Dreaming in the High Mountains

Teaching in Upper Mustang

by Shankar Gurung

I am a teacher in Mustang. I teach students from grade three to seven. The reason I chose this profession is because I had a great teacher myself who inspired me to follow my dreams. I would like to thank Spiny Babbler and 92Y, New York for organizing this event here in Mustang. I am sure this program will help my students explore their creative side and help them get exposure about the world of literature.

My home Mustang is one of the most remote areas of Nepal. The people of Mustang are mostly Thakali and Bhote or Tibetan Gurung. The upper part of mustang people is Tibetan Gurung while the lower part is Thakali. International visitors pay US$700 extra entry fee just to enter this place for a week or so.

I want to be the person who helps them realize their interest and pursue it. One of my students Sadesh Rai is three time Mustang champion at athletics. He has won the athletics championship held here in Mustang for the past three years. He dreams to be a football player.

Another student of mine Ngawang Lhetuk Gurung dreams to be a successful person so that he can make his mother happy. He writes poetry about his mother. Some of my students work as shepherds during their breaks to help their parents pay for their education.

The people of Mustang are mostly involved in agriculture and animal husbandry though the area is very dry and desert like and very cold. My own family is still involved in these occupations. Due to recent surge in tourist arrival in Mustang people have started working in the tourism sector too.

Mustang is a specimen of Tibetan culture and tradition. People here still follow the culture and tradition that was followed thousand of years ago. I was one of the few lucky children from my village that had the opportunity to go to Kathmandu to get education as my father was an educated person.

The teachers there provided me opportunity to see the world through a different perspective. Due to education and guidance of teachers I am able to follow my dreams. I always wanted to return back to my homeland and do something for the community.

After completing my undergraduate degree I decided to return back to Mustang. I decided to open a hostel and teach at a local school here. The major problem with the education system in Mustang is that people think that getting good grades is education. They don’t understand that education means to help children realize their interest and to push them forward to pursue it.