Bellarmine Prep and Basauli Students Celebrate a New Court, a New Year and New Beginnings
Namaste everyone! First, thank you so much Courts for Kids organization for providing a beautiful basketball ground. It was such an amazing week of working and playing together. I had a lot of fun, I made a lot of friends. I thought that everything would be very different, with a different culture, different language, and different barriers, but it was not what I thought, we were able to communicate with each other without problems, after all, we are all humans. Language is not a big deal. So my favorite part was the games, when I heard that Nepal was playing versus the USA I was so excited to play and to see Nepal winning by five goals haha, just kidding. It was a friendly match and we had a lot of good memories. I won't be able to forget these memories. Lastly, all the fun came to an end, and it was time to say goodbye so hopefully we'll meet in the future. Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful time, bye! Lots of love from Nepal, and from the Antyodaya School!! ~Juna Chepang, Nepalese student, age 17, 12th grade
The day before our trip, I had so many questions. What the food was like, what the Nepali language was like, if I brought enough clothes… and so many more. Yet once I arrived at the airport, my nervousness disappeared. I saw the friendly faces of classmates, friends, and teachers and I knew everything was going to be alright.
Most of us did not know each other, but the few hours we had before the 14-hour plane ride broke the ice. We played games, got food, and talked about what may happen while we were in Nepal. We were most excited to meet the kiddos and to see what the Nepali culture is like.
The 1st plane ride went somewhat quickly for some and extremely slow for others, but nonetheless we arrived in Doha. We waited for the next plane ride, which was only 4-hours. We had a 9-hour layover and twenty-two Bellarmine students were roaming around the giant airport, stretching their legs as much as possible. After walking up and down the airport about 5 times, our plane to Kathmandu was boarding. That plane ride, hardly any of us slept, we were getting too excited. Our arrival in Kathmandu was nothing like any of us expected. It was beautiful, hot, smoky, and packed full of people waiting for their loved ones. We were welcomed by Bhagawan (our generous host and the founder of We Volunteer Nepal), Juan Carlos (our Courts for Kids coordinator), Maite (a volunteer from Germany offering her medical skills in Kathmandu, but first spending a week with us), and lastly our drivers that stayed with us for the duration of the trip.
Driving to Basauli (where our worksite is), was probably one of the scariest and most interesting drives of my life. Unlike here in the States, the roads are sort of a free for all. That means no lines, hardly any street lights, and motorcycles squeezing into any open space. Trying to understand their rules of the road felt impossible, but our driver, Shram, kept us safe (and a little bit on our toes). The architecture was unique, each building seemed connected and had their own unique color. You could see their vibrant culture and fast moving lifestyle by simply looking out of the window.
Once we arrived at Bhagawan’s, we were welcomed with a beautiful sunset and many happy smiles from his family. We got our room assignments and then quickly jumped into a reflection. We discussed our expectations and the agenda for tomorrow. Going up to my room that night I was exhausted, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what we have in store for tomorrow.
Each day at Bhagawan’s we were served an amazing breakfast and dinner. Breakfast often included eggs, rice, oatmeal, and coffee/tea. It was all so tasty that some students helped prepare food in hopes to learn their skills. For dinner we would have chicken, rice, lentils, vegetables, and something that we called chicken skins. They were like crunchy chips, they were my favorite. We would eat lunch at the orphanage, they would serve the same things as we would eat for dinner, but of course slightly different. Nepalese food is amazing. They use lots of different spices that would often send us reaching for our water bottles.
We had our quick drive to the orphanage and just like that our first day of working began. We were quickly welcomed with “Namastes”, which is a respectful form of greeting. They were all lined up and wore the biggest smiles that I have ever seen in my life. We got our hats, sunscreen, bug spray, and gloves ready and walked out to get assigned jobs. Either gravel, sand, or wheelbarrow, but there were small jobs too. The best job was throwing buckets with a local named Rohit. He is a kind and funny kid that just wanted to be included in the job site. You could see the strength of the community in how hard they worked to get as much done during the day.
Our court was divided into three portions, our first day, we finished the first. Once we were done we all played football (soccer). It was the Americans versus the Nepalese. We held our own, but we still got demolished. It was so much fun because we didn’t speak the same language, but we were able to share this experience together. When our game was done, we went back “home” and a few of us left to go and complete our challenges. The challenge I chose was to rent a farm animal for an hour. We walked from house to house looking for a baby goat. On the third house, we hit the jackpot. There was this adorable baby goat we decided to name Gary and a duckling. We all passed around Gary and got plenty of photos to remember this random moment. The best part of the challenges is that they give everyone an opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone. It makes the trip filled with more laughs and knowledge. After having a tasty dinner, reflection, and showers we all went to bed exhausted after our first day of work.
On our second work day, we started to get a rhythm that allowed us to work really quickly. We also started to get closer with the locals. They were teaching us Nepalese words and we taught them American pastimes like rock, paper, scissors and arm wrestling. During lunch, they served us rice, chicken, lentils, and vegetables. In Nepal, it is common to put ghee, clarified butter, on rice. We tried it and it was so good! Once we finished the second panel, we immediately jumped into playing games on their soccer field. There were two groups, one for volleyball and one for soccer. You would never hear anything but giggles coming from both groups. Once we went home, we had dinner and reflection. Just like that, day 2 of work was completed.
We were all really excited for day 3 of work, if everything went right, we would be done at the end of the day. When we arrived, you could see everyone waiting for us to get there so they could begin. The work was hard, but it felt like nothing because we were all so excited to finish. Seeing the court finished is the most rewarding part of this trip. All of our hard work is finished and we are finally seeing the end result. We made something that will be on their land for generations and impact so many people.
After we went home and showered, we divided up into small groups and got sent off to different locals' houses to eat a traditional Nepali dinner. I was partnered with Cedrick and we made our way to our host family. They welcomed us with flowers and shy giggles. They helped us wash our hands and get ready for the meal. We were served duck, rice, lentils, and vegetables. It was all so good. They were serving us like we were at a five star restaurant, constantly asking us if we needed anything. We didn't understand why until we asked Juan Carlos, he told us that when a guest enters their home, it's customary to treat them like a god. Being able to eat dinner and talk to our host family was insightful because she told us about her day to day life and goals for the future.
The next day, Ram, the principal, asked us if we could help with some small projects around the orphanage. We painted pots, took nails out of posts, set up the basketball hoops, and whatever other jobs needed to be done. After we ate lunch, we played a ton of card games like speed, spoons, B.S., soccer, and more. Others ran around and played with the kids and some took a tour of a neighboring farm.
The next day was spent on a safari through the Chitwan National Park which included a jeep ride, canoe float, and a walk through the jungle. We saw deer, elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, rhinoceros, and lots of birds. The evening ended with lots of cultural dances and music to celebrate the Nepali New Year. We felt very fortunate to be able to witness and experience this important celebration with the community. It is definitely an experience we won’t forget!
The opening ceremonies on the following day was our last time with the community. The court was decorated beautifully and we enjoyed the numerous song and dance performances. There was lots of laughter as we taught them how to do the “Cupid Shuffle” and had a big dance party to end the celebration.
For the afternoon, we split into groups to teach the kids the rules and skills of basketball since it’s not a sport they play. It was fun to share a new sport with them and watch their skills progress. We ended the day with a large basketball and volleyball tournament which was filled with lots of smiles and laughter. It was very rewarding to see all of our hard work over the past couple days already being put to good use.
It was very difficult to leave at the end of the day. Ram provided certificates and a special blessing for each member of our group and then it was time for our final goodbyes. Forming such close friendships in such a short period of time is an experience that will influence us for a lifetime. The Nepalese people showed us the value of the simple things in life and that true happiness comes from living with an open heart and having a spirit of love, generosity, and joy. As our bus pulled away from the school, we felt the sadness of leaving pieces of our hearts behind but also felt the joy of having our hearts forever imprinted with the love of our new Nepali friends. ~Camryn Santory, Bellarmine Prep HS Student
Namaste. When I heard from my principal Mr. Ramu about the Courts for Kids organization coming to our school I was so excited to meet all of them and there was even more excitement by the fact that we were getting a new basketball court. Everyone was happy and my friends were talking about their arrival. Finally, I'll wait and then you guys came when we welcomed you I saw so many beautiful and young faces we were all very happy for the same time we feel a little uncomfortable because the language, culture, values work differently, my principal and the students were worried about them and our question for our principal was, what would happen if they don't adjust here? And the first day was a lot of fun, we talked to each other, we became friends. Everyone was so humble and hard-working. The first day was very good, but we had questions for our principal. He said: students, you did a very good job and everyone likes you. Do not worry about the language, it is just a medium of contact, there's no need to be perfect. Time will make you perfect so just go on the floor, after hearing from the principal our confidence level was on top, so the next day we made more friends, and we shared a lot of things. Playtime was very memorable, especially the football game, Nepal versus the USA. We had a lot of fun during the project, what time feels so fast and we had to finally say goodbye. I would like to thank the Courts for Kids organization because we had a chance to make friends from another place like Cal, Drew, Canyon, Jack, and others. Hopefully, we meet in the future. Thanks for everything! ~Ramesh Chepang, Nepalese student, age 15, 10th grade
“My high point from the trip was probably the New Year's night. I really love learning about new cultural dances and music because I really am in touch with that part of my culture. I can’t even describe how happy I felt during that moment, I don’t think I ever stopped smiling. Participating was also really fun and I am glad that I got to join.” ~Sally Kinyua, High School Student
“More money equals more problems. I realized that trying to fill up a hole with materialistic things leaves you chasing happiness when it actually comes from others. Happiness comes from giving.” ~Cedric Murphy, High School Student
“A difficulty with going home is the shocking difference with going home and returning to our lives in the US. My life and outlook on the world will never be the same after this trip, and I believe this trip will impact me for my entire life.” ~Tate Carlson, High School Student
“When I first landed in Kathmandu I really did not know what to expect. I had questions like: “Are there things that I do on a day-to-day basis that are offensive here?” or “How difficult will it be to interact with the locals?” But what I quickly learned was that they weren’t all that different. Sure they spoke a different language and the culture was a lot different; but they still went to school, hang out with friends and everyone had their own favorite pastime. Overall, we really weren’t that different.” ~Aspen Merrill, High School Student
“During this trip, I was allowed to focus on what really mattered to me, that is the happiness I found in the people around me. I am scared that I am returning to a place where these values aren’t as appreciated. I only hope that I can remember the things that I learned here in Nepal. If I can do that, then the struggles back at home are replaced by the virtues I learned here.” ~Kent Hoiden, High School Student
“My high point was being able to meet with people that had contagious love and happiness. It has been so fun embracing a new culture with people I never thought I’d get so close with. My low point from this trip was having to leave the people that taught me so much about myself and what it means to be happy.” ~Canyon Ringrose, High School Student
“Overall I have really enjoyed this trip. I now have so many memories that I’ll never forget. My favorite memories are playing soccer with the Nepali kids who were much better than we were. Another one is playing card games with my friends. I also really enjoyed my dinner with the locals.” ~Leoni Pendras, High School Student
“I learned from the locals to be more welcoming and open to new people. The children and adults from the school, even with a language barrier showed every volunteer immense hospitality.” ~Katherine Palmreuter, High School Student
“After seeing so much love and care and friendships, it is hard for me to deal with the fact that our only true barrier is distance. I wish I could stay here for longer and get to know my new friends better. I am really sad that I might never get to visit and that we may lose touch. " It is hard to understand why the kids at the orphanage have to live a less comfortable life than us, and why we can’t do more with them.” ~Phillip Ehret, High School Student
“This community was so inviting and kind, and different than the one back home. They invited us into their homes with open arms and made sure we had enough to eat! This has taught me to be more inviting and generous. It also seems like this community knows each other very well, and that everyone knows everyone, I will try to be friendlier to those I don’t know, so we can become closer.” ~Tessa Pendras, High School Student
" From the community, I have learned what it means to be a family. Before coming I didn't really know what it meant to be another brother to people. I have two brothers and I have not the greatest relationship with either. After witnessing the community interact I realized that they all are one big family and it means further than just saying someone is your brother, but you have to truly mean it. It was obvious to see that these people meant it, through their laughter and the love they show for each other. I think if I could show my family and friends the love this community has for each other, my relationships with others would be better.” ~Jack Curry, High School Student
