Physiotherapy Internship in Nepal

My physiotherapy internship in Nepal with Volunteer World Nepal was an amazing experience, and I would suggest this organization to anybody who wants to travel to Nepal and see its amazing culture in a different way. My program coordinator Umesh made sure that all of my questions and worries were taken care of before I even arrived in Nepal, and I was made to feel extremely welcome right away. The group met me at the airport and escorted me to my homestay as soon as I landed. There, I got to meet the family I would be living with for the next month and a half and have some delicious, home-cooked Nepali food that my hosts had so kindly prepared.

I took language classes in Nepali and went on city excursions. I was able to pick up certain customs and traditions as well as the language skills necessary to interact with patients who speak Nepali at a hospital. Both were well-organized for me and a wonderful complement to my stay there. During my internship at the hospital, I was able to learn about the global practice of physiotherapy, as the majority of the staff had studied or worked overseas in addition to having experience dealing with volunteers from various nations. By helping with patients and seeing the practitioners, I was able to pick up a great deal of knowledge and skills about physiotherapy in the short time I was there.

I would have breakfast with my host family and then be driven to the hospital by Umesh. I really enjoyed spending this morning time with the daughter of my host stay family, who I would frequently bring up in conversation to share a few jokes and learn a few new Nepali terms. My favourite part of the entire experience was the close friends I was able to make while I was in the hospital, even though I still view my time there as being quite beneficial. It was difficult for me to go from what seemed like a second family, and I can’t wait to go back and see them in the future along with my hospital friends and mentors.