volunteer story

Teaching in Pokhara

Peace stupa My volunteer experience in Nepal is one that I remember by the quality of friendships that I made during my time there. Everyone that I met during those seven weeks- from the Hands for Help staff to my Nepali family to the other teachers at my school- made me feel very welcome and at home immediately, even though I was in a country where I did not speak the language and looked very different from almost everyone.

My summer in Nepal

ei’La’ Bryant
SAI Summer Feedback
19 September 2009

Nothing in my life has been as meaningful or mind-blowing as my time in Nepal. For the first time, I found myself alone in a country far different from my own, without any real knowledge of the language or of the culture. Though at times in the beginning of my adventure I found myself afraid and very alone, by the end of the trip I had grown so significantly that wading through seas of people in Kathmandu at 10 pm, alone, was as simple as walking through Harvard Square has always been. I went from an awe-stricken girl who felt at once very alone, saddened by the dirt and poverty and at the same time very exhilarated and moved by the beauty and the wonder of the place, the people, and the religions to a comfortable (and still awe-stricken) woman who could see through the poverty to its root causes, who could walk through the monsoon on the muddy streets without a care, who could still see the life and strength and happiness beating in the hearts and souls of so many in the population, and who could still be exhilarated by the beauty and the wonder of the place, the people, and the religions.

My Teaching Experience

I decided to volunteer in Nepal because I am a student of Buddhism and an avid hiker.
Quickly upon arriving in Kathmandu, I decided the city did not offer what I was looking for, so decided to volunteer at the Hyulsa Gumba (monestary) near Besishahar, approx. 6 hours away. The lush, serene setting of the Gumba was exactly what I was looking for. The accommodations and lack of privacy took some time to adjust to (and it was also my first experience with a non-Western toilet!), but the warmth and beauty of the landscape and the monks put me at ease and made the days fly by. I hadn't realized how close Annapurna was from the Gumba--it is possible to start the trek from the Gumba if you're interested. Another tip I want to give is to bring plenty of pens--which are frequently requested by the children you will encounter near the Gumba.

7 Weeks Orphanage Placement

victoria I chose Hands for Help because of the variety of projects available and as a local, grassroots organisation I hoped the projects would be well tailored to the needs of the local communities and provide good support for volunteers. I wasn’t disappointed.

The induction in Kathmandu gave me an opportunity to acclimatise, learn a surprising amount of Nepali from my excellent teacher, visit some of the most beautiful sights in the city, and enjoy the wonderful rooftop views of the city from the Millennium Inn….

Medical Elective 2008

17th April 2008 – I arrived in Kathmandu airport and looked around for a man holding a sign with my name on it. Luckily he was there and I was taken straight to a hotel where a room had been reserved for me. The next day I met Badri (the man in charge of Hands for Help), had a wondered around the city and tried to learn some of the local language.

The following day I started my four week hospital placement in A&E at Kathmandu teaching hospital. Although most of the patient do not speak English all the doctors and, when reminded, they present all the patients in English too. The department was a bit overwhelming at first but after a few days I got used to the hustle and bustle. The Nepalese medical students and the senior interns were all extremely friendly and helpful, always pointing us in the right direction.

My Volunteering Experience in Nepal

Having been to Nepal before ,I felt I didn’t need the customary introduction to Katmandu’s most visited sites and Badri demonstrated a very tolerant and flexible attitude to my needs as a whole.
I would recommend to anyone wishing to volunteer in Nepal to follow through the Nepali language classes organized for you by HforH.as it becomes an invaluable tool for communicating and Nepali people really appreciate your effort for trying to speak it.

Hulsa Hyon means in Gurung, the local language and tribe, prosperous village.Of the little they have, everything is shared and their generosity goes beyond the customs.Needless to say I was made to feel very welcomed and my stay at the monastery a very happy one.

Ichangu Gumpa

Mille Making the decision to go to Nepal all by myself was a difficult one - including trusting an organization I had never heard about and who I had only been in contact with through email. I didn't need to worry though, since I was met by a man with a sign with my name on it the moment I walked out of the airport in Kathmandu. The taxi-drive from the airport to the hotel was an amazing one with a thousand new impressions and sights... my first visit to Asia and I felt like I had come to a different planet!

Hyulsa Hyon Monastery

This small monastery is located 45 minutes up in the mountains from the town of Besashar which is approximately 6 hours north of Kathmandu. Being the first Westerner to stay at this monastery provided me with many interesting opportunities to learn about their culture. These boys are extremely pious and are either studying, cooking, cleaning or chanting at any given moment. On any given day, they partake in puja. Puja is a religious ceremony done in order to commemorate either a festive event, to cure an ailing person or to provide a family with good luck. My surroundings for these 8 days were amazingly peaceful. Both inside and outside the monastery, I was surrounded by music, prayers and traditional Buddhist instruments. In exchange for food and lodging, I taught two hours of English everyday to these aspiring monks who ranged in age from six to fifteen.

Edoardo Nicolotti

Edoardo I am Edoardo Nicolotti from Italy, working with hands for help, it was for me the greatest experience that I could apply for. If you would like taste yourself in Asia, enter in the culture of Nepal, sharing good feelings during working with the children of AIMS secondary school and joggling teaching juggling with the children of orphanage of Samakhusi, and others more, this is a good place. If you have finish or not your university, and you need an experience for find your real capacity of human relationship in an another culture and country, the time that you spend in Nepal, will increase your sense of adaptability and prospective. If you research a preview experience for working in some sectors of Ngo, this could be also an occasion for having some new prospective and orientation.

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