Where Am I Giving: A Global Adventure Exploring How to Use Your Gifts and Talents to Make a Difference

1Life After College (Nepal, 2001): The mission / The responsibility of privilege

AS A 22-YEAR-OLD RECENT COLLEGE GRAD, I loved flying. Thirty thousand feet in the air, my book marked with a ticket to somewhere, was the only time in my life I knew where I was going and when I was going to get there.

I was on my way to Nepal – the next destination in a series of one-way tickets away from the expectations that surround a graduate who had moved back in with his parents. It wasn't that I had an issue with not knowing what I was doing with my life; it was that I had an issue with other people having an issue with it.

The maroon robe of the Tibetan monk in the seat next to me spilled over my armrest. He was in my space, and each time he moved his robe pulled at my headphone connection, interrupting the audio of the movie Osmosis Jones. Chris Rock was the voice of the white blood cell fighting infection on the streets of Bill Murray.

The monk would move; I'd sigh, and push my headphones in again. Occasionally we'd chuckle at the same point. I'm not sure if a white blood cell blowing his hair dry with a fart is physiologically correct, but it was humorous enough in a cross-cultural sort of way to make us share a moment.

We were on a flight from Bangkok, Thailand, where I had spent a few weeks island hopping. For less than 10 bucks a night, I rented beachside bungalows accessed by water taxis.

Before that I was budget backpacking through Australia.

This sounds luxurious, and in all of ...