We all waited with baited breath as the jeep pulled up next to a small lake hidden in the trees. As we emerged from the forest it came into view—an elephant, basking in the golden, buttery sunlight. We were in Sri Lanka, the place fabled to be the golden city of Lanka, where Ravana took … More Stupas, Seashells and Sambal
Our taxi stopped near Kathmandu Durbar Square, and after about two minutes we experienced our first “Happy Holi,” and got our faces covered in colored powder. I finally got my first taste of Holi- I’ve been wanting to celebrate it for a long time. Holi is the festival of colors. It symbolizes triumph of good … More Holi Festivities
What a year of homeschool it’s been. One of our favorite discoveries has been that learning happens everywhere, all the time — and nothing has made that clearer than our digital storytelling unit. Both Ada and Willem created short films centered on life in Nepal. They each chose their own focus, developed a research question, … More Digital Storytelling
A year before leaving Alaska, Kate and I knew we would need to travel to India at least twice to renew our Nepal visa. We also knew that India is not always an easy place to move through, and we found ourselves wondering how the kids would take it all in. India tends to inspire … More Forts, Trains, and the Spaces Between – India by rail
October 5, 2025 Mardi Himal, Nepal— As the bright rays of sunlight fill the robin’s egg sky, we watch in wonder as the world’s largest peaks are cast in robes of pink and gold. I think back on our trip so far. We have hiked through the forest, draped with vibrant green moss, and across … More Standing Among Giants
This is not the post that I thought I would be writing. In fact, there were so many other things I speculated would be my first note from Nepal: seeing Kathmandu through my children’s eyes, visiting favorite old places and discovering new ones, experiencing the merriment of the Indra Jatra festival. All of those, to … More A Note from Nepal
As we were departing Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on our flight to Kathmandu, I thought about all of the amazing times we had in Vietnam and Malaysia. We have traversed across many towns, cities, even countries, experiencing their unique cuisine, culture, language, and landscapes, among so many other things. But now it is time for something … More Nepal And The Monkey Temple
We have finally made it to our destination: Kathmandu! Our beautiful 360 degree views are the Chandragiri hills behind us, Kathmandu in front of us, and hills and the city on either side of us. Our village in the Chandragiri hills has a court for futsal with a fence, a door, and a metal roof. … More Finally Settled
Borneo, an exotic island where you can find animals nowhere else in the world. Our family came to Borneo to learn about the uniquely adapted animals. While we were on the island, we went to a place called Bako National Park. Bako was a place of wonders, and we oohed and aahed at all the … More A wild ride in Borneo
On our journey so far, we have tasted, smelled, seen, and heard masterpieces everywhere. We have experienced so many forms of art in ways of food, music and so much more. In food, we found our amazement in bowls of steaming pho, rich in flavors of chicken and a deep umami flavor that is too … More The Beauty In Art
