Flights

This is going to be a long day of travel....

July 4, 2008 - Depart Vancouver, Canada (5:45 pm local time)
July 5, 2008 - Arrive in London, England (10:50 am local time)
July 5, 2008 - Depart London, England (3:05 pm local time)
July 5, 2008 - Arrive in Doha, Qatar (11:59 pm local time)
July 6, 2008 - Depart Doha, Qatar (12:45 am local time)
July 6, 2008 - Arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal (8:1o am local time)

What I'm Doing

Many people have asked me what it is that I am exactly doing in Nepal.... basically I'm working with an agency called Projects Abroad (www.projects-abroad.org) that helps many volunteers like myself each year reach out to people in need around the world. I'll be volunteering in a physical therapy program over there, but as of yet my exact role is unknown. Here is how my program is described on the Projects Abroad website:

Volunteer Physical Therapy in Nepal

There is a real shortage of physical therapy skills in Nepal; we provide volunteers of all abilities to help local doctors and physical therapists. Initially you'll shadow local staff, but as you become more confident and comfortable you will take more of a hands-on role. You will find that the experience you gain will really help you to get an idea of how a busy physical therapy department works. If you are a trained physical therapist, you will find yourself busy and in demand from your first day.

You might work in the Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children – the HRDC - which is based on a hilltop beside a quaint village on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The only hospital of its kind in Nepal, HRDC takes in children from all over the country. Many have been born with polio or had accidents that haven't been treated correctly. All have physical disabilities.

You'll come across neglected orthopedic conditions such as TB, polio, post-burn contractures and cerebral palsy. Volunteers work with inpatients and with outpatients who attend a couple of times in the week, sometimes traveling many hours for a visit to this important center.

We also work with the Royal Nepal Orthopedic Hospital. This was set up to provide medical care - in the fields of trauma, orthopedics and rehabilitation - to Nepalese people who cannot receive these services through the standard government-run hospitals, due to overcrowding.

This program is one where you can really improve your résumé - gaining experience impossible to get in the west - and help out these short-staffed institutions.

First Entry

Welcome to my blog. This site will be used mainly to document my trip to Kathmandu between July and September of 2008. I will be posting journal entries here as regularly as possible (and pictures if I can) throughout my entire trip. Please check back here when you can for updates and feel free to leave comments when you like!