WLTIE: The Salmon Story

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WLTIE scholar Stuty Maskey traveled from Nepal to enroll at Oregon State University, where she will earn her MA in Public Policy in spring 2011.  In late 2010, Stuty offered her thoughts on perseverence as a graduate student in the United States, drawing on the scenic Pacific northwest for inspiration.

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Of the many things that I have found intriguing in the United States, perhaps salmon ranks the first.  Salmon's life is a journey and quite literally.  The quest for the new attracts them to the unchartered waters but the deep instinct of homeland draws them back to the very spot in freshwater to reproduce.  Many die after reproducing, other species start their journey all over again to the ocean.  It's fascinating to see their struggle, conviction and determination to revisit their roots.  As they fight the strong currents to return to their breeding spots, their journey is clouded with risky predators, tests of strength [and] perseverance but they are determined and lured by the rewards of final destination.  It's nature.  And it's inspirational.

I have started relating the salmon story to rationalize many human behaviors.  As I watched the joys of family reunion during Thanksgiving week, I thought that perhaps in certain ways we are inescapably connected to our roots.  That no matter where we migrate, following back the trail to the beginning spot of our journey is where the destination ends.  That it's a full circle only when you pay tribute, in your own unique way, to the nature that created you.  And then it's time to start another journey, for learning, vitality and a new purpose in life.

Only about six months away from returning to Nepal, I am nervous and excited.  At times I get overwhelmed with the feeling of daily struggle in Nepal for water, fuel, electricity and gasoline.  At other times, I think of friends and family that make life so worth living.  The beauty of hills, trails and people that embrace you and make you feel at home.  Life, after all, is a constant process of adjusting to new challenges, tapping new opportunities, meeting new people and moving on with the flow.  Like salmon, I aspire to strive relentlessly.  And hopefully, when I do reach the destination, the salmon will guide me to carry on with the journey for yet another goal.