Working with Children in Pokhara, Nepal

I loved my childcare project. The children's home was a lot of fun and a really valuable eye-opening experience. Its an awesome way to see a different culture and get to know people, and there was plenty of down time to explore the area! Nepal is an awesome country. Everyone is very nice and helpful - although do you need to be assertive and able to say no especially when walking alone. The scenery is beautiful on a clear day. I also went paragliding, trekking, and to other attractions around Pokhara. The staff at the children's home were great! There were really helpful if we ever needed anything and happy to help organise things. The project involved helping the children get ready for school, walking them to the bus stop, helping with their studying, teaching some English, and just spending time with them. We also cut vegetables each day for lunch and dinner. I loved my time here so much! We left the children's home a couple of times to teach the children how to ride bikes at the park and to wash clothes at the river.

Such an incredible and eye-opening experience, definitely an experience that I will keep close to my heart. When I first arrived in Nepal I was incredibly overwhelmed, it's difficult to ignore the poverty, the stray dogs and the dust-filled streets. It was honestly such a culture shock, but the people in Nepal are truly the kindest and most gentle people I've ever met. For my 3,5 weeks I stayed in Pokhara, where the childcare home was about a 30 minute walk from Lakeside Pokhara. I was really lucky as most days I had a clear view of the Annapurna mountain range. I don't think I could've picked a better place to volunteer. Firstly, HUGE thank you to Nicole and her team at Love Volunteers. I applied in April 2018 (to Volunteer in December 2018/ January 2019) with another volunteering agency (IVHQ). Unfortunately, I think it was a bit of a scam as they couldn't seem to find a placement for me or give me any information and came up with excuses saying "the schools and orphanages are closed in December", after I had paid a $300 registration fee 6 months in advance. So, last minute and out of complete desperation I applied to Love Volunteers and they helped me find a placement, Nicole was super helpful- giving me all the information I needed and answering all my questions and constantly checking up on me during my volunteering stay. Another HUGE thank you to Manoj, for making sure I got to the hostel in Kathmandu safely and for all the help in Pokhara. Thank you to the staff at the Himalayan Children's home, especially Sonam. I got really sick in my first week in Pokhara and he was always checking up on me to see if I was okay and said that whenever I wanted milk tea, he would organise it (milk tea is heaven in a cup). Thank you to the other staff at the Himalayan Children's home for always being so kind and welcoming towards me. To the kids, although some of you aren't kids anymore- thank you for showing me so much kindness during my stay. Thank you for all the laughs, late night talks, the hugs, walks to the bus stops, for showing me some really cool Nepali songs and dance moves, for helping me and the other volunteers cut onions (seriously). You are all incredible, so thank you. TIPS: 1. Don't expect a hot shower, so shower in the late afternoon. 2. Bring a sleeping bag and a pillow, especially if you're volunteering in winter as the nights get really cold. 3. Bring a headlamp as sometimes the electricity goes out at random times. 4. Buy toilet paper. 5. Spend as much time with the kids as possible.