A Volunteer Journey to FAB School from the UK

My name is Barney and I am a volunteer who has come to Nepal to teach English at the FAB school. I am 23 years old and graduated from university in the UK last July. I first heard about the college through my contact with Right4Children. I was back in England speaking on the phone to Douglas when he gave me a brief overview of the program. I was particularly interested when I heard that the college worked to recruit students from tough backgrounds and give them a second chance. Since seeing it for myself and learning in detail how FAB works I am even more impressed. The college and all its members work hard to ensure not only that the students graduate and get their qualifications but also that they have the best possible chance of being employed afterward. FAB employs many different strategies based on what has and hasn’t worked in the past. This evolution is what makes it such an effective institution. There are numerous and varied types of lessons throughout the week to keep students engaged and effective networking strategies to help students later on down the line.

I have found teaching at FAB interesting, fun and challenging. I can’t speak Nepali so during my first few lessons some of my students were looking at me as if I were from Mars. It is nice to see how close the students seem to be with one another. They often laugh together, move up their chairs to let someone sit down if there is no space and generally seem to be eager to support one another. I think FAB nurtures this attitude. It is important in any educational institution that students are happy and cooperative, and it makes it a pleasure to teach when I don’t have to worry about putting any individuals in a team together because they won’t get along. Likewise, the staff at FAB bring a great attitude to their work. Everyone is motivated and willing to try something different if they think it will be for the betterment of the students. I have always felt welcome here and that if I needed anything all I had to do was ask.

I have been staying at the FAB school and teaching for just over a month now. The location was initially a surprise to me. Before arriving, I knew I would be staying near or around Pokhara but that was all I knew. My bus from Kathmandu was greatly delayed so by the time I arrived at FAB it was completely dark, and I had no clue where I was or what was in the surrounding area. I was more than a little surprised to emerge from my room the next day to mountains, farmland and dense jungle with eagles flying overhead. I am a great lover of nature, so it has been a treat for me to be in such a location. It takes me about 30 minutes to cycle to the lakeside and is even quicker by car or motorcycle. I think that some travelers or tourists might find an extended stay at FAB quite isolating and want to stay somewhere closer to town. However, for someone who doesn’t mind a bit of a journey into town or who wants something more unique compared to what travelers passing through Pokhara usually experience I would highly recommend a stay here.

In case it wasn’t obvious already from reading I think FAB is an upstanding college with a great cause and beautiful scenery. The staff clearly care about the students’ futures. I have thoroughly enjoyed both teachings and getting to know the local village. I hope that when I go home, I will be able to take with me some of the motivation and enthusiasm I have seen amongst the students and the staff.