Half Time Passed: Mid-Term Evaluation

Since we had some mid-term evaluation with the hosting organization in Nepal, I had to realize that it's true: we have already spent more than half of our time here. The evaluation consisted of excersises tht makes you think about what you are missing from home and what you have achived, what you have experienced here in return. Well, having colected all the experiences we had here so far, now I chose a lazy way to share it all with you - you can see below the summery that I prepared about the last almost three month. 

But don't worry, once I come over my laziness, soon I will share some more with you, too! :)

Activities of April

Work related experiences:

•  Taking part in the orientation training: Our experiences with CCN started with an orientation training, together with the local volunteers, during which we got to know a bit more about Nepalese traditions and the cultural context. 
• Cultural dinner: On our first Friday we all had a dinner together with CCN's current and former local volunteers and CCN staff. 
• Trip to Seto Gumba: On our first weekend, as the part of the orientation training we visited a Buddhist monastery near Kathmandu, Seto Gumba. We took part in the trip together with some of the local volunteers.
• Taking part in Nepali language lessons: In the first two weeks, Yamkala, our mentor held Nepali language classes for us, where we learnt how to introduce ourselves, how to bargain with taxis or when shopping and many other useful expressions.
•  Preparing a presentation about teaching methodology in Europe: Together with the other European volunteers we prepared a Power Point presentation about the teaching methodology in our countries.
•  Visiting the schools: We took our first introduction visits in four schools: Societal Higher Secondary School, National Academy, Rising Star, Guheswori School.
• Preparing our schedules: We discussed with Yagya and Yamkala our preferences about our working place and prepared our schedules. Regarding my schedule, we decided that I’m going to work two days a week in Guheswori School, one day in Societal School and two days in CCN office.
• Preparing time frame for specific tasks: Having our schedule regarding the working place, we defined specific tasks to be done, assigned them to individuals and prepared a time frame for it.
•  Preparing concept papers: I prepared different concept papers about workshops that I would like to do at CCN – they included photography workshop, psychodrama workshop and communication and conflict management workshop.
• Starting to work on CCN project: In the time spent in CCN office, together with Estela we starting working on a possible project for CCN to be sent for call of proposals. We started this by background research about the social situation in Nepal and discussions with local volunteers about the topic. Later we made research about discrimination, especially cast and gender discrimination.
•   School activities:

o   First introduction lessons: I conducted my first lessons at Societal School.

Other experiences:

•  Arriving to Kathmandu, first dinner: Arriving to Nepal I got the first sights and experiences of Nepalese culture, as well as we had a common dinner with Yamkala and Yagya in our apartment on the first day when we arrived.
• Getting engaged in the cleaning campaign in Swayambhu: Through Laura, we got to know some local people who are running a cleaning campaign at Swyambhu area so we started taking part in the campaign every Saturday.
• Trip to Ram Mandir: We all visited Ram Mandir together with Yagya and Yamkala for the festival dedicated to Ram.
• Visiting Thamel, Patan, Boudha: During the first weeks we explored parts of Kathmandu while organizing big walking tours with the other European volunteers.
•  Nepalese New Years: We got to experience the New Years according to the Nepalese Calendar: for this event we went to Durbar Square and listened a bit to a Nepalese concert.
• Easter: We celebrated Easter with the other European volunteers and a few friends.
• Tattoo Convention: We went to see a Tattoo Convention with Laura, Estela and some friends.
• Leaving of Laura

Activities of May

Work related experiences:

• Conducting Communication and Conflict Management Workshop: We organized at CCN office a workshop for college students coming from different background on the topic of communication and conflict management. For this event I developed the activities and played the role of the facilitator while the local volunteers took care of informing and inviting the participants and writing reports of the event. After the workshop I prepared certificates for the participants, sent them feedback questionnaires and analysed the results.
• Preparing possible workshop titles, developing concept papers: I developed concept papers for workshops on family therapy, anti-discrimination and conflict analysis.
• Updating CV: I prepared Euro Pass CV
•  Proceeding with the project for CCN: Together with Estella we made further research about possible projects to be developed and also made research about how to develop and write a project.
• Updating blog: I reviewed the blog written by the former volunteers, changed the outlook and updated it with new information.
• School activities:

o   Societal School:

§  Teaching about European countries, Hungarian traditions and cuisine.

§  With Class 7 we started a cultural exchange program with Hungarian children: for this I asked them to create a poster that represents Nepal and also write introductions about themselves – I did this with the promise that I would send their poster to Hungarian kids who might answer to them as well.

o   Guheswori School: Teaching English through Aesop’s fables and stories, as well as practising writing and talking about different topics in English. For this I used several games to make the lesson more interactive and interesting.

Other experiences:

• Continuing Swayambhu cleaning campaign: With the other volunteers we regularly spent our Saturdays at Swayambhu. Slowly the campaign gained new content: lots of children from difficult background and living in the area of Swayambhu got involved in the campaign as well, so the organizers started having different activities with them, like explaining about the importance of cleaning, the history of the temple, as well as conducting learning and extracurricular activities, too. We all also got involved in these activities and also spent most of the day with the organizers who got closer to us.
• Visiting a Buddhist monastery near Swayambhu: One Saturday we also visited a small Buddhist monastery close to Swayambhu with our friends from the campaign and practised some tai chi there.
• Visiting Pokhara and trekking: Together with Estella we took our free days to go on a trip to Pokhara and also do a five-day-long trekking on the route of Nayapul – Ghandruk – Tadepani – Ghotrepani – Thiketunda – Nayapul.
• Visiting Sundarijal Waterfall: We went on a trip to Sundarijal waterfall with the other volunteers, when unfortunately Aurelia and Estela had to return because of Aurela’s being sick, so only Stefania and me continued to the falls and the villages above it.
• Photo trip to Patan: On a bank holiday at the end of May I went alone to Patan to collect some pictures of the daily life in this amazing area.

Activities of June

Work related experiences:

•  Further work with project development: At CCN office, together with Estela we did further work to proceed with a project. Considering the background we decided to work on child labour, so we conducted research on this topic, looked for projects that have already been done about child labour and searched for workshop materials and ideas about how to use arts and photography with children to work on this topic.
• We also decided to contact some local organizations already working on child labour. We wrote and sent emails to several organizations and finally we visited an organization, called CWIN – where unfortunately we didn’t get too much information about their ongoing projects.
• Finally based on the material that we found about the topic, we prepared a project plan about a possible project based on international collaborations round the topic of child labour, using arts, discussions and photography. We also prepared –as part of it – an activity plan for schools in Nepal.
• School activities:

o   Societal Scool:

§  Conducting Hungarian language lessons

§  Finishing the poster as part of a cultural exchange between Nepalese and Hungarian children and sending it by mail to Hungary (for the children of a club at a child welfare service).

o   Public School:

§  Continuing with working on improving English through stories, games and conversations

§  I also started a project with two classes where the classes are creating their own sketch together that is hopefully going to be performed in front of the school in August.

Other experiences:

• Continuing Swayambhu cleaning campaign
• Visiting Boudha: Together with Estela we took a trip again to Boudhanath and enjoyed the sunset at the temple.
• Patan –Kirtipur trip: One weekend we set up with Estela to take a walking trip from Patan to Kirtipur. Finally because of the long way after Patan I continued my way alone to Kirtipur and had a nice afternoon discovering the village.
• Trip to Bhaktapur – Nagarkot – Changu Narayan – Bhaktapur: On another weekend I decided to take a trip to Nagarkot and also visit Bhaktapur on the way. While coming back, finally I walked from Nagarkot to Changu Narayan from where I again decided to walk to Bhaktapur.