In a small café tucked away in the alleys of Tainan’s West Central District, a middle-aged man quietly learns how to brew coffee. With a gentle and shy demeanor, no one would guess that he is a Sherpa who has guided climbers to the summit of Mount Everest three times.

43-year-old Rinji Sherpa hails from a remote mountainous region in Nepal. Since the age of 11, he has worked as a porter in the Himalayas at altitudes above 4,300 meters. Every day, barefoot and carrying over 20 kilograms of gear for mountaineers, he earned less than $3 a day to support his family.

Rinji was originally illiterate and had never received formal education. He could barely write his own name. However, his 10 years as a porter taught him to speak English and French. During his time working and studying in India, he also learned Hindi, in addition to Nepali and the Sherpa language—making him fluent in five languages. Due to his physical adaptability to high-altitude climates, he became a mountaineering guide in Nepal.

“The first time I guided tourists to the summit of Everest was in 2008,” Rinji recalls. At that time, there were nine climbers and four Sherpas. They set off from Lukla, Nepal, and the entire journey took 40 days.

Anyone who has seen the movie *Everest* knows that reaching the summit requires the help of Sherpas, and the cost of climbing is astronomical. Many climbers have to save for years just to attempt Everest, and success is not guaranteed on the first try. Yet, Sherpa guides, who ensure safety during the most perilous parts of the climb, earn relatively little. Rinji says that for his first Everest summit in 2008, he was paid $1,000.

However, for someone from relatively impoverished Nepal, $1,000 is considered a high income. Since 2008, Rinji has led expeditions into the Everest region five times, successfully reaching the summit three of those times. For climbers, reaching the top of Everest is already a lifelong achievement, and doing it three times is an incredible record.

Rinji first learned about Taiwan while working as a guide for Taiwanese climbers in Nepal. He said that he had no idea where Taiwan was before. It was only after hearing about it from climbers that he vaguely understood it was near Hong Kong—though he still didn’t know its exact location.

It was this connection that sparked Rinji’s bond with Taiwan. In 2015, when a major earthquake struck Nepal, Rinji’s home was destroyed. Taiwanese climbers organized fundraisers to help rebuild his house, which also led to Rinji visiting Taiwan at the end of that year.

This year marks Rinji’s second visit to Taiwan. He usually stays with Taiwanese friends he met through mountaineering. Most of his time is spent learning how to brew coffee at cafés or visiting the small community of Sherpas who have settled in Taiwan. Because Taiwan is a mountainous island, Rinji has even climbed Hehuanshan, which stands over 3,000 meters above sea level.

Rinji says Taiwan is a wonderful place. Compared to Nepal, he is deeply impressed by Taiwan’s well-organized traffic. During his stay, he has never encountered any bad people—everyone has been kind. He is also working hard to learn Chinese, hoping that he might have the opportunity to settle in Taiwan in the future. 1060212

(CNA)