This post contains student writing.

Day 9

Today was a very good day. We woke up around 7:30 and had breakfast. We were in a bit of a hurry as we had a very big hike ahead. After quickly having breakfast, we grabbed our equipment and begun walking. All the heavy bags were mounted on the yaks, who slowly strolled behind us. 20 minutes into the hike, we stopped on a very steep hill, the clouds had cleared and the mountains around us were very visible. We took some pictures and continued walking. The hike took a total of five hours. While it was tiring, it was definitely worth it. We weren’t able to see Everest as we were inside a cloud when we passed through the viewpoint. However, we were able to imagine it, which was nice. Around 3:00, we arrived at the monastery and rested.

– Alejandro

Day 10

Happy Fourth of July!

Today we sat in the beautiful, local monastery and listened to the translated words of the lama. He explained the morals, values, and practices of Buddhism. Later on, we returned to sit in on prayer meditation. During our free time, in groups of three, we were given the opportunity to interview locals. The intimate connections we made broke the language barrier. The Nepali people are kind, generous, and very welcoming people.

This trip is simultaneously teaching us resilience and how to be humble.

Something I find is important to acknowledge we are all on the pursuit of happiness. Sometimes the best way to find yourself is to leave who we think we are behind for awhile…

We will continue to feel all of the feelings!

-Fiona

Day 11

Hello! Today was a very, very lovely day! We left our home of 2 nights in the mountains and trekked back to our village for one last week of work at the school. The breathtaking views and clear weather (finally!) kept us in high spirits throughout the hike. I think it’s safe to say we were all feeling extremely grateful to be here. We ended the day with a group face mask session which was much needed after 3 days of intense hiking. These past 4 days were certainly memorable – filled with self reflection that we will carry with us when we return home.

We love Nepal!

Love, Jess

Day 12

Namaste!

From falling asleep to the calming sound of two dogs barking at the night sky to waking up to the majestic crow of our neighborhood roosters, today can be classified as a good day. A later-than-usual breakfast at 8:00 am presented the group with much needed rest. Unfortunately, the tractor carrying supplies to the school was not able to make it through the rained out roads. However, we found work weeding and digging lines for a volleyball court at the girls dorm. After a few games of volleyball played on the freshly dug court, the group devoured lunch (which included cheese made from female yak milk). After some down time spent reading, we met the girls and presented each with a handwritten card and a face mask. The rest of the day was spent playing intense games of volley and dancing to some rad music including Barbie girl, YMCA, and lots of Cardi B. The day was simply happy, chill, and heartfelt.

Caroline Q. + the Putney Students (Nate & Anne)