Nepal Volunteering Experiences

I recall the image of a young male leaping from a crowd to vocalize his resentment at the Kings autocracy. The time was Jana Andolan ii, and the photo came courtesy of the Sydney Herald. I cannot deny that the image lingered in my mind, and that my sense of time was provident, arriving in Kathmandu the day after the war was declared over. Kathmandu was ablaze with horns, like the conscious and excited beat of a city in a fever. To each side i had to dodge a vehicle, and weave through tremendous crowds, religious bells tolled and in all, i was sure the city would split. 'Welcome to Nepal,' they called. 'Welcome to the most optimistic of times'. Kathmandu was certainly public.

I did not linger long in this increasingly modern city. Soon, after meeting with the charming and mild mannered VEEP representative, Surendra, I moved to Godowari to take my place as a volunteer. What contrast! What truth in life! The passing horns were replaced by the gently pat of fleet footed children on a dusty roadway, followed by a puttering bus, both divided by the tin-like ring of a singular bicycle meandering past. Although startled by the change in setting, some days i am reminded of the cities proximity. Whilst not wholly the cities fault, mist and smog creep into the valley and stand by mountain side as though delinquent youths by an alley wall. The disappointment, however, of this sight is always affirmed by the fertile paddy fields that stretch out beyond my placement school, attesting that while the smog will be blown away, the luscious crops will come.

Once I was initiated with the school staff and children it soon became apparent that the children would not shy away from asking about my origins. Like any volunteer, as a stranger, i arouse curiosity. They asked many questions, in delightful English, that soon enough i felt less like a foreigner and more like a friend. Of course this is not necessarily advantageous as a teacher, and a volunteer: kids the world over are prone to fits of attention deficiency. But ultimately, the children here are bright and instructed by a carefully thought out routine which ensures that they observe a general standard of behaviour. Not a single child cherishes the prospect of time with the principal. So very normal!

The questions asked of the volunteer are difficult. How, in a short time, is one to embrace the childrens abilities and further their english ability. I have been based at the school but a short time, but so far the most distinct point impressed upon me is to allow their imaginations to work; to fire, when necessary, those imaginations that remain dormant. It all sounds incredibly idealistic, but in the short term i have not been able to truly know how the students work. Repetition; brainstorming; mental pictures; and dialogue are all necessary, aswell as a flexible manner. They ask frequently to play, the challenge is to allow them to do so creatively. That appears the key.

Nepal has been instructive, and boisterous from the start. A pleasure in a country of gentle, peace loving people.

Jason