Village Passage

  Nepal

• Other Cities in Nepal: 
Kirtipur,  Kopan,  Bhaktapur,  Lalitpur
• Kathmandu: 
Kathmandu
• Pokhara: 
Pokhara

Term: Spring 
Dates: Early Spring: February 14 - April 9 (8 weeks) ; Late Spring: April 11 - June 5 (8 weeks)

Description: The Langtang program is ideal for students interested in the study of botany, ecology, conservation, wildlife, and life in rural Nepal. The Langtang National Park area is rich in a wide range of flora and fauna with about six different kinds of rhododendrons, many different wild flowers, and orchids. Also available during August and early September are more than 40 different kinds of mushrooms. Seen in the area are wild animals like red panda, Himalayan bear, musk deer, wild boar, leopard, four different kinds of monkeys including the white head langur. More than 200 different species of birds are found in the area.

A truly rural experience - the Langtang region falls in central Nepal although easily accessible from Kathmandu. It is largely inhabited by the Tamang ethnic group whose religious practices, language and dress more are similar to those of Tibet than to the traditions of their cousins in the middle hills.

The program will include home stay with Tamang families, experiencing their way of life and helping with daily chores and related internships.

Taking advantage of the stupendously beautiful landscape, a trek through the Tamang Heritage trail, Kyamjin Gompa or climbing a 5100m peak will be included in the program. During the trek you can visit villages, spend time with yak shepherds, milking and making butter as well as visit the cheese factory.

Each program includes a number of similar components. Passage will use these as a base for group cohesion, and the point of departure for individual exploration. Within this structure, participants shape their own experiences by deciding how and what they would like to do.

The semester begins with three days of orientation in and around the Kathmandu Valley with introductory meetings, health and safety precautions, introduction to local customs, cultural excursions and cross-cultural adjustment.   During this period, the program coordinator meets with each student individually to gain a better sense of each participant's unique personal interests and goals. Above all, orientation focuses on preparing students for new experiences by learning how to approach each new situation with patience, humor, and an open mind.

Home stays will be provided in Brabal and some neighboring villages. Mostly inhabited by Tamang families, these villages fall on the popular trekking trails. Houses are built in the traditional Tamang style with stone walls, wooden roofs, and carved windows. Most of the villages are just two days away from Kathmandu - a one-day ride to Dhunche and a few hours walk the next day.

Families mostly include two members, usually grandparents, along with an average of six grandchildren all living under the same roof. Most of the children can speak some English.

Accommodation and meals are basic. Students will be served what the family eats except those in the trekkers' teashop business where they have learnt to make apple pancake and mushroom pizzas!

During your home stay you will find yourself in the company of old people always willing to share their experiences and relay hundreds of interesting stories. Along with the warmth of their company you can savour the local apple beverage.

It is not uncommon to find families of Shamans; in fact the practice has been passed down for 4-5 generations. For those interested there is a wide range of subjects that can be taken up related to Shamanism. Students can also be exposed to Buddhism practiced in Gompas (monasteries) in the vicinity and also learn more about Tamang rituals.

The Langtang Passage program will add ISPs and social service opportunities like educating the local people on hygiene, training the men and women to speak English, spending time with a herb specialist, going to the jungle to understand the herbal plants, learning to sing or play Dramyen, woodcarving, and spending time with a shaman family. Students can learn the local art of weaving such as sheep wool products, traditional sheep wool coat "Baggu", belts for men and women, embroidery, bag weaving, carpets, and cheese making.

A percentage of the profits will go to Tamang handicrafts. In the words of Sherap Lama who helped Passage create the Lantang program:

I, Sherap Lama of Brabal village in Syabru VDC, Rasuwa District, have been photographing the dying Tamang culture for the last 12 years. I have visited many remote villages in Langtang and Gosainkunda area and have witnessed a huge loss or disappearance of the unique culture and tradition. Literacy rate in these areas are still very low and most young men and women are seeking to go to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan to work as laborers. Often these uneducated men return empty handed or sick. The people who are left behind in the villages are wives, grandparents and children. When the farming season is over, many of these housewives spend their time weaving traditional crafts such as hats, bags, belts, blankets, and coats. These products are occasionally taken by trekkers' lodges to sell to tourists. Often the weaver does not get paid or is paid next to nothing.

Tamang Handicrafts' objective is to encourage these talented women to continue weaving, spinning, and to bring these unique handspun, hand-woven Tamang arts and crafts from the villages in Langtang down to Kathmandu as well as to find markets abroad. It will provide them with regular income opportunities and inspire them to keep the tradition alive. Weavers will be chosen from certain groups such as low-income families, widows, and those whose husbands have gone abroad to work as migrant labor.

The Tamang Handicrafts outlet will also eventually work as an exhibition gallery where we will have monthly events like cultural shows, photo and slide shows, live weaving, interaction with the weavers, teach interested people the unique technique and bring students for home stays in the village to learn this dying tradition.

There are plenty of trekking spots. The trails will take you through Tamang villages, along the thick rhododendron forest or up to the base of Langtang Lirung (7,345 m). Kyanzin Gompa is at an elevation of 5100m from where a 180 degree panoramic views of the mountain is visible. Treks ranging from 5 days to 12 days can be done. There are a couple of hot springs which are considered medicinal by the local people. There are at least 12 festivals throughout the year including Gosainkunda Jatra.

What is attractive about the Village Passage in Langtang program is that the villages are close to urban Kathmandu and yet, in a sense, they are a world away. Life in rural Nepal is simple, revolving around basic necessities and marked by a struggle for food, fuel, animal fodder, water and an income to wade through other needs. The Village Passage program therefore helps you experience and absorb your surroundings as well as build your admiration for people and their struggles for daily living.

Highlights: Cultural orientation, excursions, home stay, independent study projects and much more.

Degree Level: Masters Degree

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Early Spring/Late Spring: USD 3,423.00 (8 weeks)

It does not include: Round trip airfare to/from participants home country; Internships; Personal Spending Money for food outside of home stay and other expenses; Visas; Airport tax; Other activities.

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Nepal Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 4 - 9

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Phone Interview
• Resume

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Passage International's Mission Statement: Passage offers you the opportunity to broaden your view of the world, and of yourself. We strive to instill in our students a greater appreciation and understanding of different cultures. By looking at life from a completely new perspective, you can appreciate your own culture as well. We are committed to providing you the best cultural immersion by drawing from our many years of experience and vast array of contacts with deep insights into the cultures and communities in which our programs operate. Our team is comprised of Americans and South Asians who have all participated in many study abroad programs and are committed experiential educators. Years of experience have given us a vast array of contacts and deep insight into the cultures and communities in which our programs operate. Our leaders are committed to embracing different learning styles. They support students as they process and articulate their experiences and encourage students to shape their own learning. Passage staff and students are treated like family; but we also retain the professional touch that comes from our many years of experience conducting study abroad programs. We are committed to providing the best cultural immersion by drawing from our many years of experience and vast array of contacts with deep insights into the cultures and communities in which our programs operate.

Year Founded: 2002