So Long & Thanks for All the Dal Bahat

Dear Community Service Nepal ’17 Putney Students, What. A. Trip. Three weeks ago, 17 wide-eyed and anxious teenagers boarded a plane bound for the Kingdom of Nepal. Motivations varied. Nerves were on end. Past travel experiences ranged from first time using a passport to third…

That Time We Hiked an Inch…

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Or just the wettest of times? Hiking the Himalayas, we felt like REAL trekkers: hauling our possessions on our back, finding suitable bush toilets, picking leeches off our ankles, staying cheerful despite the…

The Hope Home Chapter Ends

Hello all! It feels like it was only yesterday that we were walking up the stairs of the Hope Home for the first time, admiring the surrounding temple-dotted hills and rice paddies, feeling a little nervous to meet the girls. Things could not be more…

Party in the USA!…Well, We Mean Nepal

Our final work day at project site #1, the local federal school, was finally here. After hours of moving heavy stones and bricks to create a new classroom building, as well as giving our all while teaching English to different grade levels, it was time…

Happy Fourth from a Monastery in the Clouds

Walking up a dirt road to a monastery overlooking the Himalayan foothills, we were instantly awestruck by the design and detail and size of this jungle paradise. With more than 200 monks, ranging in age from 6–60, we immediately appreciated the calm and peaceful environment….

Week One: Done!

Here are some of our favorite photos from our first week here! Enjoy! – Meg & Ady

Work Gloves, School Children, & Juice Breaks—Oh My!

After settling into Kathmandu and exploring its famous sights, we were ready to go a little deeper into the Nepali culture. It was time for a new chapter of our adventure—time to start our service projects, to meet the people our humble work hoped to…

Just Monkeyin’ Around

Did you know… Kathmandu has the densest UNESCO listed World Heritage Sites among world capitals. Within a 10-mile radius, you can visit Pashupatinath, the Swayambhunath, Boudha Stupa, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan Durbar square. The national flag of Nepal shirks the more commonplace quadrangular shape. It’s…

Trans-Pacific Flight, Orientation, First Lassi—Check, Check, Check

Namaste, family and friends back Stateside. Surviving a 15-hour flight means we can basically do anything! Thanks to movies and mid-flight noodle bowls and new favorite albums on Spotify, the Community Service Nepal crew landed in Hong Kong in relatively high (albeit slightly disoriented) spirits….