From+Nepal+to+America

Hunt is one of the most (probably the most) diverse school in all of Vermont. There are people that come here from Nepal, Vietnam, China, Turkey, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria and many, many other countries around the world. All of these refugees/immigrants have a fascinating story to tell of their homeland, cultures and voyages across the world. Here is the story of two Nepali boys, one from the capital and the other from a refugee camp.

Rejos Neopaney, now 12 years old, came to America when he was just under five years old. He moved from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. He lived in a brick house with this mother, father, and older brother. When asked about their financial situation, Rejos said that, “Everything was overpriced and we were poor.”

He would go outside every day, and not come home until it was time for dinner. At school, the teachers beat you if you answered wrong or talked in class. Sometimes they did this with a ruler across your knuckles, otherwise they put a pencil between your fingers and then squeezed them together. The only toy that Rejos remembered playing with was a bebe gun that his mom gave to him for his birthday. This wasn’t always his family’s situation, though. Rejos’s father had been on the brink of becoming chief military leader, before being kicked out of the military altogether. They had had a big house, and some animals, along with some land, and they had had to leave it all behind. After some time in the city, his family packed up, and left for America. “They would have a brighter future there.” His father had said. When the Neopaneys first arrived in America they lived in the Bronx. After two years of NYC life, they decided that they wanted to have another child, and the city was no place to raise one. So Rejos’s family packed up once again, and moved to Vermont.

In Vermont the littlest Neopaney brother was born. Around that same time Rejos started to play football, which is one of the things he likes most about America. “There is way more freedom, and opportunities here.” He said.

In the future, Rejos is considering joining the army. His father never got the chance to become a big military leader, so maybe Rejos will become one, and honor him.

***

Regav, a seventh grader on Oasis team, immigrated from Nepal when he was nine years old. In Nepal, Regav lived in a bamboo house with his mother and father. Their house was in a refugee camp for Bhutanese refugees. Regav’s parents had been kicked out of Bhutan before he was born, because they had fought back against unfair laws made by the government.

His life in the refugee camp was very similar to Rejos’s life in the city. Regav attended a school with the same systems as Rejos’s public school. There were two exams each year, the First and Second Exams. You had to pass both exams to move on to the next class. If you answered a question wrong, or misbehaved in class, you would be hit with a ruler or beat in some other way. “At lunch time we had to walk home, eat lunch, and walk back in 45 minutes. I felt bad for the kids who lived far away because they would always get punished for being late.” Regav told me.

When they weren’t in school, Regav and his friends sometimes played soccer. Since they were not in possession of an actual leather soccer ball, they collected stray clothes, and tied them together with a rope. When they got hungry, Regav said that they ate a lot of rice, curry, soup, and meat.

After nine years of this life, the government offered to emigrate the family to America. “They said they could resettle us, and give us a better life.” He said. Regav was happy in Nepal, but he is also happy in America. “I like being able to walk aroudn wherever I want. On the refugee camp there was only so far you could go. Also here we don’t get hit, and we have enough money to drive cars.”