Cape

Over the last year, I have developed friendships with many students from Nepal. As I have gotten to know them, I've received friend requests on Facebook from many of their friends/family members back home in Nepal or in other places around the world. I've accepted some of those requests & have conversed with a great number of these individuals. 2 of the Nepali's I'd been in contact with live here in Missouri in the town of Cape Girardeau & are attending Southeast Missouri State University. Wishing to meet them, I figured while time allowed, I would do so. I first met Darpan. I learned about Darpan over the summer when my little brother, Narayan, called & asked me to pick up his friend from the airport. Ready & eager to do so, I learned that Darpan was not in St. Louis as Narayan thought. Instead, he was in Kansas City (for those unfamiliar with this place, Kansas City is about 3.5-4.0 hours west of St. Louis). He was also not attending college in St. Louis as Narayan had misunderstood him to say. Needless to say, I did not meet Darpan at that time. Our moment to meet had finally arrived & he was just as I envisioned that he would be - quiet & shy. He suggested that we go to a nature conservatory & I was enthused by his effort in trying to develop a "plan." We made it to the center & he quickly caught on to one thing--I love to take pictures. I told him from the beginning that he was going to have to deal with that. I had to smile when after a few shots, he would finally hand the camera back to me & want me to take his picture. Though awkward meeting at first, he began to warm up to me as the minutes passed by. As soon as we sat down to eat some Indian food at the Global Cafe', Samikshya called. In the spring, my other little brother, Keshav, flew to Cape. He spent several days with Samikshya. I was eager to meet her as Keshav so enjoyed his time with her. She hurried to the cafe to join Darpan & myself. She was not timid at all-maybe due in part to the fact that she has been living here in the U.S. for a few years & it is a bit more accustomed to life in America? After eating, we went to Samikshya's home where I met several of her friends. I met yet another Manish & another Sameer (I say another because I already have 2 friends with the same name). I had a great time getting to know all of them. Samikshya was adamant that I try on her saree (sari). I'd been longing to try one on for quite sometime as I think they are stunning (just like the Nepalese people). While it looked "OK", I think it would have looked much better had I have had the proper attire for underneath it. Whatever the case, many of my Nepalese friends have paid me compliments on it & for that, I'm quite appreciative. Their positive feedback might be the confidence I need to attempt to wear such again sometime. Maybe I can move beyond a house & out into public while doing so as well. We'll see...no guarantees. Of course, I did tell a couple of my Nepali brothers that they could buy me one & mail it to me. I suppose if they do so, I'll have no choice but to wear it out of my respect for them. Though my stay was brief, I am so very glad that I had the opportunity to go beyond simply chatting with these 2 Nepali's & actually spend some time with them. Much thanks to Darpan & Samikshya for welcoming me & treating me as one of their own.