The food, the smells, the culture, the people. Everything about Nepal has been absolutely incredible. From getting to roam around the square and interact with kind strangers on a scavenger hunt for groceries, to teaching at the school and exploring the ancient temples of Kathmandu. It is overwhelming how much history and meaning lies behind buildings, colors, symbols, and even in the way people dress. With the trip coming to an end, I can say with all honesty that it has been an experience I will never forget. 

Being here is a huge privilege. Sometimes its easy to forget just how fortunate we are to have a lot of the things that we take for granted, but being here and teaching in a place that is so full of poverty has brought me back to my senses. The children go to school every single day will all odds stacked up against them, yet they are so passionate about their education that they keep pushing through it all no matter how difficult it may be to keep going. Keeping that in mind throughout the trip, I have come to the realization that every time I’ve told myself I couldn’t do something for whatever reason, there’s always been a way I could have done it. I’ve heard the quote “where there’s a will, there’s a way” just about a million times in my life, but just recently have I learned what that really means, and I have the children of Nepal to thank for that. 

While in Nepal, we’ve had the opportunity to visit three of the top five tourist attractions, the most memorable of them all being Pashupatinath, the crematorium. Upon arrival we witnessed five different ceremonies. Each body was wrapped in white, red, and orange cloths. White representing purity and mourning, red representing happiness, god and readiness, and orange representing the holy color. Like many other religions, the Hindus believe that the soul leaves the body after death, but the uniqueness of their beliefs stem from the symbolism behind the cremation. They believe that after death, the body should be given back to the universe because that is where it originated. All five elements are represented in the physical body. The flesh being the earth, the blood being the water, the physical touch being heat or light, a breath being air, and the space inside being the sky. Watching the ceremony, I felt a mixture of emotions. I was sad because I've felt the loss of a loved one before, but at the same time, I felt a sense of comfort knowing that they don’t believe death to be the end, but a new beginning. 

Tomorrow is the last day we will get to spend at the school, and our last full day in Nepal. I’m ready to be home again, but I know that it will be hard to say goodbye to everyone we’ve had the honor to meet. The impact and the connections we’ve made here are everlasting and I am so incredibly thankful to have been a part of it all. Although we have reached the end of our journey here, I too will consider it a new beginning for more adventures to come. 

We arrived at Milla’s Guesthouse at roughly 8:30 on Thursday night. It was very dark and pouring rain out so we didn’t get to see much of the town that day. It wasn’t until the next morning that we really got to take a look at our surroundings, and it is an understatement to say that I was in awe every time I looked out the window. Every single home was greatly impacted by the earthquake in 2015. I don’t think I realized that until we got here. Hearing stories on the news about how tragic the disaster was and looking at pictures of it is nothing compared to roaming the streets of Bhaktapur. Everywhere you look you see rubble, buildings that have completely collapsed, and people trying to make a home of what remains. To think that the people here have been living under these conditions for over a year is absolutely devastating. On a completely different note, it is selfishly comforting to know that we are making the most of our time here and helping out in any way possible. 

Teaching at the school is nothing like I thought it would be. I was shocked by how open and welcoming everyone was as it is CGA’s first year with them. At first, the students were weary about having complete strangers invade their classrooms and teaching in ways they had never seen before, but by the start of day two, they eagerly awaited our arrival and greeted us with smiles on their faces, ready for the day we had ahead of us. So far, I’ve had the pleasure to teach classes 5 and 6. Having a different class every day and teaching new students is extremely nerve racking, but the nerves fly out the door the moment the laughter ensues. When you are up at the front of the classroom clucking like a chicken to get their attention, or when you say something completely ridiculous to try to prove a point in your lesson. Moments like those have completely changed my attitude towards teaching and have made me look forward to every last minute we will get to spend  with them.  

Truly connecting with the students, making them laugh, and knowing that they understand the material I am teaching is an indescribable feeling that I have become addicted to. All of the hard work and preparation leading up to the trip is definitely paying off, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. 

110%

Throughout the years I have learned that fundraising is a huge part of what CGA is about. Earning and working hard to accomplish something is a much more empowering feeling than the feeling you get when something is simply handed to you. When something is earned, you value it differently, which is one of the many reasons why these trips are absolutely priceless.

$2,500 is not easy to fundraise, but it is also not impossible. This time around it was a lot less difficult. As I felt that I had exhausted the community and family members with all of the times I asked for donations in the past, I decided to get a job. Walgreens had a spot available so I applied and went in for an interview. When they asked why I wanted to work there, I told them all about CGA and the work we have done on previous trips with the organization. As I explained that the goal was to fundraise enough money to go on yet another service trip, they hired me on the spot. I am very thankful for all of the unconditional support my coworkers and the company has given me throughout the process.

It’s no secret that I have terrible stage fright. Whether I’m on stage in front of hundreds of people or raising my hand to answer a question in front of a class of 20 students. One of my biggest fears going into this trip is not being prepared enough and freezing at the front of the classroom when it comes time to teach. From my experience in Tanzania, teaching is a lot more difficult than it seems and it is practically impossible to be too prepared. With that said, a goal of mine is to overcome that fear, not only because I know that I can do it, but because the kids deserve 110% from us ever single day.

One good lesson can give you a lot of confidence. It will make you believe that you will automatically be able to pull it off again the next day, but that is not always the case. It is never a bad idea to come home and brainstorm ways to make learning more interactive and fun. As I have found that not everyone learns in the same way, I will take notes of what the students are learning and will be learning ahead of time in order to come up with ways to make it more adaptable for the children who are struggling. All that it takes to disrupt the whole class is one student who is off task, which is why I will make sure that everyone is on board. Finding a way to keep every mind engaged is key when it comes to teaching, which is why I will be “too” prepared and keep multiple tricks up my sleeve no matter how hard I have to work. 110%.

The children here live in a place full of poverty and have been devastated by the earthquake that took place last year, yet they still show up to school with aspirations to do more and make something of their lives. That alone ignites my soul and has given me determination to strive for.  

Nepal is amongst some of the poorest countries in the world. It is stuck in a never-ending cycle of poverty. Families find themselves forced to send their children to work instead of school to sustain themselves, which makes them prone to having lower paying jobs than they would if they had finished with their education. Living in the Vail Valley, it is common to see teenagers whose parents own million dollar homes working for sport. We live in a bubble and are unaware of everything happening around us. The difference between the two worlds is incredibly sad to acknowledge. With a population of 31.5 million people, 8 million, or ¼ of the population in Nepal is living on less than $1.25 daily. Back home, $1.25 gets you so much as a single bottle of water or a pack of gum. The mere fact that anyone gets by on that amount of money is absolutely astonishing.

Along with being amongst the poorest countries, Nepal is ranked 11^th in the world for vulnerability to earthquakes. Last year, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck and destroyed millions of homes, schools, hospitals, and it is by far the most historic event that has happened within the past 80 years. It happened last year, but is it really considered history when the impact still resonates today? You look out the window and see piles of bricks, homes that are missing roofs, windows, walls, and people going on about their days with that as their realities. That is the reason why we are here. The Nepali government has hardly done anything to aid the families devastated by the earthquake. Knowing that makes me want to work my ass off and do anything in my power to help in any way possible. No matter how small of an impact we make, it is a start.

Back at it!

I am very happy to announce that in the summer of 2016 I will be embarking on yet another journey with Children’s Global Alliance. This time, the team will be volunteering at the Deeya Shree School in Bhaktapur, Nepal, where we will be working hands on and helping repair damage caused by the earthquakes in 2015. 

So far, I have traveled to Cambodia, Nicaragua and Tanzania. On the trips, I have learned more about myself than I have throughout my whole life. I’ve gained a lot of perspective and I’ve learned many different skills and lessons. CGA has become a very big part of my life, but aside from being committed to this organization; my hobbies include skiing, performing, stage managing school productions, cooking, baking, and spending time with my family. I feel very fortunate that they have been there and have supported me every step of the way.

Throughout the years I have come to realize that words don’t do these trips justice, but this is where I attempt to explain what goes through my head before, during, and after. The experiences are indescribable, and that’s one of the things I like about volunteering. The children I’ve had the pleasure to meet thus far have flipped my world upside down completely. Each and everyone one of them occupy a very special place in my heart. I am very excited to meet the people and get a taste of the culture in Nepal. I can’t wait to see what it has in store for us! 

As the trip has come to an end, I can’t help but to feel incredibly blessed to have been given this opportunity. Every day has been felt like a dream and every second has been worth its weight in gold. Getting to spend the last two weeks with the students of LOAMO has been surreal. There is so much joy and happiness radiating off of everyone we encountered; it’s contagious. Even if there was a day I was feeling a bit under the weather, their smiles alone could light up my whole day. Their drive and motivation to learn is inspiring, and although I was the one who was supposed to be teaching, learning from the students was practically inevitable. Words cannot describe how much I’m going to miss them.

Goodbyes are never easy. It absolutely kills me to think that I will most likely never see the kids again. I always try to put that thought aside and try to enjoy the last day with them as much as possible, but the feelings become real as soon as the first tear rolls down someone’s face. It’s a reminder that you’re leaving, but it’s also a confirmation of the impact you've made in their lives.

Friday was a roller coaster of emotions. Everything was fine until little Godwin walked into the classroom. He looked at me then immediately averted his gaze and I knew something was up. I got out of my seat, walked closer to him and noticed he was crying. I then proceeded to ask him what was wrong and he said he was sad because I was leaving. Godwin is the student I had the hardest time with. He is very hyperactive and would always be the one to disrupt the class whenever I was trying to teach. When I wasn't teaching, I would sit next to him trying to keep him on task and focused on his work. I didn't realize something as simple as that would make that kind of an impact on him, as he didn't show it until the last day. That’s when it really hit me how much of a difference the group had made, even if we didn't realize it to begin with.

Standing in front of a group of kids and attempting to teach has proven to be harder than I ever imagined. There are a lot of little things that go into it that I never even though of before the trip. Keeping the kids engaged and listening required more practice and preparation than I anticipated. It definitely pushed me. It pushed me in a way that has made me grow since the first day of teaching, but I know there is always room for improvement. Although it was difficult at times, I wouldn't change a thing about the experience.

Tanzania was full of surprises. I've been on two other trips with CGA in the past and they have both been absolutely incredible. Whatever expectations I had, this trip surpassed them by far. Although I’m going to miss the children more than anything, I’m leaving knowing that the team has made a mark here, and I couldn't be more thankful for that.  

I’m not someone who likes surprises very much, but last weekend was a time I’ll never forget. On Friday night we were told to pack our bags for the next day because we would be going on an overnight trip and wouldn't be back until Sunday afternoon. Everyone was itching with questions but we weren't told where we were going. To our surprise, we arrived at a Maasai camp, where real Maasai greeted us with a traditional welcome dance. They gave us a tour of what they call home while also giving us a taste of their culture and life style.

The stay was by far one of the most surreal things I've ever experienced. Being there was like a real life documentary; something you’d watch on T.V. back home and think “oh, that’s cool!”, and then forget about it the next day. They cooked for us, sang and danced for us, and took us on a tree search, where we learned about different trees and how they can be used for medicine and even as toothbrushes! A Maasai warrior even taught us how to throw spears. We also had the honor of meeting a 97 year old woman who we addressed as “Coco”, which means Grandmother in Maa, the language of the Maasai. She was very welcoming and open to everything we asked her. I was surprised by the way she took in complete strangers while being so unfamiliar with us and our way of life. She has never been in a car and has never used a phone. That alone to me is unbelievable. Everything about Coco made me feel an immense amount of respect for her. Meeting her and getting to speak with her was definitely a highlight of the trip.

The way the Maasai have preserved their culture and simplistic lifestyle came as a shock to me. They live off the land; no cars, no electricity, no running water. Everything we take for granted, they can live without. Witnessing and learning how they go about their everyday lives was unlike anything I've ever done and I’m very thankful for that opportunity. It opened my eyes and made me reflect upon the things that are truly essential in life.