Supporting the local education system by teaching English or other subjects is one of the most popular volunteer work in Nepal. With commitment and own creative ideas, volunteers can make a great contribution to the prevailing system and help and support local children and adults to improve their foreign language skills such as English.

A fun fact about education in Nepal: the current system is one of the youngest worldwide. It was only when Nepal became a democracy in 1951 that education became available for a wider community. Besides the recent development of an actual school system, it's hard to create access to education in small villages. In some cases, little villages in mountainous regions don't have a good infrastructure and therefore no proper schools or teachers.

Join the on-site teams as a volunteer in Nepal and make use of your own ideas on how to improve, manage or support the educational development. Volunteers are mostly deployed in community centers or schools within regions, that aren't highly developed. A general passion for working with children is crucial for working working, teaching and volunteering in one of these teaching projects.

Especially for a cultural exchange, it's nice for volunteers to join a social project with a community focus. Thereby you can combine new cultural experiences with meaningful work in different areas. Some of the volunteer projects in Nepal give volunteers the opportunity to make a great difference for local communities. Among others, volunteers can work at programs to develop communal areas or help and support social workers by

• assisting in child care and buddy programs
• taking care of street children
• doing maintenance work like renovating houses

As Nepalese people are known for their friendly nature and hospitality, they will honour your effort as a volunteer in Nepal with great respect.

Being a volunteer in Nepal doesn't mean that your volunteering work has to be in a social context. Besides working with people and a community, there is also room to explore and travel the rural side of Nepal. If you grew up in a big city and you need a change of surroundings, this can be your chance to get in touch with local flora.

Since 80 % of the population is dependent on agriculture, volunteers can learn a lot about agrarian practices and come to a close connection with local farmers during their volunteering programs. Most of the farming still happens in a traditional way with traditionally Nepalese techniques.

As a volunteer in Nepal, you can also join tea research or organic farming projects which are unique volunteer opportunities in Nepal. Here you'll be able to conduct various researches on organic tea cultivation and production or you'll be involved with local people for tea leaves picking, tea processing and tea packaging. These projects offer volunteers an opportunity to support and experience the typical lifestyle of rural Nepali Villages!

There are not many precautions for you to take if you volunteer in Nepal. Still, you should pay attention to some issues:

• A common rumour about Nepal is the legality of Marijuana. Well, it's nothing else than a rumour, so hands off!
• Don't give money to beggars.
• Avoid having food on you around monkeys and in temples.
• Do not trek alone and make sure that you are well equipped!
• If you are planning to go for a trekking trip be sure to get essential information about helicopter rescue options.

Famous for its deep connection to religion and spirituality, Nepal has a rich culture which is worth to be explored. Take some time to immerse yourself in the ancient history of this small country and make your very own experiences with locals, festivals or sacred pilgrims.

In Nepal, religion is not just a set of beliefs but has become the very heartbeat of the nation. The complex intermingling of traditions, faiths and doctrines are integrative to every party of Nepalese Society. Nepal is famous as the world's only Hindu Kingdom. However, Nepal is also the birthplace of Buddha and Buddhism is an important religion there as well. The religious tolerance and harmony, as is found in Nepal, is perhaps a unique example to the world. When volunteering at one of the many programs in Nepal, make sure to follow these cultural and religious rules:

• Don't touch someone's head or point with your feet at someone. Locals consider these gestures to be impolite.
• If a local agrees with you or makes promises, it is always better to double-check.
• Some entrance fees for temples are just valid for foreigners, so always bring money.
• Agreement or disagreement is expressed quite differently. If you want to agree with someone, move your head slightly from one site to the other. If you would like to disagree instead, hold one hand up in front of you and move your wrist gently.
• Once you touch food or water with your lips, it is contaminated for everyone else. So try not to eat from someone's plate or touch a water bottle with your lips if it isn't yours.

Going abroad always includes some issues and precautions that need to be taken into account, especially if you are traveling to a developing country. The risks to health whilst traveling will vary between individuals and many depend on your activities, length of stay and general health. However, be sure that you are up-to-date on routine vaccinations before you go. Here are some basic precautions you should take before volunteering at programs:

• Eat and drink safely: Don't eat undercooked food, avoid eating street food and don't drink water from the tap!
• Also, wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• Bring medicine with you, especially if you need special medication.
• Prevent bug bites: You might want to cover exposed skin, use an insect repellent, and use a bed net.
• Be aware that rabies exists in domestic and wild animals. There are many street dogs in Nepal and you should avoid direct contact with dogs, cats and other animals.
• Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccinations before every trip. These vaccinations include MMR, Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis, Chickenpox, Polio and your yearly flu shot. Moreover, the US based health protection agency CDC recommends hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations because you can get these diseases through contaminated food or water in Nepal.

There are some general requirements you should comply upon your arrival in Nepal:

• Please check the current validity of your passport. The passport should be valid at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Nepal.
• Make sure your passport has at least two blank Visa pages. Nepal requires that you have adequate unused pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure.
• In addition, please check if a transit visa is required for any connections.

If you are planning to volunteer in Nepal for 90 days or less, you can easily get the Tourist Visa on your arrival in Nepal. Once you arrived at the Airport, you just need to fill in the "Arrival Card", state tourism as your reason for traveling and pay the Visa Fee. The fees are divided into four slabs, which are US$25 for a stay of up to 15 days, US$40 for up to 30 days and US$100 for up to 90 days (even if you can pay these fees with different payment methods we would recommend you to carry some cash to be on the safe side). The Tourist Visa is a Multiple Entry Visa.

In case you want to avoid queues at the airport, you can also get the Tourist Visa from your closest Nepalese Embassy or Consulate prior to your arrival. If you have obtained the Visa at a Nepalese Embassy/Consulate you should keep in mind that you have to enter Nepal with this Tourist Visa within six months from the visa issued date.

If you are planning to volunteer in Nepal for more than 90 days, you should get the above mentioned Tourist Visa as well.

Once in Nepal, you can extend your Tourist Visa at the immigration offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara for a fee starting from USD$30. This Visa is extendable up to a total stay of 150 days within a calendar year.

In case you want to volunteer in Nepal for more than 150 days, you should apply for a volunteer program from August to December and additionally from January to May. Between December and January, you can easily go to a neighbouring country for a few days and then obtain another Tourist Visa so that you can stay in Nepal for 300 days in total (please keep in mind that you need another two blank visa pages if you decide for this option).