Hi, I am Pratiksha from a beautiful landlock country Nepal. 

I flew all the way to Canada from Nepal in December 2023 to pursue my dream at the age of 20 as an international student. 

As, I am from Nepal. Our native language is Nepali so, I speak Nepali language. Having open boarder with India, I am also familiar with Hindi language.

We are four members in our family. Me, my father, mother and my younger brother. I am the elder daughter in our family. I have few roles in my family being as an elder daughter. I have to uphold the family values after my parents to teach my younger ones.  

Being an international student, our college has provided us an insurance with guard me. Guard me will cover all our emergency medical expenses. 

I follow Hindu religion. Within our community, we celebrate customs and festivals that help us stay connected to our heritage and promote a feeling of belonging. Our moral principles and the framework for daily living are both shaped by our religion and spirituality, which is important to our lives. We strive to increase our awareness of our role in the universe and our relationship with the divine through rituals, prayers, and teachings. Our identity is shaped by this complex cultural fabric of practices and ideas, which also provides us with strength, insight, and inspiration in our daily lives.

Fortunately, I have not personally encountered bias, discrimination, racism, or prejudice. Even though I am aware that these problems still exist in our society, I am thankful for the welcoming and inclusive environments I have seen, where people are valued for who they are rather than their background. Due to the absence of such bad encounters, I have been able to concentrate on my own development and human connections with others, promoting a sense of harmony and understanding in my relationships with others from various backgrounds.

Our values in my Nepali family are based on a synthesis of tradition and modernity. Even while we adhere to cultural customs, we value equality over traditional gender roles. Compared to rigidly following matriarchy or patriarchy, our family structure is more equitable. We value shared responsibility and support everyone in the family, regardless of gender, in pursuing their goals. The emphasis on education and personal development for all has influenced our rules and expectations, ensuring that as a Nepali girl, I have the same chances and support as everyone else in my family. This harmony of tradition and progressivity enables us to retain our history while welcoming constructive change.