By 2016 Fellow Dependra KC

Saturdays have always been special to me since I started going to school. So I always try to enjoy my Saturdays in the best ways possible. I have found a new way to cherish my Saturdays now- and that’s with my kids, who love their Saturdays like I do.

From the very beginning of my Fellowship, kids had been proposing a hiking plan to Kaleshwor Mahadev Mandir. For a person who loves visiting new places and finds nature an extremely pleasing treasure, I thought this could be a wonderful opportunity to explore. I thought it would also be a chance to interact with my kids freely and know them well. This could be very useful for me to make my classroom better, I thought. I agreed on the offer and decided to utilize one of our Saturdays by climbing up to the temple. I could feel the level of excitement among the students.

I asked, “Ma hidna sakina bhaneni?” (What if I have difficulties walking on the way?) And they replied, “Haami bokaulani baru” (We will carry you if that happens). That made me smile.

As days went on, various issues came up that needed to be dealt with so I wasn’t being able to make our hiking plan successful. This was making me gloomy. Every week kids came and asked me if we were going hiking the upcoming Saturday. I could say nothing more than “We are definitely going, but not this Saturday.” I wasn’t really sure which Saturday that would be.

Finally, after many weeks, June 11 was the day. I had the answer, “Yo Sanibaar chai haami janey madir” (We are going to the temple this Saturday). Kids from Class 9 and 10 made a plan to meet sharp at 6 in the morning and leave Batase by picking up their friends on the way. They also said that they would bring food from home. On Saturday morning, there were twenty of us ready to hike up to the Kaleshwor Mahadev Mandir.

We started walking and the soothing cool breeze made our walk easier. The weather of Kaleshwor usually remains pleasing. On the way, we talked, we shared, and we laughed. The children felt so comfortable that it seemed like there were no boundaries that could stop them from talking to their teacher. This was one of the reasons why I wanted to go on a trip with them. We continued our conversation shifting it from one topic to another.

“Aaja ta malai nindrai lagena janey bhanera” (I couldn’t sleep tonight because of excitement for the hiking), one of them said. “Ma ta 4 bajey dekhi uthera ready bhaako” (I woke up at 4 am and got ready),said another student.

“Did you eat something before leaving?”, “Do you like travelling a lot?”, “Share something about your life too, Sir”. “Are you tired?”, “Sir, may I carry your bag for you?”, “Do you want to drink water?”, “Sir, let’s go on trips like this every Saturday”. They kept asking me questions and initiating conversations with me.

I also loved hearing them talk with each other throughout the way. We took photos and cracked jokes, listened to each other singing. This made it easier for us to climb the hill with ease.

After the hike of over four hours, we reached the temple. We worshiped at the temple and the kids asked me to wish for something saying it would be fulfilled. One of them- who loves to call me ‘Dai’ outside the school premises- offered me tika. After we finished worshiping, we sat together to eat snacks. It was kind of a mini-picnic for us.

It was time to return. Downhill walk was easier. On the way, my students decided to sit on the ground and dance or sing for a while. We sang and danced together followed by a quick snack session.

Lastly, we sat forming a circle and reflected on the journey. As the children shared, I came to know that it was the first time they went on an informal hike with a teacher. They shared that the hike was helpful for them to open up and communicate without any hesitation. They also said that the hike brought us closer and they could now share their problems with me.

I promised them I would help them as much as possible. In return, they promised that they would try their best to make the classroom better by collaborating with each other. I ended our formal conversation by thanking them for coming.

No doubt, it was one of the most cherished Saturdays of my Fellowship and I’m looking forward to more. I wish to make the two years of my Fellowship extraordinary by building a deep connection with my students lasting for lifetime.

2016 Fellow Dependra KC teaches in Bagbhairab Higher Secondary School in Lalitpur.