Nepal : A Life-Changing Experience Of Volunteering In Nepal

During the summer of 2012, I went on a family holiday to India where I was able to willingly help local children, those who are unfortunate to gain an education, with basic numeracy and literacy skills. This is a personal accomplishment, as I was able to help and care for others, providing them with assurance to aim higher and excel their self-belief.

In the video “Into Nepal – A Journey through the Kathmandu Valley,” there were many concepts that were easily recognizable due to the information that was given during the first semester of the AP Human Geography course.

Although I loved all of my at home volunteer work, I especially loved doing good in countries that needed more help. I sponsor a six year old girl in Bolivia named Reina through Compassion International, she is one of the most spectacular kids I have ever met. She lives in a barely livable cinder block house and yet she is beyond proud of every tiny detail of it. Reina lives with her 4 brothers, her mother, father, and her aunt in this two bedroom structure and yet they don’t complain one

The country was foreign, a first for me. Dilapidation and ruin scattered the horizon as far as one could see. Guatemala is a place where poverty has a strong grasp on its people. We traveled tirelessly for hours to reach the poorest of the poor. Upon arrival old, young, and natives of all shapes and sizes formed receiving lines, eager to welcome us with gifts of smiles and gratitude. It was an experience that forever changed me. This was the first time I had stepped outside the boundaries of the American culture into a world where nothing is taken for granted. Each day spent on my mission trip brought a fresh awareness of gratefulness. Any pre-trip reluctance quickly became a vague memory as my emotions welled within bring a fresh change to

Even though I became very sentimental and emotional during this trip, it was an important experience in my life. These children opened up a whole new world for me, and I will never forget their pure hearts and thankful words. During this visit, I’ve promised myself to keep on helping people all over the world. After my return I took part in organizing Amnesty International club at school. During club meeting we discussed current events, looked for people who needed help, and organized events and bake sales as fundraisers to help

Many people don’t realize the true value of volunteering, but I’ve come to understand the incredible impact of volunteering through my experience at Memorial Hermann. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” For me, his words could not be truer.

In January of 2015, I experienced a mission trip in Guatemala. Although the trip taught me a lot about both myself, and the people and culture of Guatemala, one of the more prominent realizations I had was that the Guatemalan children had so little resources to get a quality education in life, yet they were still eager to learn. For example, each child was required to wear a pair of black dress shoes to school. Since many could not afford to pay for these shoes, they each walked to the missionary compound, no matter how far, to get a free pair of shoes that were offered. Additionally, many of the kids were more inclined to attend a short church lesson after eating dinner than play with their friends. After experiencing this dramatic change

Prior to my education at Temple University, a service trip to Haiti changed my life. Among the hundreds of personalities I interacted with in Haiti, almost all were malnourished, homeless, or family deprived, all living on less than one dollar per day. I was perplexed by the simplistic, yet satisfying lifestyles the Haitians lived. I helped organize movement workshops for different communities using a variety of physical activities. On the first day, the students responded well as I demonstrated different calisthenics, having the students mirror my movements. Subsequently, movement became my primary source of communication throughout the remainder of the trip.

But, what I have learned from my experience is that not everyone’s perception of what is equal is the same. Consider wealth and power in the order of social classes for example. We tend to associate people in the upper class with government jobs and other positions of authority, while those in the lower class we associate with manual labor. With this particular group of children, which I previously noted were of low income families, I noticed how possessive they were of the toys and other things in the classroom. They went as far as to fight over the torn-up books in the class library and to race to the only old and beat-up tricycle on the playground. I, in particular, found the majority of these things to be of little value in comparison to the toys and things the children at previous child care centers that I worked at have. The same goes for the classroom itself, which was noticeably un-kept in terms of cleanliness. However, for children who know nothing else about this, they took special care of the things they did have. When playing and interacting with these children, I made sure to treat these materials with the same respect as they did. I learned that less can be more with a little imagination. From what I could tell, the children seemed to feel at home in this environment. This

Peace Corp volunteers improve their social well-being when placed with a host family to bond with. The bonding sheds a light on the newly intertwined relationship between volunteers and community residents, thus creating a close family aspect, especially since some volunteers lose significant contact with their families back home. Not all volunteers are without family contacts as it varies by location. Some volunteers have a proper cellular signal or internet to contact loved ones back home, whether it be by bus to the city or with the aided region. Volunteers meet new people who consistently differ from themselves however, participants are able to learn a lot and create a bridge of understanding among the resident (Bird et al. 1999). One might think it is hard to be content with scarce resources in developing countries however, residents of the community cherish social well-being far more than material well-being. What truly keeps the people in these regions content are from moments shared with their loved ones, and people that care for

Pursuing a degree in Anthropology provided me with the opportunity to learn analytical techniques that facilitated an appreciation for unfamiliar cultures and belief systems. College shaped who I am today, allowing me to learn and grow in a challenging and fostering environment. Participating in service learning and study abroad had a profound impact on my education. Collaborating with the Appalachian Community Together (ACT) Office I participated in two Alternative Service Experiences (ASE). These programs allowed me to volunteer during spring break within the United States and abroad. Upon completion of my first ASE, I developed a drive to make a difference. Subsequently, I spent the next spring break in Granada, Nicaragua working with the nonprofit La Esperanza Granada teaching English in a local school alongside my fellow peers. This program was an extraordinary experience that had a profound impact on my outlook of service leading me on a path of personal growth and my commitment to serving the community as an active and informed citizen. Gaining the tools to effect positive change is my

It combines the travelling with learning opportunities to explore social and cultural issues by volunteering

Although trips to third world countries are expensive, money for the plane ticket and other expenses are not the only factors that are affecting others in a positive way. The human interaction and personal level of care for those in need is a powerful manner to care and enhance the prosperity of others. People all over the world could use help from others, not just materialistically or economically. Human welfare should not just be measured by the materials they have or how much money they have.

For instance, spending time volunteering at the local food bank, the community health auxiliary, and the local Sikh Society chapter in my community. This interaction allowed me get a better understanding of those economically marginalized. Further, I was able to get a grasp of some of inequalities and disadvantages in our community in the aspect of health care and the importance of what change needed to occur those less privileged. These experiences inspired me to undertake more global pursuits as an international humanitarian volunteer in orphanages and community schools in

It started with my dad's childhood. After my grandfather suffered health problems, at a very young age of 10, my dad had to take the charge of his family because that time my family didn’t had money even for bread. My dad worked at a bookstore from morning till evening and after the long day of work. He could earn just about to fill their stomachs. But after my father, he had one brother and three sisters and their education and despite being a lady who were not usually allowed to earn back then, my grandma started working for VDC. Sadly, in the Nepalese-Indian societies, people aren't judged keeping their hard work, talents in the mind. And, those who want to grow are pulled backwards due to jealousy. In time of need nobody showed up, and helping seemed bragging only. After all endeavors, striving and thriving, today what we are up to is the result of the sacrifice of my grandma and my dad's childhood; However, with our heads high, we are proud, and are happy to have a self-made life and respect in the society. Though, I was not a part of what happened, but I understand my part of