Expedition to Nepal explores religion, culture and social projects

This month we had a group of ten students along with Mrs Watt and Mrs Lewis who completed an incredible 12-day expedition to Nepal with ‘World Challenge’ who specialise in life-changing trips to develop leadership skills.

Our students had the opportunity to go to places very few tourists get to visit, to experience life in a foreign culture and help people less fortunate than themselves by participating in a carefully planned itinerary.

Nepal is an incredible country steeped in religion and culture that borders China and India and is situated in the Himalayas, which includes Mount Everest.

The trip commenced in the capital Kathmandu with treks around three cities along the Kathmandu valley where they visited amazing Buddhist stupas and Hindu temples, including the Changu Narayan Temple, which is one of the oldest temples in Nepal.

Sampling the local cuisine is always a highlight of any trip abroad and our students visited the Seven Women refuge where they were treated to a demonstration of how to cook a traditional Nepalese meal and experience their generous hospitality. Seven Women is an important community programme that empowers Nepali women and transforms their lives through education and employment.

A key element of the expedition was to understand and get involved in the sustainable community programmes that focus on ecology, economy and social inclusion. The Kevin Rohan Memorial Eco Foundation (KRMEF) hosted the students for three days with activities including a handicraft workshop and working at an organic/biodynamic farm. They also visited a Leprosy colony to understand the important work the Foundation does to support affected people.

Finally, to give something back to the local community the group painted rooms at a local school in Bhaktapur, which is a city outside Kathmandu. They were also were able to make pottery and visit an art school as traditional crafts are essential skills in the local culture.

Seeing our students participate in expeditions such as this allows them to explore their comfort zones, promotes personal growth, independent thinking and resourcefulness.