During my last few days in Nepal, I had the opportunity to volunteer teaching English to Buddhist Monks in a Monastery. Young boys who become Monks do not attend school and are therefore only educated by their elder Monks and from school books brought in for them. The boys I taught ranged in age from 8 to 14. They were all very eager to learn and are actually quite bright considering their lack of education. Sometimes it was a bit difficult because they were all at different learning levels, but I had so much fun with them! The younger ones look especially adorable in their red and gold robes. On my first day of class, one of the youngest boys fell asleep. I asked the other boys if my class was boring, but they told me he was hearing impaired. After that, I thought of some English songs with actions that I could get everyone to do (I know the older boys hated that!)
The Monastery I was at was directly across from Swayambhunath - also known as the "Monkey Temple". During my time at the Monastery, I had two very interesting monkey run-ins. On my second day, I had my back turned to the class and was writing on the board, when I saw something run right passed me. The boys all started laughing and at first I had thought it was one of them. But, when I turned to look in the door way, there was a monkey staring back at me! Then, on my last day in Nepal, Karma (the head monk) took me for a walk up to the top of Swayambhunath where the Stupa is. On our way up, I bought ice-cream and was eating it. A big monkey leaped out of a tree and onto me!! I turned my back and stuck my hand out to push it off. I was SO scared and Karma just laughed at me!
My transportation to the monastery was an adventure in itself. I rode on the back of the motorbike of Saman - a man who works for the volunteer organization. Motorbikes and motor traffic is insane in Nepal! It it constant accelerate-break hard-accelerate! On top of that, you weave in and out of cars and buses, and the only way to signal is to honk. Only the driver is required to wear a helmet, even if there are passengers on the bike (sorry Mom!). It was such a beautiful drive though since the Monastery is located at the top of a big hill!
Finally, I have had many people ask that I give some sort of follow-up about the money situation. So, here goes... Basically, the room was broken into and the money was taken by a 16 year old boy in the orphanage. He took the money and ran, and no one has been able to track him down since. As far as myself and the orphanage are concerned, with that kind of money, he is never coming back. The volunteer organization (RCDP) offered me the percentage of my fee that goes to the orphanage as a donation for my stay - about $170 USD. The money hadn't reached my hands before I knew exactly where it needed to go. I took the money, got on a bus, and brought it right back to the orphanage. I wrote a letter to Renu, the young lady that primarily takes care of all of the children, explaining to her where the money was coming from and why I was giving it to her. I asked that she continue to do the amazing job that she does with the children and wished her all the best. Despite what had happened, I could not accept the money for myself. It belongs to the orphanage and to the children that I have grown to love. Going back meant I had to say another hard goodbye. :(
I was very sad to leave Nepal. It was such an incredible adventure the whole way through! I met some unforgettable people and saw some breath-taking sites! I will always remember my time there! But, on to the next adventure!!!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
5364m - Everest Base Camp
I have finally returned to the Kathmandu valley from the mountains! The airport in Lukla that Everest trekkers must fly in and out of was closed for 8 days due to poor weather conditions. The fog and clouds over the mountains made for very poor visibility, so planes could not risk flying, especially when trying to land on a 450m runway at an airport rated one of the worst in the world! My group was stuck for 5 extra days after our trek, but luckily, I was able to leave Lukla safely yesterday! Over 3,000 trekkers were stuck in Lukla waiting for flights out!
The trek itself was absolutely amazing! We saw some of the most unreal views! Lower in the mountains, the trekking trails ran through forests and along riversides. As you get higher up, the trails are only on rock and dust, and can run cliff-side or over glaciers. I was travelling in a group of 3 people with one guide. It took us 8 days to reach Everest Base Camp! We arrived on October 31 (the most unique Halloween). We spent about 4-6 hours walking each day. Physically I did not find it to be too challenging and I was lucky enough not to experience any symptoms of altitude sickness, but I did find it extremely cold and windy! We stayed in little teahouses in small villages along the way! The lodges were cute and cozy, and the Sherpa people that lived there were very friendly!
Before heading back down from Base Camp, I got up at 5am to make the pitch black climb up Kala Patthar, a summit of 5500m that is near to base camp. I was the only one in my group able to go because the others were having altitude problems. The climb was tough, but I got there just in time to watch the sunrise over the mountains. It was so beautiful! The mountains lit up and a layer of fog was sitting below the mountains. I couldn't enjoy the view for too long though because the temperature is so cold up there that frost bite can quickly become a problem.
It took us only 3 days to make our way down the mountain. It is easier to walk down hill and you don't have to take the time to acclimatize like on the way up. On our way down, myself and Marc (another Canadian in my group) were well ahead of the group and the guide. We accidently took a wrong turn, which actually turned out to be a good thing, because we stumbled upon a big beautiful blue lake at the foot of a mountain. We later found out that the lake is called "Chola Tso Lake" and the mountain was "Cholatse". Once we found the lake and realized we were lost, it wasn't too hard to find our way back to the group. It was definitely a worthwhile detour!
Now that I am back in Kathmandu, I only have a short time left before I am off to Thailand. Over the next few days I am volunteering in a Monastery, teaching English to Buddhist Monks. They are great people and very eager to learn! :) I fly out on Saturday, November 12th and arrive in Bangkok on the 13th (my Birthday!). As far as I know, arriving in Bangkok should not be a problem with all of the flooding. I am starting to get pretty sad about leaving Nepal! I have really enjoyed my time here!
The trek itself was absolutely amazing! We saw some of the most unreal views! Lower in the mountains, the trekking trails ran through forests and along riversides. As you get higher up, the trails are only on rock and dust, and can run cliff-side or over glaciers. I was travelling in a group of 3 people with one guide. It took us 8 days to reach Everest Base Camp! We arrived on October 31 (the most unique Halloween). We spent about 4-6 hours walking each day. Physically I did not find it to be too challenging and I was lucky enough not to experience any symptoms of altitude sickness, but I did find it extremely cold and windy! We stayed in little teahouses in small villages along the way! The lodges were cute and cozy, and the Sherpa people that lived there were very friendly!
Before heading back down from Base Camp, I got up at 5am to make the pitch black climb up Kala Patthar, a summit of 5500m that is near to base camp. I was the only one in my group able to go because the others were having altitude problems. The climb was tough, but I got there just in time to watch the sunrise over the mountains. It was so beautiful! The mountains lit up and a layer of fog was sitting below the mountains. I couldn't enjoy the view for too long though because the temperature is so cold up there that frost bite can quickly become a problem.
It took us only 3 days to make our way down the mountain. It is easier to walk down hill and you don't have to take the time to acclimatize like on the way up. On our way down, myself and Marc (another Canadian in my group) were well ahead of the group and the guide. We accidently took a wrong turn, which actually turned out to be a good thing, because we stumbled upon a big beautiful blue lake at the foot of a mountain. We later found out that the lake is called "Chola Tso Lake" and the mountain was "Cholatse". Once we found the lake and realized we were lost, it wasn't too hard to find our way back to the group. It was definitely a worthwhile detour!
Now that I am back in Kathmandu, I only have a short time left before I am off to Thailand. Over the next few days I am volunteering in a Monastery, teaching English to Buddhist Monks. They are great people and very eager to learn! :) I fly out on Saturday, November 12th and arrive in Bangkok on the 13th (my Birthday!). As far as I know, arriving in Bangkok should not be a problem with all of the flooding. I am starting to get pretty sad about leaving Nepal! I have really enjoyed my time here!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Rice fields and Elephants!
This week has been an adventure! I started off the week staying with a local family in the village of Lamatar. They have a small house in a little village amongst rice fields and mountains. It was really beautiful there! The man who was hosting me made a living farming giant white mushrooms. He took me on a hike of a nearby mountain, where there was a small isolated village with a school at the top. His wife taught me how to cook Nepalese Dhaal Bhaat! I slept in a barn that had been converted into a bedroom, which was fine, but now my sleeping bag still smells like barn!
Later in the week, I went to Chitwan National Park in the Southern end of Nepal. The temperature is much warmer there and there are a lot more bugs! The Park is a jungle with many wild and captive animals. We went on a jungle walk, but mostly saw deer and monkeys. We saw rhino tracks, but no rhinos! :( We got to ride on the back of elephants through the jungle, and we went on a canoe ride and saw crocodiles! We also went to an elephant breeding centre and saw baby elephants, SO adorable!
Tomorrow morning I fly to Lukla in the Himalayan region of Nepal. From here I will begin my ascent of Everest. The entire trek will take 14 days and we plan to visit Base Camp and a couple nearby peaks. It should be both exciting and exhausting with some amazing views!!
Later in the week, I went to Chitwan National Park in the Southern end of Nepal. The temperature is much warmer there and there are a lot more bugs! The Park is a jungle with many wild and captive animals. We went on a jungle walk, but mostly saw deer and monkeys. We saw rhino tracks, but no rhinos! :( We got to ride on the back of elephants through the jungle, and we went on a canoe ride and saw crocodiles! We also went to an elephant breeding centre and saw baby elephants, SO adorable!
Tomorrow morning I fly to Lukla in the Himalayan region of Nepal. From here I will begin my ascent of Everest. The entire trek will take 14 days and we plan to visit Base Camp and a couple nearby peaks. It should be both exciting and exhausting with some amazing views!!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Sometimes life throws rocks at you...
I have now finished my time at my first orphanage. The experience has been unbelievable! I can't imagine a more amazing group of 24 children! I am definitely going to miss each and every one of them. Leaving was very difficult for both me and the children. They had the most beautiful goodbye ceremony for me! Each child had made a card for me and gave me a flower. The two older girls that primarily take care of the children made me a traditional Nepalese outfit and the "grandfather" (the man who financially supports the orphanage) gave me a matching satin scarf. All of the children, from oldest to youngest, gave me tikka on my forehead and grandfather put flowers in my hair. In Hindu, giving tikka to another person is a form of blessing! :)
The children stood on the roof and waved as we drove off.
Earlier this week the children went back to school since the festival was over. Their school is called, "Little Moon English Academy". I went to visit the school with them and see what it was like. The funny thing about it being an English academy is that very little English is actually spoken there, so the teachers and principal asked me if I would teach a bit. The subjects are all in English, except for one Nepalese class. All of the children can read and write in English, but most have difficulty conversing. Each morning they gather in the school yard and recite their code of conduct and sing a song in Nepali (but apparently not the anthem). The kids from my orphanage walk to school in a line and they all look adorable in their school uniforms. On the first day back to school I gave them all new pencils with maple leaves on them. They were ecstatic!
As for the title of this post, I have run into my first very unfortunate circumstance while travelling. At the orphanage, my baggage and all of my money was locked in a room. The room was broken into and all of my money and debit card were taken. Even more unfortunate was that I was carrying about $800 USD in my bag because many of the organizations I am volunteering with during my travels require me to pay in cash upon my arrival. I thought it would be more secure locked-up than to carry it on me... apparently not. My insurance was not able to help since it does not cover property theft. I am currently working with the volunteer organization to reach some sort of resolution.
Despite this crappy circumstance, I am going to continue everything with my trip as planned. It would only make things worse to let this affect me any more than it already has, especially since it was pretty much not preventable. I have ordered a new debit card and I am trying to keep a positive attitude.
Tomorrow, I am starting a 3-day village stay and later in the week I am headed to Chitwan National Park to see the elephant breeding centre and jungle. Should be very exciting!
The children stood on the roof and waved as we drove off.
Earlier this week the children went back to school since the festival was over. Their school is called, "Little Moon English Academy". I went to visit the school with them and see what it was like. The funny thing about it being an English academy is that very little English is actually spoken there, so the teachers and principal asked me if I would teach a bit. The subjects are all in English, except for one Nepalese class. All of the children can read and write in English, but most have difficulty conversing. Each morning they gather in the school yard and recite their code of conduct and sing a song in Nepali (but apparently not the anthem). The kids from my orphanage walk to school in a line and they all look adorable in their school uniforms. On the first day back to school I gave them all new pencils with maple leaves on them. They were ecstatic!
As for the title of this post, I have run into my first very unfortunate circumstance while travelling. At the orphanage, my baggage and all of my money was locked in a room. The room was broken into and all of my money and debit card were taken. Even more unfortunate was that I was carrying about $800 USD in my bag because many of the organizations I am volunteering with during my travels require me to pay in cash upon my arrival. I thought it would be more secure locked-up than to carry it on me... apparently not. My insurance was not able to help since it does not cover property theft. I am currently working with the volunteer organization to reach some sort of resolution.
Despite this crappy circumstance, I am going to continue everything with my trip as planned. It would only make things worse to let this affect me any more than it already has, especially since it was pretty much not preventable. I have ordered a new debit card and I am trying to keep a positive attitude.
Tomorrow, I am starting a 3-day village stay and later in the week I am headed to Chitwan National Park to see the elephant breeding centre and jungle. Should be very exciting!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Happy Dasain!
This week at the orphanage all of the children have been super excited about celebrating the festival of Dasain! It is the biggest Hindu festival of the year, pretty much the equivalent of Christmas. This time of year is crazy at the orphanage because the children are home ALL of the time! It's great because I get to spend more time with them, but also super exhausting! Next week they will be headed back to school during the day.
My orphanage is in the area of Budhanilkantha, which is not far from the main part of Kathmandu. It's beautiful here! The air is much cleaner than in the city and there are mountain views all around. There are a few other orphanages in the area with other volunteers around, which is great.
On Wednesday, a few of the other volunteers and I went to Shivapuri National Park nearby. It took us about 7 hours to trek the mountain and it was ALL steep stairs! My legs still hurt, but it was definitely a good warm-up for Everest! On Thursday, it was the main day of the festival, so we had a traditional Tikka ceremony at the orphanage. "Grandfather" gave me Tikka on my forehead (sort of like red sticky rice) and rice leaves in my hair. It was an unreal experience!
I am definitely starting to get attached to the kids. Leaving is going to be tough!
My orphanage is in the area of Budhanilkantha, which is not far from the main part of Kathmandu. It's beautiful here! The air is much cleaner than in the city and there are mountain views all around. There are a few other orphanages in the area with other volunteers around, which is great.
On Wednesday, a few of the other volunteers and I went to Shivapuri National Park nearby. It took us about 7 hours to trek the mountain and it was ALL steep stairs! My legs still hurt, but it was definitely a good warm-up for Everest! On Thursday, it was the main day of the festival, so we had a traditional Tikka ceremony at the orphanage. "Grandfather" gave me Tikka on my forehead (sort of like red sticky rice) and rice leaves in my hair. It was an unreal experience!
I am definitely starting to get attached to the kids. Leaving is going to be tough!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Welcome to Kathmandu!
My first week in Nepal has been absolutely amazing! I can't believe how many great people I have already met in such a short time. All of the people here are so friendly and happy! The children at the orphanage are wonderful! They are full of energy all the time, but they're so loving and adorable. I have also met many other volunteers from all over the world!
Arriving in Nepal was an adventure in itself. It took 3 different flights to get here, layovers in Brussels, Belgium and Delhi, India. Surprisingly, I really didn't experience much jet lag at all when I arrived. A man from the volunteer organization picked me up in a tiny van! The traffic here is INSANE! There are zero road rules and the only signal used is honking... constant honking! I think I have almost gotten run over 4 times already!
I really didn't experience much culture shock at all. I think it's because it reminds me a lot of the Philippines here. I stayed in a volunteer hostel the first few days and explored the Kathmandu area, including Thamel (the tourist region), Durbar Square, many temples, and a monkey sanctuary! I have also taken a course in the language and culture! Recently, I have arrived to the orphanage. As soon as the orphanage gate opened, the children came running at me, jumping on me, and yelling "sister, sister" as they call me!
As far as food, I got a nice variety while living at the hostel, but since I have been in the orphanage the only meal we eat is Daal Bhaat (a dish of rice and lentils) served twice a day at 10am and 7pm. It's very bland, but definitely edible. It is currently a big Hindu festival here, called Dasain. During the festival people eat a lot more meat and do ritual sacrifices of many animals. I heard a goat being sacrificed just outside this morning!
I am looking forward to my time at the orphanage in the coming weeks! It is tiring, but completely worth it! I have planned weekend trips with the other volunteers to different areas in Nepal and national parks! I leave for my 2 week Everest base camp trek on October 24! SO excited!!
Arriving in Nepal was an adventure in itself. It took 3 different flights to get here, layovers in Brussels, Belgium and Delhi, India. Surprisingly, I really didn't experience much jet lag at all when I arrived. A man from the volunteer organization picked me up in a tiny van! The traffic here is INSANE! There are zero road rules and the only signal used is honking... constant honking! I think I have almost gotten run over 4 times already!
I really didn't experience much culture shock at all. I think it's because it reminds me a lot of the Philippines here. I stayed in a volunteer hostel the first few days and explored the Kathmandu area, including Thamel (the tourist region), Durbar Square, many temples, and a monkey sanctuary! I have also taken a course in the language and culture! Recently, I have arrived to the orphanage. As soon as the orphanage gate opened, the children came running at me, jumping on me, and yelling "sister, sister" as they call me!
As far as food, I got a nice variety while living at the hostel, but since I have been in the orphanage the only meal we eat is Daal Bhaat (a dish of rice and lentils) served twice a day at 10am and 7pm. It's very bland, but definitely edible. It is currently a big Hindu festival here, called Dasain. During the festival people eat a lot more meat and do ritual sacrifices of many animals. I heard a goat being sacrificed just outside this morning!
I am looking forward to my time at the orphanage in the coming weeks! It is tiring, but completely worth it! I have planned weekend trips with the other volunteers to different areas in Nepal and national parks! I leave for my 2 week Everest base camp trek on October 24! SO excited!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)