June 09, 2007
Indu Devi THAPALIYA
The Japanese Esperanto Institute is issuing a special invitation to 23 Asian Esperanto activists to take part in this year's World Esperanto Congress in Yokohama. In the April issue of the Japanese magazine La Revuo Orienta JEI has published statements by each of these people. I am reproducing them here, in English translation, one by one.
The next listed activist is Indu Devi THAPALIYA of Nepal. Thapaliya is a 43-year-old banker.
Esperanto and I
When I went to work in a bank in 1990, Joakim WERDIN came from Poland to teach Esperanto in Nepal, and I was present in his course.
When the 4th Himalayan Meeting occurred in 2002, I took part, but could only speak simple words of greeting. At that time foreign Esperanto speakers gave me lots of encouragement, and I seriously learned anew with my cousins and friends. And the more I learn Esperanto, the more I love it. Thanks to Esperanto today I have many friends throughout the world and even had a chance to take part in two World Esperanto Congresses. I always want to learn new things. The idea of Esperanto, too, is new and interesting to me. I have even arranged an Esperanto room at home, and host Esperanto speakers from various countries.
World Esperanto Congress and After
In the World Esperanto Congress I will present the cultures of my country and at the same time I want to learn the Japanese Esperanto movement. I want to have more friends. In my workplace there are many who are interested in Esperanto, because they see my activities with Esperanto. First I want to work for the Nepalese. And second, now I have been elected as a member of the Commission of the Asian Esperanto Movement, and so I want to work more actively for the Esperanto movement in central Asia.