By PRABHAKAR BAGCHAND
Executive Director, Lawyer's National Campaign for Elimination of Caste Discrimination (LANCAU)

The America I knew, I learned from books and what Hollywood portrays in movies and magazines. The words that came to mind included: a land of plenty, freedom, peace and justice. I always envisaged setting my foot on American soil to learn about America firsthand. This dream turned into a reality not too long ago. On March 5^th, I was enjoying the beauty of a tea plantation in Illam, a hill station in far eastern Nepal, when I received mail saying that I was selected for the Legislative Fellows program in the U.S.  My dream was now becoming a reality.

I touched down in Washington D.C. on April 3^rd and was received at the airport with a smile and a warm hug, typical of an American. For the next three days, along with 30 other fellows from different countries, we were taken to Capitol Hill, Russell Senate Office building, Lincoln Square memorial and many other places around Washington. 

After spending three days in Washington, I headed to Kansas City with two other Legislative Fellows: Danny from Kazakhstan and Tim from Kyrgyzstan. With a strong interest in understanding American culture, I was thrilled to live with two different American families for three   weeks to “see how Americans live.” We were welcomed at the airport by Barbara Dolci and Laura Ablan from the International Visitors Council. We were taken straight to Union station from the airport for snacks and a briefing of our three week program, before being picked up by our host families. 

My fellowship included internships in the Office of Congressmen Emanuel Cleaver and Kevin Yoder. The various meetings arranged by KCIVC introduced me to a variety of people and organizations that work on leadership development, and law and justice. Visits to the Federal Court helped me understand the judicial system and how the witness protection system works in the U.S. At El Centro, an NGO working for immigrants mainly in the Hispanic community, I learned about immigration and its impact on America. My visit to the University of Kansas, gave me an insight into the life of students in American universities. I also visited Harvesters food bank where I was reminded of the words of former President George W. Bush, "America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests and teach us what it means to be citizens" in his inaugural address in 2001.

I was welcomed by a few host families during this program, all who invited me into their homes for dinner or to join in family activities. I was told to "make myself at home". It was nice to be treated as an honored guest, but one of the highest compliments I received from them is that they treated me like a member of their family. I was given the "freedom of the house" to do what I wanted to "raid the refrigerator" on my own, or to have some quiet time alone. Christine Hughes was my first host and made me feel right at home. I admire her for her generosity, kindness and extraordinary hospitality

My second host was Virginia Powers, an avid reader, a former school teacher and a true humanitarian. I was really touched when she gave a bicycle to a school girl whose parents could not afford to buy it. I had read that if an American spots talent in you, he or she would give you the resource to bring out the best in you, and Virginia proved it to be true.

I was invited to stay over at Stan Warner's farm house one night. I remember Mr. Warner asking me, “what impressed you the most about America?” I replied without second thought – the rule of law and civic responsibility shown by Americans. In response, I asked him, “but how did this all happen?” He said it is because of the selflessness of our founding fathers who believed in being true citizens rather than just holding position of power. He further explained about the debt crisis, economic slowdown and many other problems faced by America. I realized America has it own problems; unfortunately America like any other country is not a perfect world. It has its own problems and challenges too. 

Like many other Asians, the family structure is an aspect of American society that bewildered me. The nuclear family structure, consisting of parents and children, compared to the extended family structure, is alien to some cultures and often misunderstood. Having stayed with American families, I realized that American families strive to bring about the happiness of each individual family member. The traditional family values include love and respect for parents, as well as for all members of the family. However, the emphasis on the individual and his or her right to happiness can be confusing. It allows room for children to disagree, even argue with their parents. In other cultures such as in Nepal, such action would be a sign of disrespect and a lack of love. In the U.S., it is simply a part of developing one's independence.  

As the Executive Director of Lawyers' National Campaign for Elimination of Caste Discrimination (LANCAU Nepal), I spoke to a wide range of people in my meetings about caste discrimination in Nepal and in South Asian countries. In fact, all Americans whom I met expressed their deepest concern for the Dalits – the so called “untouchables” of Nepal who suffer caste discrimination on a daily basis. Their concern was genuine, for many came forward to support the cause I was pursuing. Danny Carroll whom I met at KCIVC’s reception at Californos, is a case in point. He will soon be visiting Nepal as a volunteer intern at LANCAU to contribute to our campaign against caste discrimination.

After spending three weeks in Kansas City we returned to Washington to attend a Legislative Fellow's Congress. A friend of mine asked me if I liked Kansas, so I showed her the "Proud Kansan" sticker on my suitcase and we both laughed. At the Fellows Congress I was one of the speakers. I spoke about the role of the international community in eliminating caste discrimination. The response I got was overwhelming.

After spending a week in New York I returned to Nepal on May 13^th. My visit to the United States has changed my understanding of America. I have fallen in love with the Bill of Rights and regard it as the most noble document ever written to define the limits of the government. I love the concepts of free speech, absolute privacy and religious freedom embodied in American traditions and the Constitution.  I love the rule of law – the right of accused persons to confront their accusers, the right to an attorney, the right to remain silent, the right to refuse admission to government officials wanting to enter your home or office. These are just some of the things that have made America unique in the history of the world. They are a direct cause of America's prosperity, of their security.

America has a robust society. A society where a nobody can be a somebody. A visit to America surely shows that it is a land of plenty, and also a true home of proud and free. It is important to note that what makes Americans different from rest of the world is their confidence in their abilities to achieve greater things; their unconditional love for their country- this I am proud to copy from them.