Volunteer Program in Nepal

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding and heart felt things that you can do, not only for yourself but for the people you are helping along the way. In Nepal, partaking in a volunteer program gives you a wonderful and unique opportunity to live with and interact with a local family, gaining a first hand insight into the culture and customs of this Himalayan kingdom, not only that, but you get to play a first hand role in aiding small communities in gaining an edge in education. It's often the case in rural areas that education is under funded and poor. By volunteering in one of the many schools we run these programs in, you are offering your teaching experience and your ability as an English speaker to help educate not only the children, but the teachers as well. Along your journey you will form many life long friends and memories that you will be bale to tell your grandchildren about.

By donating your time and experience you are giving more than money or words can express, you will experience the joy in the children's faces and this will communicate to you more thanks than a thousand words could ever express.

The program

Week 1 Arrive in Kathmandu we will put you up in hotel with bed and breakfast. Your first week will be spent taking basic Nepali classes and cultural education to prepare you for your home stay. You will also be taken sightseeing around the valley.

Week 2-5 Placement time, we will take you to the area of your placement and introduce you to the family you will be staying with and to the school and its teachers. You will be given a teaching schedule.

Week 6 Bid farewell to the school and your host family and return to Kathmandu where you will take a 5 day program-2 days rafting and 3 days in Chitwan, so you can relax after your experience and share your experiences with other volunteers.

What to expect

• The placements will be in remote areas, you will have your own room but the toilet will be outside and a squatter, also toilet paper may not be supplied so you should bring your own; you will be able to purchase it from the local store.
• You will be living with a traditional family you should respect their culture by always dressing appropriately, not drinking or smoking unless offered. Houses are communal places so don’t expect your room to be a private zone; other family members will be coming in and out a lot.
• It’s not common for rural houses to have shower or bath facilities. There will be places to wash in a river or at the local water pump. It's helpful if you bring along a sarong for bathing in. Doesn’t worry the lady of the house will show you how it's done? Also there will be no laundry services, you will be shown where and how to wash your clothes.
• The schools or villages may require you to walk some distance to reach them; you should have good basic fitness.
• The food will be simple, but you will not go Hungary. Be prepared to eat rice and plenty of it. It's not common for most families to eat meat regularly so the food is mostly vegetarian. It’s all fresh and healthy. Water for drinking can be brought in local villages, if not we will make sure you have a good supply. In some cases the water can be drinkable, or you can take tablets to treat it.
• In most cases you will be able to contact us any time by phone, we will check up on you regularly anyway, but don’t expect to find internet facilities.

The facilities may be basic and limited, but you should look upon this as an experience of a life time, to live with and experience how other people live and have lived for generation after generation. Not only are you offering your services as a teacher to the students, but this is a learning experience for you yourself.

What's included?

• During your placement you will live with a host family all your meals will be included
• In Kathmandu you will stay in a hotel with bed and breakfast
• Basic language course and cultural education about Nepal
• Sightseeing around Kathmandu
• All road transfers
• Two days rafting
• Two nights three days in Chitwan national park
• Airport transfers

What to bring?

• Teaching aids and books are always useful.
• Pens, Pencils and paper
• Toiletries
• Clothes- For ladies you should wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. in Nepal and especially in rural schools, its not considered as appropriate to wear revealing clothing's, belly buttons, cleavage and low fitting jeans are defiantly not appropriate. In schools most Nepalese women wear either a Kurta or a Sari. A Kurta is a loose comfortable light fitting pant and dress like top. It's very easy and cheap to get them made in Nepal. Men- men should wear shirts and slacks, no shorts above the knees.

As the weather in Nepal can be quite hot you should wear light, loose cotton clothing so you will be comfortable.

• First aid kit
• Copies of important documents-passport, insurance policy, birth certificate etc.
• Personal items-walkman, ipod, diary
• Sturdy day pack and back pack
• Sturdy foot wear, one pair and light sandals or thongs
• Camera

Requirements

We recommend you have basic teaching skills or are a student teacher but it's not necessary. Must have a visa valid for your length of stay in Nepal (we can assist you with extensions)

Please feel free to write us an email if you have any question about above information.
Contact us at,
Ace Express Travel Services P. Ltd.
P.O. Box No: 21635, Thamel, Kathmandu
Phone : 977-1-4423935 Fax: 977-1-4423939
Email: info@acetravel.com.np
Websites:www.acetravel.com.np, www.nepaltraveltrekking.com

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