Trip to Nepal 2016 – Building School No. 1

I am so HaPpY to announce that my trip to Nepal this year is almost finalized. Trip days are November 7 – November 16.  During this time, I will be helping a community in Dhangadhi region dig the foundation of the school, meet the children, their families and participate in Cultural Workshops arranged in partnership with the community. The school will host at least 180 children and it will be completed in 3 months.

As many of you know, a team of 10 people can come with me to Nepal! 6 spots are already reserved. If you are interested in coming to Nepal to help me build our first school this blog post will answer a lot of questions you might have. Also, please reach out to me with any questions/concerns you might have.
You can leave a message on my blog or message me on social media at https://www.facebook.com/sandra.cotuna.

Thank you buildOn for all your work around the World and for giving me this great opportunity to follow my dream and bring hope to children! ❤

Here is a brief summary of important information you need to know.

1.  A breakdown of the $30,000 raised to build this school:

Construction materials – $16,500

Skilled labor/construction supervisor – $2,900

Monitoring and evaluation – $1,061

Miscellaneous – $500

Post-construction follow-up – $350

Contingency – $550

Salaries and benefits (in-country staff and international management) – $6,491

Country program – $1,648

Total – $30,000

2. If you decided to join my team, your cost will be:

– Ticket to Nepal

– $900 per person fee paid 60 days before departure to buildOn – due by September 9 – it includes hotel for travel to/from the village, food in the village, travel insurance, emergency evacuation through MEDEX, driver and emergency vehicle in the village at all times, trek supplies (e.g. mosquito nets) , builOn staff leadership in Nepal, logistics support, and translator.

3. Necessary Paperwork

• Need a passport valid for at least 60 days from your travel days. US citizens can apply for passport HERE. Non-US citizens should check with their government or local embassy to ensure their passport is valid to travel to Nepal.

• Visa & Entry Requirements – US citizens – visas are required and may be received either before or upon arrival. See the most up-to-date information about traveling to Nepal for US Citizens HERE. For Non-US Citizens – please check http://www.nepalembassyusa.org/ or visit the Nepal immigration.gov Website HERE to confirm whether you can receive a visa upon arrival or not.

4. Legal & Medical Paperwork

Upon completing the Enrollment Form (I will send it to you once you confirm your participation)- you will receive an automated email from buildOn which will include Legal & Medical Paperwork. You must print this paperwork and bring it to your physician to complete. Once completed, you can upload your paperwork and send it back to buildOn.

5. Vaccinations

To ensure safe travels please obtain vaccinations as recommended for international travel by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Please also visit your family doctor and/or a travel medicine specialist to answer your questions and make specific recommendations for you.

You should be up to date with Routine Vaccinations such as: measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), varicella (chickenpox), polio, and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccines.

Malaria (very serious disease) – you will need to take a prescription medicine before, during, and after your trip to prevent malaria. Your doctor can help you decide which medicine is right for you.

Most travelers get “Travel Vaccines“ as well – Hepatitis A or Immune Globulin (IG) and Typhoid.

Some travelers (ask your doctor what vaccines and medicines you need based on where you are going, how long you are staying and what will you be doing) also take rabies vaccine, hepatitis B and yellow fever vaccines.

6. Trek Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Kathmandu (overnight at hotel)

Day 2 – Fly to Dhangadhi or Nepalganj (overnight in town)

Day 3 – Travel to village – Welcome Ceremony & Covenant Signing

Days 4-5-6 Work on foundation of school/Live with host families/Participate in daily cultural workshops

Day 7 Leave village and travel to Kathmandu (stay overnight in Kathmandu)

Day 8 – Depart Kathmandu

7. Typical Day on Trek

6:30am – Yoga

7:30am – Breakfast as team

8:30am-12:30pm – Worksite & Cultural Workshop

• Worksite involves digging, picking, sifting, mixing concrete, making bricks, carrying water, and tying rebar. It is physically hard work. Everything is done by hand and we will most likely have blisters and sore muscles.

• Cultural Workshop involves conversations and activities with the village leaders, schoolteacher, visit to local market, trip to the fields, listening to local music, attending local cultural events.

12:30pm -2:30pm Lunch as team and Reflection time

2:30 – 6:30pm – Worksite & Cultural Workshop

6:30pm Return to host families and eat dinner and free time

9:30/10pm Go to bed.

 

All paper work is due to buildOn by September 24, 2016.

Also, once the team is confirmed I will set up a brunch or Facetime/Skype conference (if you don’t live in NYC) to go over details and to answer all the questions you might have. I am so EXCITED!!! ❤

 

This is a beautiful video that buildOn put together of families and friends that raised money and traveled to help build schools. I love it, enjoy it! ❤

Our money raising process for Nepal is DONE!!!

All we need now is to BUILD OUR FIRST SCHOOL!!! Let’s do this!!! ❤ ❤ ❤

 

This is a cute video of buildOn volunteers dance farewell to Nepal.

To all my donors, family and friends THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! This would never have been possible without your support and donations. I can’t wait to share with you some of the projects that I am working on and are dedicated to you and your families! I am forever grateful. ❤ ❤ ❤