Meet Padam, an avid traveler with an insatiable thirst for adventure. As a child, Padam would spend hours poring over books about far-off places, dreaming of one day exploring them himself. 

When asked, “When did you discover you wanted to travel?” Padam said, “It was when I was living in the Children’s Home. People from all around the world would come visit us. They would tell us their traveling stories, and we would count how many countries they’ve traveled so far. It was then I thought to myself, ‘How wonderful to be able to see the world.’”

Padam lost his parents very young. He was the youngest of the 7 siblings. His older sister got married young and left, and his older brothers left the village to earn money in other countries. He was left back home alone, wailing, and hungry. The villagers took turns taking care of him until he turned 6, and he was sent to Kopila Valley Children’s Home for his security and growth. His childhood began in Kopila Valley, and he grew up to be a young man with dreams and a quest to conquer. He graduated from Kopila Valley School in 2019 and transitioned out of the Children’s Home in 2018. 

Padam discovered that tourism degrees in Nepal are in high demand. It was decided then; he wanted to pursue a Tourism degree and travel the planet. 

“It’s obvious to everyone who meets me that I love traveling. The idea of packing my bags and disappearing to someplace new lives inside my brain all the time!” he exclaims. His “Wanderlusty” passion seeps through his pores, out of his control. He says travel changes him into a more spontaneous, well-rounded, and grateful person. 

“Life without passion is a prison sentence, in my opinion,” Padam says. “It’s important to have a passion so that you enjoy the steps of living. Wake up, go to work, eat dinner, watch television, sleep; that’s a routined life. I like sleeping under the starry nights and waking up to the majestic rising sun. I like the uncertainty in traveling.”

Padam currently studies Tourism at Global College in Kathmandu, and he says the best thing about his course is that they always have trips planned. They learn through traveling from place to place. His time doesn’t slip away without an adventure.  

When he is on break, you will often see him going back to his village in Kalikot. “Kalikot is such an underrated place,” he explains. Deep in the heart of the countryside, nestled amongst rolling hills and fields of golden wheat, there is a place where he loves to spend his time. Oda, villagers call it – but for him, it’s a place to swim, to fish, to be out in nature, to find healing. “There is so much to discover there. Their cultures are amazing. Once you go there, you’ll feel like you’re in a Utopia.” 

Padam’s lifelong goal is to establish his own traveling company targeting Karnali province as his agency’s destination. He has an outbursting passion to get it done; for he is a traveler, a seeker of the unknown, a lover of adventure, of stories yet untold. From the mountains and Himalayas of Nepal to the plains, he walks with purpose and zeal.

With wanderlust in his heart, he sets out to explore the beauty of the world that lies beyond his door. He longs to see new sights and hear new sounds. For him, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of the unknown, the joy of discovering a place he’s never known.  He lives for the journey, not just the destination, and he’ll keep on traveling with unbridled fascination. He craves the adventure of a new culture. He loves to walk the streets and feel the vibe of another. 

In Kathmandu, Padam spends his time playing Futsal with his friends and brothers. 

“From cityscapes to mountain peaks, my spirit soars as I explore unique mystiques. To learn, to grow, to live, to be, traveling is the essence that sets me free.” With this, Padam advises his juniors to seize what they believe in. “Never waste your time, let yourself wander, let yourself roam because you are not lost, you will be found.”  

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.