Leah Carlon, Volunteer in Nepal

Leah Carlon, 18 years old, Volunteer in 2011

Describe your volunteer work experience.

My experience was eye-opening and life-changing. I was with the younger kids every day. We interacted by playing games, doing art, singing and dancing. About half way through, the older kids at the orphanage had a holiday so I was able to spend time with them and bond with them as well. Overall I had a great time.

What did you enjoy most about your Quest experience?

I enjoyed being with the children at the orphanage every day. I loved adventuring around Nepal and going sight- seeing. The culture was amazing to learn about. I met so many great people who will be life long friends.

Raj (Country Coordinator) was great to have as support. He was the most helpful and friendly person I could ever ask for.

What was most challenging about your Quest experience?

The most challenging was the first two weeks. Culture shock really kicked in and I felt alone and scared. After that though, I started to form bonds with people and felt more comfortable. It definitely helped to have another volunteer who was the same age as me live in my building.

Please provide a testimonial of your experience with as much detail as possible.

Overall my experience was the most life changing thing I've ever been through. Culture shock was difficult to get through but after a while I learned to focus on the good things about the country as well. Going to the festivals and visiting temples was really fascinating. I loved being in such a different culture and it really was eye opening to live with an actual Nepali family.

Social Tours was more than welcoming to me. They helped me with everything and were always there. They were more like family than just a tour company. They were truly great. The orphanage staff was so fun to eat lunch with and visit every day. They were so friendly and we became very close towards the end. I'm so thankful to have had this opportunity.

United Planet, you're great!