Course Details
Dates
June 8 to June 25, 2020
18 Days
Departure City
New York – JFK
Tuition: $5560 *
Airfare & Fees: $1915 *
Total Course Cost: $7475
* discount and important info here
The next two days will be spent acclimating and visiting various UNESCO World Heritage sites, along with the Shechen Monastery. After this introduction to Nepali culture, the group will drive to Salleri, a village in the remote Solukhumbu region. After they arrive, they will settle into a guesthouse in Salleri near the project site. During their stay, the group will spend their nights at The Small World’s volunteer guest house, which was constructed using eco-friendly and earthquake resistant building techniques. However, 15,000 classrooms across the country were damaged, and thousands of Nepalis lost their homes. In response, the group will help construct a new earthquake resistant home for 100 children who were displaced by the earthquakes.
During their time in Salleri, the group will work shoulder-to-shoulder with TSW staff and skilled local artisans from the villages to help construct an earthquake resistant home for 100 children who were displaced by the 2015 earthquakes. During the project phase, they will also create friendships with the 40 young women living in the dormitory who have overcome incredible challenges to earn their high school diplomas and pursue college degrees. After several days in Salleri, the group will trek along classic trekking trails, seeing Sherpa villages, and stopping at a teahouse one night. Students will hike for three days through isolated villages, experience a Buddhist poja ceremony, visit a Tibetan refugee camp, and possibly see views of Mt. Everest if the sky is clear.
After the days of trekking, students will return to Salleri and wrap up work their project work, visit children at school and cook Nepali meals. These diverse experiences will highlight the culture, compassion, and gratitude of our Nepali hosts and the values of ethical leadership.
Learn More
The Small World works to provide education for children, women’s empowerment, and opportunities for local communities to break the cycle of poverty. To learn more, please visit their website.
Course Elements
The course elements are based on a rating from 1 to 5, 1 being the least rigorous, 5 being the most rigorous.
The students will spend over a week constructing an earthquake resistant children’s home in the village of Salleri. They will also visit the Salleri girls’ dorm and a Tibetan refugee camp.
Prior to their travels, students complete a series of online activities (30 minutes each). While traveling, they also read engaging articles, participate in cultural experiences, and create presentations in small groups.
This course includes four or five days of Himalayan trekking through strikingly beautiful mountainous terrain. Students carry small packs during this adventure, so it is critical that participants actively prepare prior to travel so they are physically fit.
While in Salleri, the group will stay at The Small World’s volunteer guesthouse. During the trek, the students will sleep in guesthouses.
After a couple days in Kathmandu, the group will spend a day driving to the Solukhumbu district where they will spend a majority of their time. At the conclusion of the trek, they will also drive back to Kathmandu.
The group will spend time with the girls and young women at TSW’s dorm in Salleri. They will also stay at volunteer guesthouses on the nights of their treks.
In addition to spending the first and last days of the course in the major city of Kathmandu, most of the days will be spent in rural Solokhumbu region. The group will also visit several remote villages during their trek.
Touring Kathmandu with students supported by TSW
These children became an inspiration for me. I never would have thought that it would be children, some as young as 3 years old, who would teach me what it truly means to have courage and to be empowered.
NEPAL // 2015 COURSE
NEPAL
Photo Gallery
Celebrating with the girls finishing high school in Salleri.
An unexpected young helping hand at the project site.
Installing a drinking water system
The final day with the girls at the Himalayan Hope Home in Kapan
Itinerary
Nepal
1
the 5 Lenses Curriculum
Prior to departure, students are guided by their course instructors through a series of interactive, online lessons. Organized by SStS’s Five Lenses Curriculum, these activities (30 minutes per week) allow students to directly engage with other members of
the group.
2
partnering with ngos
The majority of the days at each site are spent engaged in meaningful service work with our NGO (non-governmental organization) partner. Days not dedicated to project work are spent immersed in intriguing cultural activities.
3
post travel advocacy
During the next school year, students educate others by advocating for our NGO partner through public presentations to the community at large and/or younger, school-based audiences.
A Glimpse Into Nepal
Travel Journal
During the travel phase of each SStS course, students spend time reflecting about the learning that occurs through their immersion and service experiences. These posts capture the impact of our programs on individual students. Explore the posts below to learn about the SStS Nepal program from the important viewpoint of our students.
Important Details
Cost Information
Students who attend a school that is a member of SStS’s Global Schools Coalition receive a tuition discount. To see the list of schools in the coalition, click HERE.
Tuition (students from members of the Global Schools Coalition): $5360
Tuition (students not from members of the Global Schools Coalition): $5560
Airfare & Fees: $1915
SStS is in search of curious, compassionate, globally-minded students. Thus, we will do all that we can financially to support students who require assistance. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please indicate this on the application. Financial assistance resources are limited. Scholarships tend to be less than 50% of tuition.
Please note, tuition does not include airfare and immunizations.
Tuition costs are all inclusive with the exception of personal expenditures (e.g. souvenirs).
Tickets and medical & security evacuation services are purchased as a group. The cost of these services is included in the tuition.
Talbot Travel Agency provides travel services for SStS, working personally with us to find the least expensive group fares.
As a result, it is not possible to use airline miles or credit card benefits for the international flights. However, these can be used to purchase tickets to the gateway city.
Travel Expectations
Please note that we expect all participants to travel together, adhering to the identical itinerary. We will depart the United States as a group from a gateway city. Exemptions may be made for international students. Additionally, travel in the developing world inevitably includes “the unexpected” (e.g. weather disruptions, transportation strikes, etc.). SStS will adjust the itinerary accordingly, making the best of uncontrollable situations. Due to the unknown variables in international travel, participants are asked not to make travel plans or to enroll in programs that start immediately after their return. SStS is not responsible for expenses incurred due to missed flights if the group is delayed in their return.