Another Step in the Journey

 

Another Step in the Journey

A week ago I reached out to a Nepalese NGO that places volunteers in different regions and job types in Nepal. They are one of the few that have placements in the Himalayas. I sent a brief resume along with the type of placement I was looking for and that I wanted to be in a village rather than a large city ( I don't do well in large crowds and noisy places). I wanted to be somewhere I could go trekking during my free time and was very interested in teaching in a Buddhist monastery as I want to continue to learn more about Buddhism. I did let them know I would not be available until the Autumn of 2026, but I would be willing to commit up to eight weeks teaching. 

They were impressed with my background and that I am planning on obtaining my TEFL certification prior to traveling. They have the perfect location in Salleri, Solu Khumbu in the upper foothills of the Himalayas. Salleri is the original starting point for the EBC trek. It was here Sir Edmund Hillary began his trek and ascent of Everest. It sets at an elevation of just under 8000 feet. Is is also a starting point for the newer Pikey Peak Trek which is a 3-4 day trek. It has an elevation of 13,369 feet and views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Mount Numbar and Kachenjunga.  In this village I would live with a local family and teach English to the young student Monks and then also teach in the local public school. This was exactly what I was hoping to find. Salleri is built on a hillside. It will be great training for the EBC trek. Starting the trek here will add an additional three days to the trip going up and 2-3 days coming back down. I am so excited to get the opportunity to teach in a rural village in the Himalayas. Students that learn English have better job prospects as they can work in the tourism trade which fuels this areas economy. 

This journey to get fit enough to be able to trek to EBC began because of my desire to volunteer in an area that would expand my horizons and a place where I felt I could make a difference. Nepal immediately captured my interest. It was while researching the volunteering options I stumbled across information about the EBC trek. It became my focus as the driving force to get physically fit. I also knew though too that even if I would not ever be fit enough to take on the trek, I still wanted to volunteer in Nepal. I will be securing my position in the coming months and will begin the TEFL certification process, Nepalese language courses and planning the logistics of a three plus month long trip. While two years seems a long way off, I know how quickly time flies by. I am so excited to have taken this step to making this dream a reality.

Salleri Village

Salleri Monastery