Nepal Summer Experience 2014

My summer experience in Nepal 2014 was probably one of the most difficult things I have every done. The country itself was unlike any other place I have ever lived. The water had to be boiled prior to drinking, the food had to be cooked prior to eating, western toilets were a luxury and not readily accessible. It was loud, polluted and culturally very different. I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I applied to the Nepal summer program but I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I lived with a host family for about six weeks during my stay in Nepal. There was a mother, father and a thirteen year old maid. I had my own room and a wester style toilet! It was challenging living with a host family because culturally it was very different from anything I have ever experienced. My host family liked to be involved in everything I did and wanted to know where I was and what I was doing every day. There really was no such thing as personal space. The food was pretty much the same everyday and there was a lot of it! The meals were mainly rice, lentils and vegetables. The main problem most of my fellow volunteers and I had was the amount of food. The most helpful advice I would give about living with a Nepalese host family is be friendly, embrace their culture, be open minded and just laugh and have fun. It is going to be difficult at times but as long as you maintain a good attitude you will get great enjoyment of living with your host family and make lifelong friends.

As far as teaching, I am a dental hygienist by trade and have never taught in a school. When I arrived in Nepal I was told that I would be teaching six days a week. I would be teaching grades four and five with two sections in each for a total of four different classes per day. In addition, I would be responsible for running a "teacher training" for two weeks in the middle of my service. The task seemed daunting. I was provided class books to prepare for my lessons. I quickly learned to be very patient, thoroughly prepare before each class and just go with the flow. Almost all of my classes had fifty very loud students with varying levels of English. I tried to start each class with a daily warm-up that involved conversational English followed by my lesson. I used the class book as an outline an prepared my lessons with games and activities. Teaching was difficult but incredibly enjoyable and a very rewarding experience. By the end of my teaching term not only had I completed two weeks of teacher training, taught my fourth and fifth graders but I was going into grades k-3 to play games on a daily basis.

Just be open minded, flexible, and have a good attitude and you will greatly enjoy your experience in Nepal.