2018 graduate Trirathna is a force to be reckoned with- her passion for learning and re-learning has led her to the UK to achieve her prevailing goal – to help her aunt with her grocery business. With every fiber of her being, she is gaining experiences to move toward her dream. She truly  is extraordinary. 

‘Overwhelming’ is perhaps the best word to summarize 2023 for Trirathna. After graduating from Kopila Valley School in 2020, COVID-19 lockdowns  halted her plans. With the time she had at home, a lot of choices were running around in her mind. When the world slowly and steadily started resuming life, she was still unsure what to do next. One random day, she found herself in Kathmandu Valley applying for a Visa to the UK. 

Trirathna describes herself as sort of an accidental student in a foreign country, someone who never planned that route but found herself dragged into it by fate.  In the middle of 2022, she boarded her flight to the UK to study BM (Business Management) in Birmingham University.  

“Far from home, across the sea, I traveled to pursue my degree with a mindset that learning is a continuous journey and also the detour that often leads to a better destination.” 

Trirathna arrived in the UK with her luggage and was immediately greeted by the cool breeze. The first thing that struck her was how different the weather was from her home country. The cold and damp climate was a stark contrast to the heat she was used to in Nepal. “The first few days were a blur of excitement and thrill mixed with stressed nerves. But the real adventure began when I started attending classes at the university. The academic rigor and expectations were much higher than I had experienced before. But I have Kopila Valley School to thank for the experiences it gave me so that I could grasp my challenges and easily be a part of a solution.”

Back in 2018, Trirathna joined Kopila Valley School for her +2 in Management. “I was awed by the School’s facilities.” She mentions, “You see, coming from a school background where I was taught by the rules of old textbooks, I floated with the freedom and newness Kopila Valley drowned me in. I was taking economics, business, accounting, and I also was taking art, gardening classes, finance classes, music and dance.

Leaving Kopila Valley was bittersweet -–I was sad to say goodbye to this beautiful experience and people I had come to love, but I knew that I would carry these memories with me for a lifetime. It left an indelible mark on my heart and I know I will always feel a connection to this place. Sincerely, Kopila Valley, without a doubt, was an experience of a lifetime.”

If you look at Trirathna now, you will see the face of someone who has managed all the challenges of living on her own. It certainly was not easy for her to build herself brick by brick. As she starts to adapt and find her way in the new UK environment, her perspective on resilience and grit has changed. She works at multiple places (Meadowfield House, Manchester House, Penwortham Grange and Lodge, Buckshaw residential village and Dove Heaven House) as a lifeline carrier to save up for her groceries, toiletries, and pocket money. 

“When you’re far away from your family and friends, especially in a country with a different lifestyle, you really change. If I were back home, I wouldn’t  have the rare chance of working and studying at the same time. Every day I am learning that nothing real can be threatening, but stirring.” This strong young woman uses the hard realities of life to motivate her to move forward instead of considering them a threat.

She wishes to finish her BM and gain all the experiences she needs so that she can help her aunt back home manage her grocery business. “My aunt by far is one of the strongest women I know. She involuntarily pushes me to strive for the best in my life. She is a single mother handling this huge business in our city. I want to be as bold as her because there aren’t enough towering feminist icons in my community.”  

Trirathna’s bold journey of life includes twists and turns, highs and lows, and ultimately finding her way to her destination. She reminds us that, in the end, we’re all inspired by the same things: PASSION coined with DREAMS.  

We are thrilled to have one of our very own Kopila Valley School graduates write this guest blogger series and share alumni stories! Anjali Karki graduated in 2019 and is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism along with a journalism career. We can’t wait to see what each of these world-changers does next. Follow us on social media with the series hashtag (#NarrateYourKopilaStory) for more about these young adults and their adventures.