Tourism, homesaty, Ghalegaun, peeking into social perspective of tourism and its implication in livelihood- it was a predefined flexible module of our field visit. Homestay, a different emotion ran down in my veins when I first heard it. Sheltering with some unknown people in their home and sharing same kitchen looked a bit awkward to me. I never hesitated even to cook in my  friends or relatives house but having breakfast, lunch and dinner in a house of some unknown people looked not so comfortable to me. I even wondered how those people can do it, welcoming some unknown individuals in their house and exhibiting their lifestyle. Do they do it for money? Do they do it to promote their culture or both? Is it their side job? Have they made it their prime occupation? There is nothing wrong in it, but how and why? I was about to find my answers once I reached Ghale Gaun  After nearly 7 hours  ride from Kathmandu to Besi sahar and 3 hours jeep ride from Besi Sahar to Ghale Gaun.

Until I reached Ghale gaun, I was filled with questions and assumption. While the bumpy road tested strength of my bones, the dust nearly whitened me, and the music played by driver was about to make me deaf. I guess reaching to Ghale Gaun was my most cherished moment. More than being happy of reaching my destination I was happier to get rid of the jeep. I thought it would have been better if we had walked. I mean I shouldn?t have suffered much and we could have observed all the places nearby Ghale gaun.

My pain all eroded when I could gaze the majestic Ghale community shining with the last rays of sun for the day. A warm welcome in Gurung tradition and genuine smiling faces of our hosts answered why it?s good to stay in homestay. Enjoying nature was the first and foremost work that I did but there was a mini research I had to do. Consulting with my course facilitator he instructed me to look into the diversification of livelihood strategies in relation to my interest of looking into subsequent impact of tourism in agriculture. I thought, ?It is certainly a better idea. It is even easier when we can have such warm Ghale and Gurung people around me.? The day was ended with camp fire, songs, jhwaikatte and typical gurung food. Looking at the smiling face of my host I assumed people are happy with homestay so they are serving well. If they were not happy why would they continue homestay in their community? I hardly imagined of any other occupation that they would accept. I recalled my day and the journey from the jeep station to my host?s house to recall if I observed any other major occupation. ?Agriculture, few shops,a school may be, some people making Raadi that is all,? I recalled. I was stuck in another thought while I was moving towards my host?s house I saw very few men and youth. So less number of men and youth, I exclaimed. Where have all men and youth gone? I questioned myself. The answer laid in the strategies employed by the people.

I was quite happy to be amidst the beauty of nature and such warm people who offered opportunity to experience their lifestyle to any guest arriving at their door steps. Clean, beautiful, organized and smiling faces of people surely lure any guest. However looking deeper in their livelihood there are aspects to be happy and think over. People have earned from livelihood and also from foreign employment. These have helped significantly in improving their livelihood, ensured capability to investment in education of their children and add property. Considering the number of family members capable of earning I must say people have diversified their livelihood strategy. Foreign employment, homestay, shop, job at local office and serving as school teacher are some of the livelihood strategies that were shared by my key interviewee. But people too earned from selling vegetables, local products such as wine, Raadi, mobile covers, tea leaves, gundruk, etc. Almost entire village had chicken in their house for their own purpose or to sell when guests demand in homestay.

However their income and business depend upon the flow of tourists in the village, which makes them vulnerable if flow of tourist lessens in the area. So far, besides homestay and foreign employment neither my interviewees nor the other people were found to be employing any other measures of livelihood that is not directly linked to tourism. They have considered tourism to be a sustainable source of earning their livelihood. Hence they are reluctant to seek for any other source of income. By far, there are no significant problems with tourism and it is likely to sustain for long run. Nevertheless, since the entire village is relying upon a single sector, it is high time that one needs to point out at the possibilities of adversities and need of diversifying their strategy.

Meanwhile, migration has been identified as major livelihood diversification strategy (Hussein and Nelson, n.d.). People from Ghale gaun have migrated abroad for employment opportunities and earning economy for family. People earn money till they can work but once they return back they will have no options but to work in home soil and look for or create job. In this condition if the earned money is invested in productive sector like Purna Gurung, people will have chances to sustain livelihood. However like the trend of many Nepalese if the money is spent in luxury then the future is likely to be different. In this regards, so far people said that they have been adding property which is good for them. But at same time they are leaving their agriculture which used to be a backbone of their livelihood.

            Undoubtedly people have option to employ any occupation as per their convenience and capacity. However I find it difficult to understand decision of leaving the lands barren after they have a better source of income. I completely agree that traditional agriculture is less likely to produce the desired transformation of life but leaving it may be the worst decision, if Ghale gaun faces deficit of tourist in future. Moreover I believe they have equal chances of sustaining their livelihood if they employ agriculture intensification (Scoones, 1998). This ensures additional income for the people and keeps the land usable for future generation as well enabling them to use the land for their livelihood, this indeed will be sustainable. (Chambers and Conway, 1992 as cited in Solesbury, 2003, p.5)