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Anthony |
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Bobby |
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Dorothy |
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Ellen |
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Grace |
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Heidi |
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Jacky |
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Manna |
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Sally |
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Tony |
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Life May Be Simple in Nepal But It Is Full of Love
Heidi Tam
When I was in Nepal, I hiked up the mountain without showers and only had vegetarian meals for 6 days straight.
Initially, I thought that I would not be able to adapt to the rural Nepalese lifestyle, but in hindsight, I miss the time that I spent there.
I still recall the moment we arrived at the mountain area when all the volunteers alighted from the jeep and we had to walk to the village, while carrying our heavy backpacks.
Even though I had mentally prepared myself for the challenges ahead, when I looked on at the endless mountainous path, I could only take it one step at a time. It was way harder than I imagined.
When we arrived at the Village, waves of anticipation and nervousness washed over me because I was about to live in rural conditions.
One of the greatest takeaways from Nepal was being grateful for each meal. Every time we were done with our activities and it was nearly meal time, I felt very hungry and tired. In the distance, I could see the local women preparing meals for us. Although our meals were always very simple - we had boiled potatoes, vegetables and rice - none of these could be taken for granted. My newfound appreciation for these meals came from seeing the farmers ploughing the fields laboriously and my amateur attempts at farming. It made me realize that the meals before us were the product of many people’s hard work. The locals willingly shared the fruits of their labour with us and this act made me feel very grateful.
The Walkathon was the most challenging yet most unforgettable activity in the entire trip. We walked for 3 hours on the steep and rugged mountainous path which was also the path that local children crossed daily to get to school. I felt like giving up many times and even jokingly said, “I hope a helicopter would rescue me.” I was very grateful that throughout the arduous hike, my friends and I joked with, complained to and encouraged each other. That is the reason why I look back on this fond memory with an image of laughter and happiness. When we finally reached our destination, the local children greeted us with their enthusiasm, brightly-lighted, innocent eyes and their lively energy. Although the hike was long and arduous, what I saw at the destination was worth my determination and effort. The local Nepalese life there may be simple, but it is full of love.
Since the welcome ceremony on the first day, I felt their heartwarming enthusiasm deeply. Even though they did not understand what we were saying, their faces always plastered on bright smiles. During the trip, we prepared some workshops for the children and women, a lot of times because of the language barrier, they did not really understand our instructions, but that did not hinder them from their enthusiasm in learning. So, we tried to use very simple Nepalese and mostly body language to teach them how to make handmade crafts. After they created the crafts, they gave us their sincere smiles.
I experienced a deep human connection during my time up in the mountains. When we met each villager along the way, we would always greet them with “Namaste” and a huge smile. Although it was our first time meeting these villagers, instead of treating us coldly as strangers typically would, they were friendly. Instead of looking at us differently as we were foreigners, they treated us as locals and tried to converse with us in basic Nepalese.
After returning to Hong Kong, I often reminisce about my time in Nepal. That week was filled with different challenges, yet it was a very fulfilling experience. Although that trip was just a short span of 9 days, I had a look into the side of Nepal that was simple, sincere and happy.
(Thanks volunteer Hazel for translating Heidi’s testimonial from Chinese to English)
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