Korean volunteers find Nepali hospitality impressive
Kathmandu, April 26, 2019 : Sol Son, a volunteer from the Republic of Korea (RoK), has found the Nepali people to be in a jubilant mood all the times despite facing economic poverty and technological underdevelopment.
It is her second visit to Nepal. “I have seen them happy and hospitable,” said Sol.
Together with her 20 colleagues, Sol has been working as a volunteer at Shree Mahendra Gram Secondary School located at Sudal of Changunarayan Municipality in Bhaktapur district for one week. Under the 5th Hanul Volunteer Abroad programme of Seoul Facilities Corporation, the Korean team has been involved in constructing a school room, electric wiring and wall painting.
They have built 14X16 ft room by spending US$7,000, donated furniture worth US$2,000 to the school. They have also bought electric wires for wiring the school and paints for wall painting.
They have said that they have much to learn from Nepal as a culturally rich nation with ‘hospitable and ‘happy’ people.
“What has surprised me is that all the students and teachers at the school are seen happy and satisfied daily. Even other common villagers living nearby the school are ever smiling,” said Sol.
Sharing the Korean experience, she said, “The situation is opposite in my home country, which is economically, academically and technologically better than Nepal.”
She said she would recommend her friends and colleagues for including Nepal in their future programmes as well. “I think that because of their rich traditional culture, the Nepali people are always happy, sociable and helpful,” she said.
Seong Min Joe is another of the team. “Nepal is my dream destination. As I have been impressed with the people’s hospitality, I am planning to come here again along with my family in the future,” said Joe.
He plans to visit Annapurna Base Camp in order to have an amazing view of the Himalayas. “Although Nepal is not developed well now, the country holds tremendous prospects.”
As a member of a club with more than 200 volunteers, he said that he would encourage his club members to visit Nepal in the future. “I am confident that Nepal will be a developed nation like ours in the days to come as the people here are very hardworking.”
Coordinated by Hyun Chung Kim, who works for Good Travel based in Seoul, the team has given a facelift to the public school.
“I was utterly amazed when I did not find good furniture and other teaching-learning materials in the classrooms,” Kim said.
He hoped that the Korean volunteers’ small contribution would be of immense help for the needy students.
