In Nepal I got to spend half my time in Kathmandu and half my time it Chitwan. The two places were very different, and I'm very happy that I got to experience both. In Kathmandu I lived with a very large host family consisting of 9 family members. I really enjoyed learning about their culture and experiencing life the way a real Nepali would. My favorite part about my experience in Kathmandu was volunteering at Alka Hospital. The doctors were extremely nice and very knowledgeable. I got the chance to observe a few interesting surgeries. I am amazed at how much I learned in the short two and a half weeks I was at Alka.
In Chitwan I lived with a smaller host family and many other volunteers. I was very happy to live with other volunteers, since in Kathmandu I was a little lonely by myself. At Chitwan Hospital I spent most of my time shadowing nurses. I learned how to take vitals and do minor procedures. I also observed doctors occasionally and I watched a few surgeries. The knowledge I gained at Chitwan Hospital was very different, but just as valuable, as the knowledge I gained at Alka.
When I wasn't volunteering at a hospital I found a lot of fun things to do. First of all I simply enjoyed exploring Kathmandu and Chitwan. Also, the program coordinators set up many fun trips for us volunteers. I took a trip to Pokhara, went white-water rafting and bungee jumping, and spent a day at Chitwan National Park. I have had a lot of fun in Nepal and I'm sad that my trip has gone by so quickly! |
