THE TIBETAN REFUGEE CAMP in pictures

Next to the monastery there is a Tibetan village. Many Tibetans came here as refugees because of the Chinese presence in their country. They have been here for a number of years and have grown into a village. Some houses are still just barely shanties while others are now in brick. One of the monks from the monastery kindly showed us around. The monks relate to the Tibetan culture.  (The young monk was from the monastery we were working at but showed us around the Tibetan village)

As a history teacher walking through this village (no that's not me in the picture, nor the one below)I could really get a sense of what a medieval village was like, particularly with the sheep and goats wandering through the narrow, twisting streets
   
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There were many children in the village. Maybe there appeared more because at the times we were visiting the parents were away earning a living in the town or farming.

These are some of the buildings people live in. They seem to be made from whatever material was available at the time. This included corrugated iron, branches, mud brick and hessian.

  
There is a school here. It is not very large. They hold a district soccer tournament here. But the ground is so rough. You can see evidence of volunteers being here years ago with fading murals and slogans on walls.
  
There is also another monastery within the village. It is reasonably large, with a colourful temple inside.

  
This area is where the men and women who stay in the village during the day set up stalls selling crafts to any tourists who happen by. They are very persistent but will haggle and we often got some good bargains here.

This picture was taken in the monastery kitchen. It shows the cook making Tibetan butter tea. Very salty in taste. I much prefer the sweet tea or marsala tea even though they put so much sugar in it.

THE VOLUNTEERS in pictures

In our time in Nepal we have met many fantastic people giving their time at the Children's home or the monastery. We have been amazed at their generosity with both time and money. Some travelled there as volunteers, others were there as tourists but when they heard about different programs they too volunteered or came to help. Here are some pictures of many who we have met.

Sheila was a Canadian lady who had been to Nepal on an all female trek. We met her the first night and she showed us around Kathmandu.


















Sara comes from Melbourne. She is there with the same organisation as we are but worked at a different children's home in Pokhara. (Sara is second from the left)








































Ashleigh and Jon-Luc were tourists who took time out and stayed at the Children's Home. He was a nurse born in Canada but who now lives in the US. She was from the US.























































Claudia was was a tourist from Germany. She was travelling for 12 months without catching a plane. She had travelled across Russia to Mongolia. From Tibet she was going to India and then to south-east Asia. She spent many hours at the children's home.












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This is one of the two Australian boys from near Canberra. They were treking in Nepal but spent a couple of days playing with the children.

























Adam and Jen were both originally from the same place in Tasmania. Adam is now studying in Melbourne, while Jen is studying in France. They were treking in Nepal but spent a lot of time with the kids and after each tek came back to visit. They helped complete a lot of projects at the home.

Luca was from Germany. She had been at the monastery for three months. Helen came from the US and will be staying at the monastery for the next three months.



Dan was from the US. He spent about 3 months in Nepal. He worked at a forrestry camp, a school, a monastery and then the orphanage. He had a great video of the Maoist march in Kathmandu. While here he had a suit made ready for a wedding he was attending in Texas on the way home.











































Tess and Maya were the two people we probably spent the most time with. They are from Israel and had just completed their army service before coming on this trip. They were doing volunteer work work at the orphanage. After this they would be travelling to India.



































Ronne Welleman and Eva Sureya are the two medical students from Holland. They had already worked for a considerable time at a Children's Home in Pokhara but came to the monastery to work in the clinic and even made time to visit our orphanage.















A Swiss couple who visited the orphanage. They volunteered to work at a different orphanage just out of Pokhara.
The Aussies, Jude Antcliff and Jono Holland, who built the chicken coop and entertained the children with a barbeque. And Jade Holland(Australian) and Kristen McCormack (US) who made damper and candle lantens for the kids. What a terrific effort.


Manu (from Peru) and Miriam (from Russia) helped us enjoy our time at Chitwan. We met them again in Pokhara, and I met them again in Kathmandu on my last day.

Jean from Korea I met while out on a long walk in the countryside. She spent about a week at the Children's Home and then extended her stay in Nepal by about a month to spend time at the monastery.




These two visited the home for two days. Manos is from Slovakia and Skye is from Singapore. Skye bought pillows for the children before she left.


Three Nepalese boys began visiting the orphanage with us. Two of them grew up in an orphanage themselves. The children at the home really enjoyed having them there and it is hoped they will continue to visit as they will be good role models for the kids.

This is one half of a Swiss couple who have come to do volunteer work at the monastery. These were the last volunteers to arrive while I was there.


Three more Aussies. These three were visiting Pokhara as tourists. We did a few tourist things together...like climbing Sarangkot. Steve came and helped me finishing the chicken coop, including breaking up wooden crates and carrying the wood up to the home. They were great company.