Hospitality Management

VIN’s language/culture/homestay in Nepal volunteer program is a program for those who want to learn about the culture and really immerse themselves in Nepali society. As a volunteer, you will be living in a typical Nepali home in the village. During the day, you will follow language lessons taught by experts. These cultural language classes not only teach linguistics, but also brief you on the customs and traditions of Nepal. After these lessons you will also have the opportunity to engage in some informal teaching at a nearby school. This cultural exchange emphasised mutual teaching and learning for the benefit of both local and international participants.

Why Choose a Homestay?

This program transforms the volunteer experience to one which is lived rather than simply observed. As an accepted family member in a homestay in Nepal and member of the wider community, your presence provides an enriching experience to those around you. This homestay in Nepal and cultural exchange program places volunteers in one of our 35 affiliated host families

Village life provides the volunteers with an excellent chance to learn about intricate aspects of Nepali culture: lifestyle, language, food and its people. Volunteers should remember that this is a cultural exchange and that their own input and stories about themselves are also valuable! During the stay, volunteers will attend two hours of language lessons in the morning and in the afternoon.

They will also have the opportunity to visit and help out at the local school. Homestay in Nepal programs are best organised from August to December which is the time when most large Nepali festivals take place. This makes for an overall more exciting experience for the volunteer. Nepali culture is distinctively friendly and open and often participants are made to feel as though they are part of the family. VIN’s local coordinator will be on hand to help volunteers.

Learning About Nepali Language and Culture

Nepal is a very rich country in culture and landscape. The country is a mosaic of ethnic groups and sub-groups collectively speaking over 100 languages and dialects. There are numerous traditional festivals that are celebrated throughout the year, preserving local customs and beliefs. Nepali is the national and official language of Nepal and quite similar to Hindi. It is used throughout the country on a regular basis. If you are able to learn Nepali, even just a few words, your stay will be richly enhanced, especially in the rural areas. VIN also has experienced professional language teachers, able to help with any questions you may have.

Although VIN has its own designed course book, lessons and teaching techniques can be adjusted in accordance with the learner’s needs and suggestions. VIN guarantees that the learner will feel a difference and a new kind of confidence within just a few hours of being a student. We provide short-term (hourly basis) and long-term (more than two weeks) language courses. In the long-term courses, the volunteer can learn Nepali for conversational use in the community.

Learning a language means to assimilate oneself into the culture of the target language and essentially to integrate into that particular society. Keeping this socio-linguistic principle in mind VIN believes that a village homestay is the most effective component so as to learn Nepali language and culture. This cross cultural exchange also allows you to embody the very essence of what it means to be Nepali. If you wish to learn Nepali, doors will open for you into other ‘hidden gems’ of the country.

Project Summary