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Testimonies
Paul Oliver, Ireland
Project: Teaching in School
Email: pauloliver202@hotmail.com
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed and valued my volunteer experience in Nepal with RCDP. It truly was a humbling time and one that I will never forget. I have divided my Nepal experience below into the main activities, and also included any RCDP staff who I feel deserve a special mention:
- Pre-departure: having only applied to volunteer in Nepal one month before arriving, I was more than happy with the efficiency of RCDP in processing my application. The project information booklet was also adequate, but perhaps could be updated/expanded.
- Arrival: no problems in this regard. In fact , even though I was delayed by two hours an RCDP employee, Saman still waited at the airport to greet and transfer me to the hostel in Kathmandu. Much appreciated.
- Orientation: Cultural program was very informative and well taught by Sulav. Language course was extremely useful and really aided with our integration into the local community. Our language teacher, Keshav, was very friendly and made the classes entertaining. He also made all the volunteers feel very welcome at the hostel. The sightseeing trips around the temples etc in Kathmandu also proved a welcome break.
- Family stay: Our stay with a family in Lamatar as a part of the orientation program was a rewarding experience, providing us the opportunity to observe Nepali village life first-hand, but at 4 days it was slightly long and could perhaps be shorted in future. Our supervisor during the stay, Sulav, was very helpful and always made sure we were comfortable and had plenty to do, for which I am very grateful.
- Chitwan National Park: an absolutely unforgettable experience and made even more memorable by the good humor of the hotel manager, Krishna. Nice way to say farewell to the group of volunteers before departing for our individual placements.
- Rampur Project: I felt that the three weeks conservation placement in Rampur was well organized. The project leader, Bhairab, is a very welcoming and easy going man, and great fun to work with. It is also fortunate that the school, orphanage and conservation area are all on the same site as it gives the volunteer a flexibility in how they spend each day; for example, if a volunteer would prefer a break from weeding or digging in the heat, then they have the option to pass a little time helping to cook the children's meal or assisting them with their homework in the orphanage. Our project contact person also deserves special praise; specifically, we had fund raised a small sum of money before coming to Nepal, which we hoped to use to buy materials for the Project. Staffs were very helpful and organized in this regard-between comparing a list of materials that were needed (and where they could be purchased) and arranging transport back to the orphanage, their preparation was invaluable.
- Host family In Rampur: more than happy with the hospitality of our host family. Gita was very accommodating and I cannot thank her enough for welcoming us into her family. The meals varied and were always well prepared (remarkable considering the responsibilities she has). The basic living condition was one aspect of the placement that I loved as it offered me the opportunity to expense first hand the Nepali culture. Gita was always very pleasant and been to learn about our way of life and tell us about her-I found our conversation very enjoyable.
Overall, I was highly impressed with the organization and professionalism of RCDP. I definitely have no major complaints, and only offer a few suggestions for minor improvements:
- Language program and village stay could be fitted into a shorter time frame.
- RCDP could provide each volunteer with a breakdown of what exactly the placements costs are used for.
- Toilet facilities at RCDP Kathmandu hostel could be slightly improved.
My time in Nepal has been exceptionally rewarding and fulfilling and I think I will have changed the way I see the world when I return home.
