Medicine Volunteer Stories, Nepal

Medicine and Healthcare, Physiotherapy in Nepal – Nicola Whatley Whilst getting caught up in all the fundraising and preparation before my trip to Nepal, it had never really crossed my mind how I would feel when I actually got there. When everybody talks about ‘culture shock’- they’re right! Arriving in Thamel, the ‘tourist centre’ of Kathmandu, is like nothing else I’d ever experienced: cows on the road, beeping cars, people selling things everywhere: it can be pretty overwhelming at first, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to adjust to it all. But after a few days of walking along the streets in Thamel, dodging the traffic was just a normal thing to do at the weekends.

2 Week Special Medicine in Nepal - Kathleen Joseph When stepping into Kathmandu for the first time, I was completely unsure of what to expect. Certainly not the sudden flood of pedestrians, motorbikes and bicycles that continuously crowd the streets; nor the incessant honking of horns that are the Nepali alternative to a turn signal; nor the overwhelming combination of smells and colours that attack a newcomer’s senses.

Physiotherapy in Nepal - Laura Henry When I told my family and friends I was going to Nepal, the most common reaction I got was, “Where is that and why are you going?” I had never even been abroad before, so heading to a third world country was quite a big step for me. I had a couple months off from school before starting physical therapy school and thought that a different experience was just what I needed. So after I convinced my family and friends that this was a fabulous idea, I headed on my way!

Physiotherapy in Nepal - Liam Hosier 'Where is it you're going again?', 'Nepal', 'Wow, aren't you afraid of going all that way on your own?', 'No, I will be fine'. Just one of many similar conversations I had with friends and family before setting out for the trip of a lifetime. To tell the truth, I was very nervous about travelling alone. Could I really survive on my own in a totally different country? Would I enjoy it?

Physiotherapy in Nepal - Camilla Durie I discovered the Physiotherapy project in Nepal by complete chance, and realised what an amazing opportunity as an undergraduate physiotherapy student it was so I immediately decided to book a two month project.

Medecine in Nepal - Jeff Kiser My name is Jeff Kiser and I am a student at the University of Arizona, studying Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Molecular & Cellular Biology, and Physiology. My goal is to attend medical school and eventually become a travelling doctor in Asia, which is why I chose to volunteer in a hospital in Nepal.

Physiotherapy in Nepal - Melanie Wright Leaving a husband, three teens and a beagle behind for a month to volunteer in a spinal injury rehab clinic in Kathmandu sounded like an amazing idea - wow, I could do all that stuff that people my age dream of doing - 'finding myself'. The idea of jungle trekking sounded much more exciting than trekking around a supermarket, the thought of bathing with elephants sounded like a fantasy compared to jumping in a bath with a plastic duck, and boy, did the idea of a limited and basic diet sound a Godsend to a girl trying to shift some really, really stubborn pounds that had hitched themselves to her hips over the last couple of years!

Physiotherapy in Nepal - Sarah Wilson 'What am I doing here?' I thought as I was driven from the safety of the airport into the unknown, not knowing anyone, a very naïve and young 19 year old. I'd been away from home before but never to a third world country volunteering and that initial trip from the airport to the hotel I'd be staying in for my first nights in Kathmandu was the scariest and most shocking trip of my life.

Physiotherapy in Nepal - Anna Lena Sandersfeld I started working at NRH (Nutritional Rehabilitation Home) in my 5th week in Nepal after Sajani, the Projects Abroad director in Nepal showed me this impressive project. The NRH is a home for malnourished children and their caretakers to stay at in order to improve their diet and get a good nutritional intake. The parents learn about growing vegetables next to the house and how to cook.

Physiotherapy in Nepal - Dorothy Hudson On July 28th, 2005 I embarked on a journey to Nepal for a one month work placement at the Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children (HRDC) in Banepa. Banepa is a community 25 km or about an hour and a half bus ride from Kathmandu. Little did I realise how quickly that month would go by. Little did I realise how the people I would meet would touch my heart.