Teaching English to Buddhist Monks

Joshua Vanderhoof Start Date: Jun 3, 2014 - End Date: Jun 27, 2014

My Travel Story

by: Joshua Vanderhoof Start Date: Jun 3, 2014 - End Date: Jun 27, 2014
On July 16, 2014 I will travel to Nepal to volunteer for a month teaching English to Buddhist Monks. It has been a dream of mine for a long time to serve the people of Nepal. This experience will be a part of my Seva Yoga practice (selfless service).

"Seva yoga is usually described as service, but this word does not quite capture the essence of seva. Swami Niranjan has explained that the word seva is made up of two words, 'saha' and 'eva'. Saha means 'with that' and eva means 'too'. The word seva means 'together with' and is describing those actions that seek collective upliftment through an understanding of the needs of others and are based on togetherness and integration. Seva is an expression of compassion, of the desire to uplift and assist people. Ashram life offers an opportunity to practise seva yoga because it requires the harnessing of many diverse individual efforts in order to provide upliftment to many through the furthering of the guru's mission." ( http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2003/fnov03/sevapp.shtml)

I could have done this for myself and heard from people how great I am for doing this. That would have fed my ego. Instead I wanted to serve my community by allowing you the opportunity to be a contribution and serving humanity. When we all take on Seva we bridge the graps that keep us apart, and together we bring about a world of compassion.

I want to thank those people who have already given, and those who are partnering with me to create fundraisers.

Aggies GO Global has purchased my ticket up front on the condition that I pay back the balance after $1500 (balnace due $700). Here is a break down of what the donations will cover

$2200 Plane ticket ($1500 has been donated, need $700 more)
$100 Visa
$500 Medical Expenses/Insurance/Immunizations/Medicine
$1000 Program (housing, food, transport to and from airport)
$100 Registration fee (this has already been paid and not
included in final amount)
$200 Travel Expenses (Transportation, food, fees. Things
come up)
$1000 Donation to Monastery (All money raised over will go to
the monastery's school, to help them build up their
learning resources, I would like to give a donation of at
least $1000)

Thank you for your geneous contribution.

For more information about the project go to:

http://www.rcdpnepal.org/volunteer_nepal/teaching_monk_nepal.php