Final day in Nepal

It's Friday afternoon and Hope and I are spending our last day in Nepal chilling out - it feels great having a day of just chilling out and relaxing.

First I will explain about yesterday (27/07/17). So yesterday was a brilliant day!

Same routine as normal in the morning, plus a few extra photos as it was our final morning with the host family (Hope sent her Dad a photo on the terrace holding a big happy birthday sign for his birthday ... Hope you had a fab birthday Charlie if you're reading this!).

We went back to the same community as last week's. We taught stress management first (they kept interrupting us - it was not great), but then we taught our culture lesson and they stopped interrupting and were very engaged. One of the women (who said last week that they wanted to know more about increasing income), came and told us at the end that she really enjoyed it!

At the end of the lesson, they give us both a tikki (not sure how to spell it), which was a cultural gesture to say goodbye (red dyed rice on our heads and red flowers in our hair). And one lady gave me a couple of her green bracelets (green for the colour of the festival... and she gave me 2 as Hope has loads and I only have 2 but little did she know it was because my wrist is too big for them hahahah!)

After the lesson, we walked quickly back to the house and got our bags together ready for Akkal to pick us up At 12. We had black tea (our usual routine after work) and Anita cut us up some mango (which Hope hates but you kind of have to eat what they give you here haha!). Then Akkal arrived, and we had to say goodbye to the family. We didn't actually know how to say goodbye to the family as they don't hug here usually, so it was a slightly awkward moment where hope and I went to hug, and Anita awkwardly hugged us back haha!!

We had a long journey back to the office as the usual road was closed so we had to go around (but it was a scenic route so I took a great video on the Go Pro!).

When we got to the office, Om wanted us to make a lesson plan for our culture lesson (because she loved it lol!). Then I made the report. In it we included a plan that we think the future volunteers should do for this program which included:
Lesson One: Human Trafficking Awareness,
Two: Women and Culture (which included human trafficking around the world)
Three: Women's Rights in Nepal - to educate the women on their rights within the new constitution which promotes equality
Four: Starting on life skills to empower the women and help women be less vulnerable to being targeted by traffickers (self-esteem, public speaking etc.)

Whether they will listen, who knows, but hopefully they will as they know we were unhappy with how our program ran, and that we were not told the link between everything.

We got our certificates, and had to have a 'chat' with Bhupi just before.

Overall it's been an amazing 2 week experience, and I think that we will look bad at even the difficult times and realise how brilliant it has been! We were of course disappointed that the program wasn't as expected, but it's still been great getting to know the women, live in the host family, explore Nepal, and meet some amazing people on the way. The last 2 days really were great when we got to teach our own thing as well.

We didn't end up getting to Thamel until half 5 from the office. We chilled, got showered and ready, then met everyone at OR2K at 7.30 ish. We both had a few cocktails, and shared the most incredible food with Melanie and Sheri. We had the Combo platter which was bread (the most gorgeous bread ever), falafel and lots of dips including hummus, salsa, etc. We shared chips, and extra falafel as well. Sheri and Melanie gave us the cutest note, matching bracelets to theirs, and Oreos and kit Kats (as we always ate theirs haha) as leaving presents. It was so sweet!!!!

We stayed at the restaurant for a bit, then headed to a few bars. We got a massive beer tower at one part - you can't visit Asia without a beer tower. We ended up having such a good night out with Erides, Davide, Martino, Fedi, Assunta and us.

Overall a great day!

*****

Today we are chilling!!!! Finally!!!

We went for lunch earlier at a restaurant opposite the hotel, then started walking towards the Garden of Dreams (but soon turned around as I felt so ill, and it was so hot, so we have just decided to chill).
We ended up being in an area where were asked for money multiple times, had a little boy following us and giving us tour guide information (which was cute, but obviously he asked for money!), and one man even grabbed the Pepsi out my hand.

We are going to chill out until we go for dinner later with Martino, Fedi, Assunta.

*****

We went for dinner at a Thai restaurant. Hope and I had veg green curry - it was nice but so expensive! It was nice spending the last night with them though!

Overall, a very nice chilled out day (despite me feeling so ill!!).Read more