Kathmandu; what is there left to say about this city that hasn’t already been said? For some, it is a city of opportunities, for others, it’s one of the most polluted cities in the world. But for most of us, it’s home. And it doesn’t matter whether you were born in Kathmandu or whether you moved here while growing up, there are certain traits that all people living in Kathmandu will relate to.
1. You’ve been wearing a mask long before the pandemic
We’re not saying it’s the most polluted city in the world, but wearing a mask in Kathmandu was common even before Covid19 happened.
2. Traffic jams are a daily part of life
You know the condition of traffic in Kathmandu and always leave home extra early, but still end up getting late somehow.
3. You have trust issues with the microbus/public bus conductor
You know that if a microbus conductor says ‘Aunus khali cha’ you’ll barely even have room to stand once you get in
4. You look at the menu for several minutes and just end up ordering momo everywhere
It’s become a habit, to be honest.
5. A trip to the government office means taking a day off from your college/work
You come prepared with the worst mindset and it surprises you when things get done efficiently.
6. You have a family photo of the time you went for a picnic in Nagarkot or Godawari
Going to Godawari or Nagarkot was the ultimate mini-vacation.
7. You always check both sides before crossing a one-way street
Because you just don’t trust the driving skills of other people.
8. You’ve been to all the malls in the city and have gotten bored of them already
There are many malls with elevators but Bishalbazar will always be the original one.
9. You don’t find street dogs, they find you
As a standup comedian once said, Kathmandu ko harek galli ma 3 wota kukur ra 4 jana Ayush haru chhan.
10. You can’t go to Bhat Bhateni without meeting at least one person you know
Shoutout to all the people who go there even when they don’t need to buy anything!
11. Even a short-term power cut gives you traumatic loadshedding flashbacks
Once the powers go out, you don’t expect them to come back on again.
12. You’ve brushed past Nepali celebrities at least a couple of times
“I just saw Priyanka Karki at Labim mall. It’s no big deal.”
13. If you try hard enough you can find a distant relative working at almost any institution
We don’t call random uncles “mama” for nothing.
14. Going to Bhat Bhateni for one thing? Now you’ve bought 20 other things but somehow forgot the one thing that you went for
15. You’ve had thela ko pani puri at least once and it was amazing
Eating panipuri is a part of growing up.
16. You’ve met people in public transport who try to find out your entire life story
Especially on a long bus journey and you somehow end up having a great conversation but never meet those people again.
17. And sometimes, it’s the same with Pathao and Tootle riders. They’re either very chatty or very quiet.
There’s no in-between.
18. At least one random aunty has tried to find you a spouse
Bonus points if they brought up the fact that they are NRN.
19. You’ve seen cows chilling in the middle of the street and thought nothing of it
They are just chilling there like it’s no one’s business.
20. School being canceled because of Nepal bandh was the most exciting thing ever
Oh! The joy of calling school in the morning and finding out that you don’t have to go to school!
21. You’ve tried to use an expired ID card in public transport to get a student discount
Admit it, we’ve all tried this.
22. You have ran past a red light because you didn’t know if those things even worked
23. You come across a political protest or a rally happening every other day
And you have been late to work almost every single day because of it.
24. You know how to navigate through gallis and trust that all roads lead to the main road
Who needs Google Map when you have kirana pasal ko dai/didi to give you directions!
25. All of us have our favourite Durbar Square to hang out in
Hanging out there with your friends is an unmatched experience.
26. You have gone on a school trip to the zoo
And the best part was visiting the tiger cage.
27. You’ve stopped at a traffic stop because you thought the dummy traffic police was a real one
I’m sure it wasn’t only me.
28. You know at least one person who hasn’t been outside of Thankot
Kuwa ko bhyaguta haru.
29. If you are lucky, you get a glimpse of the snow-capped mountains
Days with clear skies are rare but they are lovely.
30. Your idea of green space is a small area with one bhogatey tree and a few gamalas of flowers
Green space in Kathmandu, what’s that?
31. The cleanest Kathmandu is at is when foreign delegates visit the capital
A foreign delegate should visit every 3 months so that our roads are regularly maintained.
