‘LRTT paved the way for me to continue connecting with Deaf cultures around the world’
For Sarah, a Fellowship in 2017 was just the beginning of a life-changing relationship with both LRTT and the country of Nepal.
It’s funny how impactful a small ad on my Facebook feed has been on my life, for that is how I first learned of LRTT. The ad queried whether or not I was a teacher, and if I wanted to do something meaningful during my holidays. The answer to both these questions was an easy YES.
I joined LRTT as a Fellow in the spring of 2017 and set out preparing for my adventure to Nepal. After having served in the United States Peace Corps in Kenya from 2010 to 2012 and worked abroad in other countries, I had a general sense of some of the things I might experience. In contrast to my Peace Corps service, however, I was now a trained teacher and had a specific set of skills and classroom experience that I was eager to share as much as possible.
I currently teach high school science at a secondary school for the Deaf just outside of Boston, Massachusetts, USA. My students come from every kind of background, and I spend my days adapting lessons to fit their learning needs and academic levels. I felt confident that I had something, even though small, that I could share with others, and I so desperately wanted to travel again. LRTT offered the perfect opportunity to engage in meaningful and impactful travel that I had always been looking for.
LRTT provided that platform for me to share my experiences, but more importantly it provided an opportunity for me to listen and learn from other teachers around the world. Our shared understandings, frustrations, and joyous moments of teaching made for a collaborative atmosphere like no other. I left for Nepal just after my school let out in August of 2017, knowing only that I would be in a group with mostly teachers from the UK, and that it would be a busy and exciting month. I had no idea just how wonderful it would turn out to be.
Throughout the month I spent working with teachers in Nepal, I was lucky enough to meet and make friends with a group of Deaf Nepali adults who were kind and patient, and introduced me to their Deaf Nepali culture. I spent loads of time with them and enjoyed myself so much that I began planning how I could next come to Nepal and spend my time working with the Deaf. I planted the seed with the head of the in-country NGO that LRTT works with in Nepal (VIN — Volunteers Initiative Nepal), Bhupendra Ghimire, and kept in contact throughout the next school year. I returned to Kathmandu in August of 2018 to volunteer directly with VIN in the Central Higher Secondary School for the Deaf in Naxal, Kathmandu. My only regret through this entire adventure is that I have never been in Nepal long enough.
LRTT paved the way for me to continue connecting with Deaf cultures around the world, and doing what I love most — meeting incredible people and learning as much as I can. LRTT has humbled me, made me a better person and a better teacher, and introduced me to people from across the globe who share my passion for education and making the world a better place. I cannot wait to continue my journey with LRTT through more Fellowships and friendships in the years to come.
To learn about our Fellowships, and how can get involved, visit our website: lrtt.org/fellowships
