My Fabulous Journey from Mystic Mustang; to a Global Food Trendsetter - Wangchuck Gurung

 Tashi Delek!! I am Wangchuck Gurung from Lo Manthang, also known as Upper Mustang, a beautiful mystical village at 3,800 Meter above the sea level across the mountains. It’s my pleasure to share my wonderful experiences with GATE College relating my journey into the Vocational fields. I am from a middle class family and my parents mostly earn from livestock and farming. Upper Mustang is very remote village of Mustang and there were no luxury of good school and transportation, therefore along with my brother, we were sponsored to attend a high school in Touristic town Pokhara. I successfully completed my schooling from SOS Hermann Gmeiner Boarding School Pokhara and joined management course for Higher Secondary Education (plus 2 level) from Jana Priya multiple campus with the kind support from my sponsors.

After completion of my plus 2, I aimed of joining Bachelors in Hotel Management but couldn't continue my further studies due to some financial circumstances. I thought next best option for me was to join a Diploma in Culinary and was strongly convinced, motivated by my sponsors, parents, my uncle and our GATE College’s Founder Mr. Khem Lakai and his genuine guidance to do Vocational Diploma in Culinary Arts. I choose culinary as this profession is directly related to Tourism Industry and I quickly realized nowadays Hospitality and Tourism in my hometown Mustang offers boundless opportunities to serve the people. I grew up with the strong values of serving others therefore I hope that one day, I can demonstrate what I have learned, and bring some much needed positive change among our youth in the village and raise awareness regarding hospitality in my hometown Mustang.   Once I realize this dream, I believe that I will serve also fulfill the desire of my generous sponsors who constantly motivated and invested in me to be independent and able standing on my own feet to serve the people of my community and the nation.

After I successfully completed 6 month of Culinary Course at GATE Vocational Pokhara, and exposed in too many interesting experiences and knowledge although it was a short duration, I tried my best to push myself harder each day. I learned many things from basic but the environment, teachers, chefs all helped me achieve to reach what I am doing today. With GATE Vocational, I learned to motivate myself, to live every moment meaningfully and to know the strength of our life for sure.  I did not just learned different cuisine and cooking styles, but some of the most important foundation such as how to keep hygiene standards all the time. As soon as I completed my basic course, I was provided with other beautiful opportunity to advance my next studies, Certificate Level 3 in Hospitality under the Australian Qualification Framework supported by NOREC as International Exchange Program from GATE Nepal and Pegasus International College Vietnam. I came to know about this program from my mentors (Mr. Bibek Poudel – General Manager GATE Vocational Pokhara and Ms. Pratima Gautam-Project Coordinator Global Food trendsetters NOREC Exchange Program). 

We have one week of preparatory training held in GATE College Kathmandu to prepare us about NOREC Exchange program, course objectives, details and its guidelines. We were very excited to meet for the first time with our exchange students, friends from Vietnam and mentors/teachers of GATE and Pegasus Vietnam. The one week preparatory training helped us to understand the value and ethics of NOREC Exchange program and how we could contribute as a youth to our nation after the completion of our course. 

My next journey began with the six days training program in Norway at Hurdal to attend NOREC Youth Camp, where I learned, enjoyed and experienced every days of the week. I learned many new skills attending different workshops such as youth leadership skills, sustainability, intercultural communication etc, to meet; spent time with many youths from 21 different countries was most exciting and enjoyable moments for me. The youth camp was mainly focused on what the program is all about and shed light on the meaningful exchange between parties.

Every single moment played a significant role for the betterment of successful journey and life for all twelve participants from our team. During 5 months stay in Nepal, I enjoyed learning and diving deep into the authentic “Newari Nepali Cuisine”. We made a several field trips to different places and gained different experiences, knowledge, value and the cultural importance. Learning how to live and work together with 7 other Nepalese students from different parts of Nepal, and 4 from Vietnamese students and how to forge mutual understanding, exchange of culture and to grow together among the participants was the most successful parts. We organized several important events such as prepared hygienic food and health safety training for Students in Rural Education Development Organization, Orphanage in Pokhara with the initiation of GATE Vocational Pokhara. We the participants of NOREC Exchange-Global Food Trendsetters Project, also organized blood donation program through the support of Red Cross Society Pokhara. GATE hosted events frequently, and we also got the opportunity to work with 2 Michelin starred chef Manuel Berganza from Spain, which was beyond my imagination. We did one charity dinner program with the involvement of SAPTA Collective Project in coordination with GATE Vocational Pokhara and The Pavilions Himalayans Hotels and Resort Pokhara to raise funds to support deprived and unprivileged marginalized students to access hospitality training. We also had the opportunity to meet the founders of SAPTA projects Ms Choy Wan Teh and her gifted team, including photographer, florist and media personalities. I also got the opportunities to do 45 days internship at reputed three star hotel of Pokhara named The Lakeside Retreat.

After five month of learning from Nepal, we went to Pegasus International College Danang, Vietnam for our Second half of our exchange program. Unfortunately/fortunately our remaining 5 months stay in Vietnam is now prolonged because of global pandemic COVID-19. But our project coordinators from GATE and Pegasus, teachers and NOREC had never given up upon us on any obstacles which motivate to live in every situation and I learned to accept every challenge. I enjoyed every online class even during lockdown which leaded to successful completion of course. We had successfully covered practical course as well, I love learning Vietnamese Cuisine, Seafood, industrial visits to different reputed hotels. We even had the opportunity to serve food for 700 students during quarantine. One of the unforgettable highlights of the program is also an event that was conducted by the team of NOREC Exchange participants-Global Food Trendsetters in coordination with Pegasus International College Danang and Novotel Danang Premier Han River to prepare and distribute hygienically prepared food to those in needs. I realized, working for the society always help us to surround with joy and sense of satisfaction to serve people those who were in need during this challenging time due to COVID- 19. 

As all these wonderful time and moment I want to thank GATE, Pegasus and NOREC from the core of my heart. This course gave me way more than I have ever expected. Many positive energy, thoughts and memories are created with this exchange program. We had no shortage of skills, and useful knowledge regarding culinary and hospitality that will be very helpful for my dreams and remain useful foundation for my lifelong learning, so that I can share and bring the change in our society as well.

What I must say here is that our world is beautiful, and every human in this planet are amazing! Life feels like a gift when you know that you can learn and serve. 

Many Thanks

Wangchuk Gurung

Participant of NOREC Exchange Program (Global Food Trendsetters) GATE College Nepal and Pegasus International College Vietnam