"Namaste. Thank you Chhahari Nepal! You organised a wonderful volunteer program for me based in Bhaktapur (15 kms outside of Kathmandu). I got the opportunity to teach community health to high school students and create health questionnaires to collect data from the local community. I was also able to visit a women's school and children's home. Even though it was a short term program, it was an enriching experience, tailored to my interests. I learnt a lot and gained some valuable insights into the health system of Nepal, which I would not have received elsewhere. I was given a lot of support and my host family was extremely accommodating and lovely. I highly recommend Chhahari Nepal for anyone interested in volunteering, community development and making a positive difference to others. I hope to return again!" I am always happy to receiving your email for further information. 

"I lived one of the most wonderful experiences in Nepal in the Orphanage. Since I worked there I have a reason to work hard for Chhahari Catalunya and Chhahari Nepal. Now I miss so much the kids and their smiles too. If I could come back to Nepal, I will wish see them and live with them few days. My bad English in the orphanage there is not a problem, because the children are so nice with me and it makes me feel good.

When I arrived to Nepal, I felt ill because the airplane and airport food, and the family didn’t understand it well. The cultural differences make difficult the integration in the family. But I was very lucky and my family and organization started to understand my petitions and my manners fast. And I felt better in the second and third week. The last weeks I felt very happy in my host family, and I felt really loved by them.

I felt really happy in these days in Chitwan. In the beginning I was afraid of the potential problems with animals, but later I was very comfortable and I enjoyed too much this travel with Cristina. I could know the nepali culture, and could see the savage animals, and it makes me feel ”khusi laagio„. I enjoyed so much with the food, and environment. Three days was enough for me, because I was missing children so much.

The supervisor of the organization was very supportive and managed all things which I needed and prices are also affordable. Thank you so much Chhahari Nepal for your wonderful volunteering service to support the Nepalese community and orphanage.

"My experience with Chhahari started last year. I still remember my days there perfectly. I woke up early, had that tasty morning tea and felt the warmth of my nepali family. Feeling part of a family is important especially when you are so far of your home.

After my arrival, I planned my days with the coordinator. We talked for hours about all that was important during my staying. I even tried to learn some words in nepali... Oh, that would be a great challenge! Before travelling, I had decided I wanted to be in a school teaching and in the orphanage. Once I got there, schools asked me to talk also about psychology, because this is what I do in Spain. So I spent time with teenagers, talking about mental health and adolescence. The time in the school was great and we all learned a lot.

My favorite activity was going with my brothers and sisters. These lovely children! Thirteen kids with this pure essence which only children can have. My purpose was to offer the best of me so they had a good time and learned useful things. The other aim was to detect possible needs in the orphanage. It’s impossible to forget those kids and the memories there.

The organizational support from Chhahari was a key aspect during my volunteering. You’re far from home and it’s important to have someone who can give you good advice. The coordinator was constantly looking after us, which was very useful and we appreciated it a lot.

It’s something I always wanted to do! I’m going to help! I’m going to be in a place where I am needed!

As soon as I started to think about carrying on a volunteering some sentences have come to my mind. I was about 15, and who, at that age; do not believe that what they do is the most important? By then, I wanted to go everywhere and at the same timeeverything scared me. Are we going to get on well together? What will I eat? Will there be bugs? What if I get sick? With my fears and the utter disapproval of my parents; I finally dismissed the idea, or rather, I left it for later on.

Now I think that was one of the best decisions I could have ever taken, because with 15, 16 or 18 years old I would not have been able to enjoy volunteering as I did it some years ago.

How I chose the destination? Why I went alone? Who helped me?

I had been planning with a friend who works in Red Cross about going to Africa that summer; but when the enrolment was almost done, revolutions in Northern Africa started. No one knew how they would progress. So, again, I postponed the volunteering.

Pure chance I would say,or this that the best things appear when you are no looking for them. It was already in June when I saw an ad for the company Travel work. Travel work is a travel agency in Barcelona with some prestige, and it offered voluntary tourism in Nepal. I seeked about the country and there was no conflict to be concerned about, so the next day I was on the agency to inform me. And, in less than a week I had already made the necessary arrangements to leave!

At that time I did not realize the importance of my decisions are how it was going to influence the way I see life. The departure was coming and a lot of questions were in my mind: what should I wear? Gifts for my hosting family?Medicines?Money?Visa? My favorite activity was going with my brothers and sisters. These lovely children! Thirteen kids with this pure essence which only children can have. My purpose was to offer the best of me so they had a good time and learned useful things. The other aim was to detect possible needs in the orphanage. It’s impossible to forget those kids and the memories there.

The agency gave me enough information, but you can never go 100% secure, and less during a journey of more than one day! On arrival they were waiting for me at the airport exit with a small paper with my name; like in the movies. And so began what could well be the script for a movie. The first day I felt stupid all the time. For example, upon arrival, I mistook the taxi driver with the coordinator. On the street I walked as in the centre of Barcelona, thinking I could be stolen at any time; when, in fact, you could almost leave the money on the floor because they would either not be looking, or they would think that it has fallen and give it to you. Almost like in Spain, right?

Getting used to the accent it’s not easy as well. But by third day I was alreadylike at home, and, actually it was also when I moved into the house of the family that would host me during the volunteering. I thought I was going to lose my taste sensibility that night when I bit chilli by mistake. But aside from the laughter of my host family and the gallons of water that I drank immediately, things went no further. Breakfast at 5.30 in the morning; eat a bowl of rice at 8 am; all the routine seemed to be different and difficult to adapt. But then, you get to know the people, their traditions become your routines and you start to feel like at home. They are hospitable, sociable, talkative and friendly. Both, adults and children. I started to go to the school, where everything was discipline, but also happiness. You could say that's what I took from each of the people I met, a little bit of their happiness.

I was placed in a school where the students barely fit in the desks because they were too many; the bathroom was a cubicle door, and that's it. Every day was flooded several times and so wiped; teachers had to take exams and students were left with a free hour, a substitute teacher was unthinkable. That was my job! To givethe lessonsthat had no teacher. There were children of different environments: from different castes, rich, poor, large families, orphans, etc. In the evenings I went to a hostel where the children were there because eithertheir parents had voluntarily left them there because they could not keep them at home, or they were found in the street (probably for the same reason as the others). But everyone did their homework, they helped each other and, most importantly, you could feel the happiness in each and every one of them.

I’m going to be in a place where I am needed! You are needed everywhere, don’t need to go so far away; start with yourself. What’s more, we often put aside our nearest needs for the fear of facing them.

I’ll help! Rather ends up being mutual aid. And yet, no one has 'powers' to fix anything in the short term. So when we volunteer to contribute to a project, we do a bit to help the changing process; but we can’t give fast solutions, because those quick arrangements banish before we can even realize them, leaving the situation as it was before or even worse.

It’s something I always wanted to do! Let's face it. It’s not an easy experience; you have to really be willing to do it, because motivation will be the key to see the good in everything you are going to deal with.

I know what I took from the volunteering: smiles and laughter, friends, positivity and happiness, a memorable experience and a confirmation of what really matters to me in life. Chhahari Nepal has managed my volunteering services and provided unreliable support to my work carrier; I travelled Nepal two times which was 2011 and 2013 with the host of Chhahari Nepal. Thank you so much “ Chhahari Nepal ” as being a part of my life.

I’m going to be in a place where I am needed! You are needed everywhere, don’t need to go so far away; start with yourself. What’s more, we often put aside our nearest needs for the fear of facing them.