Teaching English

by Robert Nesbit (Australia)

A leap into the unknown Nepal

I think it was back in around 2010 that I did a teaching English course in Kathmandu, Nepal. I had just finished Uni studying Science and at that point I needed to get out of my current bedroom. I always had dreams of travel and adventure to far flung corners of the globe exploring nooks and crannies, and teaching English was going to be one tool of achieving that dream. So somehow, I managed to buy a ticket and suddenly, I was living and breathing in Kathmandu. All the taxi drivers hailed me but it was only going to be one lucky taxi driver's fortune of giving me a ride that day. Conversation in that cab was kept to a minimum, not just because of the language barrier but because of the total awe that I was in. My head was craning around and I was trying to take all the chaos in. I had been to Bali before but this place felt like I had gone back in time, to a land of make believe where magic was real and donkeys walked on the roads among cars. The myriad smells hit you really fast, some pleasant, some intoxicating and some absolutely foul. The one thing when I am home that I really miss is the smells. You could be anywhere on any given random day and all of a sudden you will smell a certain aroma and straight away it takes you back to that time. Your brain instantly recognises it and suddenly you are daydreaming of that wondrous time you spent in that tiny corner of our revolving rock. Then, I arrived my new digs. The Tibet Hotel, very suave, old school timber furnishings, neat and tidy, rock hard bed, perfect. I relaxed a bit then decided I have to venture out and do some exploring. I got changed, put on a sarong and scarf, ventured downstairs, said a friendly goodbye to the concierge and out the door I went to stare, and be stared at. I had not done much research about Kathmandu, all I knew was that there was a teaching English course running right at the time that I wanted to do one. One of the first places I visited was the Tibetan Stupa, Boudhanath. It was an amazing sight and something that I had never seen before. My enthusiasm must have been really showing because I was fully exploring every room of this incredible structure, even walking on top of it. It was a beautiful part of town with so many people and vendors selling various trinkets and wares made by incredible craftsman. There are amazing temples and structures in Kathmandu but for me, the old town Bhaktapur really took my breath away. It was surreal and stunning, with its wooden facades and red brick buildings, cobblestone streets without no cars. It is UNESCO heritage listed and once you see it, you understand why such a treasure should be protected. I did start my teaching English course and I did complete it. I met wonderful local teachers in my class also doing the same course. I learnt a lot including how difficult it is to be a teacher but most of all the new found respect I have for them. But the kids I met while taking my practicals were a real eye opener. they were so excited to be taught by a real western English teacher from a country that plays cricket. The young ones eyes were as big as dinner plates with wide smile and perfect teeth. it was an extremely rewarding but challenging experience and one that helped me grow as a person. After my course finished I ventured out to the lake town called Pokhara. A more laid back feel awaits where you can take a boat out onto the water or climb some nearby mountains and explore little villages at the top. Nepal is an amazing country with beautiful people and culture and it is a place I would like to visit again if given half a chance.