Etienne in Nepal
Participant
Etienne
Programme
Volunteering
Country
🇳🇵 Nepal
Duration
6 weeks
Short bio
My name is Etienne Baars, and I’m a sports science student at HAN University of Applied Sciences who’s about to graduate. I’ve been doing an internship at DKVS for the past two years. I’ve had the chance to visit many countries and have learnt a great deal. I’ve also done a lot of filming for DKVS, such as the induction and accommodation videos.
How satisfied were you with the support before departure?
Ruben and Roel were clear in their communication, which was great. I knew what was expected of me, so I was able to get started on my projects straight away, working independently.
My story
'I want you to come as a stranger and leave as a friend.''
Etienne · volunteering in Nepal
Nepal was a huge adventure. In the space of six weeks, I had a truly comprehensive trip. During the week, we were fully occupied with the projects, and at the weekends we went on some wonderful outings. We went paragliding, hiking in the Annapurna region and on a safari in Chitwan, where we had an amazing time. We saw rhinos, elephants and crocodiles as we paddled past them in a canoe.
The organisation on site is really lovely, friendly and empathetic. If you have a problem with anything, they take you seriously straight away and try to find a suitable solution quickly. I remember her telling me: ‘I want you to come as a stranger and leave as a friend.’ That has stayed with me, and looking back, that’s exactly how it turned out.
The locals are incredibly hospitable and I’ve always felt very much at home. Particularly in the neighbourhood where we were staying – as the only non-Nepalese there – the locals were very curious and, as time went on, they came to visit us more and more often.
I’ve now been to many countries on behalf of DKVS, and there was one thing in particular that struck me about Nepal.
There was a certain harmony in the neighbourhood that’s hard to explain. You’d have to have been there to understand it. So let’s go 🙂
What advice would you give to those who come after you?
As with all DKVS projects, my advice is: keep an open mind to new things – the language, the norms and values, customs and everything that goes with them. This will enable you to experience the country properly, whilst broadening your horizons at the same time. It’s brilliant for your personal development.