Did I book the all-inclusive package? Indeed.
Directions: Add a spoonful of service work, a ladle of cultural immersion, a pinch of student insight, a dash of patriarchal society, a sprinkle of teaching, a dusting of culturally-accepted public spitting, and a dose of Nepali delectables. Fold together. Thoroughly knead. Bake in the sun for 2 weeks. Treat yourself.
Cheesy intro, I know, but as I mentor my students, encouraging them to incorporate “hooks,” compose conclusions with intention, and “dig deep,” I found it necessary to weave in an analogy, as I dearly miss my time in the kitchen, so I revel vicariously in my service work, creating a final product which satisfies my soul. Cultural immersion, especially the 5am yoga with a guru, recognizable sanskrit and intense pranayama, ignited my inner fire from Day 1. Merge that with passionate student volunteers, and I have discovered my niche. God is good.
The past seven days have proven insightful, liberating, and even slightly painful. In my dual role of chaperone and mentor, it comes naturally to apply the science of teaching, making observations in order to provide constructive feedback, creating lessons on the fly, incorporating vocabulary strategies and graphic organizers, and facilitating group projects to name a few; however, I do struggle, because I simply want to teach every class period, yet my four student volunteers are the active teachers. I continually remind myself to let go, to let them make mistakes and learn from them, to coach them through the troughs and commend them at the crests. (Kevin & taught the topic of Sound yesterday) How profound the moments where I witness the shedding of their anxious layers...Team Nepal is rockin’ it!
Most bothersome to me was the following statement: “You, Americans, you are greedy. We Nepalese help each other.” Two generally happy 5th grade boys, Rajan & Brijal, yet severely lacking in manners, provide me with daily laughter, even though they consistently test the patience of my student volunteers. My hope is that our regular presence eventually morphs their perspective, as I can see how they’d judge us, for they’ve experienced many volunteers over the years that come and go, literally for one hour at a time, who get their volunteer “fix,” make no real connections, and leave. The patriarchal society is evident around every corner, starting with female teachers of the primary grade levels, males at the secondary level, teaching particularly science and math. During our first few days, I noticed that the male teachers would not make eye contact with me, possibly feeling threatened by my presence, to the extent that one instructor reprimanded me for assisting two students during his class. Upon witnessing the structure of the class, 8 back-to-back daily subjects, old recycled workbooks, lectures, copying, memorization---I immediately desired to bring “life” in the room, but it was not welcomed at this point in time. After six solid days, I firmly believe our methods have been accepted and appreciated. And...we are not greedy.
We were told we’d be a burden, another mouth to feed and hydrate, and even a nuisance. Quite the opposite, though, through intrinsic motivation and a real desire to contribute, we’ve learned to be self-sustainable, lighten a Nepali’s load several times a day, and truly embrace camaraderie with every endeavor. Demolishing Puni Ram’s home, salvaging the baked bricks, pushing, pulling, ripping, lifting, passing, pushing back muscles to our limits, to the extent that I became a spitting image of the elderly man huddled over his cane, Team Nepal is a force to be reckoned with, and I am proud to be a member. Nepal has captivated my heart, the people have been nothing but warm and hospitable, and I remain convinced we made the right decision to follow through with our service trip.
I eagerly anticipate our finished product of diverse ingredients, yet Monday will prove to be surreal, as I cherish the relationships I’ve developed with Team Nepal spanning the past four years. With misty eyes I reminisce about Nicaragua, Cambodia and Tanzania. Where has the time gone? Kevin, Nicole, Aj and Ava are all 4-5 years older, incredibly wiser, and each possess a unique, expansive sense of global awareness and experience. Four beautiful souls that I’m blessed to know, four human beings that have impacted not only my life, but the lives of so many around the world.
The whole package.
Namaste,
Jen
