Grade 12 Service Nepal

Service Nepal was a great opportunity for the senior class to explore the cultures and traditions of our host nation. The experiences and memories we’ve all made will remain with us for years after high school. The bonds formed between us, the students at Bachchhaladevi, and the All Hands Volunteers are stronger than hydrogen bonds, and has made an impact on our lifestyle and perspective. Over 6 days, we accomplished a lot from digging a hole to make the toilets, to pouring the foundations for a school building.

My highlight was:

• "While this trip was exciting and insightful, my personal highlight was when we went rafting. I was able to take a step towards overcoming my fear, by having people who supported and understood me. This trip was insightful because we got the opportunity to explore other cultures and situations, however it was exciting due to the activities we did the last two days." - Sneha.
• "Amidst the daily work that happened on site, the conversations with All Hands volunteers was an illuminating experience, which provided me with ideas of what to do after graduation and during college." - Swopnil
• "Rafting was an enthralling experience that contained a splashy adventure, synchronized collaboration, and a ton of laughs that will stay imprinted in my memory forever." - Norchen
• "The highlight of this trip was to enjoy the last Service Nepal for me and all of the 12th graders, and to be able to put a smile on the students and villagers faces, as well as enjoying the trip and making the most of it."  - Chakkapong
• "My personal highlight was to get to know the All Hands Volunteers and the Borderlands' staff. They’re doing a great job and it gave me a lot knowledge of how to get into an NGO and make a life out of it." - Lisa
• "Taking the cultural walk and being able to relax with an amazing view." - Miles
• "I really enjoyed playing the little quiz game with the third graders about telling time. Even though they already knew the days of the week and months of the year, I was glad we were able to teach them how to tell time." - Yashmit
• "My highlight for this Service Nepal was rafting and swimming in the river. I also enjoyed spending time with my class and being around a peaceful environment. It was much needed!" - Shree
• "My highlight was getting to know the All Hands Volunteers and learning about their backgrounds and their reasons to join All Hands. It was refreshing to see people from different places come together to help others." - Nikhil

I learnt to:

• "From just speaking to a few All Hands Volunteers, I learned that all you really need in life are basically clean water, food, and a place to sleep. With just these three things, they can enable us to have a good, healthy, and happy life." - Kannapat.
• "During the three days we worked with the All Hands organization, I learned how to use tools such as sifters, wheelbarrows, and shovels. Further, I strengthened my stamina due to the walking and working we did." - Sneha
• "I learned that little bits of help, even though it doesn’t look like much, can make a big difference." - Chakkapong
• "I learnt that we didn’t necessarily need our phones to entertain ourselves." - Rahab
• "I learned that during teaching it is important to adjust course content based on the audience that was listening and even to improvise from time to time!" - Swopnil  
• "I learned to dig a hole." - Lisa
• "I learned to use a hoe and shovel." - Norchen
• "I learnt how how you can be really satisfied by the simple pleasures in life. The All Hands Volunteers were a perfect representation of how helping others and being around new people who are all passionate about contributing can be satisfying." - Shree
• "I learnt to appreciate all the little things in my life that are otherwise very normal to me but are considered a luxury to others who are not as privileged as I am. Things like disposable pads, running water, constant electricity, etc." - Yashmit
• "I learned to use a sifter." - Paula
• " I learned to teach others about a subject that they have little knowledge of." - Nikhil

I enjoyed:

• "Being away from technology was something that was hard for me to picture, as I am so addicted to my phone. But I really enjoyed the nature and the sounds of nature were so pleasing to my ears. I felt like I really needed this trip to get through this stressful time of year." - Kannapat
• "I enjoyed spending time with friends in the eating area and just being away from technology." - Rahab
• "I enjoyed getting out of the city and seeing clean, green nature." - Miles
• "I enjoyed meeting people from the school, especially our buddies. It was fun to interact with the other students and to work with them. Further, I enjoyed spending time with my classmates during the afternoon and evening; our conversations, card games and dancing session were very fun. It was exciting to spend such a long time away from my family with my friends, and I loved this experience." - Sneha
• "I enjoyed the experience of being away from home for several days and gaining a feeling of independence and responsibility for myself and the work that I would be doing. It was a time of inspiration." - Swopnil
• "I enjoyed coming out of my Lincoln bubble and exploring an environment outside of my comfort zone." - Norchen
• "I enjoyed getting out of my dark personal space and actually doing something to help the community. Even though it might not look like much, I gave it everything I have." - Chakkapong
• "I enjoyed being in nature and breathing the fresh air again!" - Lisa
• "I enjoying talking to the All Hands Volunteers about how long they’ve been working with All Hands and what originally made them start." - Shree
• "I enjoyed the free time we got when we played twister or cards or just laying down on the twister mat under the sun and taking a small nap." - Yashmit

A challenge for me was:

• "A challenge was definitely the bridge, which I believed was as high as the Burj Khalifa. Crossing it for the first time was just pure disaster. But as the days went on, I believe that I got used to the height and am now comfortable with it." - Kannapat
• "Crossing the bridge on the first day was the biggest challenge for me." - Rahab
• "My challenge for this Service Nepal was speaking in front of students and mothers in a language that I am not that confident in, especially about topics that are considered taboo in that community." - Shree
• "My challenge was trying to do construction work and teaching while I was feeling under the weather." - Norchen
• "My challenge was to keep calm and be understanding of others' experiences. I’ve been trekking and camping since I can remember, and because of that it was hard to understand some issues people had." - Lisa
• "My challenge was feeling useful because I don’t know Nepali or how to do construction." - Paula
• "A challenge was facing my fear of heights to go canyoning." - Miles
• "It was challenging to make the jump when we were jumping from the large rock. I somehow mustered the courage to jump the first time and had a lot of fun but it was just as scary the second time. I'm glad I jumped twice despite my fear of heights." - Yashmit

I feel better prepared for college because:

• "I got first hand experience getting my hands dirty; something that comforts me before I enter the uncertainty of college." - Norchen
• "I was able to sort out my clothes (dirty and clean) nicely and improve my organization skills." - Yashmit
• "I learnt how I can live with just the bare basics: water, food, and shelter. This experience was a tough adventure, but it prepared me for tougher times to come and for the hardships that college might bring." - Nikhil  
• "I gained insight about college and life in the United States through conversations with All Hands volunteers so I had a better idea of what to expect in the future." - Swopnil