Sherpa

So what is a Sherpa? Why is it in the name of this blog? What does it have to do with me? How did this whole Sherpa Dale thing start? And why does it matter anyways? All good questions, if I do say so myself.

First, a Sherpa is a mountaineering guide from the Himalayas. So while western adventurists (like Richard Branson) gasp for air and freeze their way to the top of Mt Everest, these guys chuckle their way to the top while carrying 200 lb packs.

What does this have to do with me? Very little, as far as I can tell. But when I was hiking in South Korea in Seoraksan National Park, Tova and Daniel (don't remember who started it) started calling me Sherpa Dale. And if you know them, when they start something, they don't let it go. (Case in point, their current Facebook thread on Nacho Libre.) And it kinda stuck in my brain.

So, I'm not from Nepal. I'm not some hiking machine. I'm not some wise eastern philosopher. But I do like to go on trips and visit interesting places. And I do teach for a living, which is kinda like being a guide. And every once in a while I come across a small piece of wisdom. That's the kinda stuff I want to talk about on this blog. Thus the name.