Volunteering in Nepal/ Volunteering on vacation in Nepal/Voluntary work in Nepal

Added: (Mon May 08 2006)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Volunteering on Vacations in Nepal
Did you Know? Eight of the ten highest peaks in the world are in Nepal.

Nepal is only two hours behind Japan, but in Kathmandu it feels like the clock has gone back several hundred years. The capital city is a maze of narrow, unpaved streets lined with terracotta-roofed houses. With its thousands of shrines, temples and antiquities, Kathmandu is often referred to as a "living museum." Taxis, buses, rickshaws and bicycles compete for space with a clamor of horns, stopping only to allow a cow right of way. Cows are sacred in Nepal, the only country with Hinduism as its state religion, and killing one carries the same penalty as murder. Kathmandu is perhaps best described by its smell: The wafts of incense and the stench of sewage typify the juxtaposition of the city' incredible beauty and distressing poverty.

The reason Nepal is such a popular tourist destination is immediately evident. Even from Kathmandu there are spectacular views of the mountains. Eight out of the ten highest peaks in the world are here, and the surrounding foothills offer superb trekking. In the popular tourist district of Thamel it is impossible to walk down the street without being offered a trekking package. Every guidebook and traveller in the Thamel coffee shops waxes lyrical about trekking, mountain biking, white water rafting and tiger spotting in the Royal Chitwan National Park. Most also feel obliged to describe their holiday bowel movements in minute detail.

Volunteer Service and Support Nepal (VSSN)
Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, and there are many opportunities to combine a holiday with some voluntary work. Volunteers experience life in a rural area, which is quite different from the banana pancake trail followed by the average tourist. VSSN is a Non government organization which places volunteers in schools for two weeks to ten months. An initial fee covers all food and accommodation, and includes an orientation course with lessons in Nepali, cultural tours and lectures, and social events. The chairperson, Matrika Rijal, outlines the aims of the project: "Most people in Nepal can't afford to travel, and in the villages there is little chance of contact with the outside world. Volunteer teachers enable students to form relationships with someone from another culture, and the teachers can learn different teaching methods and techniques. All higher education in Nepal is in English, so it is vitally important."
VSSN is committed to raising standards in schools in Nepal, and with an adult literacy rate of 51% for men and 24% for women there is plenty of room for improvement.

Volunteers have a light schedule of three to four lessons a day. Schools usually have a very dull curriculum of rote learning and pointless exams, so extra activities such as sports and games are really appreciated by the children. It's also a good idea to bring posters, pictures, music tapes and so on to brighten up lessons. Volunteers often find the first couple of weeks in school difficult to cope with. An ex-volunteer, from America, explains: "When I first arrived, I was very shocked by the lack of resources and the harsh discipline. For example, in the nursery class, three and four-year-olds have to sit in rows on benches and wait for a turn at coloring in one book on the teacher's desk. There is very little communicative teaching here. The first morning I was here I heard a strange chanting sound. I thought it was a religious ceremony, but it was actually the children studying. Reciting from textbooks, parrot fashion, is the main teaching method. Initially I was very critical of the school, but the teachers are all doing the best they can with the few materials and training available. Many of the teachers are university students who are supporting themselves through college on their pittance of a salary. One of the best things about working in Nepal is the openness and friendliness of the people. All the staff and students have made me feel so welcome."

Despite the teaching methods, the children are often able to communicate well in English. One of ex-volunteer, says, "Because all the subjects are taught in English, even quite young students can understand. It is possible to have a much deeper level of communication with them than with a typical Japanese high-school student."

In Nepal, hardly a week goes by without some kind of festival. Schools are relaxed about volunteers taking time off, so there are plenty of chances to head for those big hills. Volunteers live with a host family (usually the school principal) or in the boarding hostel of the school. In Nepal, it is believed guests are sent from God and they are treated accordingly. Host families are generally so kind volunteers may want to be adopted permanently. One thing everyone finds difficult is the food. The typical Nepalese meal (and there is only one) is daal bhaat tarkaari. This consists of huge quantities of rice, thin lentil soup and a small quantity of curried vegetable. This twice a day, every day, is decidedly dull - although combined with the inevitable stomach upset it is great for weight loss. Another shock to the system is the hours people keep. Most people get up around 5:30am and very little happens after 9 or 10pm. After a few painful mornings, though, it feels surprisingly good.

Volunteering is not always easy, and conditions in Nepal are at best described as "basic." The majority of volunteers, however, end up staying for longer than they intended. An ex-English teacher, says: "In Japan I earned a lot of money for very little work, and I enjoyed a very high standard of living. I know I won't be able to earn that much when I return to Britain. Coming to Nepal has put this into perspective. A family here could live for a month on the money I used to spend in one night in Shibuya. This is also a great place to get healthy after three years of continuous late night drinking."
Tempted?
For more information and details of how to apply, write to Volunteer Service and Support Nepal (VSSN)
Matrika Rijal