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Student Exchange & Himalaya
Trek in Nepal |
| This
is a cultural exchange program in experiential
learning designed primarily for students wanting
to take a break from the classroom and learn
directly from life experience in different world,
and to promote a better understanding between
cultures. Much of our emphasis is on independent
exploration and apprenticeship. Our program
is designed for students taking a break from
busy lives in their home countries who have
a sincere desire to experience and learn from
a foreign culture. It is vital that students
come to Nepal sensitive to others' beliefs and
with a willingness to temporarily live by Asian
ways. Our guiding credo is "comprehension
of the self through detour of the other".
The most important luggage you can bring is
an open heart, open to learning from new experiences.
We believe there is an enormous amount that
one can learn by immersing oneself in an unfamiliar
culture.
Most of the program activities will be in Kathmandu
or Pokhara where the participants gain an understanding
and appreciation of the social, cultural, and
political experience and of a non-Western culture.
Along with the development of Nepali language
skills, the program will provide the students
with an in-depth overview through coursework,
lectures, discussion, and field experience of
Nepali culture, history, and society. Part of
the program includes a homestay with a Nepali
family after language and culture training.
The program also includes a trekking in the
Himalayan Mountain to address the ecological
diversity of Nepal.
During the first week of the program, cross-cultural,
health and safety, and program orientations
are conducted by the program director and other
professionals. Through group discussions, readings
and other methods, you are introduced to your
host country and develop skills for successful
cross-cultural communication. |
| Group
Involvement & Independent Emphasis |
Many
of the activities that take place during the
program will call for the entire group, usually
4-15 students to be together. During these times
a strong emphasis is placed on group process.
As a balance to this, students are given a great
deal of unstructured time in which to experience
Nepal on their own. We believe that the best
way for us to help students to come to know
Nepal is by providing opportunities for direct
contact and close interaction with Nepalis while
allowing participants the freedom to pursue
their personal
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| Intensive
Language Study |
Nepali
language instruction is a crucial component
of the program. Intensive language classes will
be conducted to help the participants develop
practical skills and immerse students in the
daily life of people. VSN delivers language
instruction through qualified and experienced
teachers.
Through three to four hours of daily formal
classroom instruction and discussion as well
as field exercises, you develop conversation
skills. With its focus on oral communication,
VSN Nepal language learning enriches the academic
experience and enhances cultural immersion.
During
the homestay period, language classes will continue.
Do not let past experiences with language training
discourage you; Nepali is very easy to learn.
Unlike most other languages, in a short time
you will be able to communicate with Nepalis
in their own language if you choose to apply
yourself.
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| Home
stay |
| Living
with families, often in both urban and rural
settings, deepens your appreciation of another
culture and helps you build friendships and
confidence to adapt to new environments.
Students will live with Nepali families for
approximately two weeks. The character and structure
of these families vary considerably. Home stay
families arranged by VSN Nepal screened and
approved each family's suitability. These families
represent a variety of occupational, educational
and economic levels and live in diverse neighborhoods,
towns and rural settings. Families include one
or more adults and may or may not include children.
During home stay, in addition to sleeping in
your family's home, you become a member of a
family and share in its daily life. This opportunity
facilitates cultural immersion, helps develop
further language skills and provides a context
for your academic learning. By adapting to the
lifestyle of a family, you will be able to see
and experience the essential nature of Nepali
life and also learn about the cultural differences
between American and Nepali ways. Students frequently
cite the home stay as an excellent way of learning
about the people and culture.
The success of the home stay experience depends
largely on your willingness to adapt as an active
family member.
When not living with your home stay family,
you stay in a hotel. |
| Thematic
Seminar and Orientation visits |
| The
program offers lectures, discussions and field
trips concerning the history, culture and development,
peace and conflict studies, gender issues, environmental
and development issues, ecology and conservation,
arts and architecture, healing, government and
politics, religion within the context of the
Nepali culture.
In many cases, this seminar is taught in cooperation
with a university or other local academic institutions.
Lecturers and instructors from these and other
professional local resources are carefully selected
to provide a variety of informed perspectives.
Field trips may include museums, important religious,
historical sites and many other tourists attractions
and |
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Himalayan
Trek
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Following the home stay and apprenticeship
period, students will be given the opportunity
to trek from five to seven days, exploring the
plains, hills, and mountains of this remote
Himalayan country. This time away from roads,
electricity, and modern convenience is a rare
and unforgettable experience, offering student's
time for reflection and decision-making.
Camping in tents or local village lodges, you
will trek through areas frequented by foreign
trekkers as well as areas relatively unexposed
to Western influence. Trekking requires some
adjustments in lifestyle, but in exchange for
giving up a few luxuries you can have the experience
of a lifetime. While trekking the students will
share in the traditional lifestyle of the Nepalese
people and enjoy fascinating views of snow-capped
peaks and lush green valleys with diverse flora
and fauna. You will share trails with Nepali
porters, water buffaloes, and yaks in the shadows
of the world's highest peaks. You will encounter
rural Nepali life far from the city. Trekking
in Nepal, unlike hiking in other parts of the
world, is more a cultural experience than a
wilderness experience. For maximum enjoyment
of the trek, we recommend that students come
to Nepal physically fit for strenuous walking. |
| Program
Schedule |
Day 1 Arrive in TIA, Kathmandu, Evening short
meeting with sttafs of VSN and stay in a Hotel
in Kathmandu
Day 2 Kathmandu Sight seeing or leave for Pokhara
– stay in a hotel
Day 3 Orientation – General information
about Nepal and Pokhara
Day 4 - 10 Language and orientation training
starts – Orientation lecture – 1-2
hours,
language – 3hours
Day 11-17 Homestay – language study and
orientation visits continue
Day 18 - 22 Trekking in Himalaya
Day 23 Return to Pokhara
Day 24 Rest
Day 25 - 29 Seminars (individual study) and
visits
Day 30 Fly to KTM
Day 30 - 34 KTM – visits and sightseeing
Day 35 Leave Nepal
Note: This program is organized only for the
group of 2 or more participants.
*The program schedule
is a sample and is subject to change to meet
the participants available duration and date*
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| Duration
and Dates of the program |
Although,
this is a five week program, we are happy to
organize program per individual availability.This
program can be organized from 3 to 8 weeks and
program start 1st adn 16 of each month
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| Our
Support |
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Upon your arrival, you will be picked up at
the airport in Kathmandu and taken to either
a hotel or a host family, where you will have
your orientation appropriate to length of volunteering
and needed.
Throughout your stay in Nepal you will have
the support and guidance of the project leaders
and team. They will provide you with competent
field support and assistance and help you with
any questions or support you may need during
your stay.
The team will be there for you to contact each
day and a meeting will also be scheduled for
you early on in your placement to give you an
extra opportunity to network and socialise with
the other volunteers and students in Nepal.
In addition, we will provide you with a 24 hour
emergency contact number |
| Eligibility
and Skills Required |
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Minimum age 18 yrs
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You
do not need any formal relevant training
or experience to participate, but whatever
experience you do have will be taken into
account when arranging your day-to-day activities.
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Volunteers need to be independent, enthusiastic
and adaptable, hard-working with an open-minded
attitude.
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All
applicants should have: a desire to help
the people of Nepal, flexibility, self-motivation,
openness to a new culture and a willingness
to learn.
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| Expenses |
| We
offer one of the most affordable program fees
in this competitive and expensive time. Compared
to many international and local agencies, our
fees our substantially lower. But we are committed
to providing excellent, quality volunteer programs
that efficiently use the amount we receive.
The cost for this five week long Nepal Experience
USD1050
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| The
program fee covers |
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Meal and accommodation (Nepali standard)
with host family during placement.
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Transportation (pick up and drop off to/from
airport and placement)
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Intensive training and orientation appropriate
to the length of your stay .
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Stationeries during training and volunteering.
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Supervision
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Sightseeing
in Kathmandu (Including guide and entrance
fees)
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An experience Guide (trained by Ministry
of tourism), porters (generally 1 porter
for 2 pax), their Food, accommodation, salary,
insurance, equipments. Surface Transfer
to destination from Kathmandu.
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Tourist
service charge, Vat.
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Office
Service charge.
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The fee does not cover |
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Insurance (medical, travel, personal belongings)
- Flight
or land transportation from your country to
Nepal.
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Personal expenses (ie. gift items, beverage,
water bottle)
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Trekking, rafting, other adventure activities.
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Visa renewal and obtainin.
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Other expenses in incidental cases
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