Jordan Dunn
2019
Annapurna, Nepal
The Dark Side of Everest
My name is Jordan Dunn and I am a 22-year-old graduate of Belmont University, Class of 2019. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, I attended Belmont as an Honors student and double major in Economics and Information Systems. I am a Christ follower, family man, traveler, outdoorsman, and entrepreneur (and Enneagram number 7).
Since I was young, I’ve had a deep love for exploration. Whether on land, in the air, or at sea, I have always desired to test the limits of the human spirit against the challenges of nature. Most of all, I believe that adventure is a powerful tool for healing the soul and connecting with our Creator. While growing up backpacking and rock climbing, I also developed a heart for international missions—working in the Dominican Republic, Kenya, India, Chile, and Israel. My goal is to fuse my love for outdoor adventure with my dream of international service, utilizing my entrepreneurial skills in the process. This journey begins in Nepal.
During my freshman year of college, I began exploring the world of mountaineering and stumbled upon a people group in Nepal called the Sherpa—a small community known for their strong climbing skills and impressive adaptation to the Himalayan environment. Unfortunately, people like the Sherpa and natural landscapes like the Himalayas are often exploited by tourism. My plan is to help solve this problem by one day creating an international expedition organization that not only promotes sustainable adventure, but also uses its profits to give back to local communities like the Sherpa through economic development, conservation and healthcare. To gain the valuable knowledge and insight I need for this monumental task, I will begin life after graduation by working in Nepal.
With the help of Belmont’s Lumos Scholarship, I will trek through Sherpa villages across the Himalayas to learn their story, aid the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) in protecting Nepal’s precious mountainous wildlife, and end my trip by working in healthcare in Kathmandu. Together, these experiences will give me the foundation I need for my future plan.
I hope you will join me on my adventure. I look forward to sharing this experience!
“To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, and to feel. That is the purpose of life.”
More about me....
Major(s): Economics
My Stories
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The Finale of My Everest Journey
Rough Conditions After Phortse the conditions of each village continued to worsen. Dingboche, Lobuche, and Gorak Shep were all impoverished communities filled with
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The Dark Side of Everest
Following Namche Bazar, the environment changed quite drastically. Villages became more remote, access to common utilities was rare, and the climate more unpredictable.
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The Mountain Economy
The Growth of the Khumbu Region During my time in Namche Bazar and the journey to our next destination—Phortse—Ram was a fountain of
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The Story of Namche
Beginning the Journey to Basecamp Picking up where I left off—our journey began as soon as we finished our tea and breakfast at
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Some Important Information
Today’s blog is less of a personal account and more informational; however, I still find it unduly necessary for understanding Nepal and my
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My Last Two Weeks
Picking Up Where I Left Off A lot has happened since I arrived in Nepal two weeks ago. After landing in Kathmandu at
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Back from the Mountains
I am finally back! My apologies for the delay on my second blog post. As one might imagine, internet access in the Himalayas
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An Introduction to My Journey
Wow! These last few weeks have been a whirlwind! As I worked hard to plan my trip to Nepal, school simultaneously kicked my
