Public Health Internship

You will be met at the airport by one of our staff (Bishal Shrestha or Anjila Joshi). Together with our driver, Bimal, you will be taken to either the Volunteer Society Nepal (VSN) office or a hotel. Here you can drop your bags and relax. The Volunteer Society Nepal (VSN) director, Bishal Shrestha, will come to meet you to clarify your program for the first days. Depending on when you arrive, you will begin a Nepali language class or a sightseeing tour of some of the world heritage sights of the Kathmandu valley. In the evening you will enjoy your first Nepali dinner.

After a leisurely start and breakfast, so you can recover properly from your journey, you will start your Nepali language course at the Volunteer Society Nepal (VSN) office. After meeting the entire Volunteer Society Nepal (VSN) team you will have 2 lessons from around 10.30 to 12.45 with our highly experienced language teachers. This will also give you a chance to meet any other volunteers joining at the same time. In the afternoon, one of our staff will take you around the local area of Pepsi-Cola where the office and homestays are for the induction period.

Later that afternoon, you will be driven around being shown where all relevant amenities are: the nearest bank, shopping center, internet café, food shops, and post office. You will also be shown the local buses that can take you to Kathmandu or to Bhaktapur and also where you can catch a taxi. You will also be told where to keep your valuables and general information about life in Nepal.

At the end of the afternoon, you will be driven by our guide to see some of Kathmandu’s famous UNESCO world heritage sites. One of our guides, who has over 10 years of experience taking foreigners around the ancient city and can answer any questions you have on ancient and contemporary Nepal. During your introduction, you can visit the famous Buddhist Boudanath and Swayambhunath stupas as well as the Hindu temple complex of Pashupatinath. The Durbar squares on Patan and Kathmandu are also essential visits. If you have other sites you are particularly interested in then this may be integrated as well.

In the morning we will continue the Nepali language training. Be aware we are aiming for a basic understanding. For example to say ‘yes and no’ and to introduce yourself. We do not expect you to speak the language fluently after the training. After the lesson, you are driven around some of Volunteer Society Nepal (VSN)’s projects in the Kathmandu Valley. This may include the new CBIA school, our women’s center, our orphanage in the Pepsi-Cola suburb, or a visit to the village of Sunakoti where you will see new toilets, drinking water systems, and environmental projects that have all been recently implemented by volunteers and fundraising efforts.

In the afternoon, you can do more sightseeing with our guide in Kathmandu, or if you desire to take some time for yourself that’s even so possible. This afternoon, it’s also a good opportunity to stock up on anything you may have forgotten before heading up to a rural placement. The tourist hub of Thamel will be able to furnish you with anything from Marmite to an extra pair of Merino socks.

After about two days of language classes and sightseeing, you will be moved to the host family. They will be fully trained in hosting volunteers and you won’t be left in the dark about anything: toilets, drinking water, bedding, how to work the shower, where to buy anything you need nearby, and basic etiquette. If you want an early night then that is fine, but you will also be given the opportunity to ring home or send emails from the Volunteer Society Nepal (VSN) office so any parents or loved ones won’t be worrying about you.

It’s possible we already start this day at your project. If time appears to be short, we will start the next day in the morning. Our Volunteer Society Nepal director, Bishal, will discuss and finalize your program upon arrival so you know what to expect during the first days in Nepal.

While you volunteer with Volunteer Society Nepal you will be staying with a Nepali host family. Be part of a Nepali family. Eat together with the family. Play with the children. Experience the rich Nepali culture firsthand. Many volunteers tell us this unique insight into the culture of Nepal is a key part of why they come back again and again.

All our host families have conducted training regarding hosting volunteers adequately. They know how to ensure hygiene and provide security. They will treat you as a member of the family. To secure the knowledge of the western culture and desires we train our host families yearly.

Although we do not experience it frequently and it can be considered very rare, it could be possible you are not satisfied with your host family. In that case, it’s possible to switch host families. We want to guarantee your happiness and secure a positive experience of Nepal.  Hence, we remain in contact if ever runs properly at your host family during your stay.

When you arrive on placement you will be introduced to your host family by the Volunteer Society Nepal representative and given a full tour of the premises. Many of our host families have children and it seems many of our volunteers enjoy helping them with their English, learning to cook Nepali food, and mixing in with their life. On the other way around, we experience volunteers learning a lot from the hosts and children regarding life in Nepal.

At the host families, you will stay with or without fellow volunteers. You can clarify your preference and we will take that into account while arranging your host family. It is always possible to stay as a couple or group of friends in one host family. You should consider the host family as your temporary family in Nepal. As they will treat and value you as a family member. They can even help you how to discover the neighborhood, advice on travels, and offer you warmth in times of homesickness.