Be The Change. Be a Global Volunteer in Nepal

My Global Volunteer experience in Kathmandu ranks very high when I consider all of my GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS experiences, literally high in altitude, high in making dear friends, high in believing we made a difference, and high in the pure joy of being in this beautiful country with these beautiful people. My new friend Jenny, a young woman relatively new to the GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS experience, and I became the “Jenny and Fran show”. That’s what happens when one finds a soul mate among our Global Volunteers. Jenny’s enthusiasm made each day a delight. We could feel it and see it in the faces of the women and the students with whom we shared our time.
Our first week was spent at the Soroptimist Center helping women speak and understand English. The term Soroptimist comes from the Latin soror meaning sister, and optima meaning best (the best for women). We Global Volunteers joined in that quest of providing the best for women. The tears of joy we saw on the faces of these women touched our hearts. They grew more comfortable with the language as the week progressed. There are always small miraculous experiences on my GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS adventures, but in Kathmandu we experienced a plan that was meant to come together. “I love it when a plan comes together.” Our local miracle man, Ps Buddhi Man Shrestha, was aware of a book to assist in our English language lessons, but it was prohibitively expensive coming all the way from the United Kingdom. A little exploration by Fran and Jenny discovered the books were actually published in Kathmandu. Suddenly the books became accessible. The team of our volunteers, our GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS leader Stephen Raj, and our local Nepalese Buddhi Man made it all happen. The excitement upon receiving the little books in the small classroom was palpable. Global Volunteers do make a difference.
Jenny and I celebrated the Teej holiday at the Soroptimist center with Soroptimist leaders and the women in our classes. Teej is the fasting and celebrating festival of women in Nepal. It usually takes place in the month of Nepali Bhadra (August to September in Solar Calendar). We ate and danced with joy. Sharing in their special holiday is sharing love and peace. One of the joys of volunteering is becoming a part of the communities we serve. To join in daily life, in special occasions, and in making their lives better, as well as learning more about the country and its people is amazing. Yet, anything we give seems to be returned in abundance to those of us who are Global Volunteers.
For the second week, we took our “show” to St. Joseph’s School and once again the experience touched us. Our discussion in English with tenth “graders” about pollution was amazing. What thoughtful and articulate young people. Yet, it was only one of many experiences we volunteered teaching in the classrooms. It was so very gratifying to spend the time with them. And all of our time, we knew we were making a difference to those who call Kathmandu home. The principal Dambar Singh KC expressed his gratitude to Jenny and me for our time at his school, but I know that while we touched the lives of so many students, we gained so much more.

My time in Nepal is but one chapter of my Global Volunteer book of experiences. Whether I recall my times in India, the Cook Islands, St. Lucia, Poland, Hanoi, or Tanzania, recalling my weeks in Kathmandu still causes my heart to leap, my joy to rise, and my love for volunteering to grow.

“What we keep we lose, only what we give remains our own”

This motto from my high school has stuck with me for the 58 years since my graduation, and serving in Nepal with Global Volunteers is a perfect example of its meaning. I received so many ‘gifts’ while volunteering in August of 2019. Going to Soroptimist Kathmandu was so rewarding as the women there were so eager to learn English and to interact. My last day of teaching there was mostly a culture experience, the women, dressed in their lovely saris, danced and we joined them in their traditional music. We all laughed a lot that final day, and I was just so happy to have been able to get to know these local women. Teaching English to these women was a pure delight. I also got to teach English at an elementary and high school and at an orphanage. My two weeks in Nepal with Global Volunteers was an amazing experience. Just getting to know local people was a gift, sharing time with them and learning some basic Nepalese conversation. I treasure my memories of Nepal.

When I received an email from Global Volunteers that a new program was available in Nepal, I knew that I had to go. A big part of my decision was that Stephen would be team leader. My granddaughter and I had spent a month in India in 2015 with Global Volunteers, living in the guesthouse with the other volunteers along with Stephen and his family. It had been an exhilarating month! In addition, there were two Nepalese families that I would be able to reconnect with, from friendships made 8 and 20 years before.

From the moment that my friend and I arrived late (due to travel complications), we were well taken care of. The Buddy Hotel was a great place to call ‘home’ for our time in Nepal. Situated in a centralized location, we could explore the area on our own and were able to seek out friends of friends who operate a tour business there.

Since the program was so new, we were tentative about what to do and quickly learned that flexibility is key! Especially with the younger children (kindergarten and first grade), we found that tag-teaming saved the day…when one activity grew stale, the other person jumped in with a new idea.

Meeting with the women at the Soroptimist location, for teaching English and just plain visiting, was definitely a highlight. They were so eager to interact that we couldn’t go wrong…using photos from home, charades to describe things, and sometimes even words. We were left wishing we had more time to spend with them!

Nepal is a destination not to be missed!

The people of Nepal were simply just lovely & the kids were super excited to have us! They were so kind to us and I looked forward to classes everyday we were there. The kids showered us with small gifts the last day of school! The team leader, Stephen, is an amazing group leader! I was surprised on the value of the trip given all we did during our time there. There are many nearby temples to visit, plus the hotel was located in a lively shopping district so it was a lot of fun to be right in the action of the city! Excellent local restaurants all within walking distance & the food was spectacular. I also felt very comfortable walking around, day or night, solo, with no fear being alone. I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants a relatively easy journey out of the country. Anne Marie

Ever wish upon a star and have that wish come true? My wish came true in 2007 when I discovered Global Volunteers. I have been on 9 Global Volunteer Teams in India, and in March 2019, on the inaugural team for the launch of the Nepal Program. Global’s programs are designed around a philosophy of service in which volunteers serve as well as learn under the direction of the local host community partners. The Nepal program is an enriching experience for all age groups where you will meet amazing men, women and children, be awed by magnificent vistas of the Himalayan mountains, and ultimately have a unique and enriching volunteer experience in the wonderful city of Kathmandu. While you immerse yourself in one of the many work projects, Global takes care of your everyday needs – great accommodation, wonderful meals at local restaurants, and transportation to work sites. My work site was with 2, 3 and 4 year old children where I received a daily dose of love and fun teaching and playing with the beautiful children as well as warm friendships with the very special teachers. Each day volunteers shared their experiences with team members so we all had a sense of the work being done at other sites by those in school classrooms, or working with marginalized women, or helping with repairs to orphanages affected by the 2015 earthquake. The Nepal program was an immersive cultural experience – a chance to make a difference by traveling with purpose and at the same time having free time to discover this amazing culture. I can’t wait to return once again as a Global Volunteer!

We have participated in 10 Global Volunteer programs since 2007. We are pleased with the superior level of support, management and overall organization. GV is committed to service programs that are meaningful and meet the needs of local partners. Safety is also a prime component of their mission. Our last service trip during March 2019 was in Kathmandu, Nepal - the first GV program in that area. The community partners included an elementary school, a small children's home, the Soroptomists, a local technical college, an orphanage and an NGO working with teacher education in Bhaktapur. We found the people to be warm and welcoming and the work personally fulfilling.

Our project was working with elementary school English teachers on teaching methodology. We enjoyed wonderful interactions and feel we made a small impact. We are still communicating with some of the teachers offering additional ideas and answering questions.

Finally, the interaction with other team members is always an extremely positive part of the experience. We find like-minded souls, many of whom become lifelong friends, including some we met in Nepal.