Amy Roberts writes about her trip to Batase

Posted on January 14, 2017 by admin - Visitor Experiences

Updated on March 31, 2024

21 days was all it took for me to fall in love; with new places, new cultures, new opportunities and most of all new people. There truly are no words to describe how incredible my adventure with Take On Nepal has been and I will forever cherish the countless wonderful memories I now possess with these people. Of course, every volunteer’s experience is going to be completely different just as no two people are the same, nobody’s journey can be the same. However, if you do decide to partake in this adventure with TON, I can guarantee you three things.

1. You will get sick. There’s no point in fighting it. From coughs and runny noses to indigestion and the flu, your body will be challenged by things you may have never experienced before in your life. Coming from coastal Australia (approximately 1m above sea level) the altitude for one was a massive change.

2. Your guides will exceed every single one of your expectations. These people are truly some of the greatest I have ever come across in my life and I am so thankful for their friendship and the countless laughs we shared. In times of sickness or doubt they will become your nurse, your best friend and your saviour in a heartbeat at any moment of the day.

3. Your life will never be the same. The people you meet in the beautiful Batase Village will touch your heart in ways that you never could have anticipated. Seeing the constant creativity and happiness of the villagers has taught me the greatest lesson of all. No amount of money or possessions will ever compare to the feeling of belonging in a community as loving and compassionate as this one.

As sad as it is to leave my wonderful new Nepali family, I can take comfort in the fact that I got to experience something most people never will. I got to live like a local, eat the local food, collect and cut sugarcane, sing and dance by the fire, drink a squillion cups of tea, watch the sun rise and set on the magnificent Himalayan Mountains, write songs, see countless shooting stars, learn a new language, laugh until I cried, teach something valuable, challenge my body, learn so much about myself, sleep on the roof, stroll down the street with a wild rhinoceros, explore the cities, spend a day on a beautiful lake with someone I love and build relationships that will last me a lifetime.

I can’t wait to rejoin the beautiful souls I met in Nepal this coming February. Thank you so much to everyone involved in the program! People like you make this world a beautiful place.

~ Amy Roberts (December, 2016)