This summer I was lucky enough to be able to travel to Nepal, a third-world country located between China and India, with several other Cadets from around the U.S. as a part of the Cultural and Language Understanding Program (CULP). While in Nepal, we stayed in the capital city, Kathmandu, learning from and training with the Nepalese Army, their military academy cadets, UN peacekeepers, and the Armed Police Force of Nepal. Over the course of two weeks, we spent the majority of our mornings doing physical training, karate, or hiking from the city to a ranger camp on a nearby mountain with the Nepalese cadets or soldiers from the Nepalese army. During the day, we would travel to the different components of their military learning about the organization and functions of each piece. There were also days when our group would visit the famous Hindu and Buddhist temples of Nepal to learn about the culture and history of the country. For someone who has never left the U.S., like myself, learning about how other cultures around the world are very different from our own is eye opening to say the least. The last week of our CULP trip was a humanitarian assistance mission in a remote village. While in the village, we spent the week tearing down rock walls of an old school that was destroyed in the devastating 2015 earthquake. The humanitarian assistance mission not only allowed us to see the different parts and people of the country, but it also allowed us to work together with the people of Nepal on the same project. Overall, my time spent in Nepal was a great learning experience and something I will remember for a long time.
-Cadet Finegan
Cadet Finegan and team members