Regulation

A crowded bus winding through the mountains of Nepal became an unlikely lesson in trust. During my Peace Corps service, I experienced a form of social accountability rooted not in rules, regulations, or institutions, but in relationships and community. Returning to the United States revealed a stark contrast: while formal systems can create order and predictability, they do not necessarily create trust. Reflecting on the people who helped me navigate life in rural Nepal led me to a deeper question about where trust comes from, what happens when communities grow too large for personal accountability, and why some of the strongest forms of trust emerge at a very human scale.