"The World Is My Home," By Susan Suhanovsky.

This winter, my 28-year old daughter Maggie and I decided to go to Nepal. We chose Nepal over other possible destinations because we'd never been there before, and we wanted to visit Chitwan National Park, which is located in the southern part of Nepal near the border with India.

We’d heard that the park had over 400 different species of birds, 65 different types of butterflies, and 50 different species of mammals, the most noteworthy of which is the very rare, single-horned Asian rhinoceros that we were eager to see.

Maggie and I packed warm clothes, kissed the rest of our family “good-bye,” and took off for our great adventure. The weather in Nepal was chilly. I’m a pretty hardy soul, but no electricity for 12 hours a day (and no heat!) was a bit disconcerting. We slept with lots of blankets, and bundled up!

We flew to Pokhara, which is a popular tourist spot, but beautiful and next to a lake. We spent one night there, and the next day we drove to Bandipur, elevation 8,000 feet. Bandipur is a very remote village, only accessible by driving up a very windy road. We visited the local temple, talked to some of the villagers, and spent a wonderful night in the village lodge. It was a very peaceful place.

Then it was on to Chitwan, where we stayed in a safari lodge inside the national park. We went on a jeep safari and were lucky enough to see a one-horned rhino, right there in the wild, and a Bengal tiger. The next day we took a canoe ride down a river and were able to see crocodiles, peacocks, and many exotic birds. We also took an elephant safari, and saw more rhinos (one with her baby) right next to us. It was awesome. It was apparent to us that Nepal was really making an effort to preserve and protect its wildlife.

Of course, there was time in Kathmandu for shopping in the wonderful marketplace.

(Pictured at left:
Susan Suhanovsky
looking at the wares
in the market in Kathmandu.)

One thing that really surprised me about Nepal was the condition of the infrastructure. Roads were in very bad shape, electricity was available for only 12 hours a day, and clean water was scarce in many places.

We weren't able to see the Himalayan Peaks as much as we wanted because it was very cloudy, but we did manage a side trip to Bhaktapur, a fully preserved medieval town with hundreds of temples, art, and incredible architecture. It was like going on a journey back in time. There were no concrete buildings, all the roads were brick-paved, and most of the people still wear traditional dress as they go about their daily lives. Bhaktapur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

When I told my friend Bobbi McKenna, who lives in Denver, that I was planning a trip to Nepal, she immediately put me in touch via email with Prativa Rana. Prativa is a Member of Parliament, and a colleague of Bobbi’s from the Kennedy School at Harvard University. Prativa lives in Kathmandu, the capitol of Nepal. Amazingly, the connection between Prativa in Nepal, Bobbi in Colorado, and Maggie and me in Connecticut, was accomplished in less than 24 hours!

We managed to squeeze a meeting with Prativa into our already packed schedule. A delayed flight got us into Kathmandu later than we’d expected, with no time to freshen up or change clothes before rushing to meet Prativa and her daughter, Arzu Rana Beuba, who was also a Member of Parliament. The two women were dressed elegantly, and Maggie and I were wearing jeans!

We talked for hours, sharing stories about our own lives. Prativa and Arzu inspired us with their tireless work on issues of illiteracy and education, especially among women.

They were very impressed with what Maggie I have been able to accomplish. I finished my undergraduate degree and earned an MBA as a single mom of four, and Maggie is working on her PhD in BioChem.

Our dinner and conversation is one of the highlights of the trip that I will always carry with me. Four women from opposite sides of the world connecting so easily, sharing our stories with one another, and creating a permanent bond that extends across borders.

Copyright 2009 Susan Suhanovsky All Rights Reserved

Susan Suhanovsky's Bio:

Susan Suhanovsky earned an MBA in Finance from the University of Connecticut while raising four children as a single mom. In March 2008, she was elected President of The Torrington Water Company after a year-long CEO search.

In addition to Nepal and Bhutan this winter, Susan has also travelled to Vietnam (when her brother was the US Ambassador to Viet Nam), Laos, and Cambodia with her daughters, Maggie and Leah. Her other travels include: Norway, where she took a mail barge up the coast to Russia); Greenland; “Nunavet” (the Canadian Arctic); Antarctica; Iquazu Falls in Brazil; Argentina; Costa Rica; Panama; Australia; Fiji; China twice (the first time 24 years ago); many times to Mexico and Europe. She is planning a bike trip to Croatia.