I volunteered with VIN for four weeks, teaching English to young monks and nuns at Karma
Lekshey Ling Monastery, Kathmandu. The experience has been a pleasure, and one I will never
forget. Also, living in a monastery setting and embracing the Buddhist lifestyle has been an eye- opening experience. I would have not had such an enriching experience if I volunteered in the U.K., my home country, and the Nepalese culture is so vibrant, and the people are so friendly.
The students we taught were aged 5-15, the youngest not speaking any English. Despite the language barrier, over the course of my stay I learnt how to communicate with all of them both on an individual basis and in a group setting, which was very rewarding and heartwarming. For example, I also engaged in Nepali dancing with my students, played card games with them after lessons, and let them teach me some Nepali! Overall, volunteering at the monastery has been a great privilege, one I will talk about for the rest of my life. I will miss Nepal!