Shanti always notices the shoes first. Not out of habit-but heritage. 

As she sat in the back row of her first-year hospitality class, her eyes drifted downward. Patent leather heels clicking, polished shoes crossing one knee over the other, a pair of spotless white sneakers someone had definitely bought just for their first day. 

Then her shoes: faded but definitely have lived through some insightful journeys. She loves this pair of shoes because her father stitched and re-stitched it back in Surkhet, in a shop smelling faintly of glue, love, and hope. Her father is a shoemaker, a man who has spent his entire life crafting and repairing shoes by hand. It pains Shanti to see his calloused fingers. He works long hours for a shoe shop, stitching soles and shaping leather with the hope of providing a basic lifestyle for his daughters. 

“Welcome to the world of hospitality!” The professor exclaimed, writing in looping letters on the whiteboard. “A world where details matter more than you think.” Yes. Details are something Shanti knows well. Like how to do her laundry and dry it late in the afternoon after classes, like how to share clothes and food among her 50 siblings, like how to do her homework even if she didn’t feel like it, like how to savour the delicious food on her plate because there are children out there who are starving and dying. Lucky for her, she was taken under the care of Kopila Valley Children’s Home when she was just a two-year-old baby! 

A Childhood of Firsts

Shanti doesn’t have any memories of her mother. But this is what she heard from her relatives and her older sister:

“I’ve been told that my mother married my father at a young age, around 18, through an arranged marriage. In the beginning, my father treated her well. However, my mother suffered from ongoing stomach issues that often left her feeling unwell and unable to work. After giving birth to my older sister, she continued to struggle with her health. Four years later, I was born, and around that time, my father secured a job in the army. He used to refer to me as his “lucky charm” because of this positive change in his life. 

“Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse. My father brought home another woman and began to treat my mother poorly. Despite being unwell, my mother endured mental and emotional abuse from him. She continued to love him deeply, even through the suffering.

“Two years later, my younger sister was born. Sadly, not long after that, we lost our mother. Her ongoing health problems, combined with depression and the emotional burden she carried, eventually took her life.” 

Shanti was just a baby then and doesn’t remember much from before.
Not her village in Humla.
Not the long three-day journey to Surkhet where she would be introduced to her new family.
Not even whether she cried along the way.

But she remembers what came after…

Running wild with 50+ siblings.
Arguing, laughing, learning. Playing capture-the-flag.
Satsung nights—those magical evenings of songs, dancing, shared stories, and winding down together. She remembers camping trips and Friday movie nights, getting her lice combed by Maggie Mom, flunking Math but topping English, her first piercing, the haircut she regrets, and pizza-and-spaghetti nights. 

This was her childhood. Unconventional, but full of love and life.

Choosing Her Own Path

Shanti was seventeen, in a college classroom with students she had never met before. She was full of life, full of inspiration, and full of dreams. She stood out among the crowd, because unlike some other Nepali students who were forced by their parents to pursue Hotel Management, Shanti decided on her own that this is what she wanted to pursue, not knowing where she would be after four years. “My time at Shahid Krisnasen Ichhuk Polytechnic Institute in Dang was full of meaningful experiences—especially beyond the classroom. It was my first time living away from my Kopila family, and during that time, I learned how to stand on my own, manage my finances, and build new friendships.”

Present Day: A New Chapter Begins

At 20 years old, Shanti finds herself standing at the beginning of her new chapter. After completing her diploma in Hotel Management, she is now interning in the food and beverage department at Tiger Palace Resort by Soaltee, a luxurious five-star resort known for its exceptional service and high expectations. Each day begins early, with her neatly dressed in uniform, stepping into the vibrant and fast-paced environment of the resort. 

Through this internship, Shanti is learning far more than just how to serve food—she is mastering the art of communication, developing grace under pressure, and understanding the fine details that go into creating memorable guest experiences. She’s learning to greet guests with warmth, carry herself with confidence, and handle unpredictable situations with calm professionalism. Her responsibilities teach her how to set tables with precision, anticipate guests’ needs, and respond quickly to feedback or challenges, all while coordinating seamlessly with her team across departments. 

“The work is physically demanding, and there are days when my feet ache and my energy wanes, but the satisfaction of a guest remembering my name or a supervisor acknowledging my effort fills me with pride. I can feel I’m growing stronger, more capable, and increasingly self-assured. At the end of a long day, when I remove my uniform, I’m reminded of how far I have  come. I guess this is adulting.” 

This internship isn’t just a job—it is a bridge between her past and her future, a place where everything she has learned so far is beginning to come together.

Where She’s Headed

After she completes her internship, Shanti hopes to go to Kathmandu, a bigger city filled with opportunities and find a job while she pursues her Bachelor’s in Hotel Management. “My father has gone back to Humla, back to the stillness of the hills and the quiet surrender of routine. He cries every time I go see him. My sisters, barely women, were married off young, their lives folded neatly into someone else’s expectations. I watched it all unfold, helpless at first, then burning with a quiet resolve. That won’t be me. I carry their stories, but I will not repeat them. I’m carving my own path, one step forward, and never back.”

Shanti has made plans for her future. She wants to go abroad, maybe Australia or Germany, and work there, hoping to earn enough money to support her father and the sisters who did not have the privilege of education. Both of them have given birth to two beautiful and healthy baby girls. “I’m an aunt now,” she says, a wide grin spreading across her face, lighting it up with pure joy.

“One day,” she says softly, “my nieces will grow up knowing they have choices. They’ll know their voices matter.” In her quiet determination lies something powerful, a promise to rewrite the story, not just for herself, but for her nieces as well. 

She says, “I’m not chasing a different life, I’m becoming it.” 

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.