I interviewed Lachhu Thapa, aged 37 and who lived in Nepal for 26 years before moving to Australia. He has a deep insight on the cultural developments and changes that have occurred as he has spent most of his life in Katmandu the heart of Nepal and still visits every 3 months with tour groups that he runs. It is clear from the interview that education and lifestyle is constantly changing. In his view this is because of many western influences, which have been both positive and negative.
Whilst stating that “Nepal [does have very] strong cultural roots” it is apparent that Nepal is changing from its humble beginning to a traveling mecca for western tourist, with every western necessities from western hotel rooms to KFC. In Thapa 's opinion …show more content…
"Traditionally children would go live at the teacher’s house and would be a maid or servant whilst they are learning.” But after many years of development and westernisation it is " different now because of the western style of teaching has come in offering classes as well as extra curricular activies”. Later discussion revealed that the western system came into Nepal was through aid workers helping out as teachers in local villages and also in orphanages and this is the way that the system slowly integrated into Nepal throughout the 20th Century. Mr Thapa praises education as wonderful opportunity for children and in his view these outweigh the negatives. Recent statistics from UNESCO have supported this as the youth literacy rates have hit an all time high of 82.4%. In comparison to the generation previous who’s literacy rate was 57.7%. This is due to the National Literacy Campaign, which supports marginalised and socio-economically disadvantaged communities and aims to increase skilled labour and literacy levels for the younger …show more content…
This has not just had an affect on the tourist strips but also Nepali households; "people are eating different kinds of foods that aren’t viewed as traditional Nepalese but this has to do with modernisation just as much as it has to do with westernisation” Said Mr Thapa. Modernisation has allowed for Nepali people to eat a wider variety of food, with a 31.4% increase in imported vegetables in the past year. This isn’t the only force of change, new methods of cooking has also contributed. New technology such as microwaves and ovens have rescently been favoured over cooking fires and Karais. Not only for the convenience but because of the affect of overusing wood for fuel, leading to the lost of 9.60% of forests in the past 10
Whilst stating that “Nepal [does have very] strong cultural roots” it is apparent that Nepal is changing from its humble beginning to a traveling mecca for western tourist, with every western necessities from western hotel rooms to KFC. In Thapa 's opinion …show more content…
"Traditionally children would go live at the teacher’s house and would be a maid or servant whilst they are learning.” But after many years of development and westernisation it is " different now because of the western style of teaching has come in offering classes as well as extra curricular activies”. Later discussion revealed that the western system came into Nepal was through aid workers helping out as teachers in local villages and also in orphanages and this is the way that the system slowly integrated into Nepal throughout the 20th Century. Mr Thapa praises education as wonderful opportunity for children and in his view these outweigh the negatives. Recent statistics from UNESCO have supported this as the youth literacy rates have hit an all time high of 82.4%. In comparison to the generation previous who’s literacy rate was 57.7%. This is due to the National Literacy Campaign, which supports marginalised and socio-economically disadvantaged communities and aims to increase skilled labour and literacy levels for the younger …show more content…
This has not just had an affect on the tourist strips but also Nepali households; "people are eating different kinds of foods that aren’t viewed as traditional Nepalese but this has to do with modernisation just as much as it has to do with westernisation” Said Mr Thapa. Modernisation has allowed for Nepali people to eat a wider variety of food, with a 31.4% increase in imported vegetables in the past year. This isn’t the only force of change, new methods of cooking has also contributed. New technology such as microwaves and ovens have rescently been favoured over cooking fires and Karais. Not only for the convenience but because of the affect of overusing wood for fuel, leading to the lost of 9.60% of forests in the past 10