Our patients loved soaking up the rays with treatments on sunny days.
I cannot imagine having started my career as an acupuncturist in any way other than climbing on a plane and venturing to volunteer in Nepal. My time at the Bajrabarahi clinic was full of unexpected friends, learning a lot about myself, and deepening my relationship to my practice. It had been a difficult decision to leave my partner, pets, and friends, to put off my new job for 2 months, to do something so outside of my comfort zone. But I’d been dreaming of this for 4 years, it felt like something I had to experience, to do. I had traveled alone plenty, but never outside of North America. Now I was venturing into a culture so different from my own and practicing a medicine new to me, in a language I didn’t know. It was daunting. The responsibility of being a primary care physician felt heavy. When I left, I was giddy, unsure of myself, and just curious enough to do it anyways.
Arriving in Kathmandu was full of pure joy to explore a new place. I was driven to learn as much Nepali as possible so I could learn more about the people I met along the way! The trip to the clinic was gorgeous and full of anticipation. What was this clinic in rural Nepal going to be like? Was I going to be able to help in a meaningful way? Would I be able to keep up with the clinic flow? The short answer was yes. Everyone at ARP made this whole experience so smooth and comfortable. Sushila, Satya, Sanita, and Bex were so helpful and willing to discuss cases. They taught me a lot along the way, like how to take blood sugar. And they offered advice on things like where to refer out and what options were available for one of our patients who was at risk for DVT (deep vein thrombosis).
Arriving in Bajrabarahi, we had no idea how much of a family our coworkers would become.
During my time in Nepal, I was able to see the same number of patients through ARP as I’d gotten to treat throughout my entire last year of internship in the states. We had patients of all ages and casts at the clinic, which allowed me to discover how much I love working with kids! Through being able to experiment with several styles of acupuncture and having access to the treatment histories of each of my patients, I come to believe the type of acupuncture isn’t nearly as important as the frequency of care in determining patient outcomes. Working to find the most appropriate mode of treatment for each patient, taught me how much I enjoy having an array of skills in my toolbox, so each treatment can be tailored to individual needs.
One of our younger patients who came in often for the treatment of weakness in his left hand.
Srias and Bonita loved making paper mache butterflies and practicing our English and Nepali together.
Through this project I became friends with some truly amazing humans. Ten-year-old Srias became one of my best friends, quickly bonding over badminton, soccer, and rock-paper-scissors. He and his mother would often join us for weekend morning hikes, and we would get to spend holiday celebrations with some of our clinic family. The other volunteers, medical assistants and interpreters, cleaning and cooking staff, and acupuncturist supervisors were also fast friends. We would find ourselves sharing stories and laughing throughout the day as we worked together, playing cards after clinic, and joining one another for evening walks through the village.
A village man showed us how he makes baskets.
We were able to test our patients’ loads on our weekend walk through the village.
Everyone we met was incredibly kind. The community I found in Bajra was welcoming, trusting, and we were incredibly curious and excited to get to learn more about one another. Even the policemen were happy to have us join for their evening badminton, and I managed to challenge some team members to a couple of games as well. On some of our village walks, we’d see patients working, carrying baskets on their heads (often coming in for neck or knee and back pain), or tending to their farms and offering us fresh vegetables. Some were only sitting out on the front stoops of their homes and enjoying the day. It was heartwarming to see everyone in their daily lives and to get to chat on a more relaxed level. Almost everyone we passed offered gestures of namaste, some also offering to share tea with us. How different would our lives in America be if we took the time to slow down and just watch the day happening around us, or if we took the time to share tea with our neighbors amidst all we have going on?
A friend, patient, and mother of our co-worker invited us into her home for tea.
On our village walks we would pass kids playing, some of them following us along and wanting to be the subject of our photos.
Being in Nepal taught me what truly fills my cup, keeping me healthy and grounded so I could show up my best self to each treatment. For me this involved an occasional yoga session and heading up the hill every morning before clinic to watch the village come alive. I’d often trek up again in the evening to debrief my mind and body. Not only was this routine a bit of much needed exercise, but combined with the steady routine of clinic, it brought a lot of peace. The clinic dogs would commonly join, playing along the way. Watching and having them around offered such bright, simplistic moments of joy. They kept me company and filled that space of missing my dog back home.
This was a common view as our little pack retuned to clinic after an evening jaunt.
Anxiously awaiting the first appointments of the day, our patients sat under this community gazebo most mornings.
Low back and hip pain are common complaints at the clinic, as well as post stroke sequela.
Not only were our patients and the community in Bajrabarahi wonderful and welcoming, the practitioners and interpreters from ARP are absolute superheroes. They work hard, are professional and organized, and put so much care into every person they meet. It is because of them that this experience went so smoothly. It is because of them that there were so many faces sitting across from me, asking for help, and freely trusting me with their healthcare. I came away from this experience with a new sense of our world, my community, and a greater confidence in my work. Working alongside my peers, sharing our knowledge, and helping one another was an honor, and an experience I will remain incredibly grateful for years to come. ---Kara Saltz
My volunteer cohort was lucky enough to get to help with the opening of the satellite clinic in Bagmati. The level of community happening in this room was always so fun to witness and be a part of.