The Notebook: What I Have Learned in My Years Abroad

We have come full circle, my friend.

After 2 beautiful years, I am back in my home country, the United States of America.

Reading time: 2 minutes

My return happened under very sudden circumstances, which I will get into shortly.

Over the course of my 42-hour trip from Kathmandu to Los Angeles, I undertook the project of filling an entire notebook with what I have learned in my years abroad.  The notebook contains 12 of my main take-aways, each with an accompanying story from my time in Nepal/Thailand.

I will be releasing them in a serial fashion, biweekly every Monday and Thursday.

This post contains the intro I wrote at the beginning of the notebook.

Caption: This notebook is meant for children to copy their homework into.  I got it from the village corner-store in my boyfriend's village in Nepal, where I was living before I came home.

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INTRO

My high school drama teacher used to say: "If you cry when something is over, that means you had something really good."  He was talking about plays, but I think it applies far beyond that.  I certainly know it applies to the life experiences I've had while being abroad over the past few years.  Today, I am leaving Nepal after 18 months.  I am headed to the US for the first time in over 2 years.   The journey will entail 42 hours of travel, so I decided to buy this notebook from the village corner shop and fill as much as I can with what I have learned abroad.  I don't know yet what will come of this.  I have no plan... but I think many great things begin exactly that way.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

1. J hunchha ramro ko lagi hunchha (All that will be, will be for good)

2. Nothing is in our control except for how we respond

3. Plans are illusory - and can cloud your vision

4. The present moment is the only reality

5. Our minds create our lives

6. Everything and everyone are connected in more ways than we can ever understand

7. Compassion is the key to happiness

8. If we were in other people's shoes, we would be doing exactly what they are, because then we would be them

9. Everyone and everything are impermanent

10. True joy comes from inner wisdom, not from following what you think others want you to do

11. Whatever we go through is not personal, not permanent, and has good in it

12. Enjoy the present.  It is all that we have.

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Read all posts from the Notebook series here.

Stay tuned for the stories that accompany each of these in the coming weeks.

So much love, from home.

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