Day 6

Day 6

Namaste to all,

Today is our last day in Nepal for us. We were feeling very sad as we miss all the children in the school. Six days have passed very quickly. We left Nagarkot at 9.30 am. The bus trip made a couple of us sick because of the winding road. We checked into Manang hotel. We had lunch and visited one of the biggest church in Nepal. The church is managed by a Nepalese and his Singaporean wife for the past 52 years. The church is also managing an old folks’ home where needy old folks can retire.

After the visit, we went shopping just outside the hotel for three hours. We enjoyed most of our time even though there were a lot of people bugging us to buy some stuff. We enjoyed bargaining! It was a different experience. How we wished we had more time to shop and walk around with our friends.

Lastly, we went back to our hotel for our dinner and to our surprise, there was a special closing ceremony after that. We were very happy because Mr Deepak and his team presented each of us with a certificate and souvenirs. We were touched by their kind gesture. Although it was sad that we have to leave Nepal the next day, we will bring back many memories with us. Daanya baad!

Day 5

Day 5

Namaste fellow earthlings!
The last day of our time in the school has now arrived. With that knowledge in mind, we were ready and prepared to do our best to get our tasks done in the school before leaving without regrets. The morning started out as usual, with the sumptuous breakfast prepared by our very caring hosts. The hike down was indeed memorable to us as we all knew it was probably the last time we would ever experience it. We took extra effort to observe the surrounding, both by sight and smell which we hope would be carved into our memories forever.
When we got to the school, we were greeted by the cheerful Nepali students which immediately brightened up our day. Our Nepali lesson started with a conversational practice in Nepali language between the Fairsians and learning more about the Nepali culture. We realized the differences between the Singapore and Nepali culture, such as dining etiquette, lifestyle and needs. Then came lunch! Knowing that it would be the last lunch that we would have in the school, we treasured the moments we had while it lasted. We were thankful for the same caring people who helped to serve lunch yesterday. After lunch, we had to rush to finish our tasks. With a mere 10 mins to complete painting of the railings and banister, everyone volunteered to chip in. Mr. Deepak commented that we did a pretty good job. J
There was a closing ceremony specially prepared for us. A friendly volleyball match started the whole ceremony with team Fairfield against team Janakyalyan. The Nepali students wowed us their very skillful plays and the match ended with the Nepali students emerging victorious. Kudos to team Fairfield as well, for they had played impressively too!! Some students from the Fairfield group learnt the Nepalese dance, taught by the very patient and talented Mr Gurung. They were incredible as they managed to master the dance steps in just 3 days. We enjoyed their performance. The devotion group then presented two songs, and everybody participated excitedly either by clapping or singing along. A Nepali student presented the traditional Nargakot village dance with grace and confidence. At the end of the ceremony, we parted with a little memento for each Nepali student. It was a teary affair when we finally had to bid farewell to the students and the school staff. We were reluctant to leave the students as we had formed very strong bonds with the students in these 4 days.

This internationalization program to Shree Janakyalyan Lower Secondary School proved to be fulfilling and memorable. We picked up different skills and learnt more about the Nepali lifestyle. We will treasure these memories dearly, as most of us will probably not return. Soon, we would be returning to our lives in Singapore and the Nepali students will continue with their lives here. Every experience we had would be etched in our hearts.

We hope that the fog would clear and that we would get a full view of the Himalayan range tomorrow. Well, we are going to get going to Kathmandu soon.

This trip will definitely not be just a distant memory for us. We wish to apply what we have learnt from this trip to every aspect of our lives.

Suba Ratri!










































Interview with Mr Deepak

1. How did you get to know the school?

Mr Deepak: In 1996, I come to Nargarkot very often. While I was trekking one day, I came across the school. I saw that it was in a pretty bad condition, so I went to see the principal of the school. I talked to the principal and made an agreement with the principal to help the school.

2. Why did you start CIP with Janakyalyan?

Mr Deepak: I wanted to give everyone an education. As I was from a village, it was very difficult to get an education.

3. What are the planning and work involved as an organizer?

Mr Deepak: It takes 4-6 months of planning. I make sure that all the students who come here are well taken care of and benefit from the trip.

4. What are some of your experiences and observations of volunteers and their work?

Mr Deepak: We did the playgrounds, water pipes and upgrading of the building where we provide medical treatment. We also sponsor needy children who do not have enough money or cannot afford to go to school.

5. How has Divine contributed to Janakyalyan, both as an organizer and as a company?

Mr Deepak: The infrastructure of the school is fine, but they need more classrooms. So, I’m trying to find ways to help them build 2 additional classrooms. We are trying to seek funding to finance the construction.

6. What more do you think can be done? . What do you wish for Janakyalyan?

Mr Deepak: The school needs to be more self-sufficient and independent, that they will not always depend on visitors to fund them. We want the students to receive a good education without external help and that they can make themselves proud.

7. How do you feel about our school students who went to Nepal with you?

Mr Deepak: I feel that it is a very good learning point for them as they have never seen most of the Nepalese lifestyle and culture in Singapore. It helps them to appreciate the value of things in Singapore, eg, education, material possessions. Some students even go back and do better in their studies.

8. How has your family supported you?

Mr Deepak: My wife has been very supportive of me, and she has been supporting and encouraging me throughout everything that I have been doing.

Day 4 Nepal

Namaste! We reached day 4 of the life in Nepal. We started off early in the morning, with the sumptuous breakfast prepared by our hospitable and loving hosts. It was shocking for us to find out that they have to attend school on Sundays. Today’s warm up was led by Aaron Kang which helped us get to the school without much hassle and it definitely saved us from muscle aches and injuries. When we got to the school, the children were already playing and some of them were even sitting on the grassy areas revising their work. We continued with our Nepali lesson from the previous day and learnt more about the culture and the royal massacre. We slowly became more exposed to the Nepali culture and the language they speak. We continued with our CIP work which includes the painting of the banister which had intricately carved designs which we had to carefully paint. This made us reflect upon our reaction towards the painting project done back in school recently. We remember complaining endlessly about the smell of the paint and how it affected our concentration in class. Thinking about this, we felt pretty ashamed on how we reacted and that we found out that the foreign workers painting our school had it much worse off due to the size of our school and the hot sun they had to work under.

Much we have back in Singapore, we take for granted. We have to learn how to appreciate everything we have much more and better. With those thoughts, we continued with our work. As we progressed with the day’s work, we saw how much of our efforts paid off. Some of our very macho guys and girls continued with the previous day’s work, digging steps for the Nepali children to sit on. Others busied themselves with carrying heavy sand bags needed later on for plastering the toilet walls. Sand was dumped on the steps to level them as well as at the end of the slopes nearby to extend their playing area. Then came the delicious lunch! We ate in the classroom again with our kind guides, and Keren, Wayne and Esther, who helped to serve the food, speeded up the whole process. After lunch we had some free time with the Nepali students with whom we interacted and played games with. Soon after, classes started again. We got back to our respective duties and some had the opportunity to teach the Nepali students Science and Math. Through this experience we observed that the Nepali students were really attentive throughout the lesson and absorbed the new knowledge really fast. Well, we now appreciate our teachers much more. We were soon done with most of the work and prepared to hike back up to our resorts. We made much progress with the work we did today and that made us feel pretty accomplished. When got back, to the horror of the guys, their rooms had ABSOLUTELY NO WATER. They waited patiently and only got to shower much later. It is awfully dark outside now and we are pretty sure everyone is sleepy. A quote from Yumni “ LET’S GO TO SLEEP!” That’s what exactly what we are going to do now. Namaste!


Interview with Students from Janakyalyan School

1. What do you feel about the visitors that come to the school to help you? How have they changed your life in school?

Boy: I feel that the visitors who come here give us entertainment, so it’s quite fun for us. It is also a new method of teaching for the students, compared to what we have.
Girl: Those visitors who come, especially those who teach us, the students can learn more English. I feel that if the English-speaking teachers teach, we can learn English in a better way.

2. How do you feel about being able to study in school? How has education helped you?

Boy: I feel that I can help my parents to read and write as they are not educated. I can help my parents to sell goods such as, cattle and goat. When my parents know how to read and write, they won’t be cheated by other people. When I grow up, I can change my social life and find better jobs and gain new skills.
Girl: I agree with what he said. I am confident to read and write more even when I go to the city area. I will know what the signboard says. I can help contribute to society.

3/4. What do you usually do at home when you’re not in school? What are some activities you usually do at home with your parents?
Boy: When I do not have to attend school, I can help my parents to look after the cattle and goat. Sometimes I will collect the grass to feed the cattle. Sometimes, I will also work with my parents on the fields and do whatever I can do.
Girl: I have more things to do. I have to collect grass for the cattle, collect food and cook, and sometimes, I have to work on a school day and harvest rice.

5. Do you enjoy school?

Boy: I enjoy school a lot because I can learn to read and write and play with my friends.
Girl: I enjoy school.

6. Do you live far from here?

Boy: I take 10-15mins. My house is near the principal’s.
Girl: I take 30-35mins.

7. What do you want to see improve in the school?
Boy: If the school has new technology, eg. computers, the school will be a better place. Also, if there are teachers who specialize in different subjects like, English, Math, or Science, the school will be better. I also hope for better hygiene.
Girl: I agree with the boy. If the environment is better and teachers are better trained, the school will be a happier place.

Happy Nepal World

Day 3

Lalala! Welcome to day 3 of the Nepal Trip!
Today, after another arduous hike down to the school, which seemed easier than yesterday, we finally reached the school of Janakyalyan. As it was a Saturday, it was the students’ only day off. So sad.
Then, the work commenced immediately. We built steps leading to the toilet for the convenience of the students. This involved the equipment of changkols and shovels. Through this, we learnt the power of perseverance to get us through the task and we could finish the task more efficiently as we learnt, from our experience from the previous day, more ways to improve our angle and skill at digging.
We also began works to repaint the entire school facility, which included the scrubbing and painting of the school walls. Through this, we learnt the wonderful experience of teamwork where we helped each other to paint and clean different parts of the school.
Then, we went for lunch at the principal’s house, which was a short hike through breathtaking scenery. We had an insight into the culture of the Nepalese villagers who rear goats, chicken and cattle for their livelihood. We also saw little girls helping their parents pick up grass in huge baskets bigger than themselves to feed their cattle. Even at such a young age, the little girls helped their parents with the farming. We felt ashamed that we complain so much in Singapore even with the little work to do. We have maids and parents to help us with the household duties but they have no one to help them but only themselves.
We reached the Principal’s house which was warm and cozy. They served us a delicious and sumptuous homemade meal of green lentils, pickles which tasted like salsa and potatoes with cauliflowers. This displayed warmth and hospitality that is readily shown to guests of the Nepalese. We also experienced the local culture by using our bare hands to eat.
After that, it was more kam, or work in Nepalese. We did our best to kam together and provide a more conducive environment for the children. Through it all, although it was tiring, it was a fulfilling day.

Ma Das Baje Suttchu! Goodbye!!

Interview with the Principal

1. Who founded the school?
Mr. Pitam, the currnent principal of the school.
2. How old is the school?
Our age, 15 years old.
3. What made you so committed to the school?
As there was no school in the area, I decided to build a school in the area for the children living there to be able to receive basic education without going too far.
4. Over the years, what are some of the achievements the school made?
It is an achievement for the school to cope with limited number of teachers. From grade 7 onwards, seven to eight teachers are required to teach the cohort, but they have coped with only one, which is truly an amazing achievement.
5. What is your vision of the school?
I want the children in this school to have a proper livelihood and for the school to become a model school in the area. I also want all the children in the area to at least have a secondary level education.
6. How do you hope for the school to progress in the coming years?
I hope that the school would be able to push into the government sector. I also hope that Mr. Deepak to continue to work with the school.
7. Who are the contributors to the school?
From 1996 to 1999, I have collected donations from the nearby hotels in Nagarkot to build the school infrastructure. Then, a small French organization donated a lot of money to further develop the school. From 2004 onwards, Mr. Deepak from Divine has organized many foreign service learning trips from Singapore to come here to build amenities for the school children to feel more comfortable here.
8. How do the students obtain their uniform?
The parents have to provide for them and Mr. Deepak helps to get donors from Singapore to provide capital for the children to buy uniforms. This is the third year that such donations are given.
9. How has your family supported you in your journey in setting up this school?
From 1996 to 1999, I worked as a volunteer with my whole family. As it was a joint family, they helped me by providing for my kids and did not scold me even as I was working without any pay during my voluntarism.
10. What do you think makes your school special?
I think it’s the relationships between the parents, students and teachers of the area which help to contribute further to the school’s success. Together, we can forge ahead to make our school a model school in the area and give our children a better education!

Chronicles of Nepal!

Namaste! Tapai lai swagatam cha Nepal ma! Hello and welcome to Nepal!
Though it's just two days, we're having so much fun, much more than YOU! The view here is amazing and the culture is very unique and cheerful!

After breakfast, we hiked down hill for 30 minutes soaking in the picturesque scenery of The Himalayas. It was not as easy as it seem and many of us literally tumbled our way down. As we went down, we witnessed 3 men carrying 20 litres of milk each in metal containers, walking uphill with ease. The guide told us that the milk is for people living on top of the hill. To think the great lengths that people have to go to for something as simple as milk! This humbled us, as at home, milk is very convenient for us. Whenever we run out of milk, we can just head to the nearest supermarket to purchase a carton.

We reached the school after the seemingly long hike. The school was very simple and basic, but nonetheless, cosy. Today, we helped the school Janakyklyan construct viewing platforms for them to watch the volleyball matches. We had to literally carve terraces out of a slope to create the platforms. We also taught the children basic English and Maths, and we also taught them how to dance!

The children there are really athletic! Whenever the ball falls out of the court, they would display immense courage to pursue the ball 200 metres down the hill, just for us! We played different ball games with the children during their breaks. We had a really fun time interacting with the pupils and they showed genuine warmth and hospitality towards us.

Their learning attitudes rocked, and they were receptive to everything we had to say and teach. We felt very motivated by their appreciation and understanding even as we fumbled with the words. We could not help but reflect on our own attitudes towards learning back home. Though the children have very little things, they are still contented and happy with what they have. This shows how spoilt we are in Singapore. We complain about the littlest things and sulk at every opportunity. We want to make the most of life and to be content with all the material possessions we have.

At the end of the CIP period, it was time to say goodbye to our Nepali children, but it was a worthwhile and meaningful experience. The cute rosy cheeks of the children brightened our day and cleared the mist that cast a shadow at the start of the day. Then, we began our journey up the 350 metres of hill, or 80 storeys. Again, we saw the local Nepali folk climbing up the mountain, this time, a family of 3 who were lugging up a basket of clothes. They impressed us with their strength. Most of us had to take many breaks while the elderly woman overtook us with supreme ease. We were told that some of the country folk had to travel thousands of metres often over rugged terrain just for water. This taught us the principle of perserverance.

We are tired so we gotta go! See ya!

Suba Raatri

Testing

Testing Testing (: