Education
Participate in a day camp at a public school or orphanage in the remote hill country
of Bagmati. Understand the difference in opportunities for those who learn English
and those who do not; understand the challenges of Nepalese literacy. Dialogue with
Nepalese university students and hear their perspectives. Recognize the privilege
that goes along with a college degree.
Family
Experience daily life in Bhaktapur, and participate in traditional Nepali festivals.
Understand the workings of patriarchal culture, the importance of sons, and the persistence
of the dowry system. Learn about changing attitudes concerning dating, marriage, and
family structure; discuss recent shifts in cultural values with seniors in the community.
Enjoy a traditional Newari feast.
Government
Visit royal palaces and the national museum in Kathmandu. Learn about the Maoist insurgency
and the effect it had on the establishment of democracy. Learn about the complications
that jagir, a feudal tradition of patronage, has had on establishing a democratic
republic in Nepal. Interview local elders and officials about their perspectives on
local governance.
Religion
Learn about the interconnectedness of Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal and see how how
they are simultaneously practiced. Take a 3-day trek to the Chinese border among mountain
tribal groups. Visit temples in the Kathmandu Valley and view a cremation at a major
Hindu temple. Discover the relationship between religious practices and economic/social/political
progress.
Economics
Learn why Nepal is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. Understand how social
caste and varying ecosystems affect economics opportunity; see the impact that geographic
location and access to the marketplace has on families. Experience the wide variety
of socioeconmic levels as you explore the Kathmandu market and converse with shopkeepers
in Bhaktapur. Interview employees of Western non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
and discover the implications of dependence on foreign aid.
