Lego® School Exchange

Once you arrive we organize an introduction for you. We deem this to be highly valuable and it’s a program valued by many volunteer in the past. By means of an introduction you can acclimatize and prepare for your volunteering. You can begin at you project rested and prepared. In this way you can be really effective.

Arriving to work in a foreign country can be a nerve-wracking experience, this is why at VSN we provide a friendly and in-depth welcome. The in-depth welcome encompasses basic language training, cultural training and sightseeing through Kathmandu and surrounding. This is what you can expect from the moment when you touch down at Tribhuvan Intl. Airport. The program may vary depending on your time of arrival. We will manage to include all below mentioned activities in you introduction program.

Day 1: Arrival & Introduction

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 VSN office or a hotel. Here you can drop your bags and relax. The VSN director, Tej Shrestha, will come to meet you to clarify you program for the first days. Depending on when you arrive, you will begin 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.

Day 2: Nepali lessons and local amenities and sightseeing

After a leisurely start and breakfast, so you can recover properly from your journey, you will start your Nepali language course at the VSN office. After meeting the entire 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 round the local area of Pepsi-Cola where the office and homestays are for the induction period. Later that afternoon, you will be driven round being shown where all relevant amenities are: the nearest bank, shopping centre, internet café, food shops, post office. You will also be shown the local buses to 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. In the end of afternoon, you will be driven with our guide to see some of Kathmandu’s famous UNESCO world heritage sites. One of our guides, Gelu Sherpa, has over 15 years experience taking foreigners round 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.

Day 3: Nepali lessons and VSN’s projects

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 fluent after the training. After the lesson, you are driven round some of VSN’s projects in the Kathmandu Valley. This may include the new CBIA school, our women centre, 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 with 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.

Day 4: Introduction Host Family and Start Project

After about two days of language classes and sightseeing, you will be moved to the host family. They will be fully trained about 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, 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 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 times appears to be short, we will start the next day in the morning. Our VSN director, Tej, will discuss and finalize you program at arrival so you know what to expect the first days in Nepal.

While you volunteer with Volunteer Society Nepal you will be staying with a Nepali host family. By living with a family you will gain a greater insight and understanding of Nepali culture. You will be part of a Nepali family, eat together with the family and play with the children. Many volunteers tell us this unique insight into the culture of Nepal is a key part of why they come back again and again.

The standard of lodging will depend on whether you are in a rural or urban area. In a rural area the facilities will be basic with minimal running water and a squat toilet. In an urban placement you will have a flushing Western style toilet and a shower. All of your food will be provided for you at your home stay and you will never be more than 30 minutes from your place of work. For more information on what to expect in a home stay have a look at our food and accommodation page.

All our host families have conducted a training regarding hosting volunteers adequately. They know how to ensure hygiene and provide security. They will treat you as a member of the family.

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

At the host families you will stay with fellow volunteers. It is always possible to stay as a couple or group of friends in one host family. You should consider the host family as you temporary family in Nepal. They can help you regarding how to discover the neighborhood, advice on travels and offer you warmth in times of homesickness.

Comfort

You should not expect luxury on your stay in Nepal. Nepal is a developing country and may well be different from what you are used to at home. However, you will have your own room unless requested otherwise, and the rooms are always clean and comfortable. The quality of toilet and washing facilities vary significantly between placements. If you are based in Kathmandu you may find you have a hot shower and a Western style toilet in your homestay. However, if you are in a rural placement then it is more likely that you will have a traditional squat toilet and a cold shower. If you feel like having a hot shower and flushing toilet is a priority then make this clear when you are applying and we will see if it is possible to find you one of our better equipped host families.

Electricity

The electricity supply in all areas is good, but sometimes there is a power cut which can last up to 5 hours. In the cities some houses have backup batteries that will run low power bulbs in key rooms, but in the rural areas you can expect to use candles. A head-torch is a very useful thing to bring.

Food

On placement you will usually eat with the family and share the same food as them. At least two meals a day are provided for you while volunteering. The usual meal times are between 9 and 10 AM and 6 and 8 PM. You will usually be served the national staple of Dal Bhat Tarkari which is a tasty and filling plate of rice, vegetable curry, lentils and pickles. It may occasionally have meat such as chicken or mutton in it, although if you are vegetarian this can easily be explained. This may be supplemented occasionally by noodles, eggs and other snacks dependent on your host family and placement

Water

Your hosts family will provide you with clean drinking water on your placement.

Comfort

You should not expect luxury on your stay in Nepal. Nepal is a developing country and may well be different from what you are used to at home. However, you will have your own room unless requested otherwise, and the rooms are always clean and comfortable. The quality of toilet and washing facilities vary significantly between placements. If you are based in Kathmandu you may find you have a hot shower and a Western style toilet in your homestay. However, if you are in a rural placement then it is more likely that you will have a traditional squat toilet and a cold shower. If you feel like having a hot shower and flushing toilet is a priority then make this clear when you are applying and we will see if it is possible to find you one of our better equipped host families.

Electricity

The electricity supply in all areas is limited and sometimes there will be hours of loadshedding. You will often only have one plug in your room. In the cities some houses have backup batteries that will run low power bulbs in key rooms, but in the rural areas you can expect to use candles. A head-torch is a very useful thing to bring.

Food

On placement you will usually eat with the family and share the same food as them. At least two meals a day are provided for you while volunteering. The usual meal times are between 9 and 10 AM and 6 and 8 PM. You will usually be served the national staple of Dal Bhat Tarkari which is a tasty and filling plate of rice, vegetable curry, lentils and pickles. It may occasionally have meat such as chicken or mutton in it, although if you are vegetarian this can easily be explained. This may be supplemented occasionally by noodles, eggs and other snacks dependent on your host family and placement

Water

Your hosts family will provide you with clean drinking water on your placement.

The Special Needs Volunteering Placement Is Available At The Following Beautiful Places:

Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu Valley lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and Buddhists. The cities of Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Chobhar are located in this valley, and each displays excellent examples of Newar art and architecture. The valley is the cultural and political hub of Nepal, but this melting pot of traditions and different Nepali >>>>

Hilly Region- Dhulikhel and Banepa

Dhulikhel is situated at an altitude of 5,500 ft above sea level, 30 km east of Kathmandu on the Kodari Highway and is a 90 minute drive from Kathmandu. It is a typical Newari town surrounded by nearby Tamang villages, and is set on a hill top, enveloped in copper soiled terraces with magnificent views of the central Himalayan peaks. Dhulikhel is well known for its beautiful sunrise and >>>>.

Pokhara and  Kaskikot

Pokhara valley is located at the very center of Nepal and is dominated by the peaks of the Annapurna mountain range. The town of Pokhara (913 meters), is only fifty kilometers from Annapurna 1 (8,091 meters), and the sharp decline of six thousand meters within the short distance of only twenty-nine kilometers gives the region. It is famous for the peaceful Phewa Lake and the magnificent >>>>

Why pay for volunteering?

You probably asked yourself on occasion. Why pay for volunteering? After all…you’re offering your services free of charge… and on top of that you have to pay? How ridiculous is that?? The question one should ask though is: “what is it I’m paying for?” In the following points, we will shed light on this question, and hopefully will have answered any misconceptions many people have on volunteering. As a potential intern/volunteer you need to understand that below is a list of reasons why a program fee is required.

1. Airport Pickup & Transfer

After traveling halfway around the world to a country you’ve never visited, there should be someone who will greet you at the airport who then grabs your bag and whisks you away in a car. When it comes time to leave, you have someone willing to help you lug your bags back to the airport and seeing off you.

2. Logistics

The most difficult part of picking up your life and plopping down in another country is all the logistics involved. From finding a place to live to obtaining the perfect volunteer placement, the details are much easier to accomplish when you have a local there to guide you or take care of it for you — who, obviously, needs an income. Additionally, we have our own project developed to place our volunteers and have also developed relationships with many schools, hospitals, and child care centers in the every part of Nepal where we can get you to the placement there.

3. Language and Orientation

As a volunteer, you can be very useful. However it takes time to understand not only your role but how your placement organization works as well as local cultural practices and etiquette, which is why orientation and trainings are a crucial part of any responsible volunteer program. The orientation will include language training or cultural orientation by our staff. The fees paid by you will help us to develop our training programs and hire on quality individuals to run them.

4. Food & Accommodation

The fee also includes your cost of living. You will be staying in a Nepali homestay, where you will have your meals cooked for you by the host family twice a day.

5. In-Country Assistance

Perhaps the volunteer placement isn’t all you hoped it would be. Or you need help sorting out a banking issue, renewing a visa, or you need a doctor who speaks English. Volunteer Society Nepal helps with issues that inevitably arise and this help is invaluable, especially if you aren’t fluent in the local language. We know which doctors to visit when you’re sick, where the best place to buy a bus ticket is, how to avoid being scammed, and so much more! Plus we are around to help at all hours of the day, so if an emergency happens on a weekend or in the night, we are always available for you to call. We also keep in touch with family members if the unlikely happens and you need to be evacuated from the country or fall seriously ill. For those with worrying parents, this peace of mind is worth the money!.

6. Project Support & Continuity

Part of your fees go to our projects, to keep the running. We pay for the rent, staffs salaries, electricity, water and maintenance. This is why we are doing this after all, to keep our projects running with your help!

7. Trips and Excursions

We offer you trips through our fellow website: VSN Tour and Treks. If you want to do trekking, tour, rafting, peak climbing, jungle safari, home stays program including tours to Tibet and India, it is possible through us. You can experience the unique beauty of the Himalayas region, enjoy the customs and food of the diverse people who call Nepal home. You can be awed by the mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, jungle and ancient cities and to have the journey of a lifetime. To book through us is a great way to see the country without being responsible for the logistics and its easy to combine volunteering with trekking or touring.

Note: You may find other organization in need of volunteers who offer programs with little fee. Be aware that they usually are unable or unwilling to provide above mentioned logistics and support like arranging housing, orientation, sight -seeing, language classes, visa Assistance, 24/7 support and social and cultural activities. Our organization is a non-profit and through our fee system we provide sustainability for our projects, staff, home stays and communities.