Woodland Joint Unified

 

Nita Thoreson, who works as a paraeducator for WJUSD, traveled to her native country of Nepal last summer and recorded three songs with local artists, which are now also music videos under the name Nita Acharya.

 

“I don’t call myself a professional singer quite yet,” she said. “I feel like I'm still learning so I need to go up there, work hard, and put a lot of effort into my singing. I feel like this is just the beginning of my journey.”

Thoreson grew up in Nepal and moved to the United States with her husband nearly 30 years ago. She remains fluent in Hindi and Nepali and enjoys singing in both languages.

“I like to sing songs that are melodious,” she said. “ I don’t really sing rock-and-roll type of songs. I like a song that captures my heart, that is meaningful to me.”

Thoreson said she developed a love of singing as a young girl in Nepal.

“I practically started singing in Kindergarten,“ she said. “I was always singing over there in Nepal. I was going to competitions and my friends always encouraged me. That’s how I started singing.”

She got connected with a music producer and artists in Nepal through a friend and decided to travel there to work on her singing and record some songs. Returning to her birthplace was a great experience, she said.

“I loved it,” Thoreson said. “That’s where I'm from, but I’ve lived here more. I like where I’m from and I also like this country, too, because I’ve been living here for such a long time. I belong in both places.”

Thoreson’s songs, “Bahgya Mero,” “Yaadharu,” and “Manko Dhoko,” can be found on YouTube.

 

One of her next goals is to write her own songs. Meanwhile, she is also enjoying working at Woodland High School as a paraeducator, where she works closely with students in the classroom to support them with their learning and comprehension.

 

“I just love to be helpful to the kids,” she said. “When I can do something for them I feel good. It’s a very rewarding job.”

“I want to thank the audience and my friends and family for supporting me,” Thoreson added.  “I really appreciate their help and their care and I also appreciate my music director. So I want to say thank you so much to them.”