Global Routes High School Volunteer Program in Nepal

My Global Routes trip in Nepal was nearly 6 years ago. Put quite simply (despite the cliché) those 5 weeks changed my life. While I tried to prepare myself (physically and mentally) according to the thorough itinerary sent out a few weeks before the trip, I could not have had nearly as impactful and memorable an experience without the leadership of my GR staff and our Nepali staff. Looking back on that summer, I try to catalog my experiences chronologically: first the 2 weeks of trekking in the Himalayas, 2 weeks doing a homestay and service project, 1 week dedicated to more sightseeing and traveling. But when I really think back to Nepal, I see the faces and smiles of new friends. I recall learning the true meanings behind certain words (both in Nepali and English). I reminisce over the taste of deliciously home-cooked rice and dal (lentils). I feel the comfort of the prayer flags that were constantly in sight. It's hard to write a short description of my trip because it was such an important 5 weeks for me but overall I was always having fun, always encouraged and challenged to grow by my staff, and always in awe of Nepal, aware of the fact that I would be thinking of this trip for the rest of my life!

In the five weeks I spent in Nepal, I learned more about who I am and who I want to be than any other point in my life. I feel so incredibly lucky to have participated in this program. The leaders of the trip were the best I could ask for—super fun, interesting, responsible, and inspiring—and I met so many wonderful people in my group whom I will be friends with for years to come. Nepal is a magical place with the most welcoming of people. I was awed by its beauty on the 10-day trek, with mountainous landscapes and icy glaciers distracting me from the physical challenges of hiking. My home stay was comfortable and had some of the best food I've eaten (I still miss it), as well as the sweetest family that I still keep in touch with. It was very satisfying to have contributed to the building of the school, and while we did not help with constructing it directly, I still enjoyed my time on the worksite. One of my favorite parts of the trip was traveling through Bhaktapur and Boudhanath—two beautiful cities I intend to visit again. As a whole, this trip was more amazing than I could have ever imagined.

I absolutely loved my experience in Nepal. I felt that the group of students was incredible and sort of a self-selecting bunch because the trip was so rigorous that it weeded out anyone who wasn't genuine and willing to fully immerse themselves. My two leaders were amazing--so friendly and fun, yet really responsible and always coming up with the most clever, sweet, and thoughtful touches to add to the trip. For example, they surprised us with snickers bars after the toughest day of our trek, and were continually coming up with wacky but fantastic games for us to play at the worksite (carrying bricks and digging all day could get a little slow sometimes). The trek was wonderful--amazing sights, rigorous in the most character-building way imaginable, and the perfect way to get to know everyone really well. The home stay was unexpectedly wonderful considering that almost none of our host families spoke any English and the few people that did spoke barely any English. However, we still became so close with them that I cried when we left. The country of Nepal is also wonderful--we met so many warm, kind, and interesting people along the way. The cities we explored in orientation and final travel were really interesting and the way in which we explored them with Global Routes was really fun--a mix of going to see sights and exploring on our own volition. Overall, it was the self-selecting group of students and the two amazing leaders that made the trip so amazing for me, and I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to give up many of the material comforts of home in exchange for a whole new perspective on life.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Nepal. My favorite part was the homestay because I loved the relationships I built with my family and becoming a part of their daily routine. I especially enjoyed cooking with my mother. The hardest part of the trip for me was the trek because of the physical and mental challenges it presented me with. I will always remember the experience of meditating with the monks in Boudhanath and feel extremely lucky to have witnessed it.

I loved this trip so much. The trek was amazing and beautiful, but what I enjoyed most was interacting with the Nepali people. I loved the home stay and having a wonderful native family to care for me and my home stay partner. It was amazing to totally immerse myself into the culture. I loved eating Dal Baat every night and washing our clothes by hand with a rock. I also loved working with the village children and having them help us when we were building the school. The village was not only beautiful, but the villagers there were so kind and welcoming, even though we could not even communicate in the same language. We helped them to lay bricks, mix cement, and many other important things, like cleaning the bathrooms (which was yucky, but rewarding). Of course, there were some difficulties. I did get homesick a bunch, but our leaders were so kind and understanding that they made me feel as comfortable as I could, away from home that is. There were also leeches on the trek, which was yucky, but definitely helped to build character! I also lost my bag on the plane ride there. But, I got to go shopping in Kathmandu, and had my stuff by the time we started the home stay.