Experience Nepal as a Volunteer
There are a lot of ways to experience the wonder of Nepal; on the back of a bike or horse, while trekking or even in a canoe. However, one of the more unique immersion recipes for experiencing Nepal is by “volunteering”. Volunteering isn’t for everyone. But the act of volunteerism gives you an opportunity to experience Nepal in ways you never thought possible.
A volunteer-vacation in Nepal can run from anywhere from four to 12 weeks. Volunteers are needed in a variety of skills from medical to civil engineering. For the average traveler wanting to get involved, teaching English can be one of the most rewarding ways to spend your time.
Generally, volunteers are placed in local schools to teach conversational English and reading classes to Nepali children. The goal of most volunteer organizations is to ensure that the children of Nepal are able to advance their practical written and verbal English language skills and education. In Nepal, English is becoming more and more of a required skill for job placement, educational advancement, and future success. Schools in Nepal often lack in funding and resources. Class size can range from 10 to 80 students. School runs from Sunday to Friday with Saturday off, students are between 4 and 16 years of age. To teach English at a Nepali school you don’t need to have formal teaching qualifications. You will need a good command of written and spoken English, plenty of enthusiasm and a lot of patience.
Another area worth considering may be placement within an orphanage. There are many such locals located on the outskirts of Kathmandu. Some placements allow the volunteer to live within the orphanage; however, volunteers can also choose to be placed with a host family. As well as being very rewarding, these placements can be physically and emotionally demanding. Your role as an Orphanage Volunteer is to be a big brother or sister to the children. What you will be doing will vary in each orphanage. You may be required to help in other ways besides simply working with the children – for example helping with medical visits, cleaning, paper recycling, gardening, teaching the house mothers how to properly clean, doing repairs, mending clothing, planning activities for after they return from school and perhaps preparing meals.
Volunteers are typically provided room and board with host families, but pay their own travel expenses and visa cost.
Make your next vacation one that you’ll remember long after you have returned home. Volunteer in Nepal and give something back to a country that does so much to enrich the lives of visitors and travelers from abroad.
