Week Three

By Rachel Hudgens

Our last week we attended several lectures that gave us more of a background of Nepal. These lectures helped us prepare our final presentations. Our final deliverable was a photo essay. This project allowed us to convey a single thought in an easily digestible manor. This form of communication allows a wider base of individuals to access our findings.

I wrote the following about the determination and resiliency of the Nepali students:

“In spite of the earthquake, children still hold their education as a priority. In total, over 7,500 schools were damaged. These students lost their schools, family members, and the normalcy of their old life. In this image, graffiti is an indicator of students returning to the normalcy of their old life. As the children return to school they pick up their old habits. Their lives have been shaken but their thirst for knowledge has remained. Perhaps it’s a way of coping, but the students’ desire to learn demonstrates wisdom beyond their age.”

After our presentation we had a couple more days to say our goodbyes and tie up any loose ends we had before continuing our journeys—whether that meant going to the states or elsewhere.