How often do you get a message like this one I just got from a very talented young Nepalese artist that will show his fantastic frog sculptures at our Next Art@Tings Exhibition at Tings Tea Lounge & Lounge Hotel in Kathmandu in April.

First it made me very happy. But after a while I got mixed feelings. A little bit of sadness mixed with lot of frustration.

Nepal is crowded with foreigners – they have been here for decades: Expats, NGO’s, diplomats, businesspeople and a lot of specialists.

Is it really true that my Nepalese friend hasen’t met friendly foreigners before?

And what did I do to deserve this spontaneous praise except treating my artist friend like we treat everybody else?

Whether people are young or old, man or woman, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic, Jew or any other religion, rich or poor, Indian, Nepalese, French, American, Dane or any other nationality we treat people the same way: With trust & respect! 

You don’t have to study HR at University to do that.

How difficult can it be?

What a priviliged it is to get praised by a human being that creates fantastic sculptures like this beauty.

/Thomas