Saturday is your day off when you are working or volunteering. One Saturday, a staff member took me out and about, and it was one of my favourite days here. We whizzed around on a motorbike, starting at a peaceful pond a little way away from the main city centre. It was as peaceful as you will find in Janakpur, and we drank mango juice under the shelter of large trees.
Groups of young people were hanging out by the water, children jumping in from time to time, and a woman was leading her herd of goats around the water. Then we whizzed into town, and she had me try different traditional dairy-free sweets; she showed me temples and cremation sites, helped me haggle for various fruits, and she explained to me small tidbits of life in Janakpur. I was so grateful to her for taking her one day off to be my guide, but it helped me to see more of the city and to learn about it and appreciate the differences more.
Thinking of Volunteering? Some items to pack that you might not have thought of:
- Small Soap Pouch to hang your soap from a tap
- Portable washing line
- Trekking sandals (get them in Kathmandu)
- Water filtration system; I like Life Straws as you can drink from anywhere and it reduces the amount of plastic you will use
- Yoga mat
- Instant coffee. You can purchase this at Bhat Bhateni shopping centre, but if you are anything like me, you do not want to be caught off guard
- Fold up/travel cutlery set. Comes in handy for street food (although you are often given a folded-up piece of cardboard to eat)
- Light coloured but not white fabrics; the food is colourful and oily here, which can lead to easily ruined whites. I recommend light colours and leaving the white t-shirt at home
- Travel journal or drawing pad to record your time
- Gym kit that covers your knees and shoulders
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
