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TEAM 1 JOURNAL GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS KATHMANDU NEPAL MARCH 9 23 2019 WWW GLOBALVOLUNTEERS ORG

GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS N e p a l T e a m G o a l s 1 T e a m C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s Patience To help the community Communication To experience Nepali culture To establish relationships with the community To learn about the Nepali educational system To have fun T e a m Sharing Kindness Punctuality Flexibility Sense of Humor Listening Focus Positive Attitude Respect Accepting Differences 2

M e s s a g e o f t h e The Duty of Privilege is Absolute Integrity towards ourselves towards our possibilities and to live to the full the life that we d love John O Donohue D a y

March 9 2019 O MARCIA J o u r n a l E n t r y ur team is to be a large one nearly twenty and throughout the day volunteers arrive Some are coming off a trek out of Pokhara some from a long flight from the USA and others are coming off the streets of Kathmandu having been in the country a few days Dorota and Stephen have been focused on planning for this Team 1 Nepal for a few days at Hotel Buddy and have welcomed each of us with sincerity Our first gathering as a partial whole was in the lobby before we are off to a Nepalese dinner at Mahabir s Center for Nepal Connection The walk to the restaurant required a single file procession to help us keep out of the way of motorcycles and traffic At the restaurant we were formally welcomed to Nepal by Buddihman and his charming wife with a Namaste and the placing of the khada a welcoming white scarf around our necks The Global Volunteers were welcomed by our team leaders Dorota Stephen and we introduced ourselves which included the famous repeat all the names activity It was then we realized that two Gregs and four Barbaras are in our company W e w a l k e d r e s t b a c k a n d o r i e n t a t i o n a a n d i n a n t i c i p a t i o n b u s y d a y f u r t h e r N e p a l e s e o f t o m o r r o w i m m e r s i o n a g o o d o r i n t o t h e c u l t u r e Sitting at round tables clustered together we began with a momo soup spicy and tasty After enjoying dal bat stewed chicken other yummies and conversations we walked back in anticipation of a good rest and a busy day tomorrow or orientation and further immersion into the Nepalese culture PEACE 4

M e s s a g e o f t h e The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy Meryl Streep D a y

March 10 2019 KATHY I J o u r n a l E n t r y t was an active first day for Team 1 of the newly formed Global Volunteers Nepal Program Our day began with getting know one another followed by a game remembering all of our names Hotel Buddy staff provided a delicious breakfast and showed great kindness in meeting our needs Twenty volunteers from the US and Canada represent our team Dorota Stephen our Team Leaders assigned us our work sites which include teaching conversational English Math Business to students of all ages working with orphaned children and helping marginalized low income women learn English The effects of the devastating 2015 earthquake are everywhere volunteers will assist with repainting of rooms at an orphanage We were guided by Dorota and Stephen in identifying our individual goals then our team goals Global Volunteers Philosophy of Service is a bridge for peace and justice so it is paramount that we be aware of our actions as we interact with individuals especially the children T h e e f f e c t s o f d e v a s t a t i n g e a r t h q u a k e a r e v o l u n t e e r s w i t h a n 2 0 1 5 e v e r y w h e r e w i l l r e p a i n t i n g a t t h e o f a s s i s t r o o m s o r p h a n a g e Respect Kindness Cooperation are a few of the characteristics we identified for our Team Trying to learn some Nepalese words with BuddhiMan gave us insight into not only the fun of learning a foreign language but the challenges too all of which our students might experience learning English As we honor a call to embrace getting to know those we will work with form friendships we met with the extraordinary leaders of Global Volunteer s community partners in Kathmandu We both are eager to work learn from one another As Team 1 lays a foundation for future teams in Nepal I am reminded of John Lennon s lyrics Imagine all the people sharing the world you may say I m a dreamer but I m not the only one I hope someday you will join us the World will live as one 6

M e s s a g e o f t h e A random act of kindness no matter how small can make a tremendous impact on someone else s life Roy T Bennett D a y

March 11 2019 T JERI J o u r n a l E n t r y he first day volunteers traveled to their project sites to begin their assignments Stephen s advice at the morning meeting was Take it easy Go with the flow Barbara presented some of the tour options for the free weekend Six of us were met by the St Joseph English School Principal Danbar RC and the school bus When we arrived at the school gate we were welcomed with the ceremonial scarf and students lining the walk way into the school We then enjoyed a cup of coffee in the Principal s office followed by a tour of the school facilities and finally shown to our assigned classes The school building and walls had many inspiring quotes One from Malala Yousangai One book one pen one teacher can change the world At the six o clock meeting volunteers shared their experiences some challenging some amazing and one team was on National TV and had the honor of meeting various dignitaries including the mayor O v e r a l l g r e a t d a y t h e f o r d a y t h e w a s a t e a m Dinner closed the day at a Tibetan restaurant Overall the day was a great day for the team 8

M e s s a g e o f t h e We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility It s easy to say it s not my child not my community not my world not my problem Then there are those who see the need and respond I consider those people my heroes Mr Rogers D a y

March 12 2019 B RUTH J o u r n a l E n t r y y the end of this busy day every worksite reported with great enthusiasm on a greatly improved second day and confirmed it has been a very good day We began our morning meeting with the message of the day provided by Erin I don t know if we are heroes but we have responded to the child the community the world and the problem We have chosen to share the responsibility Each team set off in high spirits for the various worksites Reconvening about 4 PM we relaxed and recharged before our evening meeting As the sun set on the mountains and the prayer flags flapped in the breeze on the hotel rooftop garden each site mentioned the high points of their day For me it was the smiling faces and warm embraces of pre school children at St Joseph s School As well as the friendly warm and generous spirit of the pre school teachers who laughed and wiped noses and corrected workbooks and managed 30 40 children at a time Nothing beats a mother pre school teacher when it comes to quick and efficient multi tasking Each site reported achievements and successes as well as questions and ideas for going forward For me it was the smiling faces and warm embraces of pre school children at St Joseph s School 10

March 12 2019 At the beginning of the evening meeting Barbara reviewed a number of options available to us over the free weekend These included A yoga meditation option A one day tour option in Kathmandu A visit to Lumbini birth place of Buddha Visit to Pokhara Annapurna Range A 1 hour plane ride to the Everest Base Camp A huge thanks to Barbara for gathering so much information After dinner Italian Indian BuddhiMan gave a deeply moving report on the devastating earthquake in April 2015 Nearly 4 years later remote villages and Kathmandu remain in need of assistance to rebuild People are still in hospitals widows and orphans still need care infrastructure and historic sites are still being rebuilt and remote villages still have unmet needs BuddhiMan and his wife rescued and adopted 5 boys and continue to shelter a widow and her son Though assistance has come from outside Nepal much work remains to be done even as further earthquakes remain a possibility Nearly 4 years later after the earthquake remote villages and Kathmandu remain in need of assistance to rebuild On a lighter note Next week we will celebrate the national holiday of Holi a celebration of color Schools will be closed giving team members an opportunity to visit the orphanages and Mother Raj We were cautioned to wear old clothes that day to be aware of the colored powders that we might encounter 11

M e s s a g e o f t h e When you own your breath no one can steal your peace Unknown D a y

W BARBARA March 13 2019 J o u r n a l E n t r y e gathered for the morning meeting excited by the sense that as a team we are beginning to catch our stride In these early precious moments Elizabeth Debbie leads us through a breathing exercise reminding us that When you own your breath no one can steal your peace After a full day we return for our evening meeting and discover that overall this was a good day Some of our victories come from establishing stronger personal connections and proficiently adapting to last minute class schedules and student capabilities all the while finding creative ways through role playing games and songs to keep the students engaged and motivated Patience and flexibility seemed to be the words of the day At the conclusion of our discussion Stephen informs us that the Maoist political opposition party will hold a one day strike tomorrow with the goal of gaining more support for lower income people Consequently daily activities will be slowed down as some of the government schools and supporting agencies will be closed As a precaution we will remain in the hotel during this period and redirect our efforts towards lesson preparation and participation in lectures on Nepalese culture On a bright note our weekend adventures have been confirmed with the help of our gregarious local travel agent Bhuwan We anxiously look forward to air flight trip around and to Everest Base Camp hiking in the nearby mountains and experiencing sacred temple sites Our day concludes with a great evening meal at Saktar Restaurant enjoying Nepalese cuisine and local folk dance vignettes The talented performers are energetic bringing their characters to life with various costume changes As their performance comes to a conclusion we are invited to join them on stage Who knew we had so many Dancing Queens among us As we retire we are reminded once again that life begins at the end of our comfort zones grateful for the opportunity to expand our boundaries learn about ourselves and dance the night away 13

M e s s a g e o f t h e Be the change you want to see in the world Subha Bithani D a y

E March 14 2019 JANET J o u r n a l E n t r y ach day in Nepal has brought many memorable moments as our bonds with one another build and our volunteer work experiences continue Last night we received confirmation that schools would be closed today as a splinteral fraction of that Maoist party called for a one day strike The strike would end at 5 PM and safety became the priority It was suggested that we remain in the hotel at least until we heard further that it was safe to venture outside Each day in Nepal has brought many memorable moments as our bonds with one another build and our volunteer work experiences continue The next hour in our morning was slated for a presentation by Global Volunteer s Stephen who talked about the Caste System in Indian and applications to Nepal Stephen is a scholar in his knowledge of this very complex topic and he gradually guided us through sub topics that included the caste system before 1992 India s independence in 1947 the influences accomplishments of BR Ambedkar and M Ghandi onto the framing of the Constitution in 1947 followed by the Hindi BuddhistChristian roles and influences All the time Stephen was teaching us you could feel the compassion for the people of his homeland hear the clarity in his words as he surrounded facts with anecdotes Thank you Stephen for making us all more knowledgeable 15

November 24 2018 Although the caste system was abolished in the Constitution Stephen provided some heartbreaking facts about crimes committed against the lower caste since June 2018 As appalled as we were to hear such stories it reminds us of the injustices that continue in our own countries Next we were invited to practice Conversational English with the hotel staff that included the Front Deck Housekeeping Kitchen Restaurant and the Accountant What a privilege to meet more beautiful Nepali people and share my experiences through our languages My group which included Kathy E and Ruth had a great time role playing with 5 members of housekeeping We learned so much from them including some Nepali phrases Our learning continued when Bhuwan from our hotel helped us learn more Nepali phrases It s apparent that the energy in the Nepali smiles is a reflection of their love of their country as they invite you to be part of their family We got a chance to practice phrases that would help us both on the street and in schools Sit down Quiet seem to be favorites for upper school teachers Thank you for broadening our cultural grasp of Do s and Don ts Another delicious dinner was provided by the Hotel Yatri Our speaker guest Principal Dambar of St Jospeh s school talked about the 3 educational system of Nepal He walked us through the government schools private schools and semi private schools Some of the most moving words came when he spoke of the remote areas the marginal people and their daily struggle to stay alive He like Stephen shared humble beginnings and insight into his family life Some of the most moving words came when he spoke of the remote areas the marginal people and their daily struggle to stay alive As we struggle with executing lesson plans or fret over how to connect let those two men in particular remind us of the power ability within ourselves if our intention is led by a loving heart 16

M e s s a g e o f t h e A life stretched by new experiences can never return to its old dimensions Oliver Wendell Holmes D a y

T GREG March 15 2019 J o u r n a l E n t r y oday begins as usual with the Message of the Day and the reading of the previous day s journal Everyone seems to be happy to be going back to the schools after our snow day that s a northern term which was necessitated by a one day strike from 9am 5 30pm by the Maoist Party to bring attention to the plight of the poor people Marcia and I head to Bhaktapur with our faithful chauffeur Siva A drive that has taken 40 45 minutes lasts just short of an hour Siva blames it on the strike The ride to Bhaktapur and back can be quite hair raising The mixture of large trucks and buses belching black smoke surrounded by micros motorized tuk tuks taxis and cars with motorcycles and mopeds weaving in and out is an amazing process to witness The constant use of horns is difficult to comprehend I m not sure but sometimes it seems like a warning especially to pedestrians who seem oblivious and other times it seems to be Look out here I come All the while we are moving from lane to lane jockeying for a better position The process of turning into on coming traffic seems to require a degree of faith and a dash off courage The drivers tend to be gracious in their approach no road rage here thankfully We arrive at our worksite 2 minutes before we are to start This is a slow starting group We visit a bit and I answer questions about the use of bullets in our writing Our class begins around 10 20 and we start with a discussion about the strike then move into techniques of education This is a good group of students focused on improving The afternoon group arrives on time and we jump right in This group is starting from a lower level so everything is more basic We show ways to use picture books to improve vocabulary and we work on asking and answering questions in full sentences We return to the hotel and find the group excited about the weekend plans Some will fly to base camp others will tour local shrines some will hike at Nargarkot and others will fly to Pokara Thanks to Barbara Bickel for your wonderful organization At dinner Dorothy manages to borrow the house musician s guitar and we do an encore of our farewell to our departing foursome 18

M e s s a g e o f Love is the greatest religion Unknown t h e D a y

O RUTH SUSAN March 16 2019 J o u r n a l E n t r y n this day of rest several excursions took place Our s was the one to Nagarkot and Bhaktapur with the walk in between Nagarkot is known for great views of the Himalayan range So ten of us including Dorota and Stephen left early 7 00 A M with the guide Erupa and a driver in order to have a better view of the range The drive was up and up and up again on a rough unpaved road with many hairpin curves Soon we were in the terrassed farm fields with wheat potatoes and other crops Then we saw the first glimpse of the snow covered mountain range and not much later we we stopped on a knoll and admired the full range with some peaks over 8000 meters high according to our guide A bit further there was a 10 meter high metal tower with a steep ladder to climb for the best view It wasn t much better than what we had before After that we started down and it was time to make some decisions about the walk uphill or downhill 2 hour or 4 hour The decision was downhill two hour which turned out to start with a fairly steep uphill and took about 2 5 hours Half of the time was spent in the forest and the other half along an sandy road with the occasional house primitive lodge restaurant etc We got an excellent impression of life in suburban Kathmandu Next we were on our way to Bhaktaput one of the three original kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley We started with lunch on the rooftop of a restaurant with a view of it s Darfur Square First Erupa gave us a short history and overview of the place And after lunch we followed him for a tour through the square through pottery square and past several temples and the palace We were also invited in the showroom of a painting school with an explanation of the art without an obligation to buy anything Around 3 30 P M a tired and satisfied group of Global Volunteers was on the way back to the Hotel Buddy Some requested to be dropped of at the stadium in order to 20

November 26 2018 participate in the 2019 Lights for Peace in Nepal event By chance some other Global Volunteers showed up and some left until eight remained to meditate sitting on a sheet of plastic between four unlit candles But around 6 30 P M we decided to leave even though the candles were still not lit After a week of work it was time for the team to explore more of Nepal After a week of work it was time for the team to take time to explore more of Nepal Greg Marcia and Ruth headed out for an overnight trip to Pokara Holly Sue Janet and Kathy took in the sights in and around Kathmandu and Barb Greg the other Greg Elizabeth Ben and I had the experience of a lifetime taking a helicopter trip to Mount Everest base camp To say that is an understatement It is very hard to describe the majestic snow covered mountains the hidden valleys the bright blue sky mountains above us and below us the crisp cold air a herd of yak scattering as our helicopter landed and just being able to be a part of the beauty and majesty that our planet Earth has to offer was truly an overwhelming and humbling experience Upon returning to Kathmandu I was left feeling privileged to have had such an incredible experience and looking forward to having another day Sunday to take in the amazing country of Nepal 21

M e s s a g e o f t h e D a y Take my hand We will walk We will enjoy our walk without thinking of arriving anywhere Walk peacefully Walk happily Our walk is a peace walk Our walk is a happiness walk Thich Nhat Hanh 7 12

March 17 2019 H GEORGE JANET J o u r n a l E n t r y olly Sue Kathy Kathy form Canada Dorota Janet and me George were up at 5am to catch our ride to the airport We were excited because we were taking the flight to see Mount Everest up close and personal Our flight was called and we boarded the plane fastened our seat belts and were served a delicious curry meal in the form of a wrapped candy After waiting awhile the announcement was made that we would not be flying Visibility over Mount Everest was not good We were disappointed but we agreed to try again on Wednesday Others on the team continued their weekend Marcia Greg and Ruth in Pokara Jerry and Jan rendezvoused with friends Stephen Barbara M Susan and others visited the temples while Barbara took a Zuumba class after Greg graciously walked her there The day ended with another great meal at Hotel Buddy with everyone animatedly sharing their St Patrick s experiences I know we have renewed energy as we begin Week 2 on the inaugural Global Volunteers team in Kathmandu Nepal Namaste 23

M e s s a g e o f t h e D a y Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing is going to get better It s not Dr Seuss

March 18 2019 W BARBARA J o u r n a l E n t r y e started our morning with group sharings of everyone s exciting weekend adventures They included exploring Nepal s beautiful countryside various cities revered holy sites and the world s highest mountain I think we all gained a deeper understanding of Nepal s culture We are all excited and ready to start our second week of teaching and learning Since Ben is flying home today we said our final goodbyes Our evening meeting started with a fun surprise birthday celebration for Barbara B Hotel Buddy presented a beautifully decorated cake with candles and a sparkler and a small gift Her Greg thought ahead and brought a birthday card from home for all of us to sign There were birthday songs from the group Kathy s family birthday song and Happy Birthday from the staff And of course Nepali music Whoopee Kathy and Susan had their volunteer celebrations at Bansbari School that included thoughtful token of love gifts Everyone was quite touched by the school s sincere presentation Upcoming announcements included Wednesday morning meeting at 9 00am our Holi Day activities will be the entire group spending the morning and having lunch at Mother Rama s DR Memorial School The afternoon will be at Papa s House Activities will include school programs and games with the children Our meeting ended with hope that all will continue to success in Nepal promote Global Volunteers Sadly Friday will be our last day From 6 8 00pm we ll have a closing celebration with all our host schools Greg volunteered to host Our meeting ended with hope that all will continue to promote Global Volunteers success in Nepal so programs can continue and expand Hotel Buddy s kind owner says we re always welcomed here He generously offered 15 off all alcoholic drinks to cheers from the volunteers It s hard to believe our program will soon be over But remember we re welcome back 25

M e s s a g e o f t h e D a y The Gift Each of us comes in carrying a gift from God It is our only task in life to discover and to give that precious divine gift of ourselves Dorothy Hunt

March 20 2019 SUE J o u r n a l E n t r y Dear friends I took copious notes yesterday to write my diary for the day Yet when I sat down last night to write I realized that most of what we discussed was redundant After all we have been teaching connecting controlling adjusting loving painting communicating eating exploring and learning from our community partners our team our coordinators our students and each other for 10 days Each day the process is pretty much the same with successes failures disappointments and some wow moments That worked that didn t That shy child stood before the class and proudly said a full sentence in English that little boy stopped crying and took Kathy s hand Barbara s business student created a marketing plan Greg and Barbara and Susan painted another wall with thin white paint Sue and Holly quietly played a game with their students George sang 17 versions of 5 Little Monkeys Greg and Marcia taught a new teacher a few English words and modeled a new learning technique Jon Jeri Kathy and Ruth found ways to share their warm hearts and teaching skills to touch the hearts and minds of our beautiful students T h a t s t o o d c l a s s s a i d a i n s h y c h i l d b e f o r e a n d f u l l t h e p r o u d l y s e n t e n c e E n g l i s h Also we have gotten to know each other and appreciate our different ways We have honestly shared our challenges and proudly felt our connections There has been no bravado Just a group of us wanting to do some good learn teach have fun and sometimes share the depths of feelings we have about our own lives and our hopes for humanity I personally feel proud to be part of this Global Volunteer Team 1 in Nepal and want to thank you for letting me participate in such a loving and meaningful way Today we participate in the Hindu Holi Day festival to celebrate the victory of good over evil forgiveness the end of winter and beginning of spring and a good harvest As we are doused with colors and good fun we can remember how fortunate we are to be here in Nepal trying to improve the world one little step at a time And of course none of this would be possible without all the planning and loving attention of Dorota and Stephen Namaste 27

M e s s a g e o f t h e D a y The definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing and expect a different result Albert Einstein

March 21 2019 T HOLLY J o u r n a l E n t r y he day starts as it started the day before a select few enjoyed a hot shower the rest of us a trickle of cold brown water from the tap The mood during breakfast a little more somber than previous days as we begin to acknowledge this adventure is coming to an end The cards were stacked against Greg P as he watched team members enjoying a rapid delivery of omelettes while his second request for fried eggs required an hour of preparation A short team meeting and we were off to begin our assignments Janet stayed back as she had joined the impaired pulmonary group of volunteers Fortunately she recovered quickly and was able to join us for the evening festivities Sue and I continue to work with the women at the Soroptimist Center The first group was fun as always with a lot of laughter It has been great to watch their confidence build with encouragement to engage in conversation The number of women in the afternoon group seems to be shrinking and we wonder if we have lost the afternoon groups interest although Uma assures us the women are very busy and it is hard for them to make it to the afternoon class At the end of the visit a Sherpa woman who owns the building stopped by We are told her style and color of clothing identifies her as Sherpa I am always amazed that we don t have to speak each other s language to communicate Within 2 minutes I knew that she colors her hair and we were able to enjoy some laughs smiles and of course photos I a m a m a z e d e a c h o t h e r s t h a t w e d o n l a n g u a g e t t o h a v e t o s p e a k c o m m u n i c a t e The team met at 6 00pm to share the day s adventures and stories of the progress and connections the team is making with the community We are indeed making a difference Uma the Vice President of Soroptimist joined us to talk about some of the struggles of the Nepali women and share the history of Soroptimist 29

March 21 2019 I continue to be amazed by Uma and her work She refers to herself as a woman s activist and she is indeed someone who walks the walk My life has been enriched by my time spent with her and the women she supports I am grateful for Global Volunteers for offering this service program The experiences of developing new friendships waging peace learning a new culture and being able to show the world that movie stars and politicians do not define what being American or Canadian means We came here as strangers and we will leave here with memories to last a lifetime W e c a m e l e a v e h e r e h e r e a s w i t h s t r a n g e r s m e m o r i e s a n d t o w e l a s t w i l l a l i f e t i m e 30

M e s s a g e o f t h e Yesterday s the past tomorrow is the future but today is a gift That s why it s called the present Bill Keane D a y

March 22 2019 A GREG J o u r n a l E n t r y las our tour in Kathmandu with Global Volunteers Nepal Team 1 has come to an end Individual members of the group began filtering into the area two weeks ago and with a few exceptions as total strangers As we say our goodbyes tonight we do so with some sadness as we have grown into a close knit team in this short time New friendships have been forged not only within the group but also with our Nepali partners and students at the various schools It has been a most enlightening experience This final day of visitation at the facilities was one of joy Farewell ceremonies dances and songs were the order of the day The children showed their appreciation with genuine spirit and laughter The teachers and assistants expressed gratitude for the sharing provided by the volunteers Memories of this cultural exchange will last a lifetime The farewell team dinner meeting was held tonight Over 30 people attended including the Nepali sponsors A fine meal was had Greg E enjoyed his MC duties sponsors conveyed their gratitude for the volunteers help and participation and Marcia on guitar lead the team in song including a musical story of the last two weeks performed to Leaving on a Jet Plane Global Volunteers Nepal Team 1 is now history And with that we claim mission success May the follow on teams continue to build on the foundation we have established M a y t h e b u i l d f o l l o w o n o n t h e t e a m s f o u n d a t i o n c o n t i n u e w e t o h a v e e s t a b l i s h e d 32

TEAM 1 JOURNAL Kathmandu Nepal March 2019 The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention Oscar Wilde Thank your you for service GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS 375 East Little Canada Road St Paul MN 55117 1628 USA 800 487 1074 toll free 651 482 0915 fax globalvolunteers org email globalvolunteers org GlobalVolunteers globalvolunteers globalvolunteers