Friday 9 December 2011

UniBreak volunteers kick start health work in Nepal

Nepal; a vibrant, eclectic mix of religions and cultures, set amongst topography so diverse and so incredible.

If you were looking for a definition of Nepal the one above might go someway in do doing it. Yet, after our first week together as part of the Nepal November Antipododeans group, it is obvious to all of us that no one definition describes Nepal. It's personality and beauty are simply impossible to describe. My name is John Polson and I am a Physiotherapy Student from Bond University on the Gold Coast. Along with 18 other fine young people, I have come to Nepal to chase a different experience, a different outlook on life. An experience I will look back on in retired life and say to the grandkids, "I did that". My intention in these coming blogs is to not just provide a journal of some of our experiences. I want to go a little deeper, I want to give you a taste of Nepal that not only highlights what makes it so special, but also the situations and circumstances that see it crying out for need of international aid and the assistance of people such as ourselves.

Many of our journeys started at different times. Some, like myself, were fortunate to have the time to come to Nepal a little earlier and complete a trek or do some sightseeing. For others, November brings with it end-of-year exams, assignment deadlines, graduations, or even the stresses of misreading a departure time that was actually in a few hours and not the next day. I'll try not to name names! This all made arrival in Kathmandu on the 26th somewhat eventful. Everyone made it safely, and the majority met at the Eco Thamel Resort to meet with all the other nervous faces, sharing travel stories, and finally getting out and experiencing a bit of Nepal. Without going into too much detail about Kathmandu, the place is crazy. And then Thamel, where the Antipodeans hotel is located, is basically the heart of all this craziness. It's the shopping, clubbing, business, and religious centre of Kathmandu. The old adage of seeing it is believing may not be quiet fitting. Ther were times in Thamel when I was not quiet believing what I was seeing.

The group left Kathmandu the following day (with a sigh), heading off on a seven hour bus ride to Pokhara. This bus ride is regarded as one of the most scenic in Nepal, yet one of the most dangerous as well. The majority of the trip winds itself along cliff sides. However this is not the most dangerous part. You quickly discover that Nepal does not discriminate sides of the road and over taking is based more on how much you use your horn rather than if there is any oncoming traffic. Thankfully, the group made it to Pokhara and to lakeside, a beautiful part of the town situated next to a large lake with the Himalayas forming a very surreal backdrop. For the rest of the day we got to know each other over a few local Guerka beers, Majitos, Long Island Ice Teas, and the odd Shisha.

Following our first day in Pokhara, the majority of us were introduced to our Tibetan host families at the Tashi Ling Tibetan settlement. Unfortunately for myself and Crystal, we had to delay our introduction due to a rather inconvenient and embarrassing case of food poisoning. Without getting into too much detail, I was unaware of how much of a pleasure having food poisoning is, and the amount of time you are forced to lie in bed, predominately in the fetal position. Anyway, that's a story for another day. I think we would all agree that our initial experiences with our host families have been fabulous, and have given us a very unique opportunity to learn more about the plight of the Tibetan people and the circumstances surrounding their fleeing of their own country from Chinese rule. It's also a very refreshing feeling going "home" to a family rather than a hotel room in the tourist strip that is Lakeside.

So skipping to the end of the first week. Everyone is settling in, finding their way in each of their placements. Just to give a brief idea of who we are and what we are doing over here; we are a group of university students doing Medical, Dental, Optometry, Speech Therapy, Occupational therapy, Physiotherapy, and Nursing placements, all located throughout greater Pokhara. Placements are mainly observational of nature, however these experiences have already included opportunities such as attending surgeries, participating in remote camps, visiting special education schools, and conducting home visits. We are therefore provided a unique exposure to not just the Nepalese Health system, but also a greater insight into the people, their culture, and their traditions.

I know I speak for all of us to say how excited we are about the next few weeks. Yes, it's full-on and an immense social, cultural, and gastrointestinal shock. However, that is exactly what we are here for; to see a developing country in its rawest form without the glorification. Stay tuned.

John

If you are interested in seeing some more photos that Crystal has taken from our trip, I have put them all on my blog at www.johnpolson.com.au/blog

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