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Volunteer 2 :
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Kristztina
Garaczi
Hungary |
My
Experiences about.........
1.
Nepali Language
It was useful, because it helped me to develop
connections easily with the people. The experienced
language teacher Krishna taught the language. It was
easier to take the class with other volunteer together.
Language is a part of the culture, it is very important
to learn if you would like to be volunteer and work in
the community.
2.
Home stay with Nepali families
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I lived for 5 months in Nepal. I was placed in two
families, village and city. I lived in the village for 2
months where I stayed with a small family. Secondly, Mr.
Anil Adhikari, Program Coordinator of Teka provided
accommodation in his home. Living with Adhikari family,
I had chance to speak Nepali language and discuss
day-to-day assignment. It was good opportunity to live
with Adhikari family because, living together with them,
I had chance to attend some Nepali Wedding Ceremonies
and parties. It was great fun in dancing and having fun.
I also experienced Nepali culture during my stay. I must
praise one thing that, living with this family, I had
always chance to receive and send email regularly after
volunteering.
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Enjoying home stay with Nepalese Family
Stay |
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3.
School Teaching
I was assigned in two different schools. Living in the
village, I had to teach at Suntakhan Government School,
which was located in the village where I lived. SGS was
very old and small school where I taught to class 1 to
5. There were 13 teachers and about one hundred plus
students studied from local level. Teachers were always
helpful to me and students were enthusiast to learn. I
enjoyed teaching to the local kids. Interestingly, there
were two different class sessions (grad 4 & 5) ran in
the same room. Two teachers including myself taught
different level at the same time. It was because the
school had no budget to build another room. If somebody
would like to help to build up the room, it would be
very helpful to the school management.
Secondly, I was assigned in Snowland Ranag School at
Bisalnagar, Kathmandu. There were 110. Most of them were
homeless and belonged poor family status. Foreign
volunteers frequently served this school. The school has
big playground and enough infrastructures. All the
students lived in the school hostel and I used to have
lunch together with them. School Principal Lama Kenpo
Orgyan was very helpful and simple person who always
smiled and said "Okay". He was very cooperative person
with welcome heart. I spent time with the kids playing
games and taught games and curriculum lessons whereas
other volunteers were also worked simultaneously. I
experienced their festival "Loshar" which ran for 3
days. The students performed danced and cultural program
and the feast itself was indigenous and very attractive.
"Loshar" was like Hidu's "Dashai" Festival where all the
family members were together to celebrate. Mr. Orgyan
organized "Loshar" festival inviting many people to
experience the festival.
4.
Village Stay
Life was very simple in village. Most of the people
don't speak English. I was placed in a family. There
were four members including Brother and his wife and two
nice children. The family was hospitable and friendly. 8
years old girl Jaya shared her room with me. Jaya and
her elder brother spoke English so that it was sometimes
easier to communicate. The life in the village was
peaceful and restful. The neighborhood was so welcoming.
They sometimes invited me their house and introduced
themselves. I really can't even express the beauty of
the village. Once you enter the village, you feel like,
you are going to experience the place of heaven that we
use to imagine. In the morning, when you open up the
window, you can see the beautiful landscape with green
and healthy atmosphere. And you can take a long breath
after you come out from the house. Wow ! I always miss
that time. You have to wash up your face from the water
tap and if you would like to take bath, its public
bathing. Unfortunately, I could not dare to do that. But
I used to go to the city where I could have bath. I
enjoyed daily Nepali food daal, bhaat and tarkari.
4.
Meeting Other Volunteers
I lived for long time so that had chance to meet Teka's
other volunteers. During my stay, I had chance to meet 4
volunteers from Philippines, USA, Canada and Scotland.
It was good opportunity to share experience between each
other.
5.
Yoga/Meditation and Osho
Teka started my program with Yoga and Meditation, which
I conducted regularly until the end of my stay in Nepal.
The Guru (Yoga teacher) was very experienced and simple
person I like the way he taught. He is only the person
who teaches to all Teka's volunteers since the
beginning. Guru taught me Yoga/Meditation for 5 days
every morning. After doing Yoga, the days spent so
freshly and nicely. I could wake up on time. It is one
of the great cultures of Nepal.
Osho Tapo-Ban (Meditaion-In Jungle) is the place
about 15 km far from Kathmandu. It is very peace and
located near by the highway. Teka gave this opportunity
as a complementary trip and arranged accommodation and
foods including transportation to stay one night at
Osho. Canadian Volunteer Sarah O'Hagan who was there for
3 weeks accompanied me. There were some rules and
regulations and it was good to follow. Dance meditation
with mild musical instrument was very memorable for both
of us. On the top, there is a restaurant where you can
have very good Pizza. Living in the routine work, it
certainly gave me some change.
6.
Sightseeing, Trekking and Traveling
Kathmandu is very rich with beautiful monuments and
world heritage sights. In the beginning, Teka managed to
look around Kathmandu Valley including Swayambhunath
Stupa (located on top hill and very ancient budhha
temple), Phashupatinath Temple, Buddha Temple, Kirtipur,
and National Zoo etc. You can have look of wonderful
panoramic views of green and white mountains if weather
is cool. The Ancient cities, temples and monuments
always attracts foreigners so that lots of volunteers
and foreigners I met in the current conflict situation,
who were hanging around here and there freely. Even the
political situation has been changed, it is peace to
walk and hang around. Many volunteers are still working
in remote villages (country sides).
Dharahara, a big white tower of the capital was
built 11 storied before, but damaged due to the
earthquake in 1934 and it is only 9 storied is very
symbolic and wonderful historical monument.
Likewise, Thamel is a popular tourist market. It
has so many good restaurant and handicrafts, garment,
trekking shops and travel agencies. It is only the place
where you can buy goods to your families and friends.
It was a good opportunity for me to go for trekking
with Teka's other volunteers Liberty (Phillipines) and
Craig (Scottland). We had a week trip to Mount Manasalu
Area and National Park. It was a remarkable experience
to experience Snow Mountain so near by. We had great fun
during the time.
Lumbini was the birthplace of Lord Buddha where I
visited with two other Phillipino Volunteers. Chitwan
was the place to visit National Park and experience
seeing rare and endanger animals such as Rhino and wild
elephants. I visited Pokhara, the place, where no
foreigners ever miss to visit. Mt. Fishtail (snow
mountain), Great Fewa Lake, Sarangkot (on top hill) are
very memorable. I recommend to experience all the places
if you plan to visit Nepal through Teka. I also went to
stay two nights at Nagarkot, the place to view
sunrise and sunset. Most of the foreigners are taken
this place to spend nights to watch tomorrow's sunrise
and sunset. Lastly, Kirtipur, I visited which was
very historical important place of Nepalese history. It
has two popular monument including Buddha Stupa and
Hindu temple on top hill where you can watch whole
Kathmandu.
Lastly, I must be thankful with Mr. Adhikari, who
encouraged me to experience all above places I mentioned
and arranged.
7.
Nepali Wedding
Fantastic experience was a Hindu wedding. The ceremony
was very interesting, as couple were married. I really
could understand lots of things the priest made to do to
the bride and groom sitting in front of Yaga (Hindu holy
fire place). Both groom and bride had to sit in one
place for 6 to 7 hrs until the completion of marriage. I
attended Marriage Party where Sarah also joined me. It
was a great dance party. I enjoyed Rateuli (Dance
ceremony in Groom's house, after the procession left to
take bride, mother and her women relatives dance and
enjoy).
8.
About the program cost
With Teka it is expensive but you have to pay lots of
money if you go for Yoga/meditation, Nepali language
learning, sightseeing, food and accommodation etc. It is
not that worthwhile to travel alone. You can make
traveling cheaper with more than one. Most travel can
came off cheaply. Prices are value for mine.
Accommodations are 200-300 rupees/ per room. You can
choose your meal, so you look at more places while
traveling only.
9.
About Nepal
Nepal is a beautiful country with lots of cultural
diversity. With the opportunity to trek where you can be
acquainted with mountains, marvelous prospect is offered
surrounded by mountains, water falls, flow brooks or
rivers. The air is clean; vehicles can't go to the up
hill, only people can trek. Villages are quiet and
peaceful. In Popular tourist destination like Chitwan
gives good services. In the National park, you can
experience wild and rare animals like Rhino, Wild
Elephant. The plain countryside has more tropical
plants. In Lumbini, the Buddha's birthplace there is a
secret garden and lot of beautiful monasteries. In
addition, other places I visited were Pokhara, Nagarkot
etc. Kathmandu captivated me except of negative diverse
such as noise and crowd.
10. About Teka
Teka was always concerned with my activities from
morning to afternoon. Anil and Sangeeta from Teka always
encouraged me to speak Nepal as much as possible. Their
only concern was to make my program effective and
productive. So that Mr. Adhikari always asked me "Please
feel free to tell us, if you have any problem". He was
very helpful and encouraging person I have ever met.
Teka is an organization which always helped me to work
with my interests.
11. Recommendations to other volunteers
If you would like to go to Nepal for volunteering it is
good opportunity to experience many things. Since Teka
Samuha Nepal have good network among the various NGOs
and organization, you will have selection of working
areas. I would like to recommend you to go through Teka
because it aims to make your program success and always
concern with its volunteer and their work.
Kristztina
Garaczi
Hungary |
