* this is from a few weeks back but nevertheless thought I would include this to give you a glimpse of what I have been doing in Nepal...
I would like to introduce you to my class! From time to time when the teachers are not able to teach for various reasons the volunteers take the class, which is such a highlight for me. You would think that teaching a group of 13-16 year olds would be something most people try to avoid, but with these kids, it’s really the highlight of my day! As you walk in you are greeted with them all standing ‘Good afternoon Miss’ and they stay standing till I realise they are waiting for me to tell them they can sit down...when they leave or enter the class room they ask you ‘Can I come in Miss’ it’s really sweet! Last week I decided to do a quiz for them which ended up being a history lesson (I know you’re laughing dad)...but I will have you know that it went very well indeed and the kids had so many questions...from why did the USA bomb Japan to ‘Miss what is Jew...a prisoner’? It took me a while to explain that one...so we went from WW1 to the Iraq war which they had no idea about...we even discussed 9/11...which they also knew nothing about! These kids want to learn, and they do not take their education lightly. Most of them come from the poorest region of Nepal, which takes several weeks to walk to the nearest place for transportation, so they value the opportunity they have to learn to read and write, as many of their siblings remain in the village working farms or starting families at a very young age. It does put a lot into perspective, and despite the tears, frustration and nights I swear would never end in front of an essay for uni, I now realise I am a part of the minority in this world and therefore should appreciate those moments and memories as blessings!
There is a rooster crowing outside and it’s 9pm...Nepal you never cease to amaze me...well if it’s not a rooster it’s a dog...if it’s not a dog....it’s a taxi...and if it’s not a taxi it’s a person coughing up a lung....or two people having a conversation loud enough for the entire neighbourhood to sit and take notes.
I have had an epiphany...I don’t need second helpings for dinner.
Well that is one of many...
I am now approaching the end of the placement here in Nepal.
I am currently working at a Nutritional Rehabilitation Home, which provides education and rehabilitation for malnourished children and mothers. The work they do is amazing. My first experience of seeing a child admitted to NRH was something I will never forget. To see a 14 year old boy, shoulder height to me (which is pretty tiny) weighing 20kg was very shocking. His father works as an iron worker and is only able to work when there is work so the family is very poor. The child also has other medical complications and has been in hospital for many months. He arrived very uncomfortable and distressed but today...3 weeks later he is laughing and playing drums on the table with pencils. This is thanks to the amazing work that NRH provides through dedicated staff and nurses committed to making a change for the children and struggling families here in Nepal. In most cases it is not just poverty that causes malnutrition; it is ignorance of healthy eating practices and a lack of education. NRH provides both practical assistance and educational assistance so that once the mothers return home they can apply these in their homes and villages.
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| NRH Kathmandu |
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| a child being fed |
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| play time |
Well I can't believe how time flies...I have 10 days left in Nepal and I can't really figure out how that happened. I have met some really amazing friends out here as well as encountered some character buliding experiences...(the most recent of which had me becoming fast friends with a squat toilet...not a highlight!!! I must tell you i will not take being sick at home again for granted...) So hopefully I will have time to post a last message from Nepal next week, till then much love xxoo
