12
Page 1 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006 Dear Friends, NAMASTE and Happy New Year 2063 This is a great time of the year to welcome and celebrate the Nepali New Year Bikram Sambat 2063. Bikram Sambat (BS), the official calendar of Nepal, is based on ancient Hindu tradition. As most of you already know, the Nepali year is 56.7 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar. The Nepali new year usually falls around April 14 th . Besides Nepal, this calendar is used by the peoples of North India, Bangladesh and Thailand. It is celebrated as ‘Baisakhi’, 'Poila Baisakh' and ‘Songkran’. It is FNA’s proud annual tradition to celebrate the Nepali New Year by means of a potluck picnic lunch. This year we have decided to host this potluck picnic at the scenic Wekiwa Springs Park in Orlando, FL, so please mark your calendar for (Saturday) April 15 th , 2006, and I look forward to meeting and greeting you at this relaxing get-together. We plan to have a variety of activities available including LOK DOHORI, Raffle Prizes, etc. Please see page 2 of this newsletter for details on the program and the directions. (Continued on page 4) PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE April 2006 Vol. 14, No. 1 Executive Committee Executive Committee Executive Committee Executive Committee Dr. Khushi Ram Tiwari [email protected] President Dr. Pratima Upadhyaya [email protected] Vice President Sundar Joshi [email protected] General Secretary Dr. Harihar Khanal [email protected] Treasurer Pabitra Rijal Josse [email protected] Information Secretary Radha Mali [email protected] Member at Large Nana Satyal [email protected] Member at Large Sanjay Bajracharya [email protected] Web Master Advisory Committee Advisory Committee Advisory Committee Advisory Committee Tirtha Mali [email protected] Rajeeb Lamsal [email protected] Ajaya Satyal [email protected] Dharma Acharya [email protected] Dr. Bijaya Kattel [email protected] Dr. Shailendra Shukla [email protected] Dr. Ram Raj Upadhyay Ram_R_Upadhyay@ spfldcol..edu Nepal Study Forum Coordinator Nepal Study Forum Coordinator Nepal Study Forum Coordinator Nepal Study Forum Coordinator Nabin Sapkota [email protected] FNA Homepage: www.floridanepal.org gj aif{ @)^# sf] pknIodf gj aif{ @)^# sf] pknIodf gj aif{ @)^# sf] pknIodf gj aif{ @)^# sf] pknIodf xflb{s d+undo z'esfdgf JoQm ug'{sf;fy} xflb{s d+undo z'esfdgf JoQm ug'{sf;fy} xflb{s d+undo z'esfdgf JoQm ug'{sf;fy} xflb{s d+undo z'esfdgf JoQm ug'{sf;fy} g]kfnLx?sf] ;'v ;+d[l4 xf];\ g]kfnLx?sf] ;'v ;+d[l4 xf];\ g]kfnLx?sf] ;'v ;+d[l4 xf];\ g]kfnLx?sf] ;'v ;+d[l4 xf];\ Pj+ g]kfndf bL3{sfnLg zflGt 5fO/xf];\ eGg] Pj+ g]kfndf bL3{sfnLg zflGt 5fO/xf];\ eGg] Pj+ g]kfndf bL3{sfnLg zflGt 5fO/xf];\ eGg] Pj+ g]kfndf bL3{sfnLg zflGt 5fO/xf];\ eGg] >L kz'kltgfy;+u ljgd| k|fy{gf ub{5f}+ . >L kz'kltgfy;+u ljgd| k|fy{gf ub{5f}+ . >L kz'kltgfy;+u ljgd| k|fy{gf ub{5f}+ . >L kz'kltgfy;+u ljgd| k|fy{gf ub{5f}+ .

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Page 1: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 1 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

Dear Friends,

NAMASTE and

Happy New Year

2063

This is a great time of the year to welcome and celebrate the Nepali New Year Bikram Sambat 2063. Bikram Sambat (BS), the official calendar of Nepal, is based on ancient Hindu tradition. As most of you already know, the Nepali year is 56.7 years ahead of the Gregorian calendar. The Nepali new year usually falls around April 14th. Besides Nepal, this calendar is used by the peoples of North India, Bangladesh and Thailand. It is celebrated as ‘Baisakhi’, 'Poila Baisakh' and ‘Songkran’. It is FNA’s proud annual tradition to celebrate the Nepali New Year by means of a potluck picnic lunch. This year we have decided to host this potluck picnic at the scenic Wekiwa Springs Park in Orlando, FL, so please mark your calendar for (Saturday) April 15th, 2006, and I look forward to meeting and greeting you at this relaxing get-together. We plan to have a variety of activities available including LOK DOHORI, Raffle Prizes, etc. Please see page 2 of this newsletter for details on the program and the directions.

(Continued on page 4)

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

April 2006 Vol. 14, No. 1 Executive CommitteeExecutive CommitteeExecutive CommitteeExecutive Committee

Dr. Khushi Ram Tiwari [email protected]

President

Dr. Pratima Upadhyaya [email protected]

Vice President

Sundar Joshi [email protected]

General Secretary

Dr. Harihar Khanal [email protected]

Treasurer

Pabitra Rijal Josse [email protected]

Information Secretary

Radha Mali [email protected]

Member at Large

Nana Satyal [email protected]

Member at Large

Sanjay Bajracharya [email protected]

Web Master

Advisory CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeAdvisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee

Tirtha Mali [email protected]

Rajeeb Lamsal [email protected]

Ajaya Satyal [email protected]

Dharma Acharya [email protected]

Dr. Bijaya Kattel [email protected]

Dr. Shailendra Shukla [email protected]

Dr. Ram Raj Upadhyay Ram_R_Upadhyay@ spfldcol..edu

Nepal Study Forum CoordinatorNepal Study Forum CoordinatorNepal Study Forum CoordinatorNepal Study Forum Coordinator

Nabin Sapkota [email protected]

FNA Homepage: www.floridanepal.org

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Page 2: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 2 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

Nepali New Year 2063 Picnic, Orlando

This is that time of the year again to get together and celebrate Nepali New Year 2063 in Orlando, FL. We would like to request you all to try your best to attend this fun filled and relaxing potluck picnic. This is an excellent opportunity to meet your fellow Nepali friends and mingle with them. Our special guest SWAMI AATMANANDA GIRIJI is planning to attend this picnic and this is an excellent opportunity to hear his views and remarks. Below please find tentative program of the picnic. This is that time of the year again for all us to get-together and welcome Nepali New Year 2063. DATE: Saturday April 15, 2006 VENUE: Wekiwa Springs State Park, Orlando, FL. TIME: 12.30 PM – 5.00 PM ADDRESS: 1800 Wekiwa Circle Apopka, Florida 32712 Please call the Park for information at (407) 884-2008. Program 12:30 - 01:30 PM Executive Committee Meeting 01:30 - 03:00 PM Potluck Picnic 03:00 - 04:00 PM Welcome and Introduction Blessings and Remarks from SWAMI ATMANANDA GIRIJEE Raffle Prizes, TOLMOL KE BOL etc. 04:00 - 04:30 PM DOHORI SONG 04:30 PM Closing Remarks and Picnic Adjourns It is a potluck picnic. Please bring something to share with the group. Below is the list of regional contacts for your area. Tallahassee, FL : Mrs. Ambika Tiwari Gainesville, FL: Mrs. Radha Mali Jacksonville, FL: Mr. Rajeeb Lamsal Central FL: Dr. Pratima Upadhyay South FL: Mr. Sundar Joshi and Mrs. Nana Satyal. Park Fee and Admission Fees

Vehicles with 2 to 8 people..........$5.00 Single Occupant Vehicles.............$3.00 Pedestrians, Bicyclis,Extra Passengers, Passengers In

Vehicles With Holder of Annual Individual Entrance Permit..........$1.00 NOTE: Wekiwa Springs State Park does not have a Sun-set Entrance Fee.

Driving Directions

Wekiwa Springs State Park is approximately 20 minutes North of Orlando and approximately 45 minutes North of the attractions. It is easily located off Interstate 4 at exit 94. Take State Road 434 West to Wekiwa Springs Road. Turn right on Wekiwa Springs Rd. and travel approximately 4 miles to the park entrance which will be on the right. Please call the park if additional directions are needed. http://www.floridastateparks.org/wekiwasprings/default.cfm

Let us make our New Year’s

Picnic a great Success.

See you in Orlando!

Page 3: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 3 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

-Shanker Shrestha “Aye dai, guess what bro?” I recall him yelling from the other end, “I’m coming to live with ya’ll”. I remember thinking, “wow, look at this boy, he’s really growing up”. He was no longer the devious kid I had first met in Fort Collins ten years back. This was four years ago. We had talked about it for a while and our plans were finally coming together. It was going to be Abi, Shiva and myself living together in Orlando, going to the same university— away from the parents, just us brothers, wrecking havoc as we please. But it was about more than that. We weren’t just college kids looking to party and waste our parents’ hard earned savings. We not only had hopes and dreams, but also very tangible goals. I assumed we had retained the cultural identity and val-ues that would allow us to succeed and overcome adversity. I saw these qualities in Abi. As time passed, we began to see him less as a “little bro” and more of a peer capable of standing on his own. He had unyielding grasp of his goals and was adamant about succeeding in the real world. We planned to make it big one day and “rule the world”. His impressive knowledge of the business world and his resilient undertaking of any task were prophetic look into a bright future. Most of all, what we loved most about Abi was his high-spirited, jovial and good-natured outlook of life and how he lived it. He was liked by all; and his buoyant attitude was contagious as he lightened up the atmosphere wherever present. He was just as memorable to the Nepali community; from Dashain party to Nepal Study Forum, his playfulness was the centerpiece for the kids and his clever banter was enticing for the adults. Most of us who knew him well also recognize his well-rounded personality as well as his fun-loving ways. He was always there as a son, a brother, a friend and an acquaintance. He was well aware of his responsibilities and satisfied them with pride and delight. He displayed his loyalty to his family, friends and community dili-gently and without complaint. We saw him grow from a mischievous boy to a respectful and honorable man.

- Nabin Sapkota

I never thought before that we would be left only with his memories so soon. Whenever my heart laments the loss of one of my best friends, I try to console myself remember-ing the good times we shared and all the fun we had to-gether. The mutual respect we had for one another was further strengthened by me stepping into a role of his “dai”. I met Abi in 2001 when he and Debbie were visiting Shan-ker in Orlando. Back then he was a guy of impeccable physique (Bhimkaya Sharir), with a perpetual big smile on his face. He hardly spoke much nepali except for “Nabin dai, sunibaksyona...” which was his standard precursor to his conversation with me. I started seeing him gain fluency in spoken nepali. As he got better, he was speaking nepali with much ease and could be seen conversing regularly with all and sundry. There were many moments I can recall that we enjoyed his company. I never forget his uncanny impersonation of Tony Montana of ‘Scarface’. I bet he would have given Al Pacino a run for his money if there ever would been a com-petition for playing “Tony”. Hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005 were “Dashain” for us as we had nothing to do except to watch movies and enjoy authentic Nepalese dishes. Rajesh often talks about the 2005 camping trip to Jonathan Dickinson State Park. The fun multiplied ten-folds whenever he was amongst us. I think, many of you might still remember the burgers/sandwiches we had while we were playing cards in Howard Johnson in Tampa after Dashain Party in 2005. He was always the one ready to go the extra mile to please his family and friends. It was him who searched the whole area for an hour and around 3 a.m. in the morning he came carrying a lot of burgers and sand-wiches for us all. He was truly a great friend with the kindest heart. Man should have dignity and self-respect is what I have learned from him. I saw him equally at ease mixing in a group of kids as well as adults. He was indeed liked by people of all ages. I saw him proving that any relationship prospers with mutual respect, good behavior and bonho-mie. I think, knowing this fact and successfully applying it in daily life at his age was his greatest achievement. There’ll always be a special place in my heart for my “bhai”-Abi.

Remembrance…

Page 4: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 4 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

Looking at other matters, our Dashain gathering in Tampa, FL last year was a grand success. More than 200 participants attended the program and it was well received by the group. Similarly, we plan to have our next Dashain celebration (Dashain 2006) in Jacksonville, FL. Please stay tuned, as details will be coming in the next few months. I believe most of you may be following the recent news regarding Nepal-- the current situation of the country is not quite as good as we would like to hear. Almost everyday, we hear sad news of newly deceased lives, a devastated economy, and the suf-fering of our people due to a lack of basic human needs and rights. Just a few years ago, Nepal was known as one of the most beautiful and peaceful countries in the world. Now, it has transformed into a battle ground and is known as one of the most vio-lent and unsafe places in the world. Human rights violations have skyrocketed and our country is in a state of disaster and destruction. We need to take action to change this and do our best to help our country and its people so that future generations will be able to enjoy a sovereign nation and democracy. Let us hope 2063 will bring this long awaited peace, prosperity and a democratic government in our motherland Nepal. Looking forward to seeing you all in Wekiwa Springs Park, Orlando, FL. Khusi Ram Tiwari, Ph.D. President- FNA Tallahassee, FL.

President’s Message.. continued from page 1

We Wish you New

Beginnings, Hopes,

Aspirations, and Peace with

the Dawn of

Bikram Sambat 2063

Pabitra and Maneesh Josse

gj aÈ{ @)@)@)@)^#^#^#^# sf] pknIodf xflb{s

z'esfdgf

Pratima, Ram and Ojesh Upadhaya - Tampa

Happy New Year

2063 B.S. Shirish Bhat, Orlando

;a}sf] sNof0f xf];\ , d]/f] z'esfdgf

@)@)@)@)^#^#^#^# ;a}lt/ zflGt g} zflGt 5fcf];\;a}lt/ zflGt g} zflGt 5fcf];\;a}lt/ zflGt g} zflGt 5fcf];\;a}lt/ zflGt g} zflGt 5fcf];\ Nabin Sapkota and Rajesh

Ghimire, Orlando

Happy New Year 2063

Nana, Ajaya, Debbie and Sanjaya Satyal,

West Palm Beach

Page 5: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 5 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

A Brief Look at Florida’s History Compiled by: Binita Tiwari Tallahassee, Florida The first people to reach Florida probably traveled here about 12,000 years ago. The Florida they traveled to, however, was a bit different than what you might think today. Sea levels were lower and coastlines were extended farther out than they are today. In the year 1513, the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon waded ashore near present day St. Augustine and dubbed the land “la Florida,” in honor of Pascua Florida or “feast of the flowers.” In 1539, Hernando De Soto embarked on a long trek through Florida in search of gold and silver. He and his soldiers camped for five months in Tallahassee but eventually died near the Mississippi River in 1542. So what was the significance of these European explorers? The stories of the Spanish conquistadores and explorers helped Europe to gain a better understanding of Florida. Upon learning of Florida’s wealth and such, more exploratory travels were planned. In 1559 Tristán de Luna y Arellano attempted to form a settlement at Pensacola Bay but failed. In 1564, René Goulaine de Laudonnière established Fort Caroline near the St. Johns River (Jacksonville). In 1565 Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles and established the first permanent European settlement in the USA—St. Augustine. He also captured Ft. Caroline and renamed it San Mateo. However, two years later, French Dominique de Gourgues captured San Mateo away from the Spanish. Britain gained control of Florida in 1763, but their rule lasted for 20 years only. In 1781 the Spanish recaptured Pensacola from the British in the ‘Battle of Pensacola’. In 1818, General Andrew Jackson made a foray into Florida and fought in the ‘First Seminole War’. In 1821, Spain finally ceded Florida over to the US in what is now known as the Adams-Onis Treaty. In 1824, Tallahassee was chosen as the state capital because it was halfway between the two major governmental centers of St. Augustine and Pensacola. As years passed by, Florida’s population rapidly increased and white settlers tried to get rid of the native Indians. Under President Andrew Jackson, the U.S. government spent $20 million and the lives of many U.S. soldiers, Indian people, and U.S. citizens to forceful removal of the Seminoles. By 1840 white Floridians were concentrating on developing the territory and gaining the statehood. Agriculture was the key element in the economy and Middle Florida was concentrated with the plantations. On March 3rd, 1845, Florida became the twenty-seventh state of the United States. By 1850 the population was about 87,445, and of those about 39,000 were African American slaves. Slavery became quite an issue, since it was the key element when it came to plantation life. During the ‘Civil War’, Florida donated about 15,000 troops but no major battles were fought in Florida. In 1898, Florida got national attention with the beginning of the Spanish-American War. The port city of Tampa served as the primary staging area for U.S. troops bound for the war with Cuba. Many Floridians supported the Cuban peoples’ desire to be free of Spanish colonial rule. The ‘great depression’ gave a hard blow to the state. Several other hurricanes added devastation from time to time. In 1929 the Mediterranean fruit fly invaded and caused a huge damage to the citrus industry. Production was cut by almost 60 %. World War II spurred economic development in Florida. Because of its year-round mild climate, the state became a major training center for soldiers, sailors, and aviators of the United States and its allies. Since WWII, Florida’s economy has become more and more diverse. Several US corporations have set up their headquarters in the Sunshine State. Several attractions such as theme parks and the natural reserves such as the Everglades draw millions of people every year and tourism has become one of the main revenue generators. Florida’s history is still evolving, but I hope I added little more understanding to your knowledge about its past.

Page 6: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 6 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

My outlook - Ajay Kattel

As all of you know, I lost my brother Abi on December 19, 2005. And from that, the worst feelings that a person can feel have come alive in me. I have not been the same since it has happened, nor do I think that I will ever be the same again. I appreci-ate the kind words that everyone has been able to give me, as well as the support that has been given to me and my family as a community in general. As it turns out, there are worse things coming out. Let me start by saying this: I am not upset or angry with anybody. Next, I think that everyone will understand what I am saying, and hopefully you will respect my wishes. I am speaking on my behalf and my behalf only. My parents, as you can guess, are going through a tremendous amount of pain. The calls by the many family and friends to see how my parents are feeling are appreciated. And if you have called, even once, to offer your condo-lences to me or my family, Thank You. As to the reason of Abi’s death…There is ONE person that knows why Abi did what he did. ONE. That one person is NOT any one of you. That ONE person is not me. That ONE person is not my mother, and not my father. That ONE person who knows the true reason is not here to share it, because that ONE person left with the biggest secret he could keep. As you can see, that ONE person is Abi. Again, I emphasize the number ONE, because simply, no one can now know. Abi took the reason with him. I am Abi’s brother. I grew up with him, and he was one of my best friends. Abi has told me things that he would have never told anyone, and that includes my parents. There are things that Abi has told me that, to this day, have not escaped my mouth and been told to anyone. So you can imagine how much it hurts me that I don’t know why Abi is gone. It hurts me so much that he couldn’t even tell me, his brother, that there was something wrong which took his life. He has never hurt anyone, anything, any person, any organization, any family. He has never harmed anybody. He was a kind hearted, helping and loving brother. We loved him, and he loved us. From that, I go to this. We do not expect anyone to tell us why Abi is gone. We know that no one can know why Abi is gone. Please don’t waste your time to come up with a false reason about Abi’s death. We all know our community is very close, and news can travel fast and false reason about Abi’s death will hurt us more and everybody in the community. And if you do hear something that you are unsure of, please come speak to me or my family before you talk to others about it. For the record, and I have heard all of these false reasons. All of them. I’ve heard the rumor about the girl in a car wreck. No, she was not Abi’s girlfriend, and no, that is not the reason. I’ve heard that Abi was taking medicine. No, that is not the rea-son, and no, Abi was never on any kind of medication. On and on I heard many other false rumors about Abi’s death. All of you know this is not true, yet every chance, I’ve heard another person saying they might know why Abi did what he did. Please talk to me, instead of spreading lies. And for the record, there is an investigation into the death of my brother. The peo-ple who should know the results of the investigation will know when time comes. My last thing. I lost my BROTHER. Yes, Abi was like a brother to a lot of people, and he was very well respected in all so-cial circles he was in. But he wasn’t like a brother to me, he was my brother. I know that everyone that knew Abi is feeling pain over his loss, but please do not pretend to know what I am going through as his brother. Just because I am not crying in front of you does not mean I am not hurt. I am in a huge amount of pain, and though I do not show it, it is there. Maybe the biggest thing I share with Abi, even though he did it a lot better, is that I will not let you see how much pain I am in. Whatever the reason, it was enough for Abi, and please leave it at that and let his soul be in peace. Again, thank you to those that have offered their condolences, thank you to those that have come and spent time with the fam-ily. Thank you to those that have come and made concrete blocks to remember Abi, made dinner for the family, even just called and talked. Thank you to those that call, just to see how we are. We are very grateful for all of your support, and could not make it through this without you. I hope everyone has a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR! If you would like to speak to me, please do not hesitate, I am willing to listen to anything. You can contact me by sending an email to [email protected].

Page 7: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 7 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

gj aÈ{ @)@)@)@)^# ^# ^# ^# sf]

pknÔdf xflb{s tyf d·ndo

z'esfdgf

Sushil, Rama and Rita Bhattachan

Tampa, Florida

HAPPY 2063!!!

Khusiram Tiwari & Family

Tallahassee, Florida

WISHING YOU A

HAPPY

&

PROSPEROUS

NEW YEAR

2063

Shailendra, Saroj, Niresh and Nishan Shukla

GAINESVILLE, FL

As We Bid Farewell

to a Great Year Gone

By and Welcome An-

other Promising

Year……

Have a Wonderful Year

Radha & Tirtha Mali

Gainesville

Page 8: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 8 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

gj aÈ{ @)@)@)@)^# ^# ^# ^# sf] pknIodf xflb{s z'esfdgf

MAY YOU HAVE PEACE & JOY

ALL THROUGH THE YEAR

Rajeeb, Ruku, Sanjay and Maya The Lamsal Family Jacksonville, FL

gj aÈ{ @)@)@)@)^# ^# ^# ^# sf]

pknIodf xflb{s z'esfdgf

Dharma, Kopila, Sheela, Silpa and Suraj

The Acharyas Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Sundar Joshi and all Executive Committee Members for taking initiative to establish INLS Florida Chapter. Our best wishes for INLS Florida Chapter’s future endeavors.

Deepa Shah and Lorn Kilian-Tampa Birth of their first baby girl Avani Devi Kilian.

Punam Risal and Atulya Risal -Tampa Birth of their first baby boy Neilamber Risal.

Binu Adhikari and Dhruba Adhikari-Tampa Birth of their first baby girl Shreya Adhikari.

Kusum Dhamala and Mukesh Dhamala –Gainesville Birth of their first child. Ms. Usha Neupane –Orlando New Job (N. Y.)

Mr. Anit Aryal –Gainesville Graduation (M.S. from University of Florida)

Mr. Dinesh Sharma -Tallahassee Accepted Assistant Professor position in FIU Mr. Sushil Bhattachan-Tampa Graduation (MBA from University of Florida)

WELCOME TO THE SUNSHINE STATE

Prakriti Adhikari and Utpal Majumdar recently moved to St. Petersburg from Chicago, IL. Dhana Angdangbe with the family (Tika, Dristi and Darshan) moved to Tampa after accepting a job at USF. Rajendra and Sarita Ranabhat moved to Tampa from Metro Washington D.C.

(This may/may not be the complete list of the new Nepalis who have currently relocated to Florida. Your assistance in com-piling/updating the list of all Nepalis in the state of Florida will be highly appreciated. Please forward that information to

[email protected]. FNA encourages new Nepalis to join our organization by filling out the membership form at the

back of this newletter)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Page 9: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 9 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

In Loving Memories…

Colorado, summer of 1998 I met a handsome young man Stranger? You may ask May be, for you and him and her But for me, I was his “didi” And he----my “bhai” What defines didi and bhai? Is it relation of blood? Or is there a more poignant bond? A bond of heart and spirit Deep and powerful……… I remember…… That soothing voice Eased the pains away That caring disposition Always enlivened emptiness That charming personality Made anyone’s day Around him, I always laughed He lifted my spirits when sad His smile beamed light To an overcast heart In realm of his short life I was glad to play my lil’ part. I opened my eyes He was gone! Was it for real? Or was that just a reverie? Whatever it was It was a beautiful memory. Much love P Didi

Quotes from Albert Einstein

- As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality. - Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind. - The important thing is not to stop questioning. - Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish. - If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. - Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war. - Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. - Imagination is more important than knowledge...

Bijaya and Archana Kattel are in a process of establishing a charity foundation in honor of their late son, Abi. Presently, a bank account has been established with Bank of America as 'Abi Kattel Foundation' - Account number "005563085279". Some of the goals of the foundation are to provide scholarship to children/young adults of the Nepali community and to those of Nepali origin, facilitate better communication between people of all ages, and to help establish, develop, and promote educational institution(s) in Nepal. To learn more about the foundation's goals and objectives, please contact Bijaya Kattel at [email protected] or by telephone at (561)358-6549.

Abi Kattel Foundation

Page 10: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 10 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

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Sundar Joshi and Family

West Palm Beach

Wishing You &

Your Loved Ones,

a Happy &

Prosperous New

Year 2063

Harihar Khanal and Family

Daytona Beach

1 9 4 6 3

7 9

6

8 3 9

6 1 7

6 5 8

4

8 7

1 9 7 8 3 SUDOKU puzzle objective is to enter a numeral from 1 through 9 in each cell of a grid, most frequently a 9×9 grid made up of 3×3 sub-grids, starting with various numerals given in some cells (the "givens"). Each row, column and region must contain only one instance of 1 through 9.

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xflb{s z'esfdgf

Sanjay Bajracharya & Family

Boca Raton, Florida

Page 11: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 11 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006

If you have not paid your annual FNA membership dues yet, please fill out the following Membership Information Form and mail it along with your check to: Dr. Harihar Khanal FNA Treasurer 3780 South Clyde Morris Blvd. Apt # 1407 Port Orange, FL 32129 ______________________________________________________________________

FNA Membership Information Form [ ] New Member [ ] Renewal Today’s Date: ___________________ Full Name: ____________________________________________________________ Spouse Name: ______________________________ Children’s Name: ______________________________________________________ Street Address: ________________________________________________________ City: ____________________State: __________ Zip Code:________ Telephone: _____-______-__________Email : _________________________________

Please check your membership category: [ ] Family $25.00 [ ] Individual $15.00 [ ] Student $12.00 Please check your New Year’s greeting fee: [ ] 1/4 Page $20.00 [ ] 1/4 Page Business $25.00 [ ] 1/8 Page $10.00 Annual Membership Fee : $__________ New Year’s Greeting Fee : $__________ Additional Donations : $__________ (Nepal School Project) $__________ (Misc.) TOTAL : $__________

Page 12: 2006 March Newsletter - Travel-NEPAL.com

Page 12 Florida-Nepal Association Vol.14 No. 1, April 2006