Nepal

IVHQ was amazing and their Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal was my favorite experience I have had thus far. It was so much fun and I made so many friends while I was there. I was able to relate so much of my University studies to the agriculture practices they have been mastering for centuries. And the people were so kind. IVHQ ensured that my trip was smooth all the way through, I was always safe and always had a back to lean on with any problems that arose along the way. They ensure I was also very prepared before departure as well.

The experience was incredible! This was my first international volunteer project and having spent a lot of time to find the right volunteer companies I am very pleased to have chosen IVHQ. As a solo female I felt safe and recieved sufficient information for a successful trip.

Upon arrival, there was an orientation where all of the volunteers met and had cultural awareness sessions, got their homestay locations etc. This was also an opportunity to hear from other people who had been in the country prior (not necessarily on projects to quickly learn where has good prices, sightseeing etc).

Staying in the homestay with a local family gave insights which wouldn't have been available had we stayed in hostels etc. I was able to understand Nepalese culture, eat their food and join in with their way of life. It was really eye opening to notice what we take for granted - things like washing machines, AC and even strong carrier bags!

The project itself comprised of women aged 16-60 and the teaching takes place on the roof of a ladies house as unfortunately they dont have a school. The women are so eager to learn and desperately need materials and support. There is no curriculum so you plan the lessons yourself based upon your assessment of the group and we were able to cover maths, english, using a calculator, dancing (just for fun!), singing and understand the challenges faced by the women with lack of domestic abuse support and period poverty.

It really has been an emotionally awakening experience and I would fully recommend anyone who is debating, to go ahead and just do it!

Absolutely incredible life changing experience. Being completely immersed in the culture really made me reassess my values and perspective in life. I stayed with the most beautiful welcoming family and felt right at home.

- Hanna (22)

I chose 3 different programs in Nepal kathmandu that I liked. And I asked “A broader View” where I was most needed. One of which was the home for orphan girls I would go to work from 7:00 am -10:00 (30) am in the morning and this time I would help the girls with homework, eat with them, make sure they got dressed with enough time to get to school then walk with them to school. In the evening I would teach crafts; such as bracelet/Jewelry making, drawing & sewing then 4:00 – 7:00pm is direction time. They will sing, pray, read from the bible, pray again & try to get you to stay for dinner which works sometimes since they are so sweet & excited.

I wanted to volunteer through a nonprofit organization based in the USA, Abroaderview was such an organization. They had a program in Nepal a country in a part of the world & had never visited & always wanted to see.
Nepal is a fascinating country. I enjoyed visiting the different sections of Kathmandu. I traveled to Lumbini and Chitwan & saw mountains, rice paddies, forest, and interesting towers.
The program that I chose was the teaching/Education and library programs. My Nepal coordinator, upon meeting me changed my school assignment to a more challenging one; I got to interact with more students both able-bodied & physically challenged. The teacher I was assigned to was most welcoming & allowed me to use the techniques I used as an ESL teacher in the states. The library program was a lot of fun. It gathered together children of different ages from the local community. We did many creative activities.
The accommodation was comfortable, clean and neat. It was near public transportation, a restaurant, and convenience store.
The host family was wonderful, a father, mother, 4 yrs old son, grandmother & grandfather. They did everything possible to make my stay a pleasant one. I felt very safe.
Roads & Traffic may not be what you’re used to. People have different ways of doing things. Go with the flow.
The weather was hot but not hotter than NYC. Cools downs at night. I slept comfortably. It was the beginning of the monsoon so be prepared for rain & mud.

I choose Nepal because I wanted something out of my element. It’s a beautiful country and the people are amazing. I love special needs work and these kids are just amazing to work with!. The disable center is worth the 25-hour flights to get to Kathmandu. These kids are just everything to me now. They’ve impacted my life and I am so so sad to leave. It is the most fulfilling, fun experience I’ve had volunteering. They were worth every can.

I enjoyed my time in Nepal a lot. I connected with the host family and spent most of my days at the Monastery with the nuns (It’s an experience that I would always remember in my heart). The local coordinator treated me like I was one of his own children with open arms. The teachers and nuns appreciate my help with teaching English to them even though I can’t speak Nepali. I had gone to two weddings, which I never been to one before in Kathmandu. I’ve experienced the local family community of Nepal and the experience to teach Buddhist nuns, which not many people can say. Something I couldn’t do in normal life in America.

Participating in the program was the second time I had the opportunity to volunteer in Nepal so I wasn't expecting much difference from the previous organization I went with; however, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the program.

The living conditions were better than I expected. There was everything from a clean bed and bathroom to room service and laundry services available at request. We were well fed and all of the food served at the hotel was delicious. The staff at the Prince Hotel were also extremely friendly and accommodating to our needs.

The people I met were also very friendly. I was also surprised by the many different backgrounds of the volunteers that volunteered alongside me. There were students from all over the world that came to participate and it was a joy learning to communicate in their languages and making foreign friends.

If I have the time and opportunity, I would definitely partake in the program again. I give this program my highest recommendation for those who want to help others while visiting a foreign country.

Hello and Namaste to all the volunteers who would like to come to Nepal,

I was in Nepal for 20 weeks with my boyfriend. In my first week I lived in a hostel and had there a language course in Nepali. This was very nice, because when you live in Nepal for many months it is important that you know some Nepali words and sentences, because not so many people can speak English. At the beginning of my program I had some problems and I struggled because of the new culture, the infrastructure and the new people here. But with the time it becames normal. After 2 weeks I changed my host family because we had there some problems and doesn't felt comfortable. My new host family was in Belchautara, one hour far away from Pokahra. After I changed the host family everything was perfect. In this point was RSDP very good, their helped us that we can change the host family as soon as possible. In Belchautara I have worked in a school project as a teacher. I worked in the Gyan Bagaichaa English Boarding School, it is the most beautiful and best school I have seen in Nepal. I have teached at the school the students from grade 2-9 in nearly every subject (except Nepali). The time in the school was the best time I've ever had. The organisation RSDP is okay, because I had some communication problems with them. I think this organisation must make alot of things better. All in all, Nepal especially Pokahra (Belchautara) is like my second home country and I recommend everybody who is interested in , to learn more about a forgein and beautiful country, to visit Nepal!

Namaste dear volunteers,
before I start to give you a review about this program, I want to introduce myself and I want to tell you what I have done here in Nepal. My Name is Nikolas and Im 18 years old, I choosed a volunteering program for 5 month as a teacher in a school near by Pokhara. All in all I can say that I had a wonderfull time here. If you decide to come to this country, you need to bring some skills. Above all, it is important that you are flexible, from now on a plan can change completely at the time. You should be able to improvise anyway. Nepal is a beautiful but poor country. So do not try to enter with high standards. Get involved with the country and the culture and you will enjoy it. Of course you will not only experience beautiful things here, like me, but that is part of it. All I can say is that the beautiful things that I have experienced here surpass all other negative experiences. The organization on site was okay. Not the best, but not the worst. I'm writing this so that you get an idea of it.