Where an American Story Begins

AAKRITY KUNWAR GREW UP IN THE city of Lalitpur, Nepal. Nestled in a valley south of the Himalayan Mountains, the climate is mild with rolling hills terrain. Lalitpur is a place alive with artistry and craftsmanship, and her own family reflected that tradition. Her father built a business working in iron and metal design, shaping frames for doors and windows. Her mother stayed home with Aakrity and her younger brother until they began school, then joined the family business.

In the past, the tradition in Nepali households was women taking care of the house and the men earning financially to take care of the family. Daughters stay under their family’s roof, preparing for marriage rather than careers. But there has been a cultural change in Lalitpur and across Nepal, where life is shifting and opportunities are widening, and her parents insisted education came first. “You can learn homemaking later,” they told her, enrolling her in school at just two and a half years old. That decision became a turning point in her life.

When she finished high school, Aakrity entered nursing school. In 2016, she met a young teacher from a different school named Sumesh through family friends. Their first bond wasn’t over hobbies or favorite foods, but something far less expected: migraines. They both suffered from them and found comfort in knowing someone else truly understood. Shy and soft-spoken, they built a quiet love over six years. Their relationship defied tradition – they came from different religions, different castes, different cultures, and even spoke different native languages. But with Nepali as their shared tongue, they bridged every gap.

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across Nepal, Aakrity worked long hours in a COVID unit. Her mother fell ill during those uncertain days and encouraged her and Sumesh not to wait any longer. They first held a small legal marriage, then later celebrated with their “social” marriage surrounded by family and friends, vows spoken in the presence of loved ones.

At the same time, the couple began the long process of applying to move to the United States. Aakrity passed her nursing exams for U.S. employment, they secured green cards, and with the help of an agency was offered placement options. Her choice was to fulfill a wish: she wanted to see snow. The thought of a smaller, quieter community also appealed to them as they imagined adjusting to life in a new country. Aberdeen, South Dakota, and Sanford Medical Center became their destination.

Aakrity Kunwar with husband Sumesh Lama and daughter Shree Dhrity

Just one month after their social wedding, they landed in America. It didn’t take long for Aakrity’s wish to be granted. One of the fiercest blizzards of 2023 swept across the plains. She and Sumesh rushed outside, laughing and snapping pictures, marveling at the flakes piling around them. But within fifteen minutes the storm grew more intense, sending them hurrying back inside. “It turned from fun to a little scary,” she remembers with a laugh.

Her first day at Sanford also left a lasting impression. She watched a charge nurse cleaning up a patient’s accident and saw senior staff working side by side with others, no task beneath anyone. That sense of humility and teamwork surprised her, and she knew she had been placed somewhere special.

Still, the ache of being far from her family in Nepal was real. What eased it was the kindness of her coworkers. They gave her rides, taught her to drive, helped her buy her first car, explained the nuances of American sarcasm, and even stood up for her when language barriers caused awkward moments. Slowly, they became her second family.

A few months later, when she discovered she was pregnant, nerves crept in. Would it change her job or her place at Sanford? Instead, her colleagues celebrated the news with joy. They adjusted her workload, made sure she felt supported, and eventually pulled off a surprise baby shower. Today, her daughter Shree Dhrity is nearly two years old, a joyful toddler who has made Aberdeen feel even more like home. Alongside raising her, Aakrity continues her studies toward a Bachelor of Nursing completion degree, with Sumesh by her side balancing their schedules to keep their young family steady.

Aakrity Kunwar

They don’t yet know exactly what the future holds. They may move closer to Sumesh’s family in New Hampshire and try life in a larger city, but they know where their American story began. Aberdeen is where they weathered their first storm, where they found kindness in unexpected places, and where a circle of coworkers became family.

Aakrity wraps up her story beautifully:

“Life has brought me out of the colorful streets of Lalitpur to the snowy plains of South Dakota and every moment has taught me something valuable. I have learned that bravery is a quality that you develop when you deal with the unfamiliar and kindness is a language that everyone understands which makes any home seem like home. The first time I experienced snow falling in Aberdeen I thought I was dreaming and that was a way of reminding me that beauty in life always has uncertainties. Sometimes it is cold and sometimes it is breathtaking and to accept that balance has shown me how to find peace no matter where I am.“…