Harimaya Acharya

Utica, NY

Harimaya grew up in Bhutan and came to the States 3 years ago after living in Nepal for 22 years as a Bhutanese refugee. She currently takes care of her 4 y/o grandson and is learning English at the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees.

“अमेरिका जाने भन्दा त के सोच्नु, मलाई मन थिएन। त्यहाँ गएर के गर्ने? भेडाबाख्रा भन्ने हुँदैन, खोरहरु, कराईहरु पनि सब बेग्लै होला। छोराछोरीले गर्नुपर्छ भनेर फर्म भरेम, फर्म भरेपछि के गर्ने? छोराछोरी आउने भएर अनि आएम।”

(“What does one think of when thinking about going to America, I did not want to go. What would I do when I am there? There are no cattle there, and the barns and pots are all different. The children said we should do it, so we filled out the forms. What are you going to do anyways? The children were leaving, so so did we.”)

“हरियाली देख्दा कति खुशी लाग्यो! छोराछोरीले काम गर्नुपर्छ, हामीले पर्दैन। दिन बिताउन सुबिस्तै छ नानी! घरको मालिक पनि राम्रो छ, केही बिग्रियो भने पनि मिलाइदिने खालको। घरमा पानी चल्छ, फराकिलो छ, त्यो भन्दा त के चाहियो र! Exercise त गर्छु म! नाच्न कम्मर पनि मर्काउँछु। त्यही गरेर बाँचेकी छु।”

(“When I saw the greenery, I was really happy. My children need to work, but I do not. It is easy to pass the days, dear! Our landlord is also nice, he will fix if anything breaks. There is running water in the house, it is wide, what else would you need! I even exercise! I twist my hips and dance. That is how I am living.”)

“मेरो टीचर साथी जस्तै हुनुहुन्छ। पेन्सिल हातमा राखेर लेख्न सिकाए टीचरहरुले। आज सिकाए, भोलि सिकाए। पढाउने भन्दा पनि साइन गर्न सिकाउने चाहीँ ठुलो रहेछ। अहिले मैले कहाँ दुख्छ भन्दा ‘हेड’, ‘टो’ भन्न जानेछु। त्यति चाहिँ बनाउँदा रैछन् टीचरहरुले।”

(“My teacher is just like my friend. The teachers put pencil in my hand and taught me to write. They taught me today and they taught me tomorrow. It seems like learning to sign is more important than learning anything else. Now I can even answer ‘head’, ‘toe’ and so on when they ask me where it hurts. My teachers got me there.”)

“कत्ति पो हेप्थे नेपालमा, धन्न आइएछ जस्तो लाग्छ कहिलेकाहीं। धनीमानीले भन त कति हेप्छन् नेपालमा? अहिले फोन गरेर हजुर भन्छन्, पहिला बजिया भन्दै कत्ति गर्नेहरु! सार्है मन दुख्थ्यो नानी। भगवान कहाँ छन् होला, हाम्रो नि एकदिन छोराछोरी ठुलो भएपछी त केही होला भन्थेँ। दुखका कुरा त कति छन्, कति भनम?”

(They treated us so badly in Nepal, I sometimes thank god that we came here. You tell me, how do the rich put down everyone else in Nepal? Now they call me and praise me, the same people who used to call me names before! My heart used to hurt so much, dear. I used to think, ‘Where is god? Maybe one day when our children are older, things will change.’ There are many stories of pain, dear, how much do I tell you?”)