Nepal

I willingly spent a great deal of money to participate on a volunteer experience in Nepal. $30 a day in Canadian standards is not a large sum to pay for accommodation and 3 meals a day. $30 per day had to be paid up front for the additional time that I wanted to spend in excess of the set 7 week program. A nice room in a guest house with a private bath costs less than $10 per day. Meals in non-tourist restaurants can be purchased for $2. Basecamp International is totally overcharging people relative to the services provided and the local prices charged. If $20 a day was going to aid the people and agencies in Nepal that need it, I would not have a problem. The staff at the hostel are the nicest people in the world and so hard working. They are victims as well and are being taken advantage of. I have no complaints with the staff. I do have an issue with paying so much more than the going rate for substandard facilities ie. 2 western style toilets for 24 people, only being allowed a shower once every two days after sweating in the heat, wonderful balconies with only broken chairs to sit on, people crammed 5 per room on bunkbeds ( it would be okay if people staying here were in primary school), no back up power to provide for lighting the bathrooms when the power is out which is 12 hours a day.........................I could go on, but you get the idea. I should have read the Lonely Planet Nepal page 71 that states "Fees paid to local agencies tend to be much lower than the huge fees charged by some international volunteer agencies, and you can be confident that the money will be used locally."

It all started with some volunteering aboard website about EHN. I then contacted Raj and Wayne about my tentative 1-week travel plan to volunteer at the day-care center. As the trip was short, Raj suggested if I would like to analyze the current curriculum for a local government school in Kathmandu and assist to setup a new volunteer program for EHN. “Sure” I replied. On my flight to Nepal, I was worried about my trip especially the delayed flight wouldn’t arrive until 1am. What if no one pick me up? Where could I find a place to sleep 1am in the morning in a country which I’d never been to? I was relieved when I saw Raj and Binod holding the paper of my name at the airport exit. This was how my journey began. Throughout the journey, I met all the amazing and extremely friendly people from EHN and the school I taught. I had never taught any class in the past. After the first day of teaching, I’ve gained more confidence on remembering names, teaching children English interactively, reading out the paragraphs as one voice, teaching the map of Asia, teaching the basic greeting in Chinese and most importantly, disciplining children with reasoning. Moreover, I learnt the background of the school, the children, the teachers, and the local educational system. Thank you Raj, Sarita, Binod and Wayne from EHN team for making it happen and giving me the opportunity to make a difference. Although it was only one-week trip, I feel very satisfying to use my week to volunteer and travel in Kathmandu, Nepal. This is definitely one of my best decisions I made in my life. Please feel free to contact me on facebook (jojocookie5@hotmail.com). Namaste & Cheers!

Whenever I am asked about my year long trip around a good portion of the world, what's the one place that continues to occupy my mind and fill me with emotion, I always respond without hesitation, Nepal. It's hard to narrow it down into a few words as to why that is so, but in all honesty my experience in Nepal would not have been the same nor even close to as amazing as it was without Experience Himalayan Nepal (EHN) nor the amazing people of Magar Tol and Sauraha. Flying into Kathmandu from China was amazing, greeted by the breathtaking Himalayas and the abundance of housing stretched over the land in-and-amongst the mountains is definitely a sight in itself. I was greeted with a huge smile at the airport by Anil and his sister, Sarita, EHN representatives who introduced me to the busy life and city of Kathmandu, the first stop of my placement. Over the next couple of days they took me around to see the cultural side of Nepal and to experience the impressive local life. After those two days, Anil took me to Sauraha where my placement was held. I was working at the Sauraha Daycare Centre. From the moment I arrived in Sauraha, I was always greeted with a giant welcoming smile and could feel the sense of curiosity from most of the locals. By the time I left, I was considered a local and was treated as such with love. I stayed with the most amazing family, my family, the Magars. Binu (Mom) and Dilu (Dad) were the most encompassing, welcoming and gracious hosts one could ever ask for. They truly made my experience unforgettable. Early morning fishing for our daily food with Dilu, playing soccer in the middle of the jungle with the local kids, rice planting with the amazing colourful ladies of the village, Elephant riding and washing (they are taken care of very well, for those who are wondering), excursions to mountain-top temples (Manakamana temple), hanging out and teaching the little kids English all the while learning Nepalese, invitations to Nepalese weddings and multiple festival celebrations, being asked to join local families for dinner, raksi (rice whiskey), music and dancing are among only a few of the amazing times the Magar family provided for me. EHN, as an organization, made sure to keep tabs on me while I was there, not that they needed to. I always felt safe as the people of Nepal are the most amazing, caring and genuine people I met on my entire trip. The organization never asked for anything from me. Being such a young organization, the professionalism and all-round care that was taken to ensure my safety, transportation, accommodation, food, fun, and volunteer work was world-class. If ever I was in need, I was able to call on Anil, Sarita, Raj, Wayne, Binu, Dilu and the rest of the Magar family and they would be there in no time flat. One other notable characteristic that was extremely important to me was the transparency of the funds paid for the volunteer work. I saw where my money was going, whether it be into buying supplies, food for the kids or building materials for the daycare. It was nice to see that I was actually making a difference, opposed to the bigger organizations out there, where it really isn't transparent how your money is divided and spent amongst the organization and the local community. I truly can't begin to go into depth as to why my experience in Nepal was so incredible, but one thing is for sure, when you are there you are treated as a local and the beauty of the culture and land takes your breath away and you feel at one with yourself and the community. I can not thank Wayne Guttridge and the rest of the EHN crew enough for my life-changing experience in Nepal. I have already made plans to go back and I hope it will become a decision I will continue to make for the rest of my life as the memories of this beautiful country continue to overtake my daily thoughts. Thanks once again, EHN!!! If any potential volunteers would like to hear more stories or want any information on the differences, challenges, or a more in-depth rundown of Nepal, please feel free to contact me at bstatham85@gmail.com or add me on Facebook (Bryan Statham), I would be more than happy to chat!

My husband and I are retired and love to travel. We also like to 'give back'. We are lucky to live in the US and have been able to take advantage of its bounty. So GVI's volunteer/adventure opportunities suit us very well. We can combine our love for travel together with the chance to maybe help the local community we visit in some way. Also when you travel this way, you can truly say - I know what it's like to live in such and such a country. The adventure projects are even better because they involve somewhat of a challenge with your volunteer experience. We had always wanted to get a glimpse of Mount Everest and this adventure trip offered us a chance to do just that, plus do some volunteer work with the wonderful Nepalese people. The trek to Everest Base Camp came at the beginning of our six-week project (completed in October/November 2011) and included adventure at the very beginning - the plane ride from Kathmandu to the small airport of Lukla. An adventure in itself! The trek through the Himalayas was challenging but breathtaking and led by two exceptional guides (with Himalayan Encounters) who helped us, encouraged us and laughed with us. There were seven of us in our little group, representing the US, UK and Australia, together with the two guides and three porters. At the end of the two-week trek we felt like family. Our arrival at Base Camp was exhilarating and joyful; better still was the view of Everest, Lhotse and Nuptse at sunrise the next morning from Kala Patthar. Our orientation week was comprehensive and unique and included language lessons, a stay at a farmhouse in the Kathmandu valley and a typical home, and visits to heritage sites in and around Kathmandu. We completed our volunteer project in the mountain village of Bandipur - starting point for several treks, including the Annapurna tour. We worked with children ranging in age from preschoolers to ten and eleven mostly in various childcare centers and schools throughout the day. We also completed a painting project and did some restoration work on a Newari architecture library. Our accommodations were basic, but the hot showers were luxurious. There wasn't too much variation in our food choices but it was plentiful and nutritious. Overall a great experience and we wouldn't hesitate to take another trip with Global Vision International (GVI).

I visited Nepal for just over a month (annoying my visa expired by one day when I was trying to return home via the airport). After two nights in the capital of Kathmandu and some sightseeing, I went north-west to a village near the Trisuli River. I stayed with a family in a remote village called Gerkhu 3. While staying there, I volunteered in the local government school in the village the other side of the hill, Gerkhu 5. I chose this placement as I wanted to experience rural Nepal and their way of living.I also heard of Nepal's beauty and wanted to get to know their culture, in particular their music. It was very easy setting up the position with the volunteer company. I set up the placement via emails and then met the organiser in advance. As I was the first volunteer to teach at the school, they didn't have very much information to prepare me for the visit. It was going into the unknown! However, I was very well looked after when I was in Nepal. I was greeted at the airport and taken to a hotel in the centre of Kathmandu. I was shown the sites and taken out for meals. The guide was very friendly and informative and we could chat as friends. The village was very remote but the guide phoned regularly to check whether I was OK. The family I stayed with made me feel at home. I helped peel the vegetables and enjoyed sharing family meals with them. I had an experience that I will never forgot. It was out of this world; difficult and challenging as well as rewarding and heart warming at the same time. The family were a very large part of my experience and I became close friends with the two teenage children in the house. I was given a lots of freedom and control teaching (something I would never be able to get in the UK). Something I would recommend to any teacher.

We had the most amazing experience in Nepal. We were picked up at the airport and were treated with absoluty wonderfully! The hostel was awesome. It was so much fun meeting so many new people all the time! Made friends for life that is for sure. The food was so good at the hostel and the orphanage was so much fun! The kids were lovely and we will miss them all so much. We thank IFRE for all there kindness and the awesome experience they gave us. Highly reccommend! Will always remember my time in Nepal for the rest of my life.

The hostel was so great, they really treated us amazing we have had such an amazing time, and recommend it to anyone . Rachel

I was in Nepal for one month for a medical volunteer programme. Overall I had a good time there and did manage to gain some insights into the healthcare of Nepal as well as observe some operations. There was ample time to travel around and the cultural immersion aspect during the time that I was there was really great. The community hospital that I was placed in also had quite a number of volunteers from other volunteer organisations and this probably limited the extent of my experience. Hands-on opportunities were rare due to lack fo qualifications however there were learning opportunities through observations as well as interaction with the doctors who were quite willing to explain when questions were asked. A local organisation was in charge of the accommodation and placements in Nepal thus it was understandable that the cost of my placement was higher than those who applied straight through the local organisation. Nevertheless, Kaya provided excellent support throughout my stay with periodic emails to check up on my stay and their instant replies gave a sense of security which made up for the higher cost.

I have attended 2 GVN programs - Be the Change in Taupo, New Zealand (2009) and the Mount Everest Base Camp Trek (2010). I am looking forward to Mt Kilimanjaro and Macchu Pichu. My friends ask why I am willing to pay more to attend fundraising treks with GVN. The difference is the connection between the programme, GVN staff and GVN causes. It is far more meaningful to hike/trek for a cause I support, than to simply trek for one's own personal satisfaction. The GVN staff are extremely helpful, friendly and are able to assist you with your requests quickly, considering their compact team size. They are a group of passionate people who truly want to make a positive and sustainable difference to the world.

Hey I went on the Mount Everest Trek in 2010 and thought it was amazing!!! While I was researching the trip they replied to all my emails quickly. After I applied and my trek coordinator made sure we stayed on top of everything by sending us all the information I needed such as supplies and the required shots. the cost was fairly low and we also needed to raise $2,000 for orphans at 2 seperate orphanages. Any concerns I had she adressed. When we got to Nepal someone was there to pick us up and brought us to the hotel where we met everyone. During the trek we ate the food of the area some of which was incredible and some just wasn't for me. We had extremely friendly poters and extremely friendly GVN employees on our trip. After the trek seeing the kids that our money went towards was amazing and unforgettable. On this trip I had a blast and made lifelong Friends in the process!