The Nepal Reflection
Usually my CAS reflections are split into parts as I complete the activity, but the Nepal trip was so huge I’ve decided to put everything into one reflection.
When we arrived in Kathmandu on April 5, we spent a couple of days just exploring the city, and the markets. The city of Kathmandu is simply astonishing – the huge urban plight mixed with the refreshing Nepalese culture creates a bittersweet environment to be in.
The first challenge of the trip, after a breathtaking flight to Lukla (at 2,860m) was a day hike (8 hours) to Phakding, the first stop of our trip. This first hike was relatively easy, as much of it was downhill (Phakding is lower down than Lukla), although it was still challenging to walk such a long distance (over 20km) in one day.
Along the way there were many Nepalese and Tibetan monuments that provided fascinating scenery for us as we walked.
What became clear on this first day of hiking was the spread of ability in our group – I tended to stick toward the back, walking at a leisurely pace, while others moved faster. I did find the walk challenging, but the worst was to come. Nonetheless, I was really enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the Khumbu region.
Over the next few days we trekked from Phaking, through to Namche Bazaar, over to Tengboche and down to Phortse. The hikes became more and more challenging as the days wore on and there were many points where I felt like giving up – it’s hard to describe it without being there, but the blazing heat, combined with the lack of oxygen at the high altitude made the hikes challenging and frustrating for me, especially considering my relative lack of fitness.
On a positive note, I began to bond with some students I never had before as we trekked on; students who I am now great friends with, such as Dylan and Tim, below:
As we climbed higher and higher, I noticed that the effects of altitude had not really affected me all that much; and I was grateful, as some of my fellow students were affected very badly (requiring evacuation). As the days wore on I found the hiking had become easier, as my body adjusted to the altitude, and as we made our way back down from our highest point, my body felt amazing, as if it were truly firing on all cylinders. My favourite photo of the whole trek was taken on our last day of trekking, seen below:
This photograph is of me in front of Mount Everest, the highest point in the world. I felt as if I had climbed it – the feeling when I ended the trek, near here, was an intense explosion of emotion – a triumphant bellow and a warm feeling throughout. The trek was one of the most challenging experiences of my life – but also one of the most rewarding I think I will ever experience. I learnt things about me I never knew (I had no idea I would finish this!), developed new skills, worked with others and had fun doing so.
The trip was not over however! After our trek we returned to Kathmandu to complete the service aspect of our trip, which was a day of work at the Umbrella Orphanage in Kathmandu. The Orphanage hosts children from all over Nepal, and is run and funded completely by volunteers.
At the orphanage I teamed with other people in the group to paint on blank walls for the children, with the English alphabet and some games for them. It was a rewarding – if scary experience, I certainly have NO CLUE what to do with a paintbrush! – nonetheless the kids were really happy with the paintings we did and were exploring them as we left.
After a few more days in Kathmandu, we departed for home on April 19th and arrived in New Zealand 2 days later. It had been an absolutely life changing trip for me – words can’t really describe the amazing time I had. It let me explore myself, while helping others and adding my little bit to the world.
This activity counted for Action and Service, and encompassed learning criteria a, b, d, e, f, g, and h.
