random tales from strange lands this is a tale of my attempt to follow the summer to different parts of our world and how it appears to me

I joined the ANFO program in August and September 2006 and spent 6 weeks
living and teaching English in Patihani, Chitwan district.
My accommodation was with a local family who have hosted several
volunteers before. They were very helpful for me practicing my Nepali
language and getting adjusted to life in rural Nepal.

On my initial arrival in Kathmandu, Subash & Naresh were waiting for me
at the airport and really made me feel welcome. We stayed in Kathmandu
for a couple of days and saw some of the city's cultural highlights.
After I had arrived in Patihani, I began my Nepal language lessons,
first with Vishnu and later with Hari, both very friendly guys as well
as being English teachers at local schools.
Subhash & Naresh also took me for a visit to Sauraha, the major tourist
gateway to the Chitwan National Park. I was up early in the morning for
my Elephant safari into the jungle. It didn't take long to spot some
wildlife either - deer, wild pigs, peacocks and the endangered
one-horned Rhino. An awesome way to start the day!

A typical day for me would involve waking up about 6am and getting my
brain going for the day's teaching. My first classes were at 7am at the
local youth club, where the students were mostly aged from 8-13 years
old. The group was divided into 2 classes - younger children and older
ones. The older ones had a grasp of English already which made it alot
easier for me to communicate with them in the class.
The youth club also had a small library with a mix of novels, children's
books and English vocab & grammar textbooks. The latter were a great
help to me since I'd never taught English before! I also brought a few
new children's books with me to add to the library.

Subhash's family live right next door to the youth club too and are
ready with a smile to help in any way they can. I would see them almost
every day and try to practice a bit of Nepali, sometimes rewarded by a
cup of chiya (Nepali tea).

After the youth club classes, I had a break from 9 to 10am to have my
morning dal bhat (rice & curry), before starting at the local high
school. This was a bit more formal than teaching in the youth club,
where we spent a fair bit of time playing language-related games. At the
school I was usually teaching with one of their English teachers, but I
occasionally taught a class alone.

My timing was also quite good as I got to see an annual cultural
performance at the school and in the village, the 'teej' festival. The
festivities involved many of the local women and girls singing and
dancing over 2-3 days.

Overall I have found this to be a really enjoyable & rewarding
experience. The children, and everyone in the community, have been very
friendly and encouraging, so I've really felt at home in Patihani. I
would recommend the ANFO program to anyone who is interested in doing
something to improve the lives of children in a developing country.