Category: BOOKS

KATHMANDU, NEPAL: THE ALCHEMIST

Published on by jacquelinemhadel3 Comments

I picked up a copy of The Alchemist in a bookshop here in Kathmandu today. It wasn’t my first encounter with Paulo Coelho’s story of a shepherd in search of his destiny. Years ago, when I was living in Orlando, a friend had gifted me the book, telling me it was her favorite. Out of gratitude, I started reading it — but it didn’t land. The words felt distant, the lessons vague, the journey unrelatable. I put it down.

The bookstore that pulled me in.

Fast forward four or five years. I was sleeping on a friend’s couch in Massachusetts, the ground shifting beneath me as I prepared to leave for a new life in Tokyo. Something compelled me to pick up the book again. This time, it was like reading another text entirely. The parable that had once seemed flat became profound, each page echoing with truths I hadn’t been ready to hear before. That second reading was life-changing.

And now, in Kathmandu, with two weeks left before I return to Japan after so many years, I found myself carried — almost otherworldly — into a bookstore. My hands landed on The Alchemist again. It wasn’t nostalgia. It wasn’t chance. It felt necessary.

That’s the thing about books: they resonate when we need them to. They wait quietly on shelves until the moment our lives align with their message. Sometimes we’re not ready, sometimes we’re not listening, but when the timing clicks, the words feel as though they were written solely for us.

For me, The Alchemist has become less about Santiago’s treasure and more about the reminder that stories meet us where we are. Orlando. Massachusetts. Tokyo. Kathmandu. Different chapters of my life, the same book, yet never the same reading.

Maybe that’s why I had to buy it again here. Because the story — like my own — is still unfolding.

September 2025

NEW BOOK! ~ KATHMANDU CALLING by JACQUELINE HADEL

Published on by jacquelinemhadel2 Comments

https://a.co/d/2Ei4RUv

Deluxe Printed Edition! More Pages, More pictures, More Stories than the E-Book!

From Bhutan’s silent temple walls to Kathmandu’s vibrant, mural-covered streets—this book is a journey into one of Asia’s most dynamic urban art scenes.

For over two decades, I have wandered cities around the world, camera in hand, listening to the stories painted on their walls. After a year in Bhutan, where murals are sacred and hidden from lenses, I moved to Kathmandu for the summer of 2025—a city alive with color, protest, and imagination.

Kathmandu (Street Art) Calling: From Prayer Flags to Spray Cans is both visual archive and personal travelogue. Through authentic photography and immersive storytelling, my new book explores:

  • The evolution of Nepal’s street art from political protest to contemporary expression
  • Mural-rich neighborhoods like Patan, Thamel, Bouddha, and Lazimpat
  • Themes of spirituality, feminism, social justice, mythology, and migration
  • The techniques, textures, and impermanence of Kathmandu’s living walls
  • My raw process of ethical, unstaged street art documentation

Featuring dozens of original photographs taken in public spaces—with deep respect for both named and anonymous artists—this book captures a fleeting moment in Kathmandu’s visual history.

More than a guide or photo collection, Kathmandu (Street Art) Calling is a love letter to urban art and its ability to transcend borders, amplify unheard voices, and remind us that the walls of every city are already speaking.

Summer 2025

NEW BOOK SERIES: AI IN EDUCATION

Published on by jacquelinemhadelLeave a comment

Dear Friends, Fellow Bloggers, and Colleagues,

I wanted to take a moment to share something meaningful that’s been quietly unfolding over the past year. Before coming to Bhutan, I made a personal commitment to write more—seriously, purposefully, and with intention. That commitment has grown into something larger than I ever imagined: a 6-book series on ethical, practical, and inspiring uses of AI in education.

The topic itself didn’t fully take shape until about ten months ago, when a clear need revealed itself—on both sides of the classroom. Students were using AI with little guidance. Teachers were unsure how to respond, or how to integrate these new tools meaningfully. What emerged was a shared need for honest, practical, and hopeful education about AI—something that could empower rather than overwhelm.

Here’s the full series, in the order it’s been written:
1. Using AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch: A Practical Guide for Students and Teachers
2. Teaching Prompting for Generative AI: A Practical Guide for Students and Teachers
3. Beyond the Basics: Embedding AI Across the Curriculum
4. Students Who Think for Themselves: Cultivating Independent Thought in an AI World
5. The AI-Ready Teacher: A Professional Growth Guide
6. The Human Side of the Screen: Reclaiming Connection in the Age of AI

Book One is getting a lot of attention, and I’m incredibly grateful for the warm reception it’s received so far. Your support and encouragement have meant a lot—and it’s reminded me how powerful it can be when we work together to navigate new terrain with thoughtfulness, care, and creativity.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Warmly,
Jackie

✍️ from Thimphu, 🇧🇹
soon to be ✈️ 🧳 🎒 to🇳🇵
Spring 2025
☮️ 🙏

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=jacqueline+hadel+books&crid=2QBY553VNYMHJ&sprefix=jacqueline+hade%2Caps%2C693&ref=nb_sb_ss_p13n-pd-dpltr-ranker_1_15

NEW BOOK: USING AI AS A TOOL, NOT A CRUTCH by JACQUELINE HADEL

Published on by jacquelinemhadel2 Comments

The Kindle E-Book edition

New Book Release: Using AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch


Why I Wrote It, Who It’s For, and What Comes Next

I’m excited (and a little awed) to announce the release of my new book: Using AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch: A Practical Guide for Students and Teachers.

This book didn’t come from a trend. It came from a classroom. From conversations with students who were both fascinated and overwhelmed by the possibilities of generative AI. From fellow teachers asking: How do we keep integrity alive in the age of ChatGPT? From countless moments where I saw potential—but also pitfalls—in how AI was being used in education.

The Journey

This began as a few notes for my students and colleagues here in Bhutan. A practical guide to using ChatGPT responsibly. But as the weeks went on, those notes grew into something bigger: a framework, a toolkit, a manifesto of sorts.

I’ve always believed education is a shared space—dynamic, curious, ethical. And like any new tool, AI can either enrich that space… or flatten it. The difference lies in how we use it. That’s the heart of this book.

The Why

Because we need more than rules.
We need reflection.
We need resources that don’t shame or restrict, but guide and empower.

Too often, AI is framed as something to fear or ban in the classroom. But that’s a short-sighted approach. What students and teachers really need is a philosophy of use—how to wield this tool with curiosity, clarity, and care. That’s what this book offers.

The What

Inside, you’ll find:

  • Clear chapters for students and teachers alike
  • Practical prompts, templates, and classroom ideas
  • Guidance on ethical use, academic honesty, and critical thinking
  • Chapters on how to write with AI, revise with AI, and teach prompting as a literacy
  • Reflections on metacognition, bias, and responsible collaboration

It’s built for real classrooms and real people—not just policy makers or tech insiders. Whether you’re a student trying to improve your essay-writing process, or a teacher looking to integrate AI meaningfully into lessons, this book has something for you.

The What For

This book is part of a larger conversation. One that says:
AI is here. Let’s teach with it. Let’s learn with it. But let’s not lose ourselves to it.

Let’s remind ourselves—and our students—that thinking still matters. Creativity still matters. Human judgment, human voice, human curiosity… still matter.

That’s why it’s not called Using AI Instead of Thinking.
It’s Using AI as a Tool, Not a Crutch.

Where to Find It

The book is now available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0N9D0ra . If you’re interested in teaching it, hosting a workshop, or just want to share your thoughts, reach out. I’d love to connect.

And if you’ve read it already—thank you. Your feedback means the world. This journey isn’t over. In fact, it’s just the beginning.

—
Here’s to a future where tools make us better thinkers, not lazier ones.
Here’s to teaching, learning, and adapting—with integrity.

The Paperback Edition

Released 8 June 2025