I plan to do a future post on what the average American knows about Nepal. Meanwhile, here are a few facts that will put you miles ahead at your next cocktail party – especially if you actually meet a Nepali at one!

1) Kathmandu Elected a Rapper as Mayor Balen Shah, the current mayor of Nepal’s capital city, was a well-known rapper before his election. I realize this brings up more questions like “There is rap in Nepal?” Yes. “Do they have rap battles?” Yes. (But I’ll still just count all of this as one item.) Here’s a video that mixes rap with the local culture: Balidan video from Balen Shah

2) Buddha Was Born in Nepal

More than eighty percent of Nepalis are Hindu, but they are proud of the fact that Lord Buddha (not just “Buddha”) was born in Lumbini, Nepal. It is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists.

3) Nepal is Located Between India and China

When my husband, Ranjan, tells people he is from Nepal they often look surprised or pleased…and then puzzled. “Where is that?” is the most common question. (I’m glad they admit they don’t know — at least that way they find out!) To give you a more precise idea, if you take a globe and put one index finger on Houston, Texas, and put the other index finger on Nepal, they will be more or less on opposite sides.