C4C last workshop in Pokhara

We spend the last two Chance for Change workshop days with our group in Begnas Tal and Peace Stuba woking together to build `Trainer`s Toolbox`. Doing different experiential learning activities and spending days together outdoors was a good way to end out ten weeks together.

Begnas Tal

 At Begnas Tal the first task after morning tea and getting to know each other (Zelda got to know the group for first time) was the group to go to market and buy food for our pick nick. Each participants were given money and they had free hands to execute the task the best way they decided. After couple of minutes of discussions group decided to collect the money to one pocket and go together to market. We as trainers were happy to see successful communication and democratic decision making!

Reflecting activities

yeee!

Trainers toolbox is not only full of separate activities but also how and why to use these activities and to use methods how to evaluate the effect of the activity to individual and to the whole group. Also to start to understand that there might be transfer from doing outdoor education to `real life`. We used during all the workshops different creative reflection methods.


Main topic at Begnas Tal was communication. On the pictures you can see `Chinese whisper`; group was sitting on the stairs facing lake and instructors whispered the sentence to first one up on the stairs. One by one whisper found it way down to last one who then told the whisper out loud to all. None of the whispers were the same than the original one. One of the most powerful activities when working with our groups in Nepal; after this activity you can start conversations about listening, speaking, understanding, languages, cultural differencies and similarities.

Chinese whisper on its way down

Chinese whisper... "What??"

Zelda helping Santosh

What is happening? have we already completed the star?

Nirwan is leading

Hunger is a good reason to have a brake! We had nice pick nick (Dalmut, dried fish, samosa, soda, fruit and chocolate) with amazing view to the lake.

Pick nick lunch at Begnas Tal

At the Valentine`s day morning we gathered to the Phewa Tal beach at Lakeside and started the morning with nice cup of hot coffee at restaurant Mike`s. This morning group was instructed: "four boats, across the lake. The people who row the boats across the lake and people who lead hiking up to stuba can not lead any other activity. People on the way back has to be different than on the way up."

Men row the boats across the Phewa Tal and two women led us up to Stuba.

On the way up we leaned that you can make soap out of this plant

 Zelda led activities up at Stuba and there was also time to look the beautiful scenery and walk around the Stuba.

We did try to have one song too close to holy place and we were told we are too loud, what Zelda did was she tough the class how to `sing` the song silently by using body, hands and animated face. Actually I think the song was better this way! :-)

Peace Stuba at Valentine`s day

Mountains from Peace Stuba

 On the way back men wanted to row also back and some of the women were a little bit anxious about the task ahead. Group embraced the challenge and women row the boat to the next location. What beautiful moments, made me remember once more why I do trust experiential learning, adventure education, outdoor education.. what ever we call it. To see someone win hesitations and gain understanding `how`, it just is immeasurably valuable! THANK YOU POKHARA GROUP!! THANK YOU Sanjeeta, Kalpana, Laxmi, Nirwan, Jamuna, Tara, Laxmi, Asmita, Anjana, Basant, Krishna, Santosh, Hiralal, Kamala, Sita and Sita!!

Boating back to Lakeside