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Itinerary - Africa and Asia Venture

Itinerary

GETTING THERE

You will need to fly into Kathmandu, where Gaurav Chhetri, our Nepal representative, will meet you. You will stay in a small hotel in Thamel, Nepal's backpacker HQ. We will go for a drink at the Rum Doodle, frequented by those who have climbed Everest. The following day you will get to know Kathmandu: the Pashupatinath Temple, the Boudanath Stupa and the ancient city of Pathan. That night you will continue your struggles with jet lag (or the nightlife!), be aware that you have a hill to climb the next day.

BRIEFING AND ORIENTATION

We will climb most of the hill to Shivapuri in a bus, but walk the last couple of hours to the village, which is in a conservation area where leopards can still be seen. In this incredibly tranquil spot we will discuss:

• Nepali (if you can speak a few words you will be surprised at how pleased people are).
• Nepali history, religion, culture and customs.
• Safety, health, risk assessment and security.
• Teaching techniques for teaching English (and practise on each other!).

We will visit a local village to see how the hill economy really works, and end up learning some Nepali dances and songs. We will even teach you to cook a curry!

YOUR NEW HOME

After the course is the long and often bumpy ride to your new home. We will go by bus and it will take pretty much all day, by the time we have come down from the Shivapuri hill, got round Kathmandu and wound down the long hill that will take us to the network of river valleys leading to Gorkha and Besisahar.

Once there you will be welcomed to your new home by your landlord. There will usually be a bedroom per two or three, a (cold) shower and a loo, a communal kitchen and living room. You will cook for yourselves (normally on a roster where you take it in turns to cook for everyone) and shop in the market - bargaining hard!

Enjoy the busy evening streets - that is if you haven't found a game of cricket or basketball to join - or help to feed the family goats!

THE PROJECT

After a warm welcome from your school, usually with a few flowers or garlands, you will:

• Teach for a term (three months), and there will be a long weekend break around half term.
• Walk from your house to your school with your partner each day in time for the start of school (around 9.00am but be advised that, in one or two cases, there is a small hill to climb).
• Teach at a secondary or primary school. Most schools are secondary schools, but some start at primary or even kindergarten. Schools are a mix of old buildings and more recent construction, though there is not much electricity.
• Have the chance to help at the blind or deaf units attached to your school, if there is one, and you will be welcome to help there in your spare time.
• Help with sports. There are a few sports' pitches - the hills are too steep to carve out many football grounds - and a game of volleyball or football is usually happening somehow, somewhere. Towns have pitches for use at weekends and you will be very popular if you arrange inter-school matches.
• Teach English. In most schools children are taught in Nepali, but you will teach English in English. In the ex-servicemen schools, you may be asked to teach other subjects in English. We aim for you to teach two to four periods (45 minutes) each day, but you will often be in greater demand.
• Introduce after school activities. Most children return home at the end of school but you will be popular if you can help with some games or music at the end of the day.
• Be looked after by the English teacher, but other members of the staff may also become your friends.
• Have the chance to take part in school activities at weekends (picnics are good fun) or go to visit other AV houses or perhaps go to Pokhara (food, dance and a western lifestyle) where you might also get up to see, close up, the sunrise on Annapurna.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL

You will have four weeks (unless you change your flight) of independent group travel and there are two options:

Trekking in Nepal

Why not trek to Annapurna base camp or Everest base camp?  Or trek to the Langtang Himal or, with special permits, look at the Mustang region at the head of the Kali Gandaki gorge? There is no end of stunning places to see and hold as a memory for the rest of your life.


Travelling in India.  Do you fancy....


Watching the dawn come up on the Ganges at the holy city of Varanasi?


Being an extra in a Bollywood movie?


Basking on a beach in Goa?


And of course visiting the Taj Mahal? You cannot really leave India without having seen this extraordinary monument to love. But remember that Mumtaj died giving birth for the 29th time! She'd have needed the Taj Mahal to keep all those children!


If you run out of time you can always extend your insurance and change your flight, for a fee, (your ticket should be flexible) to give yourself more time. As long as you keep in touch and travel with someone else we will do what we can to support you.

 

HOME

Your ticket home should fly out from Kathmandu, where you will probably want to indulge in some retail therapy in the back streets for one last bargain. Then you will wave goodbye to the white fringe of mountains that is the 'roof of the world' as your flight climbs out of the Kathmandu valley. ‘Maya na Marnu' - "don't forget us" - as the Nepalese say. We bet you never will!

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Before departure:
  • Pre-departure information, support and advice
  • A nominated member of the UK volunteer support team
  • One-to-one face to face briefing for UK applicants
  • Telephone briefing for non-UK applicants
  • References taken up
  • Comprehensive online health check
  • Advice on group flight booking or individual flight arrangements
  • Briefing for group departure from London airport
In-country:
  • In-country representative
  • 24/7 in-country backup
  • Meet and greet at airport (if arriving with the group)
  • Airport transfer (if arriving with group)
  • In-country induction course
  • Transfer from induction course to school/project
  • Accommodation (except during independent travel)
  • Food allowance (except during independent travel)
  • Management of emergencies, including lost passport, illness, etc. whilst in-country
Upon returning home:
  • Returning home advice
  • Full telephone debriefing

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

  • Flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Country visas
  • Meeting of non-group arrivals
  • Accommodation for early/late arrivals
  • Medical expenses, e.g. inoculations, malaria prophylatics
  • In-country medical expenses
  • Drinks
  • Tips/gratuities - No tips/gratuities for AV staff are necessary or expected
  • Spending money
  • Extra activities that you choose to do
  • Independent travel

 

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