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Volunteer in Asia - Volunteer in Nepal
Added: (Tue Oct 17 2006)
So after two long days of traveling, I finally arrived to the somewhat overwhelming city of Kathmandu. With it's streets bursting with motorcycles, noise and smoke, it was a bit of a culture shock. The staff at INFO were welcoming and helped me settle into the Guest House for my first night, and then at Happy Home for the rest of my stay in Kathmandu. Two days later, my language training with Bicky started. It lasted about four days and took place every morning for about two hours? Although I'd have to admit that most of what was learnt in that classroom is now forgotten, the basics such as namaste, ramro cha, mero naam cici ho, and henna stayed with me, as I tried to make my way around Kathmandu just on that. It took me a while to get used to the Nepalese lifestyle, and by that, I mean the slow pace at which everything functions, but after a couple days, I was completely converted (which now only makes adapting back to my student life in Canada just that much tougher) .After one week in Kathmandu I left for Chitwan with Bishu, the medical coordinator for INFO. Since he had some time off, he invited me to stay with his family for a couple days, an offer to which I readily agreed. This was my first taste into traditional Nepalese culture. I spent my days with his family, and walking around the very hot but beautiful ground that is Chitwan. I think we might have spurred some local gossip by going on walks together since Bishu later
informed me that it was a little uncommon for single men and women to walk alone late at night. On the morning of July 28th, I met Jeremy, an INFO volunteer from America, at the Chitwan bus station to go to Pokara, where we stayed for four days, two of them hiking in the Himalayas. The scenery of Pokara is breathtaking, although I must say, when you're trekking up, sweating and panting all you can think about is how you're going to make the next step up, I had to remind myself to look around and take in the view. In the end, it was all worth it and I recommend it to all volunteers. Once you're at the top, and you're lucky enough to have clear skies, the view in the morning is gorgeous. Then, it was back to Chitwan, where I was introduced to my host family. A huge thanks to them as they were amazing and are very dearly missed. My host father worked at both a private hospital, as well as the local government hospital: Baratpur Hospital. As one can expect, the difference between the private polyclinic and the government hospital was substantial, as the polyclinic resembled very much something one would see in Canada, and all the equipments was up to date. I spent most of my time at the government hospital, usually being there about 6 days a week, 9am to 2pm, and spent most of my time in the emergency room, and the dressing room. Most of the doctors there were very friendly and had a good grasp of English, as many of them did their medical education abroad. They will gladly show you a skill if you ask them, or explain different cases for you. However, one must remember that the emergencies here and their response to them aren't like the ones back home, but regardless, doctors still manage to provide adequate care for their patients. For the next four weeks, I left in the morning with my host father to go to hospital, and was back home by 2pm, where on some days, I would venture into Naraguar, for some shopping and a break from the staple dhal bhaat. Finally, I ended my time in Nepal with a trip to Lumbini, the birthplace of Bhuddha. I am by no means religious, but couldn't help but feel a certain sense of spirituality there. The grounds are beautiful and the peacefulness of the place provided a very much needed break from the overwhelming noise of Kathmandu. All in all, I had a wonderful time in Nepal and definitely would love to come back in the near future. Thank you to all of you that have made my stay so unforgettable.