Nepal - Day 7

By Libby Sterba

Today we started the day off by taking a short 45 minute walk to breakfast where we had amazing views from the mountain side and got to see some of the worlds largest mountains while enjoying buffet style potato, sausage, toast and eggs. Then after breakfast we hiked back to the hotel which was much easier with full stomachs and going downhill. After we got back to the hotel we all packed up and took a two hour bus ride back to the city of Kathmandu and settled into our eco friendly hotel. After we settled in we all took a short ten minute hike through the city which was very unfamiliar with their lack of traffic laws. Once we got to lunch it was an all you can eat mo mo lunch with lo mein. With full bellies once again we hiked back to our hotel for a short break then ventured back out into the city to a market place to buy gifts for friends and family back home. Once we were all done shopping we rested at the hotel for a little before heading to dinner where we had our last dinner in Nepal. We had rice and lentils and to spice it up we had a chicken stew as well! Overall we had a much more relaxing day than we have had in the past several days since we are all tired from out two Day trek. Tomorrow is our last day in Nepal and we are all sad to leave however we are excited to go back to the Hope Home one last time to say goodbye to the girls.

* limited internet - can’t upload pictures

Nepal - Day 6

BY DAVID WEISSMAN

This morning we started the day off with a good breakfast of noodles and naan to prepare us for our long day to come. Leaving the tea house we were staying at the night before we got amazing views of snow-capped Himalayan mountains. After hiking along dirt roads of rolling hills we stopped at many overlooks where we got to see some of the worlds tallest and most impressive mountains. As the day continued we hiked on to our lunch spot on a rooftop where we got to observe the town below us. Leaving lunch we set out for a hike up to the summit of a mountain, except this time joined by a family of very cute dogs with their puppies. They joined us at the summit where Ryan and Chase posed for many funny photos including Ryan trying to convince social media that he had summited Mt. Everest. After many more hours and many more miles through small towns and the jungle where we got time to reminiscing back on our time with the girls from the Himalayan Hope Home we reached our destination and settled into our hotel. Tonight we watched the sun set from our rooftop while enjoying some traditional Nepalese black tea, and enjoyed a bbq chicken dinner in the courtyard. Even though the trip is nearing its end we are all looking forward to what is to come and are hoping to make memories that will last a lifetime.

Nepal - Day 5

By: Max Vallerand-Parisi

We started today off with our first hike of the trip. While on the bus to the starting point of the hike, we were all full of excitement and dread for the 5 hours of uphill hiking we had ahead of us. That sense of dread that encompassed us was then supported when we saw the endless sets of stairs waiting for us. As we began our hike we were all very tired and needed frequent breaks. The uneven stair cases and foot paths made the hike much more difficult. I think we were all hoping for a little bit of rain to help cool us all off. As we started to get higher up on the mountain, the view started to get better and better; seeing the mountains and the city in the valley covered in smog, made the distance traveled worth it. After a while we were told that we were 10 minutes from lunch and that made all of us motivated to hike as fast as possible. While lunch was loaded with carbs, there was not much of it and left us all hungry. At that point we had an hour and a half before reaching the summit of the mountain. Once we reached the top, we were all relieved and excited to be done with the hard part of the hike. We then took a group photo and continued our way down the mountain. While walking down, Ryan felt the need to ask if every mountain was Everest which I think Ms. Peckham got tired of very quickly. On the way down David tried to entertain Ms. Peckham by telling her about space. This made the rest of the hike go by very quickly and in no time at all we reached the guest house. The hike was a great experience and was very fun, and I can’t wait for tomorrow.

Nepal - Day 4

By: Vivion Purser

Today we celebrated Holi with the girls at the Hope Home. Holi is a color festival that marks the beginning of the spring season. We threw water balloons and colored powder, danced, and played volleyball together. Also, we continued work on the garden that we began! I really enjoyed laying the brick for the pathway because it’s starting to look so put together and beautiful. After the day’s activities, the girls put together a farewell performance of singing and dancing for us. Though they were incredibly talented, I was mostly blown away by the joy that they each radiated while performing. They showed me how to make goodbyes a happy thing through celebrating and honoring the time that has been had.

Today was our last day working in the Hope Home. I am confident that my perception of the world has been broadened through the conversations that I have had these past few days with my peers, leaders, and themselves. I taught one girl how to dance, and she taught me how to make bracelets. We both get to go to sleep tonight with new experiences and new knowledge. That, to me, is what makes trips like these worth it. As we left the Home, we were escorted out by 36 heartfelt goodbyes and extremely tight hugs. I only met these girls a few days ago, but I feel like I’ve known them forever. I’m inexplicably grateful to have formed the friendships that I did, and I cannot wait to see what is in store next.

Nepal - Day 3

By: Ryan Felsenthal

Today we woke up to the murmur of monks as they performed their morning prayer. We had a nice breakfast of milk tea, porridge, andakabocha (eggs) and roti. After breakfast we hiked the 2 miles through rice, wheat, and barley fields on our way to the Himalayan Hope Home. Once we arrived we got down to work. Half of the group helped prepare lunch, while the other half worked on creating the garden. Lunch consisted of spaghetti, fries, rice, and cooked vegetables. From lunch the group all went outside work on the garden to dirt holes and plant trees. We all got the chance to plant trees in the garden.

After finishing the garden work for the day we all made our way to the volleyball court and played 2 games. By the time we finished our games the Himalayan Hope girls arrived home from school and we started a saga of games, USA Vs Nepal. As expected the first 2 sets went to the USA then we dropped the next 3 sets and lost the game. Max perfected punching the ball over the net, Chase successfully headed the ball over the net, David is still learning how to hit a volleyball, Vivian and Libby got all of the little chicks into their laps, while Alex and Shiv helped dominate on the court. I perfected the yelling block which effectively intimidated our opponents and helps secure many of our points.

After a few rain and hail delays we finished our game. At the end of our last game we were viciously attacked by the neighbors with water balloons. After the initial attack Chase, Max and I stood our ground and formed a wall to shield a no one from the water balloons. Max took most of the hits as he was the biggest target of us all. After a few return volleys of water balloons, Alex, Shiv, and Vivian as well as the Hope Home girls turned on us as they threw water balloons at us.

Nepal - Day 2

Note: To see more daily photos and videos from our trip follow @studentsshouldertoshoulder on instagram

By: Alex McEneney

Today we experienced many unique and special moments that I never knew I would experience. We started the day by walking to the Himalayan Hope Home with the sun shining. We passed a lot of dogs walking and sleeping as people were motor biking past. We were all really excited about where we were going that the long walk felt really short. When we arrived at the Hope Home we quickly began working: three of my friends and I went to the kitchen to help prepare lunch as the rest of the group started working in the garden. All four of the kitchen walls are windows so the view was beautiful because we saw many temples and homes in the hills. We peeled and sliced vegetables and organized them onto the plates. After we ate lunch, we met a girl from the Home named Lalita. I made her a bracelet out of her favorite colors (pink and white). A few hours later she gave me a much more complex and better looking bracelet with my favorite colors. After lunch I worked out in the garden by shoveling out dirt and plants but we were stopped by the rain. Everyone went inside and we sat in the dining room and as Sonam told us the backstory of the Home as well as herself. The story she told proved to me how strong she and the other girls are. The came from difficult backgrounds and have lost their families but are going to school and playing and spreading their infectious happiness to everyone. I saw how much joy they all have when two friends and I learned dances from some of the girls and we taught them some of ours. We listened to their favorite dance songs and added our own moves while attempting to dance as well as the other girls. Afterwards, we went outside to play volleyball in the rain and it was a really fun bonding experience for our group as well as two men who worked with the Home. The rain was coming down but we were having so much fun that we did not care enough to leave the game. After two games, we met all of the sweet girls who told us their names, their village, and their grade levels. We then began to pack up for the walk to the monastery where we would be staying. As I started to walk down the stairs to meet the group, I was stopped by some of the girls who gave me huge hugs and big smiles. I cannot wait to get to know the girls more and help around the Home over the next few days.

We then started our walk to the monastery. We went on narrow elevated paths around huge gardens and saw people working in them and sitting outside of their homes. We reached the monastery when we saw the red and gold gates. On the inside, there are many elaborate and large beautiful temples, which we went into and watched the monks begin their prayer time. We sat on the side of the temple and listened to them pray in low murmurs that together sounded like one big buzz. It was a really fascinating and relaxing experience and a great way to end the day.

Nepal - Day 1

By: Shivani Gifford

Today was filled with adventure and cultural enlightenment. First we visited the Monkey Temple where we met some monkeys! Although they are cute, they’re not to be messed with! The Monkey Temple had breath taking views of the city beneath it. We then ventured through the streets of Kathmandu and experienced the chaotic market square. The small sidewalks paired with the motorcycles and people created a new, unique cultural experience to start our time off in the city.
After eating lunch we visited a local stupa and ended our night with a relaxing meal!
Tomorrow, we will head over to the Himalayan Hope Home and begin our project work.

Nepal - We have arrived

After 24 hours of travel, we made it to Nepal!

We were welcomed by members of The Small World staff, had a delicious dinner and now we are off to bed for some much needed rest!

Nepal - About to takeoff

We all arrived at Dulles International Airport and are ready for our first flight.

Off to Dubai!

Nepal: Coming Soon!

We are almost there!

Just a reminder that we will meet at the International Terminal of Dulles Airport on Friday morning at 8 a.m.

More updates to follow!

Boudhanath Stupa