Life changing experience that I will never forget

Not sure what I expected, but feel so lucky to have found HELP, Jim (the founder) and the amazingly giving and compassionate host family I stayed with - I feel like I've left family behind. Besides teaching English, connecting with local teachers, and traveling, my host family shared their home, meals and life with me.

Mornings started with a type of chai tea and breakfast (I ate vegetarian except egg and never missed meat till I got back to US), walking down mountain paths where school children waited for each other and we walked down to the school.

I taught 4 classes of English to 1st - 6th grade. Having not taught children before, and not having a lot of practice outside the required certificate training, this was difficult at times. Generally, I'm very good at English usage and grammar, but to teach someone that this is the correct way - especially if they've been taught wrongly in the past - is to me, a great responsibility and honor. These little people (for the most part) trust you and look to you for answers - it feels a gift to me to be able to help them. Yes, you need to be confident and stern at times as there's always those that rather play than learn, but you have to remember that you're the substitute teacher and practice great patience at times. I feel I actually made an impact on a few of the children in that short time and I ache for the day I can go back again.

As my teaching day was short, I would head back up the mountain to the house for lunch with Mrs Durga, a lovely woman who helped me with Nepalese while I helped her with English. Usually, the grandparents were home tending to evening meal preparation or the fields or cows. Mr Durga would come home after teaching a full day (he's a local that met Jim as a boy 30 years ago), and we talk about our days, go for a walk visiting other villagers, and so on.

Weekends, I frequently got a van or walked to the nearest town and stayed over night. My hosts always included me in everything, even their religious evenings with music and singing, but I felt better giving them a little space and exploring other places at the weekend.

Again, can't say how lucky I feel to have landed where I did, but am so grateful to Jim, his wife and my host family for giving me the single greatest experience of my life...so far :)