Szilvia

First of all I have to tell you that I am so grateful I could be in Nepal! That was one of my best experiences in my life.

I see now –  what I was already guessing before – how much we should learn from Nepal... their way of thinking, rhythm of their life... meaning of sharing and loving each other.... These are so simple but amazing things... we seem to forget about importance of beauty... pure beauty inside and outside also... importance of sharing what we have and accepting what we got...

 I could spend 8 days in a small orphanage in Kathmandu. There are only seven kids over there – three girls and four boys. They have never had any foreigner volunteer so I was the first for them... and this was the first time for me also in my life... must tell you... unique and life-changing experience...

So I was so excited on my first meeting but kids were so nice and after about the first 5 minutes we were already laughing together...

These are such lovable kids... I enjoyed every minute spent with them... they are so lucky to have Suman – he and his wife own the orphanage – and Rama didi (she looks after the kids). These people are doing very admirable and amazing efforts to help those kids... to give them shelter to live, to give them food to eat, possibility to learn in schools... And kids are really clever and grateful.

They are so happy even for a piece of chocolate... I am really happy to had this opportunity being with them... I love them all. We were playing, learning and shopping new shoes, clothes for them together... they are so funny... we did lots of photos... they liked my cameras...and were “fighting” for my hand to hold... I have got so many things from them... they are wonderful little people...  

I cooked them once a Hungarian chicken soup for dinner, a vegetable-omelette for breakfast and baked them pancakes for lunch... they loved it. It was such a nice feeling to look after and caring them... I felt I am doing something good, something nice.

They asked me “don’t go”, “ come back, ok?” and “don’t forget us”... i was crying when I left them... but I really hope, I really do that one day, in the soon future I can go back and visit them again...

But I realized one thing on my last day: even if those people around them do their best and sometimes even more, these little kids are really need to be hugged and kissed... they are hungry to have some physically contact, some “body-connection”. I noticed it in a very nice and innocent way: Kasturi – the youngest girl – was the first who had the desire to give me a kiss into my face in her gently, shy way like somebody who does not know how to do it exactly but feel desire to do it or like a new-born baby who is trying to give kiss for the first time in her life. After I kissed her back she was kissing my arm, my face... (it is not so common for them I think). It was such a wonderful moment and I was so impressed and happy to experience it, to discover it... sounds might crazy but this little girl shew me how a loving-kiss is important...how much can it mean... It was hard for me to hide my tears... it was such an innocent moment... 

Those kids really deserve love and caring. We can feel ourselves extremely lucky to have family, to have a warm home to live and sleep, to have enough food to eat. But I am sure in one thing: like all Nepalese people, these little ones will much richer inside than their westerner mates because they appreciate what they have and they know how to share without selfishness...

One more thing: this wonderful and amazing journey to Nepal and being a volunteer in an orphanage were two of my dreams for long. So I can say now, some of my dreams came true... But through this, I got my final confirmation, this is my calling, this is my destiny... I cannot be grateful enough for my fate and for myself also... 

You, who are already thinking of being volunteer and doing something really good and beautiful... please do not hesitate to contact VEEP or myself to get advices, support or just to share experiences...

Do not forget: if you think about it, you have already taken the first step... and this is great! So do not give up and do not turn back...  

About the Orphanage: This is a really small orphanage. It is a nice but quite old building therefore it is cold enough in wintertime for the kids. They have no water or toilet/bathroom facility released inside of the house.

The Sanu Foundation is planning to build a brand new house with larger kitchen and running water system inside... If you have any idea or possibility to help, please contact us for further discussion.  

About VEEP: This is a really reliable and honest organisation and I highly recommend choosing one of their programmes. Surendra is a great person and conditions are very flexible, so if you would like to take a few days off to look around and do some trips this is absolutely fine and you can do it without any problem. You can also ask Surendra to help you to find a good package (ea to Chitwan – it was amazing, brilliant time!) or accommodation (like Tibet Peace Guest House with simple but clean rooms, nice garden and helpful and friendly staff or host family – they were fantastic, I had wonderful time with them and finally we became friends also). In the end I felt like I was in a big family... and I was really! Gorgeous time, beautiful memories about people, landscape, culture...

I could just talk and talk and talk... but you know what?  Go there and discover it on your own... you will not regret I can guarantee...

Rosa

I have learned much with this experience, and not only of my Catalan favorites, also and, mainly, of the people of there. Always with a smile, always arranged to ayudarte, never I have felt discriminated, nor excluded; the other way around, éramos the attention center there where we went. Whenever chapurreábamos something in their language, loosen a timid giggle watching the ground… What majetes!

We have visited incredible sites, like the Monastery of Swayambhunath (Temple of the Monkeys), the crematory of Pashupatina (where we attended the ritual of cremation of a body), Bhaktapur, Patan, the Sputa of Bodhanath, Nammabuddha (to visit we did it trekking of four hours, surrounded by moving landscapes), the center of Kathmandu, and, finally, Godavari: the destiny of our voluntary military service.

There we coexisted during one week with the Kumar family, where they made us feel yet like in house type of comforts and attentions. I will never forget the showers in the source the town with Rose, Sangam and Sandia, washing the clothes by hand, to cook of squatting in the ground, to eat with the hands, and mainly, the smile of all that one which you crossed yourself.
That people are extremely pleasant, make you feel really well. The children who we only saw in the school and the orphanage of the town can cause admiration to me. We, customary to have of everything, often, the unique terms that we know to relate to us to people are ingratitud, pride, evil humor, indifference… They, who as soon as they survive with the basic thing, are all happiness. He fills the spirit to you and they give the most valuable lesson you. In whichever they saw appear us surrounded, wanted to us that we played with them, to know our names, our customs…
He is hard, the children are most innocent of this world, he is not right that in a part has all type of luxuries, and in another one they do not have what to take to the mouth, with the unique explanation from which they have been born in the mistaken site. The future of that entire people he is very dark, the young people know that, although they study engineering or a race of medicine, will not have in what working, unless they go away of his country. But for that reason you do not create that they do not do it and of I throw, sees with much more force and determination them. Still the end hairs thinking about Nairish are put, the young student of engineer, who went the entire course in Pakistan, elaborating and sacrificing themselves by a future, at least uncertain. It is not just. It could not describe what is what I saw in its eyes, I only can say that they made an impression to me.
I will never forget east country, this landscape and this people, who as much have taught without realizing to me. Thanks to that you have collaborated so that this experience is unforgettable. And to that I am like I was before, with the fear to go so far to a so different site, to only I can say them that they will not regret and that will be something that they will have for all the life.
Ever since I returned, often me encounter with my companions in the computers of the hotel. We speak than we are going to do on the following day, in the light of a candle, while dream with returning to make a trip like this. And, just by to close the eyes, I return to be there.

Eva

2 weeks of Voluntary military service and one week of Trekking. (Summer of the 2009) Kathmandu: The first day that arrives at Kathmandu not me could imagine that m'acabaría adapting to all this chaos is breathes in the atmosphere and streets, but to little by little it felt me every time better.
In the Nepal the people have much money neither many material things and the life seems the more easy, the more simple, the people smile by the street, in the buses, the houses you and you know when them give so much you, they give everything you what they have and this is precious and is one of the important things the more that I have learned in the Nepal.
Factory of nepalí Culture: Very important encounter the knowledge that I have acquired during the factory of cultural nepalí, since it has helped me to be able to adapt to me and it is a great opportunity to understand the culture, its way to live, the customs….it has allowed me to coexist with them without problem.
In just a short time that I have happened I have been able to learn basic slight knowledge of nepalí language that has allowed me to communicate and to show respect to me by its culture.
To live in family: To live with a nepalí family is a great experience that has allowed me to deepen in the culture when living the day to day and to feel to me like a member more of the family.
Also they have taught many things to me. They have a style of life very different from which I knew, are very humble offer you everything so that you are well and you see that this them makes happy. Everybody is respected, there are violence nor no bad faces and are very calm. It seems that the time does not matter and the life is so simple… is fantastic.
Vaig to come to Nepal Rep to ajudar, Rep to contribute to some thing aquest nens i to this Ghent, jo els is ajudat in which lack is fet but ells molt m'han donat month del that could imagine i m'han fet to feel molt special.
Eva

Ieke de Vries

Be a Nepali 'guru'
 
Get into the world of children, parents and teachers. Teach English at a secondary school in - for example - Godavari. This school, where they begin each day with the national anthem, has the children who are willing to learn.

Even that I am not an English speaking person myself, it wasn't that difficult to sand in front of a class with about thirty children. They are interested in volunteers and I was interested in them. Just speaking English with them was the priority of the classes. I thaught them English by playing games, telling stories or talking about grammar. I thaught them English, they thaugt me Nepalese.
 
Teaching in a Nepalese village is a great opportunity to improve your own English grammar by teaching it. Besides that it's also a great opportunity to learn more about the Nepalese culture and the Nepalese language.
 
Besides the teaching itself, the children can take you with hou for a play like cricket or badminton. They can tell you more about daily life in the village. They always have a lot of energy, so run into their (school) life!

 
 

Sachin de Stone

(clause – this is very, very poorly edited and this is really a first draught, (for example after ‘draught’ there should be a full stop not a comma and i am not even sure that is how you spell the word i mean) normally a go through it a few times and add in little details etc. I have not this time because accessing a computer is very hard and I have discovered that old fashioned hand writing is rubbish and there is a reason we left it behind long ago and used word processors. As such, this is a crude piece and I will hopefully edit it and make it a little nice later, but for the moment it is a grubby and fuzzy window into life here….good luck)

Namaste! Kosta chha? Mallai derhie ramroo chha! Get me.

If one can doesn’t mind: a lack of privacy, non-flush toilets (which allow for the occasional waft of sewage), the freezing cold nights and eating dahl bhat for breakfast and dinner (lunch is not a real meal here and may consist of something small but equally refreshing in its chili content as every other meal) then the village of Godawari in the Kathmandu valley is fairly close to paradise (you’ve even got the serpents here). Even if one is not so partial to a cold wash under a tap in the middle of the street or desires more than 10 hours of electricity (most of which are at night), these concerns soon fade into insignificance as one gazes out at the terraced fields of yellow mustard, wispy wheat, paddy fields and numerous other crops with strange names, all punctuated by workers dressed in colorful garb. The sun beats down with such a pleasant warmth that, combined with the bird song (this is not a romanticism, there are no cars and only the occasional motorbike and bus coat the village in dust from the ‘road’ that runs through) and lovely villagers, it would be easy to pass the day by just sitting on the roof watching the world go by. And this is what most men here seem to do, whilst the women toil away. Despite looking Nepali, I am now finally getting the celebrity status I am owed as a foreigner, because life is so quite, I basically am a celebrity. As with anywhere, once you look bellow the surface, there are always the bad and sad things, but one really has to dig here to find them.

My day at the moment (it is still school holidays so I am not teaching just yet) begins at about 6am!! I get up and am greeted with a cup of chi (spicy, sweet tea). I have not split with my British principles of TEAtotalling but here it is even more ingrained in the cultural psyche to drink tea at every occasion and refusal of the drink is just not understood. I then go for a 10 km (sadly we did not influence Nepal enough for them to adopt the imperial system) run and if there is a festival (of which there are a surprising amount) I alter my route to visit a temple and see the people making offerings. This is then followed by a cold shower and, with a sickening feeling of healthiness, I am ready to start the day. Before you go thinking I am too virtuous, let me explain that most of this practice is not optional. The day here starts early (as any place lacking electric lights does) and, not in a rude fashion, no thought is spared for those lazy enough to sleep past 6. Shouting, the smacking of clothes being washed and barking dogs (all right outside my windown) all combine to generate a symphony which would be charming at any other time of the day but at 6 bloody a.m. test one’s resolve. The run is, I say proudly, all due to my self motivation but it is easy when the air is so fresh and the scenery so outstanding (even the houses are sweet). The sun peaks the hill at about 8.30 and warms me up to the point of boiling on the final stretch of this idyllic morning tour, which is necessary for what is about to follow. Hot water is a luxury we take for granted in the UK but something, I can assure you, I will appreciate for ever from now on. I feel pathetic as a grit my teeth and brace myself for the icy shower of water. The rest of the day varies but games of carom – a Nepali version of snooker, irish snap (which, after teaching them, has become and favorite and resulted in some damaged hands and tugged hair), cheat, bag chal and chatting round the fire are normal practice.

It is important to mention dhal bhat. This literally translates as ‘lentil rice’ but when said as ‘dhalbhat’ means as ‘meal’. And this is for a very good reason. Takaari (vegetable) and aloo (potato chips) are added to the dhalbhat because my family is ‘warrior caste’ and so richer, but rice and lentil provide, not even the ‘staple’, but the diet. Once you have mastered shoveling this food into your mouth with your hands, which is made easier by the cultural differences in table etiquette – if the chili doesn’t make you choke, eating styles are bound to - dhal bhat is really very nice. Curry for breakfast doesn’t seem that strange after a while. I decided to cook a UK dish for them to try and upon the realization that they don’t have an oven I was stuck. Shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash …. Umm, what else is british? All the things I could think of required an oven. I broadened my selection to Europe and discovered, to my shock, they had never tried pasta. Before I continue, I realize I have not explained who ‘they’ is. One mum, who’s English vocab extends to ‘thankyou’ but from who’s mannerisms I can tell is lovely. Her three children: 2 girls 19, 16 and one son 14, all of whom are delightful and gifted with excellent English. I really like all of them and we go on expeditions etc together. But back to the story. Me and the son, went to hire a mountain bike for me from Patan, which for all shopping and food purposes is south Kathmandu. Here i eventually found some pasta and tomato paste and with their help that evening, we cooked an Italian cuisine. Let’s just say that even the fifth member of the family, the dog Lucky, would not eat it. Looks like I will be having pasta for a number of nights now!

The mountain bike search by the way proved to be…well not quite as I expected. After visiting a few shops, it was clear that suspension was not the fashion in Patan but we were lucky enough to find a bike with gears. This bike, by any person’s standard with the exception of the manufacturers who proudly expressed their opinion with a tacky sticker, was not a mountain bike. The first clue was the fact it was fully rigid and I want to emphasize the FULLY RIGID part, my backside is still blue. To be fair, it does have mud guards. After transporting this machine back to Godawari on the top of a bus, I had the most beautiful day of cycling (and walking up mountains. The gears, it became apparent, were merely for show) and at times I just sat down and gazed down a valley full of a tapestry of small fields and houses – I can’t quite emphasize enough how beautiful this place is, it truly is idyllic.

I am headed off in a few expeditions with different members of the village (there are about 500 people and I know most of the younger ones now), after which I will start teaching at the school. I am really looking forward to this and my only regret is that I won’t be staying in this place for more than a month. The only concern here, as i am constantly reminded by the village witch in loud Nepali (which is translated for me) is to beware of bandits and evil spirits when i go out cycling alone. To be fair, people do get robbed here and the other day, we got very scared because we were in a wood where that morning someone had heard a tiger!

Just a quick note in general. It is impossible to adequately describe the sights, sounds, smalls and feelings of this place. There are so many events and small happenings I would love to share with you but I simply cannot keep track with them. So I have included just a few wonders, peculiarities and things I feel half able to describe. But even looking out the toilet window there are about twenty different things of interest, not to mention the toilet itself! What I can safely say however, is you should, no you MUST travel at some point in your life. It is well, well worth it!!

extracted from Sachin's Travel Blog for more please visit his Blog with Photos:

http://sdstravel.blogspot.com/