Bhutanese family reaches California for resettlement

California, April 26: American airlines Flight #707, touched Oakland airport on April 25 at 1430 hours, carrying the first group of exiled Bhutanese under resettlement program to their final destination.

The arrival of Tek Nath Nepal, his spouse and three sons, ends the long anticipated arrivals of the first exiled Bhutanese family in California.

Nepal family, flew form Nepal to Oakland Airport en-route Abu Dhabi and JFK, was accompanied by other seven Bhutanese families up to the JFK International Airport.

From JFK, the group was eventually separated, and headed to different states for their final destinations. Kumar Dahal's family along with that of Govinda Regmi was resettled to Baltimore; of Thag Lal Darjee to Colorado; of Tara Nidhi Sandyal to Texas; of Yadu Nath Nepal to Portland and of Ranga Khatiwada to New York.

“Our separation from New York was a bitter one," Nepal said. The entire family was excited to be in the United States.

Except Kumar Dahal, all other families lost their luggage. Officials at the Oakland International Airport said their luggage was unloaded in Iraq and could be flown back and handed over to them in a couple of days.

The members of the Bhutanese American Community Center in Alameda along with Budd Josline and Damber Basnet received the new comers at the airport. B. B. Thapa the Chair person of BACC garlanded Nepal and his family with khadas and wished them good luck for their new life in their adopted country. The family was then whisked away to their apartment 1501 #C, at Union Street where they refreshed themselves and later served them with traditional foods. Bhutan News Service/Ananta Gurung