Volunteer Nepal from - CANADA

Added: (Thu May 11 2006)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Well, I’ve just returned from my post-placement trekking trip to the Annapurna Base Camp. It was amazing and a definite change of landscape from Bharatpur, Chitwan, where I had been volunteering for two months and living with a wonderful Nepali family. My stay in Chitwan was not what I’d envisioned it would be at the outset, but that’s often how it works, and it was an incredible experience nonetheless.

I arrived at an awkward time for teaching because the country-wide exam period was fast approaching, but I was able to teach for some time at two institutions; the local government school Balmandir, and a new private school, Step By Step (Ooh Baby). Immediately, I recognized the large gap that exists between the students in these two groups. At the government school, all classes are taught in Nepali save for one English lesson, and at private schools such as S.B.S., it’s vice versa—all classes are taught in English except for one Nepali lesson. So as you can imagine, it was much more difficult for the students and me at Balmandir, because they speak and comprehend very little English. Although they can read, write and answer questions, these actions are limited to the material in their texts, which they are heavily reliant on. Their speaking and communication skills need the most attention, in my opinion. I did what I could with the time I had; though I had lesson plans, they’d often go out the window. For this kind of environment, you often have to improvise and be prepared to veer from your course. All in all, I enjoyed the challenge of teaching at Balmandir.

The teachers and students at Step By Step were a pleasure to be around. They were very welcoming upon my arrival and enthusiastic about speaking with me and learning about my life in Canada. I taught mostly English language classes, but also covered for absent teachers in other subjects, as all the students were eager to have some time with me. I enjoyed getting to know the students and faculty, whom I’d see frequently around the town—students and their friends would sometimes playfully chase me down the street screaming “Hello, Miss!” and “How are you?” It was a nice environment to be in.

As for Bharatpur, it’s a friendly, relatively quiet town with a mix of both affluent and poor families. I’d often walk or take a short tuk-tuk ride to neighboring Nharanghat, the closest major city in Chitwan. There you can find many Nepali shops and also a few for travelers, as well as a local vegetable market, several banks and restaurants. Munch Time Cafe and The Kitchen Café are popular eateries for the traveler’s appetite.

Besides teaching, I gained the invaluable knowledge of understanding Nepali culture from my time with the family. By helping out with daily tasks such as buying food from the market and cooking dhal bhat, as well as accompanying the family to various social functions, such as a Nepali wedding, office party or barda munda (sort of a Nepali bar mitzvah), I learned a great deal about Nepali customs, Hinduism, social etiquette, pop culture, politics, and much more. I truly felt like I became a member of the family and the community, albeit a special one.

Overall, my volunteer experience was a worthwhile challenge, and my trip to Nepal has definitely been enriched by it. I am thankful to everyone at the INFO Nepal family for their help and support.

JORDANA - CANADA
February 2006 – April 2006