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GYC3240 - Orphanages and teaching in Himalayan town Country: Nepal Cost: £550.00 Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance, food, kit or visas    Duration: 1 months Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7535 or

 

	This placement would suit... someone who wants to work with children and get to know Nepali culture while living in a beautiful Himalayan location. Please contact us to find out more and we can direct you to our website which has all the details or give you a call to tell you all about it. Volunteer with Nepali and Tibetan children in the beautiful mountain city of Pokhara. About the placements and location You can work in orphanages joining in with the day to day running of the home and helping to improve the quality of life of the children, or work in local primary schools teaching English, sports, music, art and other subjects. Pokhara is a beautiful mountain city in the Himalayas. It is defined by the dramatic snow capped peaks of the Annapurna Range and the Fishtail Mountain overlooking the city. It is the start point for some of the greatest treks in the world from challenging treks to one or two day treks in the lower mountains. There is also world class white water rafting accessible from Pokhara. The Southern side of the city is bounded by a beautiful lake where on a calm day you get perfect reflections of Annapurna and the Fishtail Mountain. It’s a relaxed area where many travellers stay and volunteers live and work in the area of Lakeside. The ability to speak English in Pokhara for many locals will represent the difference between being able to find work and not. Pokhara is a city that relies on the tourist trade so if a local person has a better grasp of English, they will be in a stronger position to work in tourism and bring benefit to the community. Knowledge of English also opens up the internet, empowers people to learn for themselves and creates new areas of potential. A typical day Orphanage volunteers will join in the day to day activities of the orphanage. This would normally include games and activities, teaching some lessons or helping with homework as well as helping out with meal times. Teaching volunteers will normally have their own lessons within the school curriculum and the focus of these lessons is English teaching. Teaching volunteers will also teach other lessons such as sports, music, art and sometimes other academic subjects. Much depends on your personal drive and skill set. If you have a particular interest, you can make it happen. You will normally work for four to six hours per day with 1-2 days free per week. The Work Place - orphanages The orphanages we work with are generally caring for the most disadvantaged members of society and are very short of money. It is because of this that we work with them to provide support, and show that people do care. However it does mean that it can be an emotional experience and you are unlikely to view poverty and disadvantage in the same way after the placement. The Work Place - schools The schools that we work with are known as English Medium schools which means that all lessons are in English. However the standard of English even among the teachers can be very poor and often you may not realise that you are being spoken to in English. Although they are private schools, conditions are often basic and many lack the simple resources that you would expect at a school. The children however are generally very excited to have volunteers working with them and you will find the volunteering extremely rewarding. Accommodation Accommodation is provided in most schools or orphanages. This would be a private room normally in the school building or in the orphanage. This option gives you a real immersion in the local community but can be more challenging as you will not be in the traveller’s part of town so you will find it more difficult to go out and meet people in the evenings. Alternatively for an extra £80 per month you can stay in Bindu's Hotel which is a family run B&B in Lakeside (the part of town that most travellers stay). The top floor of Bindu's is a self contained apartment with living room and kitchen so you can get some privacy and do your own cooking. You'll get to know Bindu's family and they are always around to help you out. Accommodation is basic but comfortable with electricity and running water - though these can be unreliable in Pokhara. Bindu's is within a short distance of the main street on Lakeside which is the place most travellers stay and go out in the evenings. There is a wide range of bars and restaurants in Lakeside and it is an enjoyable and safe place for a night out. What’s included Comprehensive information pack Pre-departure travel advice Airport pick up and hotel night in Kathmandu Bus transfer to Pokhara Accommodation in Pokhara throughout Cultural introduction to Pokhara The set up of the volunteer placement Ongoing support throughout the placement You will often be able to eat main meals at your placement though this will be basic Nepali food. Dates, duration and prices This placement is for 3-12 weeks and can start on any date. Prices: 3 weeks - £500, 4 weeks - £550, 8 weeks - £650, 12 weeks - £750 (add £80 per month for B&B accommodation). Our Users Say... "I definitely recommend PoD, it’s a fantastic way of helping a good cause, seeing an amazing place and meeting some fantastic people. It is hard work but worth every minute!!" - Shelley "Everything is amazing out here. I love it here now and would hate things to be different. The children are incredible and its also interesting because they are from Mustang so I have learnt many things about that. The teachers are also really nice and I know they are keen to have more volunteers; in fact they want me to give them your address to write a letter of thanks. I would definitely recommend the school although perhaps with warning that you have to teach a lot by yourself with no help. (You were right about that they do tend to think that westerners know everything!). Anyway on to Nepal, it is a brilliant country so glad I came. It has been really hard work but I have enjoyed it." - Sophie "I felt very reassured by the correspondence with PoD before I went out to Nepal and whilst there I knew I could rely on my point of contact if I had any problems. Which I think was due to speaking several times on the phone to Mike before I went and feeling as though he took a genuine interest in what I was doing. The package was what it said it was, so I can't complain about that. In my situation the main thing I was interested in was that I would have someone to turn to if I needed help and I felt I had that. The teaching placement was arranged for me, and every other activity I arranged for myself, which suited me. So, it was good value for money. PoD's strength to me, is that it's a small company with a personal feel. As a lone female traveller I needed reassurance and I got it from PoD." - Alexa 0845 344 7535 POD - Personal Overseas Development: PoD provides the opportunity for people to volunteer and make a difference overseas, while experiencing incredible parts of the world that are rich in culture, variety and natural beauty. We also arrange placements and courses for people wanting to develop their skills in amazing locations. Great value 1 week to 3 month placements in Cambodia, Belize, Malawi, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania and Thailand. PoD is a small non-profit organisation that focuses on quality and safety rather than quantity.