All for One and One for Nepal: Ready, Set, GLOW!

Last week I had the pleasure of attending Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World). Camp GLOW is done in many Peace Corps countries worldwide and we are just starting to introduce the idea to Nepal. The camp is typically 5-7 days and each day has a different theme. Some themes include empowerment, health, gender equality, development, sexual education, and leadership. It was organized by a group of 5 volunteers from Dang who hired educators from a women’s rehabilitation center (WOREC). The week consisted of different activities focusing on the day’s theme. Both the Peace Corps volunteers and women from the WOREC group did activities and presentations.

I was lucky enough to go as a 3TOT participant which meant that I got to attend, learn, and help out with the intention of later doing this camp in my district. I believe girls in the Far West where I live would particularly benefit from the camp beause of the added challenes they face with menstruation rules. It is a practice that is fairly unique to the Far West to have young women live in isolation for the 7 days during their menstruation. I wrote about this in a previous blog and have experienced it to a lesser degree myself at site.

Although I love living at my site with my family, being at the camp for a week reminded me of going to Girl Scout camp when I was little. How lucky I was to spend a week doing crafts, dancing, playing games and watching movies. Girls in Nepal don’t get opportunities like this often. The idea of “camp” is foreign to Nepali’s who rarely travel outside their village. All the kids under 20 in my family usually only leave the village to visit relatives, or go to the doctor. Fun outings are a rare opportunity as there is so much work to be done around the farm tending to the animals, working in the fields, and cooking food. It was great to see them meeting new friends, having fun and learning some really important information.

Some of the topics involved psychosocial health, while others were more informative. I was surprised to hear that during the anatomy class many of the girls were aware of the terms being taught. Some of the information was new to them, but they knew many of the basics. However, it became apparent that the sexual health eduation most Nepali’s receive was somewhat lacking in other atreas. During the sexually transmitted disease presentation one of the Nepali lady presenters shared a story about how when she was younger her sex ed teacher demonstrated how to use a condom by putting it on her finger. Feeling confident with her knowledge about how to avoid getting pregnant, she proceded accordingly with her husband. Much to her suprise, she became pregnant. She went to the doctor and asked how it was possible that she got pregnant as she was using condoms. The doctor asked how she was using it and she responded that she was putting it on her finger like she was shown in class. It’s stories like this that make me realize how important it is to be thorough when doing trainings.

Although I was there mostly to help behind the scenes and learn, I volunteered to lead small energizer activities and teach yoga class in the mornings. Every morning (except one day that I was sick) I lead a class of 5-10 girls and women in yoga. Many of the girls knew what yoga was, but they didn’t know how to practice it. It was fun to teach the class because if I didn’t know exactly how to describe what I was doing in Nepali, I could always say “do it like this!” I was touched by the enthusiasm for the class. One dedicated student was around 60 years old. I was afraid that the class might be too athletic for her, but after the class she explained that yes, her body hurt a little, but it was a good kind of hurt. The day I was sick she asked my friend why there was no class and said that she didn’t feel so good that day because she didn’t get to do yoga in the morning. The next day I taught class again and she was all smiles.

One interesting observation that my friends had of the group was the lack of individual thinking among the girls. In school, there is very little creative thinking, self expression, and critical thinking. Most of the Nepali and English classes involve reciting from books and memorizing. For example, my 14 year old brother can read pretty fast in English; but after he reads a paragraph and I ask him if he understood what he read, he doesn’t know. He also isn’t able to form his own sentances in English. Independent, creative thinking is not encouraged and it was evident in some of the art projects. One project we did involved making a “dream board” in which the girls cut out pictures in magazines of all the things they wanted to see, and have in their life. My friend did a dream board for herself as a demonstration. It included eating healthy food, visiting different countries, and growing up to be an old, spunky lady. Some of the girls were original in their dreams, but many followed the demonstration board almost exactly. Perhaps the girls didn’t understand the project very well, but in general it seemed hard for them to think independently of eachother. Despite this, one activity that did bring out the girls individuality was the papermache mask making activity. My friend was estatic that each mask looked different and unique.

On the last day of camp we had a bonfire and roasted marshmallows. The girls, chaperones, and staff all enjoyed the marshmallows that we sandwiched between two cookies as we couldn’t find chocolate bars or grahm crackers. I then experimented with an activity that was similar to one I have taught in the states during a yoga class. During the class we did lots of shaking, chanting mantras, and dancing. I named the class “Kali” yoga after the Hindu goddess of destruction and change. After developing a strong, communal energy I had the girls go into the circle one at a time and shout to the universe something they wanted to see manifest in their life. Some of the demands were career related…one wanted to be a doctor, another a policewoman. While others were more life goal based…wanting to learn English, or wanting to go to America. After the America comment I told them that Nepal is great too! I also told the girls to remember that their body and their life belongs to them. Although there may be rules in life that they must follow, that doesn’t change who they are. It is their right to make their own choices and be who they want to be. I had the conversation translated into Nepali by a friend. After reading my little speech the girls applauded.

Since coming to Nepal, I have not had a chance to work much with Nepali youth. The older I get, the less I seem to feel I can relate to them. However, after this GLOW camp I realized how easy it was, and how meaningful it can be. I will always look back on it with a smile and hopefully someday, with the help of other PC volunteers, make one of our own.