Teaching english in the Khumbu

Mt Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Mt Ama Dablam from Thengboche.
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Now this was the trip of a lifetime.  My first time away from the family.  But the best oppertunity of my life (so far).

I was 16, and a letter came through my school to go to Nepal with a group called Youth to Everest. In the past this group has been responsible for removing tons of rubbish from the Khumbu Valley/ Base camp area.  But this time we taught English to children in a school in Phankdingma. In the Khumbu Valley, as well as donating a library of 2000 books to the same school (funny though as they were mostly NZ kids books ie. "How maui slowed the sun" which is written in English and Maori - neither of which these kids spoke.

Along the way we were chased by Dzopkyo

Namche Bazaar
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So we headed up to Auckland, and there were buckets of scared tears from me at the airport, as I knew no one I was going with... scared and excited at the same time.

Flying into Kathmandu was a culture shock. Monkeys, cows and dirty streets everywhere.  But as we headed into town to learn the fine art of batering, we fell in love with the grubby city.  And got severely ripped off along the way.  Took a while to get used to but batering was fun.

After two days in Kathmandu we caught a Yeti Airlines twin otter to Lukla.  And after the smell and smog of Kathmandu, Lukla was like being in Heaven.  From here we he headed on a 16 day journey through the Khumbu Valley following the Dhud Kosi river past Phakdingma, to Namche Bazaar then further up the valley to Thengboche, and Pengboche.

The Monkey Temple in Kathmandu - I think its called Swaymbumath
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Along the way we were chased by Dzopkyo (a cross between a Yak, and a cow); put on a Hangi for our porters, and sherpa; taught in a school for two days; shared a new years meal with a Nepali family; sat in on a buddist morning ceremony; slept on shoes, rocks and all other manner of sharp objects; brought tons of jewellery which we had to lug back down; and made life long friends.

This trip taught me more than anything else I have ever done.  I have had the travel bug since I got back 6 years ago, and have only been able to head overseas once since then. To Aussie, so Im so desperately looking foward to this trip in June... It has been a long time coming.

Temple in Kathmandu
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Oneday I will head back to Nepal.  And I cant wait.

Dont read any further... the rest is just repeated so I can fit more photos on here...

Now this was the trip of a lifetime.  My first time away from the family.  But the best oppertunity of my life (so far).

I was 16, and a letter came through my school to go to Nepal with a group called Youth to Everest. In the past this group has been responsible for removing tons of rubbish from the Khumbu Valley/ Base camp area.  But this time we taught English to children in a school in Phankdingma. In the Khumbu Valley, as well as donating a library of 2000 books to the same school (funny though as they were mostly NZ kids books ie. "How maui slowed the sun" which is written in English and Maori - neither of which these kids spoke.

Bridge on the way to Phakdingma.
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So we headed up to Auckland, and there were buckets of scared tears from me at the airport, as I knew no one I was going with... scared and excited at the same time.

Flying into Kathmandu was a culture shock. Monkeys, cows and dirty streets everywhere.  But as we headed into town to learn the fine art of batering, we fell in love with the grubby city.  And got severely ripped off along the way.  Took a while to get used to but batering was fun.

After two days in Kathmandu we caught a Yeti Airlines twin otter to Lukla.  And after the smell and smog of Kathmandu, Lukla was like being in Heaven.  From here we he headed on a 16 day journey through the Khumbu Valley following the Dhud Kosi river past Phakdingma, to Namche Bazaar then further up the valley to Thengboche, and Pengboche.

Children on the Khumbu Valley Trail
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Along the way we were chased by Dzopkyo (a cross between a Yak, and a cow); put on a Hangi for our porters, and sherpa; taught in a school for two days; shared a new years meal with a Nepali family; sat in on a buddist morning ceremony; slept on shoes, rocks and all other manner of sharp objects; brought tons of jewellery which we had to lug back down; and made life long friends.

This trip taught me more than anything else I have ever done.  I have had the travel bug since I got back 6 years ago, and have only been able to head overseas once since then. To Aussie, so Im so desperately looking foward to this trip in June... It has been a long time coming.

Children in Lukla.
see all photos »

Oneday I will head back to Nepal.  And I cant wait.

Now this was the trip of a lifetime.  My first time away from the family.  But the best oppertunity of my life (so far).

I was 16, and a letter came through my school to go to Nepal with a group called Youth to Everest. In the past this group has been responsible for removing tons of rubbish from the Khumbu Valley/ Base camp area.  But this time we taught English to children in a school in Phankdingma. In the Khumbu Valley, as well as donating a library of 2000 books to the same school (funny though as they were mostly NZ kids books ie. "How maui slowed the sun" which is written in English and Maori - neither of which these kids spoke.

Gold Statue in Kathmandu
see all photos »

So we headed up to Auckland, and there were buckets of scared tears from me at the airport, as I knew no one I was going with... scared and excited at the same time.

Flying into Kathmandu was a culture shock. Monkeys, cows and dirty streets everywhere.  But as we headed into town to learn the fine art of batering, we fell in love with the grubby city.  And got severely ripped off along the way.  Took a while to get used to but batering was fun.

After two days in Kathmandu we caught a Yeti Airlines twin otter to Lukla.  And after the smell and smog of Kathmandu, Lukla was like being in Heaven.  From here we he headed on a 16 day journey through the Khumbu Valley following the Dhud Kosi river past Phakdingma, to Namche Bazaar then further up the valley to Thengboche, and Pengboche.

Along the way we were chased by Dzopkyo (a cross between a Yak, and a cow); put on a Hangi for our porters, and sherpa; taught in a school for two days; shared a new years meal with a Nepali family; sat in on a buddist morning ceremony; slept on shoes, rocks and all other manner of sharp objects; brought tons of jewellery which we had to lug back down; and made life long friends.

This trip taught me more than anything else I have ever done.  I have had the travel bug since I got back 6 years ago, and have only been able to head overseas once since then. To Aussie, so Im so desperately looking foward to this trip in June... It has been a long time coming.

Oneday I will head back to Nepal.  And I cant wait.

Now this was the trip of a lifetime.  My first time away from the family.  But the best oppertunity of my life (so far).

I was 16, and a letter came through my school to go to Nepal with a group called Youth to Everest. In the past this group has been responsible for removing tons of rubbish from the Khumbu Valley/ Base camp area.  But this time we taught English to children in a school in Phankdingma. In the Khumbu Valley, as well as donating a library of 2000 books to the same school (funny though as they were mostly NZ kids books ie. "How maui slowed the sun" which is written in English and Maori - neither of which these kids spoke.

So we headed up to Auckland, and there were buckets of scared tears from me at the airport, as I knew no one I was going with... scared and excited at the same time.

Flying into Kathmandu was a culture shock. Monkeys, cows and dirty streets everywhere.  But as we headed into town to learn the fine art of batering, we fell in love with the grubby city.  And got severely ripped off along the way.  Took a while to get used to but batering was fun.

After two days in Kathmandu we caught a Yeti Airlines twin otter to Lukla.  And after the smell and smog of Kathmandu, Lukla was like being in Heaven.  From here we he headed on a 16 day journey through the Khumbu Valley following the Dhud Kosi river past Phakdingma, to Namche Bazaar then further up the valley to Thengboche, and Pengboche.

Along the way we were chased by Dzopkyo (a cross between a Yak, and a cow); put on a Hangi for our porters, and sherpa; taught in a school for two days; shared a new years meal with a Nepali family; sat in on a buddist morning ceremony; slept on shoes, rocks and all other manner of sharp objects; brought tons of jewellery which we had to lug back down; and made life long friends.

This trip taught me more than anything else I have ever done.  I have had the travel bug since I got back 6 years ago, and have only been able to head overseas once since then. To Aussie, so Im so desperately looking foward to this trip in June... It has been a long time coming.

Oneday I will head back to Nepal.  And I cant wait.