A Rhino in The City: My Memorable Moment While Volunteering in Nepal

Last Updated: September 18, 2023

Tweet

Hey everyone, I am Maxwell. Today I going to share with you my volunteer and travel experience in Nepal. This was my first time ever trip outside of USA and I must say it has been an incredible one.

Many of my friends and family speculated why would I choose Nepal as my first ever destination to travel abroad. A few of them didn’t even know the existence of the country. A few thoughts it is part of India or Indonesia. But I have done my research well. I knew about this country; I knew Buddha was born here and I knew it was a land of Mountain Everest. So, I was pretty determined to pick my first ever abroad trip destination.

I was so excited to travel to Nepal that I started learning Nepali language a couple of months in advance. I listened to few Nepali songs. Katmandu song by Bob Seger is a recent favorite in my playlist.

As a resident of Michigan, I am accustomed to cold weather. It was a late summer by the time I arrived in Kathmandu. Weather was a little warmer than my hometown, but it was good. I was welcomed by my local coordinator in the country. I found everyone very welcoming, smiling and hospital.

My time in Buddhist Monastery

Photo: Max rolling prayer wheels in buddhist temple

It was awesome living with little Buddhist monks in the monastery. Though I was teaching for the first time, my English lesson classes went very efficiently and smoothly. Thanks to the local teachers and monastery members for all their guidance and support.

A Rhino in the City Moment

I planned my second weekend to travel in Chitwan National Park. My local coordinator   and Sebastian, another volunteer I met in the monastery, and I left Kathmandu on Friday evening and reached Chitwan by late afternoon. We took shower and rest for a bit the place was relatively hotter for we got lucky that it started raining right after the moment we arrived. The place cooled down in a while a we headed to enjoy the view of river side of Sauraha, a small town by the side of Chitwan National Park.

Photo: A pair of rhinos in water

Our tour guide Suk Ram suggested we start our evening by visiting River Side, a place at the bank of Rapti river and just opposite the entrance point of National Park. It was great enjoying the food at the bank of river, on this side of the river we were enjoying the local cuisines along with local music played by a local village singer, on the other side of river there was the forest of the national park. Different kind of birds flying in the sky, deer popping out of the forest and crocodiles emerging out the river. This was the spectacle you wouldn’t expect in ordinary days. I was awe struck by the beauty and freshness of this place.

Photo: A herd of deer in riverside

But the actual crazy moment happened when we were leaving the riverside cafe after enjoying meal. Our tour guide Suk shouted “Rhino!” I was like “what??” and yes he was right, there was a huge Rhino walking towards us. I was dumbstruck by this scene and couldn’t decide how to process it. Our guide suggested us to step back, and we slowly walked inside the café. The café staffs yelled at the beast and directed it away from the café area. The Rhino was calm and slow. The guide explained us that it was an old member of its herd which now exiled it.

Photo: A snake bird spotted in safari

The Rhino now started striding through the street, people stopping their vehicles or steering away from its path, it was definitely a crazy sight that I had ever beheld. A Rhino walking through a street of a city. I am never going to forget it 😊

Next moment same night, we went to a theater to watch a cultural show of tribal community of Chitwan. It was a great fun and learning experience.

Next day we went for a Jungle safari and spotted few deer, musk, antelope, rhinos, crocodiles, peacock, snake bird, kingfisher, and other different kind of birds.

Overall, this journey has been a memorable experience and it will remain close to my heart!