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After
graduated as a social worker
we decided to do volunteer
work. Now we just completed
our 2-month volunteering experience.
As we have so many things
it’s very difficult
to write in a summary because
every day in Nepal was a different
adventure! The first few days
were a big culture shock!
The traffic attacks all your
senses, the culture is completely
different and the language
is hard to understand. Also
the poverty which you can
see everywhere was hard to
take. But, VSN provided enough
support with Nepali language
and cultural classes, sight
seeing, work orientation.
All those supports compelled
us to take every easily and
started loving Nepal and Nepali
people. We found Nepali people
appreciate it very much when
you just say some Nepali words.
Everywhere where we went,
people treated us as “living
gods”: they are so friendly
and social! As Western people,
we should take an example
of this. Our host family was
great: a nice warm family
who gives enough space to
do the things that you want.
All the people are very flexible
and open, and they want you
to be happy! When we start
working in an orphanage with
42 children we felt very uncomfortable
because the children didn’t
know us, didn’t speak
English and we didn’t
know what to do with them.
So we just find our way observing
and playing and one week later
it felt like we knew them
for months! At the end of
this volunteer work the contact
with the kids is so warm that
they ask us to stay…the
baby’s even cried when
we said good bye in the evening.
Sometimes we go home with
mixed feelings because you
see that they don’t
have much toys, not much food,
dirty clothes, no heat, …
so we tried, together with
VSN, to solve as many problems
as we can and give the children
a nice home. For example:
we provided fruits and vegetables
twice a week, we painted all
the dorms and the classroom,
we put down some warm carpet
and decorated the rooms. We
saw that the kids love it
and that gives so much satisfaction!
Stijn_demeulemeester@hotmail.com
sofiedepaermentier@hotmail.com
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Kaskikot
– little village somewhere
near the Annapurna
Children’s
singing voices. “Namaste,
newmiss, namaste!” Children’s
big eyes and millions of questions.
Children grabbing my hands. Me feeling
so… surprised and happy? And
speechless.
My school. So tiny, surrounded by
snowy mountains, full of impatient
kids, so eager to learn, yet both
curious and concerned of who I was
and what weird things I wanted…
“Why should we answer in whole
sentences, why is she correcting
us, why can’t we simply write
down few words and go home.. and
look she is she not beating us..can
we get REALLY noisy then?”…these
inner questions were obvious. Me
– often doubting if I can
make any change.
And then – as the days went
on, I realized it’s silly
to try to “change” things,
but it IS possible to influence
them. I wasn’t able to teach
them all the English I wanted to.
But I could better it a bit. I could
treat the kids
as their friend, I could give them
my attention and love, something
that they were obviously so lacking,
and I could receive theirs. “We
have no elder sister in our family.
So now YOU will be our elder sister,
didi. And you have to call me bhai,
younger brother, remember!”
Nepal
is a beautiful Tolkien’s Middleearth-like
country…breathtaking ancient
temples, amazing nature, wide opened
smiling kids’ eyes and deep
wrinkled old men’ faces and…contrasts.
Wonderful people, and few bad ones.
Joy, and sometimes sadness. Both
hope and hopelessness around. And
the magic thing about Nepal is that
the joy and hope always prevail.
During my month with VSN I’ve
realized many things, many things
became clearer. I gained new friends,
both nepali and other volunteers
from different parts of the world,
I got to know many things about
Nepal, about children, and –
about myself. I’ve experienced
the real local village life, I’ve
learnt not to be afraid of buffalos
and I was playing with little goats
all around, I became more opened
to new things and cultures, I’ve
learnt that I can do more things
than I would ever assume.
This
whole experience gave me many things,
and I hope I gave something to “my”
kids, too?. Before I came here,
I was very nervous, scared, asking
myself every day if this was really
a good decision. Now I know it was.
“Will you remember us sometimes
when you return to your country,
Hanamiss?” Yes, I will remember
every single one. I know this, too.
And I also know that I will come
back. |
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I
left England a little apprehensive
as I had never spent more than three
weeks away from home, never mind
selling my flat and giving up my
job to volunteer in Nepal ! I had
no idea what to expect but as soon
as I arrived I felt welcomed into
the VSN Family. I spent the first
10 days living with Rupa, Tej and
their gorgeaus daughter Rija. During
that time I had Nepali lesson and
went sight seeing around Kathmandu.I
had chosen to volunteer in a school
for a deaf as I had worked with
Deaf Children in the UK for 8 years.
The school is on the hillside in
a town called Banepa. When I first
arrived I wasn't sure if I would
like it but I soon came to love
it there, How could I not, beautiful
contryside to walk in and great
people to become freinds with. My
time at the school for the Deaf
in Banepa was fun and unformative,
I learnt so much from the students
and the staff. The students were
eager to learn and very helpful
and patient with me while I tried
to learn Nepali sign language. I
looked forward to smiling faces
everyday. During my time in Nepal
I also had a chance to be a tourist
and went to Pokhara for New year.
I watched the first Sunsine of 2007
from a 1892m/5500ft high viewing
platform at Sarangkot which has
a supub view of the Annapurna range.
My time at the school seemed to
go too quickly. I was very sad to
leave. I had a special leaving ceremany
with many gifts, malas and thanks
from the staff and students. I had
many thanks for them too, for making
my time such a wonderful experience.
I hope to return very soon. My thanks
go to VSN once again, I am very
glad I found them an the Internet.
They made my time in Nepal very
easy.If you would like to contact
me regarding my experience email
traceystrathdee@hotmail.com |
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Leaving
friends and family behind I boarded
a plane to Nepal to meet my "new
family" for the next 8 months.
Moving to a developing country across
the world can be a daunting experience.
However, upon ariving at VSN I was
openly welcomed into the VSN family.
VSN offers a unique experince to
become part of the VSN team as well
as a Nepali family. Although I was
away from people I knew back at
home, I never felt alone because
I was surrounded by the warm, caring,
and delightful people at VSN.
Before I left for Nepal many people
asked why I was going to such a
dangerous place. My response was
a quote from The Shawshank Redemption,
"Get busy living, or get busy
dying!". Going to volunteer
in Nepal is what felt right in my
life. It felt like it was something
I needed to do in order to feel
like I was living my life to the
fullest. Although I was ale to witness
and in a small way take part in
the wonderful changes that happened
politically, I never felt in danger.
Instead I highly value the experience
of watching Nepal change and grow,
and I look forward to the exciting
upcoming developments as Nepal reinvents
itself as a democratic country.Due
to my extended stay in Nepal, I
was able to have an array of volunteer
opportunities. At VSN it is important
for each volunteer to make the most
and get the most out his/her experience.
Right from the beginning it was
evident that the VSN staff not only
supports thier volunteers, but also
helps them to create individualized
opportunities. When I came to VSN
I was to teach at a monestary and
go to an orphanage for 1 month.
Again, I was welcomed with warm
smiles and hearts at the monestary.
The monks and novices took me to
other temples, cultural programs,
and helped me learn more about Buddhism.
I was invited to join them for thier
prayer and meditation time each
evening, as well as thier alms trip
to Hetauda. Because I enjoyed my
time at the monestary so much, we
decided to extend my time there
for another 3 months. At this time
I also worked at an orphanage with
40 children aging from 1 month to
around 13 years old. There are so
many orphans in Nepal right now
due to the political situation,
poor economic status of most of
the community, and poor family planing.
At my orpahange I was amazed to
see the older children caring for
the younger ones, even if the older
child was only 1 year older. With
only 3 women to care for all these
children, the kids desperately wanted
to be loved. Even some of the older
children would come and rest thier
heads on my shoulders or hold my
hand. I learned about the currentand
future situation (or lack there
of) for the children and gre aware
of the incredible needs these children
have for love, education, and help
for the future.
After taking a break in the middle
of my volunteer time to go to India
with my family, go on a Vipassanna
meditation retreat, and go trekking
with one of the other volunteers
(Yes, it is possible to take some
time off!), I decided I wanted to
try something different. Working
with the deaf community has always
been an interest of mine. On one
of my trips with the monks I went
to visit a children's home and monestary
in Banepa. I also learned that there
was a school for the deaf just next
door. So, this was an obvious next
choice for me as it combined 3 joys:
learning about buddhism, working
with disadvantaged children, and
working with the deaf community.
At the Kavre Deaf School I was greeted
with beaming smiles and an eagerness
to learn. The students helped me
learn Nepali Sign and were eager
to learn some American Sign. They
took me to local health camps where
volunteer doctors screen people
with disabilities, which turned
out to be a very unique experience
and a
chance to see more closely the health
care system at work. I also learned
some Buddhist chants at the Metta
Center while getting to know the
12 delightful girls that live there.
Spending 8 months with VSN gave
me the opportunity to see many different
sectors of Nepal. It was hard to
leave my "new family"
in Nepal. It felt as though 8 months
wasnot long enough. VSN is a wonderful
group with a positive outlook on
the future of Nepal. The staff,
programs, and overal expereince
with VSN all provide a chance to
find your own niche and get to see
the real Nepal first hand.
~ Kirstin Powell ~
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VSN
Nepal is an amazing NGO that deeply
cares about its volunteers and the
Nepali people that they serve to
assist. They offer numerous volunteer
options and your program can be
tailor-made to suit your interests.
Regardless of your selection, your
involvement in any of these volunteer
options provide a valuable service
to the communities they aim to help.
I chose to volunteer as an English
teacher and I was impressed withthe
receptiveness and eagerness of the
students,who offered endless smiles
andlaughter.On my last day of teaching,
the school held a farewell ceremony
in which I was treated to numerous
tokens of gratitude from the studentand
the school.These are just a couple
examples from a list of experiences
that lead me to believe that I have
received much more than I could
ever give to the people of Nepal.
An advantage of volunteering with
VSN Nepal is their language training
that thoroughly prepares you for
your active participation in Nepali
culture. This training works to
enrich your interactions and exchanges
with the Nepalese people, creating
unforgettable cultural experiences.
Having a Masters in Anthropology,
I was very impressed with the emphasis
that VSN Nepal places on cultural
exchange. My trip to Nepal was rich
with culture. Volunteers are privy
to a number of cultural festivals
and even intimate ceremonies such
as weddings. With volunteers from
around the world, you are given
an opportunity to learn from both
the friendly Nepali as well as from
the other volunteers you encounter.
For instance, although Canadian,
I celebrated my first American Thanksgiving
here in Nepal with the other volunteers
and many Nepali friends in an enjoyable
cultural exchange.
Another one of the cultural highlights
from my volunteer experience was
my family stay in Sunakothi, a quaint
and beautiful village in Kathmandu
Valley. This stay provided me with
the opportunity to gain familiarity
with village life and the agricultural
activities that sustain it. My host
family welcomed me as an additional
“chhori” (or daughter)
and their hospitality was endless.
I especially enjoyed the food and
the opportunity to offer my assistance
working in the field with my Nepali
“ama” (or mother). The
close family relations that are
central to life in the village will
leave a lasting impression on me.
I describe my stay at both VSN Nepal
and with my Nepali family as a home
away from home and I plan in anticipation
my next visit.
-Allison Dobek
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I
arrived at VSN Nepal full of anticipation.
After two weeks of trekking, I had
learned a little Nepali and was
ready to start my volunteer placement.
Nepali language classes began the
following day, and it felt good
to be able to put the language to
use right away. At that time, the
Tihar festival was just beginning,
and the volunteers were welcomed
into the home of one of the language
instructors to observe the festivities.
What a great way to jump into life
in Nepal.
After one week, I moved to Sunakothi,
a rural village south of Kathmandu,
where I volunteered at a secondary
school. I had the opportunity to
live with a Nepali family, participate
in their daily activities, and learn
about village life. Sunakothi is
very picturesque with a constant
view of the snow-capped mountains
in the distance. I enjoyed taking
long walks in my free time and seeing
the harvest in the fields. During
this time, I led English language
conversation groups in Classes 5,
6, and 7 (10-14 years old students)
and conducted a photography project
in Class 10 (16-18 years old students).
In all, 28 students participated
in photography.
Over the course of the project,
I taught general photographic concepts
and gave various assignments, including
taking self, family, and community
portraits, making pinhole cameras,
and developing black and white photos
in our improvised darkroom. For
many students, it was the first
time they had ever taken photos,
and they were very excited. With
the help of a translator from VSN
Nepal , we analyzed their photos
after each assignment. Over time,
the students were able to build
on their experience and improve
the quality of their photos.
On the last day of my volunteer
placement, the students and I organized
an exhibition of their work. After
spending the morning putting up
photos and preparing the exhibition
room, teachers and students came
to see the exhibition class by class.VSN
Nepal staff and volunteers and some
of the students’ family members
also attended to show their support.
All day, Class 10 students served
as guides for the exhibition. It
was inspiring to see the pride they
took in their work.Overall, I have
had an invaluable experience traveling
in Nepal and volunteering with VSN
Nepal. I have found the VSN Nepal
staff to be extremely conscientious
and supportive of their volunteers.
The volunteers came together on
several occasions to take day trips
around the Kathmandu Valley. With
a little orientation, the transportation
system became relatively easy to
navigate. The Nepali people have
also been very friendly and helpful.
In general, I have felt very safe
traveling around the country.
Thank you VSN Nepal for this memorable
time!
-
Jennifer
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My
five weeks of volunteer teaching in
Kathmandu was an experience like no
other for me. I had the opportunity
to learn the local language, create
many lasting relationships, teach
in different areas, travel and see
the beautiful land, and give back
to the children I have gained so much | | | |
