It was two years ago around this time, I was working in a retail store in the United States of America. An American woman who had come to shop there struck up a conversation with me when she found out I was a Nepali because she had lived in Nepal in the past.

In our conversation, I mentioned to her that I was going back to Nepal to work in a village for Teach for Nepal. She responded, “But why would you want to go back to all that dust and pollution?”

I replied to her only with a smile!

To be honest, Teach for Nepal Fellowship was not what I expected it to be, it was a little bit more or less of a notion I had in my mind. But I do not regret my decision of joining the movement.

If you are planning to join Teach For Nepal or if you are on the fence about filling out the four-page application, let me tell you this — Teach For Nepal Fellowship is only for those who want to leave a legacy, who want to change the future, and who want to feel like they made a difference.

First and foremost, I joined Teach for Nepal only to learn about Nepal’s rural communities. Then I realize, I will also be working day to day with the children of my nation.

After my first year of Fellowship, I learned that I am not fond of children neither found teaching job easy.

Before you get any more wrong ideas, let me explain. Even though I am not fond of children, I did feel highly responsible for them, their quality of life and their future. As their transformative teacher, I had to be both the good cop and the bad cop. As I approached the end of the Fellowship, I started putting on the persona of a good cop.

You are probably asking, she is not fond of children and why on earth is she working day and night to turn these children into beautiful human beings? The answer is simple. They are the future of our country.

What about the part about learning Nepal’s rural communities? Trust me, I have learned more about Nepal in the last two years of my Fellowship than all the earlier years of my life. The classes I taught represent different communities that define Nepal. The students came from multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural backgrounds. Some came from broken families, some from marginalized groups and some have been the victims of early child marriages. Every day I heard their stories, I learned a little bit more about Nepal.

For those who don’t mind leaving the country unchanged Teach For Nepal Fellowship is not for you but for those who want to work for the betterment of our country, Teach For Nepal Fellowship is for you.

So, to that lady, I met at the retail store in the US, here is my answer. I am not bearing the brunt of dust and pollution, I work in a place that is known to many as heaven on earth. A school that sits in the foothills of the mountains of Sindhupalchowk surrounded by majestic mountains where you only get to breathe the freshest air and drink the purest water.

Teach For Nepal Fellowship 2019 is currently open and I ask you to join the movement to change the nation. Apply Now