It sounds weird, doesn't it? But it is easier to tell the truth about stuff if you are making it up. Otherwise you have to contend with permission forms and people saying "I don't want my story told or my face used." more »

The teaching room of The Language Institute had a panel window that looked over the corner where the marchers started to gather. While I waited for my student I watched three police on the corner. One demonstrated the proper way to beat civilians, miming the actions and the others sat on the corner laughing. All the teachers had been given ID badges. We were advised by the school to wear them at all times. My student came in and he put a piece of foolscap on the table in front of me. more »

Joe stopped me as I passed through the doorway. His fingers were like steel. He whispered in my ear. "These are the people who never left. This is how they stay sane. It may seem very interesting because everybody has their own story, but it's their business. Don't be asking stupid questions. Do you understand?" more »

I had the bartender write down an address on a paper napkin and in the afternoon headed outside Kathmandu into a Sherpa village. The road was very narrow. The mountain rose sharply and the houses were built perpendicularly along its side. The landscape seemed very dangerous. One wrong step might send me hurtling into the valley below. And suddenly nobody spoke any English. I finally found the address and a young girl who was listening to some English radio. more »

Once upon a time... Katmandu lies in a valley in the Himalayas. From the city, you can see Everest and K2 in the distance, the Monkey Temple in the foothills. But I had not come for the hiking and had not left the city. I thought I had come to find myself, but I had come to hide from myself, because life is intolerable for a twenty-five year old with no direction. more »