When traveling to a country where you have very little or nothing in common to things back home, experiencing culture shock is quite natural. Especially in Nepal, if you've come to trek the glorious mountains or experience Nepal's unique culture, some things are bound to shock you!
From the moment you land in Nepal's only international airport - Tribhuwan International Airport, you'll start wondering how it all works- from the immigration procedures, to the baggage handling and finally to the transportation system available to get you into the city, as everything is in utter disarray!
Finally when you've got your luggage and found your transportation and when you think the chaotic part is done with, you'll be out of the airport and into the chaos of the city!
TRAFFIC AND ROAD RULES
Since Kathmandu's narrow roads see five times more vehicles than their capacity, you're sure to get stuck in a few traffic jams.
The culture shock that started as soon as you landed will continue on the way from the airport to your hotel as you'll be witnessing sights you wouldn't find anywhere else in the world.
You will notice everyone and everything in the middle of the roads including cars, buses, bicycles, motorbikes, people, cows, dogs, garbage, and other oddities.
Seeing all this chaos unfold in front of your eyes, you might think that there are no rules at all, but there are - It just takes time to grasp them! The locals throwing these rules out the window doesn't help either, but you'll get used to it soon enough.
You'll see people crossing the streets in every possible direction, whenever and wherever they can, not even looking out for oncoming traffic and very few using the zebra- crossings!
For those wanting to drive on their own (although it is advisable not to if you're staying for a short period of time in Kathmandu's traffic), and for those who don't know, we drive on the left side of the road and not the right.
There are no checks on speeds within the city and so public transportation here are infamous either for their heart-stopping speed or for going at a snail's pace.
You will never know until you get on one, and usually they are fully packed! Also, get ready to listen to a LOT of Bollywood and local songs on full volume while traveling on buses and on mobile phones of fellow passengers.
Buses/micro-buses will stop at any given place, if there is no traffic cop nearby. All you need to do is wave your hand- as if you were hitchhiking but without the thumb, which indicates that you want to get on the bus.
Just watch out and maybe step back as the bus approaches you as you never know, they stop so close - they might just hit you!
POLLUTION
Thousands of vehicles in a small city means there's going to be pollution. An increasing number of people have started wearing masks to protect themselves from the thick black smoke of the vehicles or just from the dust in the air.
The constant loud honking sounds will not escape your notice either!
You will get another sense of shock after you see the number of cows and street dogs roaming around the streets and grazing, eating and sleeping on large heaps of garbage thrown on the side of the road.
You should also know that street dogs of Kathmandu are notorious for their relentless barking and howling in the nighttime.
Also, the locals wake up pretty early in the morning and there's bound to be a lot of racket from early mornings if you're staying in the heart of the city.
So get your earplugs ready!
And also, there are crows and pigeons EVERYWHERE so you may get some bird-poo on you. Carry some wet-wipes while you're traveling, just in case.
BLACKOUTS / LOAD SHEDDING
Load shedding schedule - everything you do here is going to depend on this!
This may be a new term for you, but in Nepal, there are blackouts that last for 16-18 hours each day during dry seasons. Load shedding is the term used for these blackouts.
Ironically, Nepal is the second richest country in the world for water resources!
If you're staying in a good hotel that has inverters or generators, there is nothing to worry about, but most of the smaller places don't have the backup power, which makes it hard for you to get your work done or to charge your electronics.
So be wary of the timings of the load shedding.
Also, you don't want to be stuck in the bathroom in the dark!
NO SHOES
When you visit any temples or holy places, you'll notice clear signs stating that you are not allowed to enter the premises or its inner sanctum wearing shoes or carrying leather items.
Also, the shoes have to remain outside the door before entering someone's home, as shoes are considered dirty which would make the home dirty as well. And this is 100% correct in Nepal's case- just look at the roads outside!
People here tend to get annoyed or even angry when they see shoes or sandals upturned, as they believe it brings in misfortune. Always keep them upright!
STRIKES / BANDHS
Strikes, bandhs or chakka jams (no transportation) used to be commonplace, although they haven't happened recently.
But when they do, everything comes to a standstill in the city; there is no transport, no schools or offices, the shops are closed, so chances are you're going to find yourself in a situation where you cannot do anything or go anywhere, unless you're staying in a place like Thamel, where the cafes and bars are always open.
If this happens, just go out and do what the locals are doing or see how they cope with these bandhs. You will see most of them walking to places. Get help from your guide or ask locals for help who will be more than happy to help you.
FOOD
As for the food, the locals have 'Dal Bhat'- which is lentils and steamed rice, almost every day- twice a day! Do not use your left hand which is used for cleaning up after defecation, and is considered dirty.
When eating out, ask for spoons, fork or chopsticks for your convenience. Please be patient; usually the restaurant's service can be awfully slow. Also, please don't yell and demand the food to be changed because it's not exactly how you thought it would be when you ordered it - it's considered rude, and almost all of them will say it cannot be done.
Be open to trying new things. After all, you're in a new country!
SMELLS
The aroma of incense, sweets, spices and other delicious food or the nasty smell of garbage around the city is sure to overwhelm your olfactory senses, so you need to be prepared and get a mask of your own before heading out to explore the city.
RESTROOMS
Besides the houses and hotels in the city, there are no showers in the rural areas. People wash themselves by pouring water over their bodies from a mug with water from a bucket. Also, in rural areas, you might need to wash and do your laundry in public.
Also, here you'll find more eastern style "squatting" toilets rather than the western style "sitting" toilets, and people use water to clean themselves rather than using toilet paper. You might particularly have a hard time with this one!
Toilets in Nepal are generally dirty and very smelly, even the ones in good cafes or restaurants. Keep your expectation low when going to one. Just because it's a good place doesn't mean the toilets will be clean or without any nasty odors.
PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION
Public display of affection, specially hugging and kissing your partner, is frowned upon. However, it's okay to hold hands. Also, it's common to see same gender people holding hands walking down the street and it doesn't necessarily mean that they are in a same-sex relationship.
TOUGH LOVE
Don't be alarmed if you see some parents scolding and hitting their children with brooms or sticks or even their hands. It's an old way of disciplining children here and it's wise not to intervene.
ANIMAL SACRIFICES
In Nepal, animal sacrifices during festivals are very common. Some are even done publicly in courtyards of temples or homes, and many people come just to witness the sacrifices, and worship the gods afterwards. For example - Dashain!
PUNCTUALITY
The phrase "Nepali Time" is often sarcastically used here to mean that nothing ever gets done on time or no one ever reaches anywhere on time. So expect delays everywhere you go and with any of your meetings. Sometimes, it even takes 1 or 2 hours to get a simple task done.
HAWKERS, BEGGARS AND STREET CHILDREN
Hawkers surrounding you, asking you to buy their stuff, and beggars asking for money can be annoying. The thing to do is, politely and resolutely say 'No' and walk away, or just ignore their calls and keep walking straight ahead.
You'll find the sight of street children sleeping on pavements and sniffing glue (supposedly lessens hunger) a bit disturbing but you have to face the facts that Nepal is a developing country and there are many issues it's struggling to get control over; poverty being the topmost on the list.
CREMATION
Another sight that may shock you when you go to visit Pashupatinath Temple or near the banks of the holy river Bagmati, is that unlike in the west, we burn the bodies of the dead in our culture. It may be quite disturbing for some too.
Another thing is that the said holy river including others that flow through the cities and populated settlements are extremely polluted.
Also, most Sadhus (holy men) will charge you some fee for taking their pictures.
GET IN LINE
Due to the shortage of clean drinking water in Kathmandu, people can often be seen in a line with 2 or 3 buckets with them at public taps, or you'll see big water tankers that go to houses and fill their underground tanks.
The other line you'll see is for petrol. You'll find that there is often a shortage of petrol in Kathmandu and this can be very clear when you see long lines of motorbikes and cars at the gas stations. These can also be another reason for the traffic jams in Kathmandu.
CHAUPADI
When women have their periods (menstruation days), they are considered impure and are kept apart from the family members; this tradition is called 'Chaupadi' and is more prevalent in far and mid-western Nepal where women are kept alone in the sheds!
You may encounter its less strict forms all over Nepal. In the cities, it's getting more relaxed with time, but still many strictly follow the rules where they are not allowed to enter the kitchen, temples or even touch their elders.
Initially, this started so that women could get some rest during their periods, and avoid all the heavy lifting and house-hold chores which require a lot of hard work.
STRONG AND ACTIVE WOMEN
You'll be pleasantly surprised to see more women doing household chores, taking care of children, farm work and even their small businesses, whereas you'll find men just idly passing days just sitting around or playing cards and/or smoking all day especially in rural areas.
In construction sites, you'll come across many women toiling away with their male counterparts, carrying heavy bricks and cement on their heads while wearing colorful kurta-salwar and/or saris.
OTHERS
There are still many things that might take you by surprise or even shock you, such as being groped in public transport or crowded parts of Thamel, locals throwing trash wherever they like- even out of a moving car, which may smack you in the face, and spitting in public which is gross no matter which corner of the world you come from!
You may find it rather funny when you hear people having loud conversations on their mobile phones, sometimes with their speakerphone on!
In Newar communities, you may come across and be bewildered with the ritual of Ehee and Bahra Tayegu in which young girls are 'married' to a fruit in former and to the Sun in latter. This is done so that they don't have to live a harsh life of a widow if their husbands die and/or they can get remarried.
Different experiences have very different effects on different people. You never know what will affect you and what won't. The best coping mechanism to deal with and overcome culture shock anywhere is to keep an open mind.
From the moment you land in Nepal's only international airport - Tribhuwan International Airport, you'll start wondering how it all works- from the immigration procedures, to the baggage handling and finally to the transportation system available to get you into the city, as everything is in utter disarray!
Finally when you've got your luggage and found your transportation and when you think the chaotic part is done with, you'll be out of the airport and into the chaos of the city!
TRAFFIC AND ROAD RULES
Since Kathmandu's narrow roads see five times more vehicles than their capacity, you're sure to get stuck in a few traffic jams.
The culture shock that started as soon as you landed will continue on the way from the airport to your hotel as you'll be witnessing sights you wouldn't find anywhere else in the world.
You will notice everyone and everything in the middle of the roads including cars, buses, bicycles, motorbikes, people, cows, dogs, garbage, and other oddities.
Seeing all this chaos unfold in front of your eyes, you might think that there are no rules at all, but there are - It just takes time to grasp them! The locals throwing these rules out the window doesn't help either, but you'll get used to it soon enough.
You'll see people crossing the streets in every possible direction, whenever and wherever they can, not even looking out for oncoming traffic and very few using the zebra- crossings!
For those wanting to drive on their own (although it is advisable not to if you're staying for a short period of time in Kathmandu's traffic), and for those who don't know, we drive on the left side of the road and not the right.
There are no checks on speeds within the city and so public transportation here are infamous either for their heart-stopping speed or for going at a snail's pace.
You will never know until you get on one, and usually they are fully packed! Also, get ready to listen to a LOT of Bollywood and local songs on full volume while traveling on buses and on mobile phones of fellow passengers.
Buses/micro-buses will stop at any given place, if there is no traffic cop nearby. All you need to do is wave your hand- as if you were hitchhiking but without the thumb, which indicates that you want to get on the bus.
Just watch out and maybe step back as the bus approaches you as you never know, they stop so close - they might just hit you!
POLLUTION
Thousands of vehicles in a small city means there's going to be pollution. An increasing number of people have started wearing masks to protect themselves from the thick black smoke of the vehicles or just from the dust in the air.
The constant loud honking sounds will not escape your notice either!
You will get another sense of shock after you see the number of cows and street dogs roaming around the streets and grazing, eating and sleeping on large heaps of garbage thrown on the side of the road.
You should also know that street dogs of Kathmandu are notorious for their relentless barking and howling in the nighttime.
Also, the locals wake up pretty early in the morning and there's bound to be a lot of racket from early mornings if you're staying in the heart of the city.
So get your earplugs ready!
And also, there are crows and pigeons EVERYWHERE so you may get some bird-poo on you. Carry some wet-wipes while you're traveling, just in case.
BLACKOUTS / LOAD SHEDDING
Load shedding schedule - everything you do here is going to depend on this!
This may be a new term for you, but in Nepal, there are blackouts that last for 16-18 hours each day during dry seasons. Load shedding is the term used for these blackouts.
Ironically, Nepal is the second richest country in the world for water resources!
If you're staying in a good hotel that has inverters or generators, there is nothing to worry about, but most of the smaller places don't have the backup power, which makes it hard for you to get your work done or to charge your electronics.
So be wary of the timings of the load shedding.
Also, you don't want to be stuck in the bathroom in the dark!
NO SHOES
When you visit any temples or holy places, you'll notice clear signs stating that you are not allowed to enter the premises or its inner sanctum wearing shoes or carrying leather items.
Also, the shoes have to remain outside the door before entering someone's home, as shoes are considered dirty which would make the home dirty as well. And this is 100% correct in Nepal's case- just look at the roads outside!
People here tend to get annoyed or even angry when they see shoes or sandals upturned, as they believe it brings in misfortune. Always keep them upright!
STRIKES / BANDHS
Strikes, bandhs or chakka jams (no transportation) used to be commonplace, although they haven't happened recently.
But when they do, everything comes to a standstill in the city; there is no transport, no schools or offices, the shops are closed, so chances are you're going to find yourself in a situation where you cannot do anything or go anywhere, unless you're staying in a place like Thamel, where the cafes and bars are always open.
If this happens, just go out and do what the locals are doing or see how they cope with these bandhs. You will see most of them walking to places. Get help from your guide or ask locals for help who will be more than happy to help you.
FOOD
As for the food, the locals have 'Dal Bhat'- which is lentils and steamed rice, almost every day- twice a day! Do not use your left hand which is used for cleaning up after defecation, and is considered dirty.
When eating out, ask for spoons, fork or chopsticks for your convenience. Please be patient; usually the restaurant's service can be awfully slow. Also, please don't yell and demand the food to be changed because it's not exactly how you thought it would be when you ordered it - it's considered rude, and almost all of them will say it cannot be done.
Be open to trying new things. After all, you're in a new country!
SMELLS
The aroma of incense, sweets, spices and other delicious food or the nasty smell of garbage around the city is sure to overwhelm your olfactory senses, so you need to be prepared and get a mask of your own before heading out to explore the city.
RESTROOMS
Besides the houses and hotels in the city, there are no showers in the rural areas. People wash themselves by pouring water over their bodies from a mug with water from a bucket. Also, in rural areas, you might need to wash and do your laundry in public.
Also, here you'll find more eastern style "squatting" toilets rather than the western style "sitting" toilets, and people use water to clean themselves rather than using toilet paper. You might particularly have a hard time with this one!
Toilets in Nepal are generally dirty and very smelly, even the ones in good cafes or restaurants. Keep your expectation low when going to one. Just because it's a good place doesn't mean the toilets will be clean or without any nasty odors.
PUBLIC DISPLAY OF AFFECTION
Public display of affection, specially hugging and kissing your partner, is frowned upon. However, it's okay to hold hands. Also, it's common to see same gender people holding hands walking down the street and it doesn't necessarily mean that they are in a same-sex relationship.
TOUGH LOVE
Don't be alarmed if you see some parents scolding and hitting their children with brooms or sticks or even their hands. It's an old way of disciplining children here and it's wise not to intervene.
ANIMAL SACRIFICES
In Nepal, animal sacrifices during festivals are very common. Some are even done publicly in courtyards of temples or homes, and many people come just to witness the sacrifices, and worship the gods afterwards. For example - Dashain!
PUNCTUALITY
The phrase "Nepali Time" is often sarcastically used here to mean that nothing ever gets done on time or no one ever reaches anywhere on time. So expect delays everywhere you go and with any of your meetings. Sometimes, it even takes 1 or 2 hours to get a simple task done.
HAWKERS, BEGGARS AND STREET CHILDREN
Hawkers surrounding you, asking you to buy their stuff, and beggars asking for money can be annoying. The thing to do is, politely and resolutely say 'No' and walk away, or just ignore their calls and keep walking straight ahead.
You'll find the sight of street children sleeping on pavements and sniffing glue (supposedly lessens hunger) a bit disturbing but you have to face the facts that Nepal is a developing country and there are many issues it's struggling to get control over; poverty being the topmost on the list.
CREMATION
Another sight that may shock you when you go to visit Pashupatinath Temple or near the banks of the holy river Bagmati, is that unlike in the west, we burn the bodies of the dead in our culture. It may be quite disturbing for some too.
Another thing is that the said holy river including others that flow through the cities and populated settlements are extremely polluted.
Also, most Sadhus (holy men) will charge you some fee for taking their pictures.
GET IN LINE
Due to the shortage of clean drinking water in Kathmandu, people can often be seen in a line with 2 or 3 buckets with them at public taps, or you'll see big water tankers that go to houses and fill their underground tanks.
The other line you'll see is for petrol. You'll find that there is often a shortage of petrol in Kathmandu and this can be very clear when you see long lines of motorbikes and cars at the gas stations. These can also be another reason for the traffic jams in Kathmandu.
CHAUPADI
When women have their periods (menstruation days), they are considered impure and are kept apart from the family members; this tradition is called 'Chaupadi' and is more prevalent in far and mid-western Nepal where women are kept alone in the sheds!
You may encounter its less strict forms all over Nepal. In the cities, it's getting more relaxed with time, but still many strictly follow the rules where they are not allowed to enter the kitchen, temples or even touch their elders.
Initially, this started so that women could get some rest during their periods, and avoid all the heavy lifting and house-hold chores which require a lot of hard work.
STRONG AND ACTIVE WOMEN
You'll be pleasantly surprised to see more women doing household chores, taking care of children, farm work and even their small businesses, whereas you'll find men just idly passing days just sitting around or playing cards and/or smoking all day especially in rural areas.
In construction sites, you'll come across many women toiling away with their male counterparts, carrying heavy bricks and cement on their heads while wearing colorful kurta-salwar and/or saris.
OTHERS
There are still many things that might take you by surprise or even shock you, such as being groped in public transport or crowded parts of Thamel, locals throwing trash wherever they like- even out of a moving car, which may smack you in the face, and spitting in public which is gross no matter which corner of the world you come from!
You may find it rather funny when you hear people having loud conversations on their mobile phones, sometimes with their speakerphone on!
In Newar communities, you may come across and be bewildered with the ritual of Ehee and Bahra Tayegu in which young girls are 'married' to a fruit in former and to the Sun in latter. This is done so that they don't have to live a harsh life of a widow if their husbands die and/or they can get remarried.
Different experiences have very different effects on different people. You never know what will affect you and what won't. The best coping mechanism to deal with and overcome culture shock anywhere is to keep an open mind.
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