This July, a group of sixteen MTS boys ranging from the Fifth Form to the Upper Sixth embarked on an expedition to Nepal. They came ready to be shown a new perspective on life, prepared for the challenges of trekking in the Himalayas and the responsibility of teaching their own classes of school children in a Kathmandu secondary school.
Writes Mr Hilton-Dennis
The boys showed genuine fortitude and camaraderie as they climbed through cloud forest and the high country of the Langtang Valley, the Himalaya directly north of Kathmandu. They coped with a hair-raising bus journey to reach the trail head, thirsty leeches, serious altitude and the unrelenting physical exertion of mountain trekking. The rewards lay all about them in the sheer magnificence of mountains and ravines – the rivers swelled with monsoon rain – and the humbling insights into everyday rural Nepali life. Cups of sweet chia and the national dish of dhal baht, cooked on woodfire ovens in tea houses along the route, kept the team on its feet. Showers came in the form of a hosepipe syphoning off water from the river. On the day we reached Kyanjin Ji, a village 4100m high and a day’s walk from the Tibetan plateau, we arrived to a Buddhist festival and were treated to a spontaneous performance of traditional song by locals dressed in ritual Tibetan attire. It was at this moment that a great wind blew through the valley and lifted the cloud layer to reveal the frozen beauty of the glacier and the snow-crested peaks of the entire Langtang range, as they emerged majestically wreathed in mist: a glimpse of paradise.
Upon their return to Kathmandu, the boys faced a challenge of a different sort. Each day for a week, they taught classes in English, Maths and Science to the school children of HVP Balkumari School in the historic Patan district of the capital. Under the gaze of the goddess Saraswati – the Hindu Godesss of Knowledge, Music and Learning – we received the warmest of welcomes from the students and staff, the whole school lining up to greet us at that first morning’s assembly; the school had not hosted UK volunteers since before the pandemic. With garlands of flowers around their neck, the boys met their classes for the first time and began to learn the noble art of teaching. Like real teachers, over morning tea in the prayer room they reflected on their practice and sought out ways to deliver creative, effective and – most importantly – enjoyable lessons for their students. Walking along the school corridors each morning was to hear the sound of purposeful teaching and learning emanating from classrooms 30-pupils strong and led by a pair of MTS boys at the front. After lessons, it was time for hot and fierce games of basketball in the playground, followed by delicious dhal baht and fresh mangoes taken in the roof-top dining room. The connections the boys made with their students was the most meaningful aspect of the entire expedition. They cared about them, cared about their teaching, several wishing they could stay for longer, some intending to return as independent volunteers once they had finished school themselves. Their spontaneous participation in the cultural show put on by the students of HVP Balkumari the day before departure was a sign of mutual affection and interest; two of our boys performed a traditional Gujarati dance as part of the cultural exchange and became instant celebrities. It was a joyful event that sealed the partnership between the two schools.
The boys can be proud of everything they achieved; the success of the trip lies with them. But more importantly, they will have returned from Nepal having made a deep connection to a country, people and culture very different to their own, and powerfully aware of how they can make a difference. My sincere thanks to Ms Smith and Mrs Hale for all their help in-country, to the team at True Adventure and to Mrs Elliott in the School Office for her unwavering logistical support. My thanks to everyone at MTS who gave their backing for a trip of this nature, which includes the parents of the boys, without whose belief and trust none of this would have happened.
Nepal Expedition 2024: Team Reflections
Jacob R (U6th)
Over a year before our departure, I first heard Dr Yogi speak proudly of his people and his country, exclaiming that Nepal stood for ‘Never Ending Peace and Love’. Indeed, over the two weeks we spent in Nepal, the people we had the privilege of interacting with showed no limit to their care, kindness and generosity. During the week spent hiking, the constant support from the Nepali guides, the frightening strength of the Nepali Sherpas and the boundless hospitality of those in the Nepali teahouses, paved the way for what proved to be an unforgettable experience.
In Kathmandu, the opportunity to teach at HVP Balkumari gave us a few days in the life of a teacher, allowing us to understand the challenges and joys that come with teaching. Seeing the energy and enthusiasm of the pupils that we taught, played basketball and shared assembly with, was greatly gratifying. The pupils and staff at HVP Balkumari showed their love for Nepal through putting on an impressive cultural show, which despite our initial, very British reservations, ended in spontaneous and lively (albeit somewhat questionable) dancing from both teachers and students from MTS and HVP Balkumari alike.
When visiting the school that Mr Hilton-Dennis used to volunteer at (HVP Thali), we were greeted with the same generosity and appreciation that characterised our other encounters throughout our time in Nepal. In between teaching, planning lessons and enjoying dinners out, time was found for cultural experiences and free time was given to wander Kathmandu. From visiting the famous ‘Monkey Temple’, to finding some locals playing cricket and joining them, our week in Kathmandu was filled with memorable experiences.
All in all, the trip to Nepal was far more than an enjoyable two weeks. The novelty of it meant that both the hiking and the teaching presented us with challenges. Overcoming these what was made the trip so deeply fulfilling. The first week of hiking was just as wondrous an experience of Nepal’s natural beauty as the second week was of Nepali culture. The time spent organising a trip of this nature must be immense – I am extremely grateful for all the efforts of Mr Hilton-Dennis, Ms Hale and Ms Smith. Equally, the constant support they, along with Dewi, offered during our time in Nepal, was part of what made the trip such a success. Nepal, a country that I’d known next to nothing about two years ago, now holds a special place in my heart – its beauty, its culture and its message of ‘Never Ending Peace and Love’ will stay with me, long past my time at MTS.
