1st Week in Kathmandu

My name is Tom Thomas. I am a 3^rd year nursing student at North Island College in the Comox Valley. I have many reasons for wanting to come to Nepal. While most stem from a strong sense of social justice and wanting to make a difference, others have to do with my personal interests in learning how to be a more culturally aware, competent, and safe nurse. I also think that while I can offer something to the communities I visit, there is a lot to be learned here as well.

It is 5pm in Kathmandu, and is approximately 30 degrees Celsius. I and the five other nursing students have been here for five days thus far. We arrived late Tuesday night and hurried off to our house shortly after arriving. Kathmandu is one of those places that hit you in the senses the second you land. From the moment the doors open the humidity, smells, and noise flood the senses. It is almost like having a warm wet horse blanket thrown on you in the middle of an over populated rock concert. It is unrelenting.

Even though we were suffering from the 36 hours of travel, and 12 hours and 45 minute time difference, we were all up at the crack of dawn. From the roof top balcony of our three story guest house the astonishing beauty of our first Kathmandu sunrise hypnotized all who ventured up to the roof. The smells and noises seemed muted in comparison to the magnificence of the blood red globe rising from behind the distant mountain tops.




Kathmandu comes to life very early in the morning. There is little doubt the massive Himalaya and amazing morning view contributes to this phenomena.

The first few days have consisted of reconnoitering our local neighborhood, and traveling as a group to each of our nursing placements. Traveling the streets of Kathmandu is a much larger hazard than I ever anticipated. In many places in Kathmandu there is no sidewalk, and walking within a few inches of moving vehicles is the norm here. I think it is safe to say that all of us came close to being run over several times in the first few days. It is only due to the kindness of the Nepali drivers and the quick watchful eyes of our instructor that we still stand six strong. As a group we have adapted quickly and have graduated to crossing roads on our own and travelling with some sense of competence.

In our initial meetings with our practice placements it is an understatement to say that that each is amazing in its own way. I will personally be working with Friends of Needy Children at the Nutritional Rehabilitation Home (NRH), a malnutrition clinic for children and their caregivers. The kind, caring, and compassionate nature of the staff at NRH was evident from the second we arrived, and their acceptance of us as fellow healthcare professionals was inspiring. I look forward to the weeks ahead. The second placement we visited was the Friends of Needy Children Manisha Singh clinic for children with HIV/AIDS. What struck me most about the staff at was the amazing energy and passion they displayed in every aspect of their work. We also had the opportunity to meet some of the volunteers there. The highlight for me at this placement was playing soccer with a three year old patient. The joy he displayed while we played touched me deeply. I have no doubt that this placement will be the center of many cheers and tears over the next few weeks. The last placement we visited was Hospice Nepal. Visually Hospice Nepal is a stark contrast to palliative care in Canada, but at its heart it is concerned with the dignified death of its clients. As someone who has had a lot of experience in palliative care I was pleased to hear one of the physicians talk about assisting patients in achieving “the best death for them”. I should say that Hospice Nepal is an anomaly when it comes to end of life care in Nepal, yet it inspiring to see the values and beliefs I have developed as a caregiver in Canada can be found in the far reaches of the globe.

The weeks ahead hold many unknowns, but it is with great anticipation that we head into our practice placement. I have no doubt that we will learn a great deal about the peoples, traditions, and cultures that exist in this amazing country. That said, travel is also a journey of self discovery, and I am sure that we will all gain a greater understanding of ourselves and the culture we often take for granted back home.

Namaste

Tom Thomas NICBSN III