As one of the first females in State Supreme Court, Olga has paved the way for women like me.
I sat across from Olga, in her home in Sausalito, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Throughout our conversation, it was the first time (and the only time so far) that I had to fight back tears as she described settings in Nepal. I could relate. I felt the same way during a trip to Cambodia years ago. When visiting developing countries, witnessing poverty, orphanages; it is only human nature that we want to do all that we can, to help.
Before Nepal, Olga wanted to be Greek. She adored that country, Greek food, Greek dances. In 1984, after her first trip to Nepal, she never went back to Greece again. Her Greece is my Paris, and I wonder if I would feel the same way about the City of Lights after a visit to Nepal.
I related to her on various levels: learning English at a young age, becoming fluent in the language very soon after immigration. She spent 25 years traveling back and forth between Asia and America. I’ve spent the past 20 years doing the same. She yearns for Nepal when she’s in the States and vice versa. I understood, because it’s not about traveling, it’s about having lives in multiple countries. But as she said, living this kind of life is also so much fun and culture adjustment became easier with time.
I hope people are inspired by her efforts, and by who she is. As one of the first females in State Supreme Court, then receiving awards from the likes of Dalai Lama and interviewed by Oprah, Olga has paved the way for women like me, who interminably aspire to be better. Most importantly, she listened to her heart and followed it to elevate lives of others.
Read more of my interview with Olga.
Happy travels,
