I am gearing up for a across-the-country, East-to-West-Coast-including-a-Hawaii-stopover whirlwind of a trip to the US! I fly into New York City on March 31 and fly out on July 4 from Hawaii!
As with my trip last year, this is for both pleasure and business.
I hope to re-connect with old friends and make new ones as well. In addition to visiting Grinnell College again–this time to attend our 20th reunion–I also hope to visit parts of the country I haven’t seen etc.
As for business, I’ll be speaking at different organizations–educational and other institutions, congregations etc.
I would love to hear from anyone interested in having me speak at your institution or at an institution you are somehow connected to or at an institution you can connect me to! (Use the contact form farther down on the side bar.)
My visa allows me to speak and also accept an honorarium, which is negotiable.
Here’s a sampling of talks I have given in the past and links to other relevant posts.
- To young 12-year olds: living ones life in ones own terms by following ones dreams for a successful life.
- To slightly older but still secondary school kids: my life story and why one of the things I do is to try to right or address the injustice that is poverty.
- To college students: the role humanity played in my life and it’s role in our world.
- To students and/or adults: about the concept of compassion and its role in furthering international understanding and peace in the world. (It could also be a presentation at any inter-faith gathering or congregation.)
- To students and/or adults: about the education-related developmental and social work we do at COMMITTED.
- To students and/or adults: “Human Rights and Education of Marginalized Nepalese” to highlight the social justice issues I have been working on in Nepal, a presentation I made at different venues in the US in my last visit.
- To college students majoring in Education: both about careers in international teaching and the education system in Nepal. (Click here for an interview on TV about education.)
- To college students and/or adults: migrant labor issues in Nepal.
- Video of inspirational Honorary Doctor of Science degree acceptance speech.
I am also open to speaking on other topics to do with education, travel, culture, and anything else that you feel others would benefit from. So, if you have a suggestion for a topic let me know using the contact form farther down on the side bar.
| Brief bio of mine. |  |  |
* * * * * * * *
Presentation Proposal Documents
As and when they are completed, I’ll be adding them here. I would appreciate your passing them on to individuals who may be able to arrange one for me.
| 1. | Presentation Proposal: For College students and/or Adults | | |
| 2. | Presentation Proposal: For Middle School Students | | |
| 3. | Presentation Proposal: Human Rights and Education of Marginalized Nepalese | | |
* * * * * * * *
Update May 27, 2015: Since April 25, following the earthquake in Nepal, I have also been talking about it, and also what COMMITTED has done, is doing and plans to do. (Click here for more. Click here if you are interested in donating to our cause.)
Update June 1, 2015: I have postponed my departure from North America to September 26, 2015. Between now and then, I shall be traveling not just in the US but also Canada and Mexico.
Update June 8, 2015: Expenses for this trip come from my own pocket. Generous honorarium–from organizations, schools and individuals–have helped cover substantial amount of the expenses. Good friends and acquaintances, who have treated me like an honored guest, have also helped defray the expenses considerably.
(Last year’s trip to the US was mostly paid for by Grinnell College, contributions from UWC-USA and generous friends, who put me up etc., defraying some of the expenses.)
Not a single penny of COMMITTED’s was used last year nor is being used this year!
* * * * * * * *
As itinerary and speaking gigs are finalized, I shall be updating the table below. Be sure to check back.
Summary of my Itinerary and Engagements
| Date | Comment/Activity/Engagement etc. |
| March 31 | Arrived in New York City. |
| April 1-3 | Chester, VT. Presented to Chester Rotary Club members on April 2. Click here for a short blog post about the trip. |
| April 7 | Presented at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. |
| April 11 | Presented at Facebook event “Education for Freedom” held at Mustang Thakali Kitchen, Jackson Heights, Queens, NY. |
| April 15-29 | Washington, DC. April 25, wake up to news of a massive earthquake in Nepal. Click here for a short blog post about the quake. |
| May 1 | Irvington, NY. Made three presentations at Irvington Middle School, one at Main Street School and one at the local library about my life, education in Nepal, the recent earthquake and the work COMMITTED is doing. |
| May 2 | Glenn Rock, PA. Presented at Friendship Elementary School about education in Nepal, the recent earthquake and the work COMMITTED is doing.(Click here to go the article published in the local paper about the presentation and here to view photos from the presentation.) |
| May 3 | Washington, DC. |
| May 5-7 | Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. Two lessons and a presentation the evening of May 7. |
| May 8-11 | Minneapolis, MN. Presented at a Town Hall Meeting on Sunday, May 10, and at International Spanish Language Academy on Monday, May 11 about education in Nepal, the recent earthquake and the work COMMITTED is doing. Click here for photos. Click here for a blog post reproducing Jayjeev’s report following his visit to Thangpalkot. |
| May 12-22 | Chicago, IL. Presented at Alcot College Prep. on May 20, about my life, education in Nepal, the recent earthquake and the work COMMITTED is doing. Click here for a short blog post about loses. Click here for a blog post about earthquake relief. It was written in response to commentaries and requests for information about who and how best to help with the earthquake relief. |
| May 23-26 | Ann Arbor, MI. Presented to three different classes at a friend’s children’s school on May 26, all about education in Nepal, the recent earthquake and the work COMMITTED is doing. Click here for photos. Click here for another blog post about immediate relief COMMITTED provided to the village of Thangpalkot. |
| May 27 | Chicago, IL. |
| May 28-31 | Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA for 20th reunion. One of the three presenters at the “Social Justice for Professionals and Amateurs” sessions. Talked about my life and why I am engaged in social justice issues back home in Nepal after spending pretty much all my adult life abroad. Click here for a blog post reproducing a report written by our volunteer friends Manaslu and Chris. |
| May 31-June 3 | Des Mones, IA. Click here for a blog post written in response to media reports of high caste earthquake victims in Nepal preventing Dalits, the low castes, from accessing relief materials. |
| June 3-4 | Kansas City, KS |
| June 5-10 | Denver, CO. Made a presentation at Global Leadership Academy on June 8 on pursuing ones dreams. Click here for photos. |
| June 10-13 | Colorado Spring, CO. |
| June 13 | Mancos, CO. |
| June 14-15 | Visited Mesa Verde National Park, CO during the day and spent the night of 14 and all day of the 15th in Cortez, CO, travelling to Kayenta the night of the 15th. |
| June 16-18 | Early morning of the 16th Kayenta, AZ and explored Monument Valley. |
| June 18 | Page, AZ to visit Antelope Canyon. |
| June 19-24 | Moab, UT. Visited Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park 21-23. Camped out at Horse Thief Park on the night of the 23rd. |
| June 24-29 | Salt Lake City, UT. Click here for a blog post about how leaving Nepal for education and subsequently traveling the world put me on a path of discovery…and loss. |
| June 29-July 11 | Saratoga, CA. |
| July 11-17 | Florence, Coos Bay, Bend, OR. |
| July 17-21 | Seattle, WA. |
| July 21-30 | Bend, OR. |
| July 30-Aug. 4 | Portland, OR. Click here for a blog post about what the last four months travel has been like and what traveling in general is all about. |
| Aug 5-Sept 6 | Northern California. |
| Sept 6-22 | O’ahu, Hawai’i. On Sept. 9 presented to Professor Maya Soetoro-Ng‘s Leadership for Social Change class at University of Hawaii. (Professor Maya is President Obama’s sister). Appeared on Think Tech Hawaii TV show on Sept. 17. Click here for another blog post about what traveling has been all about and why if I have one advice, it would be this: go explore the world. |
| Sept. 22-26 | Northern California. Click here for another blog post about why one should travel. |
| Sept. 26-Oct. 3 | Southern California (LA). |
| Oct. 3-19 | Mexico City, Mexico. Presented at Montessori Del Pedregal, to three different classes, one of which raised funds for COMMITTED for earthquake relief. |
| Oct. 19-22 | Guadalajara, Mexico. Presented at Universidad Panamericana. |
| Oct. 22-24 | Mexico City, Mexico. Presented at Universidad Iberoamericana, a Jesuit University, on Human Rights and Education of The Marginalized in Nepal and also had a session with students enrolled in the PAUTA program at UNAM about following dreams. |
| Oct. 24-Nov. 21 | Los Angeles, CA. Presented to a few different classes at Suva Intermediate School about following dreams. |
| Nov. 21-Nov. 26 | Northern California, to round off the approximately eight-month long North American travel. |
| Nov. 26-30 | Boston, MA. (Click here for a blog post about Thanksgiving, the day I ended my travels in North America.) |
Updated for the last time January, 27, 2016, with a link, in the last row, to the blog post about Thanksgiving.
