"Unfortunately, my stay and my volunteering in Nepal already ended. I can't find the words to describe the last 5 months, there were ups, downs but above all happiness. This experience allowed me to learn not only about the culture and this wonderful country but also about myself. It was an experience that changed me and made me grow. With a heavy heart, I think about everything I experienced the last months.
In my last month, there were elections in Nepal. As the schools were closed during the elections, with Hamro Palo we had to stop our usual work. Therefore, we focused more on the elections and made a list with all the female candidates for the elections. One day, Hamro Palo would like to conduct a Workshop or a program that focuses more on politics and women in politics. This list will allow the association once the program for this Workshop is fixed to contact several candidates so that they can share their experience.
Towards the end of the month, I used the rest of the days off I still had left to join a friend who visited her family, and again I could discover a new place for a few days. I was in the Terai region in Jhapa, which is in the east of Nepal. This region is not visited by tourists, the inhabitants are poorer and work mainly in agriculture. I discovered a new culture and a very different lifestyle from what I have known so far in Nepal. It is also one of the flattest and hottest places in Nepal. In Jhapa, I participated in a pooja ceremony, a ceremony to sacrifice goats. It was a strange day for me as it was the first time I participated in this kind of ceremony, but it gave me a new insight of their culture. I also visited mango, tea and lychee plantations, where I picked some lychees and mangoes.
In Kathmandu, I had the chance to attend a Nepalese wedding. It was amazing, I wore a Kurta (a typical dress in Nepal) and really enjoyed the wedding. I also went to see the aarti at the Pashupatinath temple, where the cremations are made. Seeing hundreds of people praying and singing together was very fascinating for me. It was a very nice evening and once again I learned more about this culture.
The end of May was very emotional. I met wonderful people in the last 5 months, and made a few friends, saying goodbye to all of them, was not easy at all. Although I know that one day I will return to this country that I enjoyed a little bit more with every day I stayed there.
Finally, I would like to thank all the people who loved showing me their country, who taught me so much about their culture and who made Nepal my home. I would also like to thank Hamro Palo for receiving me into their organization and of course ONGD FNEL and SNJ who allowed me to have this unforgettable experience. Dhanyabad! "
Lisa