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Volunteerreport Sara [english]

Volunteer Report Sara

Arrival

On 1 September my 3-month trip to the wonderful country Nepal began. Together with Magdi, who I had only met a few weeks earlier, we flew from Vienna via Doha to Kathmandu. Coincidentally, we had booked the same flight.

When we landed in Kathmandu, we were warmly welcomed by Rewant, the husband of principal Manisha, and made our way to the school. After a very adventurous 1-hour journey over bumpy roads, we were welcomed at the school by Mummy, Devika, Sunil and Pemba. We moved into our room and were spoilt with delicious food.

We received such a warm welcome from everyone! I felt at home right from the start and had the impression of being welcomed into a big family.

On the second day, we were given a tour of the school building by Manisha, the headmistress, and saw the school children for the first time. Together we discussed our work and how we should proceed. We were also given lists of the children's names so that we could get a better overview.

Our work – the home visits

Our job was to completely update the children's stories on the website. To do this, we visited them at home to get a clearer picture of the conditions in which they live. We took photos of the children and asked them a few personal questions to gain a better insight.

It was sometimes shocking to see the circumstances in which the children live. Often just a small room with a bed that the whole family shares. The kitchen is often in the same room as the bed or sometimes even outside. Cooking is usually done on gas or over an open fire.

Despite the difficult circumstances, the people made a cheerful and open impression. During the home visits, we were often invited by the children's families for tea and biscuits. The children were also particularly open and were always happy to see us.

 

 

 

 

Festivals

We were warmly welcomed into the family around Manisha and Mummy and were able to celebrate numerous festivals with them.

About three weeks after our arrival, we celebrated Women's Day at school. We were allowed to borrow the typical "sari" clothes from Mummy and Manisha. Manisha also braided our hair in the typical Nepalese style. The children performed various dances and the atmosphere was impressive.

The biggest festival of the year - "Dashain" - took place at the end of October. Here, too, we were able to experience the traditions up close and attend the family celebrations. Together with Manisha, we bought a "kurta" for this festival. It was wonderful to see how the festivals are celebrated in Nepal and what traditions there are.

Just in time for the festival, Tom, Akshobhya, my parents and my brother arrived from Austria. We spent a wonderful time together. The "Ganesh Cabin" and the "Joy Source Resort" made the stay perfect for my family. My parents were able to visit their godchild Rachana and we had a great time with Tom in addition to all his impressive work.

At the beginning of November, I said goodbye to Magdi because she was travelling on to Thailand. My parents also flew back to Austria and I spent the last 4 weeks alone.

The "Tihar" festival was celebrated in mid-November. All the houses were decorated with lights and the nearest town, Pharping, was suddenly ablaze with colour. I spent some wonderful days with Mummy and Mamata, Manisha's sister. The festival ended with Tika Day.

Trips

We went on various excursions together. In the very first week, Mummy and Devika showed us the town of Pharping, which can be reached on foot in just 30 minutes and is considered a spiritual centre in Nepal. It was from here that Buddhism was brought to Tibet by Guru Rinpoche in the 8th century. Buddhism and Hinduism are omnipresent in Pharping.

We then travelled back by local bus. An adventure in itself.

We also travelled to Kathmandu with Mummy and Manisha. In addition to all the sights, the traffic in the metropolis left a lasting impression.

Another highlight was the trip to a waterfall two hours away. We set off with two fully packed cars and spent an incredibly enjoyable day despite the bad weather.

 

Final words

 

I really took the children to my heart during the 3 months. They are so warm and open and always put a smile on my face. I really enjoyed spending time with them during the breaks.

 

Everyone looked after us impressively. Mummy provided us with delicious food every day, which I still miss to this day. Manisha and Rewant also always had an open ear for us. We could go to them all the time if we had any problems.

In conclusion, I can say that I am incredibly grateful for my time in Nepal. It still feels surreal at times what I was able to experience in those three months. To see what a great project has been created here and how much the children there are being helped is unbelievable beautiful. The friendliness and warmth of the people are infectious.

I will always have fond memories of that time and am grateful for the wonderful people I met.

Thank you for letting me be a part of it - see you again soon!