Further Information
Volunteer Travel in Nepal

VOLUNTEERING AND THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF KATHMANDU

You could, we suppose, have decided to visit Nepal as a tourist. Instead it is as a Volunteer that you wish to come. Need we say, there is a difference. The Orientation Phase of your stay is a far better insight into Nepal than would be obtained by any tourist, while the recreational time of trekking, white-water rafting and the jungle safari are at least the equal of what a tourist could achieve. However the bright lights of the tourist areas (especially Kathmandu’s Thamel) play only the most minor part in the GVI volunteering scene although on arrival and departure a pleasant Thamel hotel is used.

THOUGHTS FROM A VOLUNTEER IN NEPAL

With volunteering there are many variables and it is not so unusual for things to work out differently from preconceptions and from what you are expecting. Nepal is not modern and has very difficult conditions to contend with – floods, land-slides, long monsoons, as well as some civil disturbances and a different concept of acceptable professional norms. Then there are school holidays that effect both class-room teaching and children homes’ routines alike (and school holidays are NOT programmed with any clarity or consistency well in advance – nor is each school in a locality the same). Thus, one way and another, the need for flexibility and a bit of a ‘go-with-the-flow’ approach is called for. One thing is for sure though, there will be enough to keep you ‘gainfully employed’.

Use local greeting “Namaste” with open upright hands together at your chin (it’s also the response).

Make to take off your shoes before entering anyone’s home – though at that point you may be told it’s not necessary – but it’s still appreciated.

The family hearth (actually the burning fire) – is a shrine – don’t throw anything in it.

Women volunteers. Nepal is quite an open society and everyday contact with Nepali men is the norm. You will probably be called “Didi” (‘big sister’, a general term of respect to women). This is the notion to stay with. However if there’s a little flirtatious banter, which is a part of social norms in Nepal, it’s not a threat. Just stay in charge of your visit. You should not have to tolerate unwarranted attention - your sense of well-being is always to be respected.

Dress modestly – except perhaps on the river when bathers are okay. Elsewhere lots of exposed skin is disrespectful and unhelpful. It offends and can be judged as attempting to impose foreign norms (and parents of Nepali teenagers won’t thank you!). One of the best ways for a western female to dress modestly is to ‘dress Nepali’. Many female volunteers feel very comfortable wearing the traditional ‘Kurta Salwar’, made-to-measure.

Check protocol before entering temples. Hindu and Buddhist traditions vary. Seek guidance on use/prohibition of cameras/shoes/leather wear.

Your camera can be intrusive. The Nepalese are like you and I, when it comes to a camera being pointed at us by a total stranger. Establish a few friendly vibes.

The towns of Nepal are shockingly littered so your own littering would only add a tiny drop to the ocean. But what’s the ocean made of?

Begging - In the towns - is not common and certainly not syndicated. With kids say NO! DON’T GIVE – it encourages beggars to stay on the streets. There is a trend for kids to beg for money/pens/funds for the football team, etc. If not already a scam, it’s on its way to being one.

Lastly, remember that the influence of The West on Nepal is a remarkably recent phenomenon and not of any real impact until at least the mid 1970’s. Remember too that, never colonized, and so remote from almost all external influences, Nepalese people in many instances retain expectations of life that have hardly changed in centuries and deep-rooted values, customs, cultures distinctively different from our own. These were, and to a very large extent still are, the accepted norms of living and of how life is to be conducted. These are facts. An opinion is that we can learn a lot from them. Now imagine these facts meeting with a fast moving seductive, outside world. Yes, Welcome to Nepal – NAMASTE!