Meet one of our 2017 graduates, Kaira. When it comes to pursuing your dreams, failure and rejection are all part of the process. Take it from a 23-year-old living in Canada. Here’s her inspiring story in a foreign land.

Growing up in Surkhet, Nepal, Kaira initially wanted to be a nurse. She joined Kopila Valley School in her 6th grade. Until she reached her 10th grade, she didn’t know what she wanted to study in the future. She took a Nursing course in her +2 years. It was during this chapter in her life where she learned more about the world of nursing, further piquing her interest in the field. It was then when she found her new purpose. 

Kaira graduated from Kopila Valley in 2017 and stepped out into the world, where she had to find a new direction. Her family wanted her to continue pursuing  her studies in nursing, which she says was not difficult in contrast to other people’s families in Nepal. But inevitably, we fall back into the patterns of choosing. She knew she wanted to continue her further studies, but one question always came to her mind: where?As far as Kaira knew, Nepal was not an option for her since she had heard that quality nursing education is difficult to find here. She valued the notion of truth and research, so she did some digging of her own.  She talked to people inside and outside of her field. And they all had one thing to say, “You can’t make a living out of a nursing career.” 

Kaira was not deterred. One day she learned about the possibility of studying nursing in Canada, a country known for its excellent healthcare system and high-quality education. Determined to pursue her dreams, Kaira applied to a couple of colleges. The uncertainty of a lengthy wait felt overwhelming, but eventually she got a letter from Fanshawe College in Toronto, Canada, congratulating her for an acceptance. Then she felt up in the air, all geared up for her next exciting journey to the foreign land.  

THE PATH

In Canada, Kaira found her way. Her heart was full of hope each day. She was there to learn, to grow, to thrive, and to chase her dreams and come alive. But as she stepped into the new world, she realized the challenges she must go through. The language, the culture, the ways of living were all strange to her, and getting accustomed to it took some time. She struggled to communicate, to make new friends, and to comprehend lessons that seemed to have no end. 

The stress of it all took a toll on her, and she felt alone, anxious, and hardly even free. “I questioned why I came and why I chose to stay,” Kaira reveals. “But then I remembered the reason, the price I had to pay.” She continues, “That realization brought me closer to my goal, my purpose.” She persevered, she studied hard, and she did her best. 

“I am in the process of becoming the best version of myself,” states Kaira. Her main goal is to be an International Registered Nurse. Every day, she grows by at least one percent. “I am today an improvement of who I was yesterday. I had a lot of insecurities, which I worked extremely hard to overcome, and now I am in this place. I am proud of myself that I have come this far to achieve my goal, and there are still many more to go,” she tells the world.

Going to a new, strange country has exposed Kaira to new challenges, and going the extra mile to reach higher levels has given her inspiration. “Faith and religion are part of it,” she mentions. She means faith in harsh times. A faith that life will go on and everything will work out, even when it doesn’t seem like it. That inspires her. 

Adjusting to her new life was a huge challenge for Kaira. Having no one to go to for help, and not knowing anyone or anyone close in particular derailed her. But she got back on track and kept going.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more,” she advises. “I want to tell my juniors that if I can do it, you can do it too. Don’t let your dreams go, and we are so lucky that we are Kopila buds, blessed with everyone at Kopila Valley. I thank Maggie, Kopila Valley School, and all my teachers for great lessons learned and helping me get into the realm of my goals.” 

Armed with confidence, Kaira knows she is competent, and she is so close to achieving her goal. As we do what we can to make sure each student succeeds, we are extremely proud of Kaira’s journey. 

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.