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Video journal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOvriWoWE0w&feature=youtu.be by Keiti C
What was the experience like? – Robin P
A Brief Introduction
It was all very overwhelming. One second I was in Heathrow and the next we were rushing through Delhi Airport to get to our main destination, Nepal. Perhaps I took the travelling experience for granted – the wonderful airplane views at night, the relaxed atmosphere of the long flight, the luxury of a toilet and safe drinking water – because as soon as we got outside Kathmandu Airport, it certainly was a whole other story.
The Experience
As I expected, this experience was life-changing, eye-opening and a once in a lifetime opportunity. The lifestyle of those who lived there, the condition of living and housing, the atmosphere… I thought I was ready for it all… but turns out I wasn’t.
Most of the roads were in bad condition, which meant that they were not proper, stable cement like we have in the UK. The roads were made of rocks and white gravel material. It was very bumpy getting around everywhere; I was surprised I didn’t get a headache or something, and it made me curious as to how strong the people who lived there truly were. I couldn’t see a grimace of surprise or disturbance on their faces – they were used to this, this was how they lived day-to-day. It saddened me really. Some of these people worked extraordinarily hard and were incredibly kind, and this was the “reward” they got from Earth.
That leads me to this next point – it’s extremely easy to take things for granted, to think your life is okay and peaceful and even sometimes feel like you have a horrible life and wish it were better. I’ve definitely been there and I’m sure you have at some point, and a trip like this makes you realise how LUCKY and BLESSED you are to live in this country, with our free health system and many other simple benefits like water and safe roads. Seeing the way people were living in Nepal was the memory that still makes me upset. These people, they have nothing really, that’s the shocking truth. Their water was “clean” to them, but to any country with a good water system, theirs was poor. Their food was absolutely stunning, however. There was never a moment where I worried about whether what I was eating was safe or healthy; I threw myself into their culture and took what was given because I felt the need to respect them, respect their hard work and effort and money and time to feed me, a complete stranger. Because I felt a part of their culture, I enjoyed the food that much more. I wanted to understand the people more, I wanted to learn more about their lifestyle, their struggles.
The scenery was phenomenal. I, being a stereotypical undereducated person, knew that the country had the famous Mt. Everest and the Himalayas, but I didn’t know that the country was so much more than that. From the beautifully designed trucks and buses to the glorious mountain ranges and valleys and rivers; the country was breathtaking.
I felt a part of a new world, taken away and given a new breath of air. It was as if I had been sleeping forever and someone had harshly pulled me into reality. I couldn’t fathom words to describe the atmosphere and setting. Life in the rural areas was calm and slow, like my experience was a video recording that had been slowed down. There was so much to see, so much to hear, so much to smell and touch. Every travellers dream I suppose; exploring somewhere different, somewhere interesting. Yet it wasn’t as relaxed as a holiday and it wasn’t so much of an expedition either in a sense. It was a wonderfully crafted trip that allowed you to rethink your morals and values as a young person.
What I valued most from the trip was the visit to the partner school. I could see in real life what a couple of pounds from each person in school for a humorous occasion (RAG Week) could do, to change the lives of children, students just like us. I felt so lucky as a person to know I had contributed to the better education offered because of the money we had given to the school. I was thrilled to see that we had given them so much, from textbooks to furniture to computers, practically everything they needed to function, which brought me to tears. How simple it was to give £1 for something, yet not knowing the effect; the trip made that wondrous consideration worthwhile.
It’s easy to roll your eyes at the charity adverts on the TV about the conditions that children and families face in Africa and other similarly poor places. We’ve become partially immune to them because they appear so often and not many people are convinced to give the money, maybe because they can’t see what their money would actually do. It’s very easy to display images on a screen and claim the money does this and that, but in actually going to the school in Tang Ting, I realised we are, again, so incredibly lucky to have stability and the lifestyle we have. These children depend on us so much and I’d hate to think that people wouldn’t know what their money for RAG week had gone to.
In conclusion, the trip made me realise that I need to be more understanding of others’ lives and situations. You never know what’s going on in someone’s life or world until you’re actually there, until you are open, until you’ve got a clear view of what’s really going on.
Amelia S
The 10 days in Nepal have, simply, been an unforgettable experience! As someone who had never flown or travelled before, I was very nervous about the trip but now I know these nerves weren’t necessary. Each day was unique and special in its own way, but, for me, one of the best days was when I had the opportunity to teach English to students at our partner school (as well as playing endless rounds of ‘duck, duck, goose’!). Another highlight was our two mountain hikes, because not only were the views utterly breathtaking, but it also gave us the chance to really support each other as a group. From Kathmandu to Pokhara, to Ghachok, back to Pokhara, to Tang Ting, back to Pokhara again and then returning to Kathmandu, every single moment will stay with me forever. I am so grateful for this experience and I already want to return to Pokhara to buy more harem trousers!
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