Summer of '69!

Hello everyone and a very Happy Nepali New Year to you all!  The turn of the year 2069 means that we are now officially in the Summer of ’69.  Anyone who has been here will know that this is Nepal’s unofficial national anthem and can only imagine how delighted the population are now that they have a real excuse to blast it out at every opportunity. Now, wherever we go we hear Bryan Adams’ famous hit blaring out of radios, cover bands or mobile phones.  Fun...?

Enjoying some hard earned candy floss at the fair

Anyways...back to us!  We celebrated New Year’s by heading off to the festival in the park.  We took all of the kids from theStreet Kids’ Centre along and enjoyed all the fun of the fair.  The bravest amongst us risked the swinging pirate ship, we all took our chances on a ride that was much faster and scarier than it looked from the ground, and the little ones practiced their motorcycle riding and plane piloting skills on a merry-go-round.  After that, it was lunch time.  Dal bhat all round.  And all over the floor and the table and the children...they got a bit excited and kept jumping up to point out things to each other sending their banana leaf plates flying all over the place!  We stopped at the main stage to watch some traditional dancing and then very nearly ended up in a tent of scantily clad ladies doing some not-so-traditional dancing.  Luckily, we realised that this wasn’t the magic show that we had been looking for and got out before the children saw anything too inappropriate.  Quite why the staff at the ticket booth didn’t think to tell us that the dance show may not be exactly what a group of volunteers and staff with 8 children were looking for, I don’t know!  Anyway, we finally found the magic show which was great fun.  People disappeared, flew and were cut in half.  We thought about a helicopter ride, but decided that may stretch the budget a little and so walked home instead.  Good times all around!

It’s also the start of the school year for us here.  The great news is that all of the kids we work with at the Asha Foundation, SOS Bahini and the Street Kids’ Centre passed their exams.  Our SOS Bahini girls all had improvements on their English results.  Asmita at the Street Kids’ did fantastically well and won a scholarship to a private school.  Shreeram, also at the Street Kids’, did well in his exams but really excelled in his conduct and behaviour in class and has been made class monitor.  They both begin their new roles with the opening of school this week.

Distracting kids with balloons, always a winner!

Ward 6 Children’s Centre has had a fresh batch of children starting.  It’s been quite chaotic.  Lots of crying and squabbling, not so much of the cooperation these days.  No one seems to want to sit and sing songs, read books or learn their alphabet just yet.  So, we have been distracting them with fun games and balloons, anything to make them associate the centre with fun rather than punishment!  The aim is that in a week or so the children will be happy and comfortable enough for us to get back to some sense of order and re-start more productive, structured sessions!

We have just finished distributing this quarter’s PoD Charity donations across our projects, too.  We have paid for the construction and fitting of windows in the living room and a front door for the Asha Foundation, the building of a shelter for the Street Kids’ Centre and sports equipment for Shree Krishna Lower Secondary School.  More details and photos will follow next time once all construction work has been finalised.  These donations, as with most of our past donations, have focussed on upgrading the physical environment for the centres.  For our next round of donations we really want to focus on giving the children a bit more fun and excitement in their lives.  To do this, we are looking at running day trips and experiences for the children.  If you can donate some pennies towards this, please visit our donations page.  If you can contribute some ideas for fun, child friendly days out in and around Pokhara, let me know! 

And finally...I want to invite you to a party.  Yes, that’s right. A party.  It's not in Nepal (although if you do come here I will put on another party for you!).  PoD turns 10 this year – hurrah! – and to celebrate the lovely ladies in the UK have planned a very special, fun, fundraising event.  We are all going to meet in the Peak District on June 30^th for a sponsored walk (or run for those of you so inclined).  There is a 4km and a 10km route, after which will be an evening BBQ and party, after which will be camping, breakfast and then home.  It’s free to attend, you just need to raise £25 for PoD Charity.  You will be able to choose which project you raise money for and will have a lot of fun in the process.  If you are interested, email Gemma in the UK to let her know.  Keshav and I will be there and want to see as many PoD Nepal faces there as possible.  Yes, that’s right, we are coming all the way from Nepal to be there, so you lot had better make an effort too!

For more information on our work in Nepal and how to join our team, look at our website or contact Becky in the UK on 01242 250 901.  If you would like to help, but don't have the time to come in person right now, you can always make a donation to the PoD Charity and help fund our work here.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying yourselves over the long weekend.  We have certainly been having fun times here.  This week we broght Easter to Pokhara and, whilst not everything went entirely to plan, we had a great time doing it!

Eggs decorated by the Asha Foundation kids

Our first attempt at Easter celebrations were on Thursday at the Street Kids’ Centre.  This was Lynsey and Jess’s last day at the centre and we thought that an Easter party would be a memorable send off.  We planned to decorate boiled eggs, have an egg hunt, egg and spoon races and all sorts of other egg related fun.  However, whilst the eggs made it to the centre, the bag of decorations didn’t.  Ooops.  Luckily, the kids brought out their own felt tips and got decorating.  Unfortunately, the monsoon rains decided to join our party which meant that all games were off.  Instead, we huddled together under the porch roof, ate boiled eggs and pretended to be penguins whilst Shreeram honed his photography skills, snapping all of us from every angle with Lynsey’s camera.  There were then some emotional goodbyes whilst our volunteers said goodbye to the children and staff.  So, whilst our farewell/Easter party didn’t go quite as planned, it was a fun session and a lovely note for our volunteers’ placement to end on.

‘PoD Nepal Easter: Take 2’ took place at the Asha Foundation.  We managed to bring along both the eggs and the decorating materials, but this time it was the children who were missing!  Lots of them were out for the afternoon, but we still had a good sized group of 8 to work with.  Eggs were painted, hidden and hunted out.  Races were run and sweets were eaten.  Very fun times indeed.

Earlier in the week we had a very silly session together at the Street Kids making balloon animals and facepainting each other (photos here).  I proved to be a one-trick-wonder and whipped out a lot of balloon swans.  Jess demonstrated some great facepainting skills before both she and Lynsey gamely gave their faces up for painting by the kids.  As all of this was going on, Bijay quietly slipped away and made his very own, amazingly complicated balloon dog.  My highlight of the day, however, was walking home with tiger-faced Jess.  Her attempts to scare small children with her tiger ‘roar’ amused everyone (imagine the noise a cat would make if it got its tail stuck in a door, that’s somewhere close to the noise she made).  It was beautiful.

Bijay showcasing his balloon dog

The staff and children at Ward6 were very sad to see Lynsey go.  Her contribution was greatly appreciated.  They enjoyed everything about her, from her general attitude to the resources and ideas she brought to sessions.  They particularly loved the introduction of ‘Wind the Bobbin Up’ and ‘The Wheels on the Bus’!  The Chairman came to visit her on her final day and presented her with a certificate and a tikka.  The staff have since contacted us to reiterate their appreciation for her efforts – well done Lynsey!

Our free time has also been quite eventful lately. went on a jungle safari in Chitwan and bathed some elephants.  Lynsey got a birds’ eye view of Pokhara whilst paragliding.  The monsoon started – 5 days of big, big rains.  We were almost washed out of the Silk Road by one particularly heavy downpour.  But, the benefit of big rains at night is the clear skies in morning.  Jess finally got to see mountains on her last day here, hurrah!  We learned how to make momos and chapatti and have generally had a marvellous week.

For more information on our work in Nepal and how to join our team, look at our website or contact Becky in the UK on 01242 250 901.  If you would like to help, but don't have the time to come in person right now, you can always make a donation to the PoD Charity and help fund our work here.

Summer school, day trips and BINGO!

Hello to everyone from a very hot Pokhara!  Spring seems to have sprung on past us this year and we have found ourselves slap bang in the middle of a hot and humid summer.  Of course, we don’t a little issue like let stifling heat get in our way and so it's business as usual for our fab PoD Team.

 Our latest team members, Jess and Lynsey, have been making a great impression both on placement and in Lakeside in general.   Staff at both of their placements have gone out of their way to tell me how well they are doing and they have also been turning heads in their free time. Their boat trip across the lake saw them filling up their boat with members of the Nepali Police Force, getting stranded at the temple, floating helplessly off across the lake and getting rescued by locals screaming, 'are you crazy?!'  Jess is off to Chitwan this weekend whilst Lynsey has been paragliding.  I dread to think what will come of those activities, but I've been checking the headlines and there's been no mention of either of them which must mean all went well!

Jess squishing into her cupboard to teach!

Anyways, back to PoD business...Jess has been working at the new Street Kids’ Centre and has fit in nicely.  It’s currently the school holidays here which means the children have a lot of time and energy to spare!  So, every day Jess puts on her kurta suruwal and heads up to the centre to run ‘summer school’ classes.  The focus of this is to get the children – particularly the newcomers – up to scratch before the start of the new school year in a few weeks.  The extreme heat means classes have to take place indoors.  However, because the centre is not yet finished, they are working in what is essentially a store cupboard.  Everyone squashes in between various pieces of furniture and gets to work.  Jess generally finds a seat, but for most of the kids it’s standing room only.  They do so desperately need an outdoor shelter building to provide them with a shady area to sit, study, eat and play under.  If you can help in any small way, please donate here.

Anyways, whilst study is most important, it is the school holidays and we can’t have the kids spending all of their time with their books.  So, in the afternoon time Jess is joined by Lynsey for some fun sessions.  Our volunteers brave the sun and head out to play football, play ‘pooh sticks’ in the river and all manner of other fun things.  Lynsey brought an amazing parachute with her that the kids go mad for.  They have developed a whole host of games that the manufacturers could never have even dreamed of!

Lynsey’s mornings are spent at Ward 6 children’s centre.  She helps staff run play and educational sessions in what is an unusually calm environment these days. I think this is largely due to the reduced number of children attending sessions.  Lots of regular attendees are at home being cared for and entertained by older siblings on their school holidays.  Lovely.  There is, however, a sense that this is the calm before the storm.  In a few weeks the new school year will start and there will be a batch of newcomers arriving.  We are braced for tears, tantrums and general chaos whilst they all settle in! Should be fun. Anyways, back to the present...

As an experience and qualified nursery school teacher back in the UK, Lynsey has done a great job at identifying ways by which she can enhance sessions without disrupting the centre's routines.  She has been using the outdoor playtime to take older children aside and work with them to develop in all manner of areas.  She is reading with them, communicating and working on educational puzzles and games.  Not only is this great for those specific kids, but it gives the younger children the space and time to enjoy the outdoor play area without bigger kids pushing them out of the way!

A final bit of good news from Ward 6, our efforts to introduce handwashing as a regular part of their daily routine seem to have worked!  When Lynsey arrived the soap dish was full and teachers were making sure children washed their hands after going to the toilet and before meals, without prompting.  Hurrah!

Posing for photos at Devi's Falls

Our aim at giving all of the kids we work with some kind of day trip is becoming a reality.  Last week we took all of the street kids and their mum to Devi’s Falls and the Gupta Caves.  The falls fell a bit flat as there was hardly any water in them, but the caves were a great success.  We all headed deep , deep, deep underground, through narrow, wet and slippy passages through the rocks.  We finally arrived at the underwater outlet for Devi’s Falls which was quite impressive.  I discovered I am claustrophobic, but everyone else had lots of fun.  I suspect a lot of their enjoyment was at my expense.  It seemed to tickle the kids that I was so scared when they weren’t.  Anyways, we survived the cave, had an ice cream and headed home.  Good times!

Aside from working at their individual projects, our volunteers have also been running weekly sessions at the Asha Foundation and SOS Bahini.  Our Asha Foundation sessions seem to have developed into a weekly Bingo club.  All of the children love it and can play for hours.  Literally.  Luckily, the introduction of Lynsey’s parachute offers us a bit of respite from calling out yet another round of numbers!

And that’s about it for this week.  We have some fun programmes planned for Easter and have been busy handing out donations, but they are stories for next week, so watch this space!

For more information on our work in Nepal and how to join our team, look at our website or contact Becky in the UK on 01242 250 901.  If you would like to help, but don't have the time to come in person right now, you can always make a donation to the PoD Charity and help fund our work here.

School trips and colourful festivals

Hello! Long time no speak...I’m sure you are desperate to read a bit about what we have been up to here at PoD Nepal, so I shall waste no time at all.

Pradip volunteering to carry all of our lifejackets back single-handedly!

We had a lovely day with the children from AnnurpurnaPrimary.  A returning PoD volunteer did a fantastic job of organising students, staff and fellow volunteers for a marvellous day out.  We met at school in the morning to walk together to Phewa Lake.  Our intention was that all of the children should walk in a long line whilst holding on to a piece of rope.  This barely lasted past the school gate.  Excitement and a general lack of co-ordination forced us to give up on this strategy.  Nevertheless, we made it to the lake safely! 

Luckily for us, the father of 3 of our students is a boatman so we had no trouble in getting him and 2 of his friends to load us all into 3 boats ready for our trip.  We first did a small circuit around the East side of the lake, saw the expensive and exclusive FishTail Lodge and then went tiger spotting.  Everyone was convinced that we would see at least one tiger drinking from the lake.  Unfortunately, the tigers didn’t seem to be at all thirsty so we missed them.  We did, however, see a pair of shoes abandoned on a beach which everyone agreed was evidence that the tigers had been there and snatched up an unsuspecting fisherman for dinner.

After a quick stop at Tal Bahari Temple we headed back to dry land for a picnic in the park, a play on the swings and a walk home.  The day was a great success and has inspired us to try to get all of the kids we work with out on a trip at some stage.

Kharke taking a hit of pink powder on the head!

Another highlight of the past month was our Holi celebration with the kids from the Street Kids’ Centre.  Holi is without a doubt the most silly, fun and colourful festival ever.  Everyone takes to the streets to welcome in Spring by throwing coloured powder and water at each other.  Participation is ostensibly voluntary, but in reality, the only way to avoid becoming a human rainbow is to stay indoors!  Lots of fun was had and we all went home tired and very, very messy!

Other Street Kids’ news is that they have moved into a new home.  Their new place is about a 2 minute walk from their school and in a lovely, rural-like setting.  Their front gate opens out onto huge fields, perfect for playing football, doing back flips and generally spending every last ounce of energy that you have.  Everyone is happy to be there, but there are still some final touches needed to the building. We are looking to fund the building of a shelter for the children to eat and study under outside and some reinforcements to the outer walls to make the centre more secure.  

Street Kids' new home

And that’s it for this time.  Two new amazing volunteers have turned up this week, but you will have to stay tuned for next time to hear about their PoD adventure!

In the meantime, if you would like to contribute to our efforts to give all of our children a day out or to improve the conditions at the Street Kids' centre  you can make a donation here to the PoD Charity

For more information on our work in Nepal and how to join our our team, look at our website or contact Becky in the UK on 01242 250 901.  

PoD Nepal Volunteers Ready to Celebrate!

Shiva Raatri bonfires

Happy Shiva Raatri!  Today is the Hindu God, Shiva’s, birthday.  To celebrate, all of Nepal comes out to build bonfires and explode sugar canes.  We are getting ready to hit the streets tonight and join in the festivities.  But before we go, I thought I would let you know about all of the wonderful festivals we enjoy in Nepal.

Festivals here are fun, frequent and fantastic.  A popular quip is that there are 365 days in a year and 366 holidays in Nepal! Our festivals are spectacular to watch and join in with.  They are also a great way to learn and experience our culture and customs.  No volunteer’s trip to Nepal would be complete without a good celebration.  So, use our list of festive highlights below to plan when you will come!

May/June

The Lord Buddha’s birthday happens in this month.  The main festivities happen in Lumbini, the Buddha’s birthplace, but you can also celebrate in Kathmandu on the steps of the major Buddhist temples where you can see Bodhanath’s collection of rare thangkas and take in the spectacle of colourful monk dances.

Towards the end of June volunteers can take part in Pokhara’s local rice planting festival.  Billed as an opportunity to see traditional farming methods and learn how to tend to rice crops, it is in reality a giant mud fight.  Locals and foreigners play with and against each other in mud races, tug of wars and buffalo chases.  A very messy but unforgettably fun experience!

Dashain Swing

August/September

Teej is the big event this month.  This 3 day long festival is celebrated by women who fast, bathe, dance, sing, eat and generally have fun for three days.  This city becomes filled with crowds of women dressed magnificently in red and gold saris and occasionally drag volunteers and tourists in for a dance, sweet or just to laugh along.

September/October

This month sees the celebration of Dashain the major festival of Nepal, attributed the same status and significance as Christmas at home.  Businesses and schools close up as employees head home to visit and celebrate with family and friends.  Huge bamboo swings are built and enjoyed by young and old alike.  Goats are slaughtered, local wine is drunk by the gallon and everyone just generally lets their hair down and parties.

October/November

Tihar is a five day festival towards the end of October which starts with offering rice to crows, the second day sees bemused dogs garlanded with flowers and tikkas and cows get their horns painted on the third day.  This day is also Deepwali, the festival of light when everywhere sparkles with colourful fairy lights.  Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, is lead into homes by paths of elegant oil lamps and colourful painted designs.  Men take advantage of Laxmi’s presence at this time of year by gambling the nights away in the hope that she will bless them with some decent winnings!  The last day of Tihar is Bhai Tikka where brothers and sisters meet to exchange tikkas, gifts and money.

December/January

The Pokhara Street Festival celebrates Christmas and the turn of the Gregorian New Year.  There are boat races, street races, food stalls, games, parties, fairgrounds and all sorts of other fun and games to be enjoyed by both Nepalis and foreigners alike.

February/March

Crowds of colourful people celebrate Holi

Shivaratri  celebrates the Hindu God Shiva’s birthday.  Main festivities take place at Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.  Holy Sadhu’s give blessings to swarms of devotees who go on to dip in the holy waters of Bagmati before partying all through the night in a blaze of colour and chaos you will never forget!  Here in Pokhara will be able to enjoy the bonfires and exploding sugar canes.  You have to heat the cane in the fire, then slam them into the ground.  The result is a huge ‘crack’ and an explosion of sparking sugar shooting up.  It’s fantastic to watch, so long as you keep your wits about you and dodge the burning sugar raining down on your head!

The second big festival this month is Holi.  This wonderfully colourful festival sees men, women and children joining in a massive water fight on the streets, and as if that isn’t fun enough the water is mixed with brightly coloured powders which turns the entire town and population into a running, laughing and dancing rainbow.

So, there you have it.  A Nepali calendar of events.  Use it to make sure you get the most out of your time here whilst making a real difference in the lives of others.

For more information on our work in Nepal and how to join our our team, look at our website or contact Becky in the UK on 01242 250 901.  If you would like to help, but don't have the time to come in person right now, you can always make a donation to the PoD Charity and help fund our work here.

Exciting start to 2012 for PoD Nepal

We are very excited here getting ready to meet our first volunteers of 2012 and to welcome back Susan Skene, a PoD Volunteer from last year who is returning for a second tour of duty at Annurpurna Primary. Alongside preparations for the coming year, we have also been busy with our ongoing work at our placements in Pokhara and with projects a little further afield...Looks like it's time for an update!

Handing over donations to the Head at Shree Kalika

Firstly, PoD has been venturing out into rural Nepal.  We stocked up on teaching resources in Pokhara, took them on a rickety old plane to a rickety old airport on the top of a hill and then carried them for 7 hours along narrow, steep footpaths until we reached our destination, a small village called Chindeswara.  The local school there, Shree Kalika Lower Secondary School, was delighted to receive our donations of wall charts, pencils, vocab books, stickers, number boards and ABC games.  Above all else, staff were excited at the potential that our involvement has for raising the profile of the school in the community.  It is hoped that this will increase attendance levels by emphasising the importance of education to local families, encouraging them to prioritise the long term benefits of education over the short term gains of having children working.  Staff were so grateful for our support that they insisted I give a speech, receive flowers and tika and then dance for them.  Yes, dance.  It was all rather awkward as they gathered in a circle and started clapping and singing whilst waiting for me to get up.  Eventually, I stood up quickly, waved my arms about a bit and sat right back down.  All in the name of PoD!

'Dancing' at Shree Kalika

Back in Pokhara, we were pleased to hear of a donation to Shree Dipya Jyoti school via PoD volunteers Amber Souter and Liz Riches.  These lovely ladies went on a trek before Christmas, and upon their return, Basanta, the businessman who introduced us to the school, arranged for all profits from their trek to be donated to the school.  This resulted in a cheque for 10,000 Nepalese Rupees being handed over (approximately £100). 

We also received a lovely parcel from Reta Butterworth, a volunteer from back in September who just couldn’t get the children and staff from her placement at Ward 6 Day Care Centre out of her mind.  She sent pencils, sharpeners, chocolates, clothes, wool and all sorts of other goodies that were gratefully received.  Perhaps more touching than the donations themselves was how happy the staff were when they realised that their centre had made such an impression on Reta that she still remembered them and had gone to the effort to collect and send gifts.

Children at Ward 6 tucking into Reta's Christmas chocolates 

We’re also very excited on behalf of the Street Kids’ Centre as they plan to move into a new home.  Their current building is in a dilapidated condition and located on a busy main road.  Their new building is brand new, in a quiet location close to school and – most importantly in the kids’ eyes – overlooking some beautiful open fields, perfect for playing football!  Stay tuned for more updates and photos here.

Finally, we are looking to the year ahead, planning how our time and resources are best spent and identifying needs in the community.  None of this would be possible, however, without your help.  So please, get involved with PoD Nepal this year and find out how you can contribute to our life changing work.

For more information on our work in Nepal and how to join our our team, look at our website or contact Becky in the UK on 01242 250 901.  If you would like to help, but don't have the time to come in person right now, you can always make a donation to the PoD Charity and help fund our work here.

Happy New Year!

So, the festive period is officially over for another year.  I hope you all had a sufficiently fun-filled, stomach bursting festive season and are now feeling suitably refreshed and ready to get planning your year ahead.  I also hope that your New Year plans include a visit – or for some of you, a return – to Pokhara.  If f they don’t, we really are a bit stuck as we can’t continue to supply our community with the support, resources and smiles they so desperately need without you.  Your help is the key to the real changes we bring about here.  Returning volunteers bring extra benefits.  A second visit tells the community that you saw something special in your time here, that you really value the bonds you made and want to continue to support them in their work.  Anyways, as if that isn’t enough motivation to get you booking flights right now, I’ve come up with the ‘Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer with PoD Nepal in 2012’ list to persuade you.

1.       Make a real difference

Volunteering with PoD Nepal is not just about what you will achieve as an individual; it’s about how you will contribute to our wider programme of work.  Our team members are ever changing, but PoD Nepal has a consistent presence in the community, supporting and improving the lives of those most in need.  So, whether you have a 12 month Gap Year or a 3 week holiday to fill, your contribution is sure to make a real, long term difference in the lives of those you work with.

2.       Give something back

Lots of people take time out to ‘see the world’.  They meet new people, learn a new language, taste new foods...All great stuff, but a fairly one sided relationship.  By sharing your skills with your hosts, both sides will benefit enormously.  You could give an English course for Street Kids, art classes to Women at Risk, a smile to anyone who needs it.  Whatever you do, volunteering abroad gives you the chance to give something back to the people who have opened up their community to welcome you.  

3.       Reap real rewards

Pryagha getting tika and flowers as thanks for her time at APS

Volunteering overseas is not only about giving, you will also reap many rewards yourself.  You may receive tangible rewards; a thank you card, a flower garland, a gift.  But the real rewards are more often intangible – the giggle you elicit from the scared newcomer at the Children’s Home or finally seeing the shy kid in Class 5 getting involved – each one giving you an unmatchable high.  The rewards are endless, you just have to get here to find out what yours will be!

4.       Enjoy an amazing location

As a PoD Nepal volunteer, you will be based in the stunningly beautiful Himalayan town of Pokhara.  The town sits on the shores of Phewa Lake with the snowy peaks of the Himalayas dominating the skyline.  It is the starting point for treks, whitewater rafting trips, mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoning and paragliding, but, if you’re not into all of that, there are plenty of opportunities to simply relax and recharge your batteries in spas, ashrams, retreats and lakeside bars.

5.       Become part of the community

Volunteering abroad is pretty much an ‘access all areas’ pass into the local community.  You aren’t just passing through, ticking off ‘things to do’ from your guidebook, you are dedicating your time and skills to improving the lives of others.  The people here understand and value that and will demonstrate their appreciation by opening up their homes and lives to welcome you.  In doing so, they present you with a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in a totally new and exciting culture.

 6.       Gain new skills

Michael discovering his talents as a super maths teacher

As an overseas volunteer you are bound to face some situations and challenges you have never even dreamt about, and we know just how overwhelming this can feel.  With this in mind, our local staff run a weekly team meeting to celebrate your successes and offer guidance and support in overcoming any difficulties.  Because of this, daunting situations become suddenly less so and instead become a fantastic opportunity to gain and develop a whole host of new skills.

7.       Surprise yourself

Being a volunteer abroad not only opens up doors into others’ lives, but will introduce you to qualities in yourself that you never even knew you had.  Who knew you could communicate so effectively in sign language? that you could learn to read Nepali script? that you could deal with a mutant cockroach on your own?  So come and find out what you can do, you may even surprise yourself!

8.       Enhance your CV

Te skills you will gain as PoD volunteer have their uses back home too, show them off by including them on your CV.  Prospective employers and universities LOVE applicants with experience of volunteering overseas.  It indicates a whole host of desirable skills and experiences; motivation, resourcefulness, adaptability, independence, confidence...all great for boosting your CV and your chances of success.

9.       Have fun!

Ovia and Alice enjoying lunch whilst rafting the Kaligandaki River

Above all else, you will enjoy every minute of your time volunteering with PoD.  You will make friends for life and build amazing memories.  You and the rest of the team will share experiences that genuinely make you smile, and probably some that make you laugh in spite of yourself.   But whatever’s going on, it’s sure to be ridiculously good fun!

10.   It's a once in a lifetime experience

All of the above combines into a trip of a lifetime.  Where else could you build an experience that makes a difference in the lives of some of the world’s most disadvantaged people, gives something back to your host community, provides you with untold rewards, takes place in one of the most amazing locations on the planet, allows you become part of the local community, builds and develops your existing skills, boosts your CV and, above all, is just really great fun?  Not many places.  And that’s exactly why you need to make volunteering in Nepal part of your plans for 2012.

If you would like more information on our work in Nepal and how to get involved, look at our website or contact Becky in the UK on 01242 250 901.  We hope to see you soon!