Nepal January 2025

COR 375 Wally Metts

$2,200 student cost*

*Cost with the CCS Subsidy. The $200 nonrefundable application fee is not included in this amount. The CCS Subsidy applies to 1st CCS program only.

Discover Nepal and the range of ethnic, linguistic, and traditional diversity that make up this country. Though often seen as India’s “little brother”, there is so much more to Nepal that is hidden in the shadow of its southern neighbor. Consider how the country’s unique and diverse cultures still permeate into the different spheres of its modern-day society. Better understand Nepal’s history and see the effects of governmental shifts, uprisings, geopolitical traumas, patriarchy, and religion on the country and its people.

Learning-intensive activities may include:

Education

Participate in a day camp at a public school or orphanage in the remote hill country of Bagmati. Understand the difference in opportunities for those who learn English and those who do not; understand the challenges of Nepalese literacy. Dialogue with Nepalese university students and hear their perspectives. Recognize the privilege that goes along with a college degree.

Family

Experience daily life through homestays in Bhaktapur and participate in traditional Nepali festivals. Understand the workings of a patriarchal culture, the importance of sons, and the persistence of the dowry system.

Economics

Learn why Nepal is one of the ten poorest countries in the world. Understand how social caste and varying ecosystems affect economic opportunity; see the impact that geographic location and access to the marketplace has on families. Experience the wide variety of socio-economic levels as you explore the Kathmandu market and converse with shopkeepers in Bhaktapur. Interview employees of Western Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and discover the implications of dependence on foreign aid.

Government

Visit royal palaces and the national museum in Kathmandu. Learn about the Maoist insurgency and the effect it had on the establishment of democracy. Learn about the complications that jagir , a feudal tradition of patronage, has had on establishing a democratic republic in Nepal. Interview local elders and officials about their perspective on local governance

Religion

Learn about the interconnectedness of Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal and see how they are simultaneously practiced. Take a trek to the Chinese border visiting Free Methodist house churches among mountain tribal groups. Visit temples in the Kathmandu Valley and view a cremation at a major Hindu temple. Discover the relationship between religious practices and economic/ social/ political progress.

“My trip to Nepal through the Cross Cultural Studies program at Spring Arbor University was an eye-opening, inspiring, and convicting experience that I often reflect on. From the unparalleled beauty of the Himalayan Mountains to the sobering reality of the Nepali streets, Nepal is a place of raw beauty.” – Rachel Forest

Travel Information

Departure Dates

January 2025 experiences may leave as early as December 28, 2024, with returns as late as January 11, 2025. Students should not make irreversible plans until their departure date is confirmed by the CCS office in early Fall 2025.

Health and Safety

This experience, like all CCS experiences, is subject to political and safety realities at the time of departure. CCS options can be physically and emotionally intense and stretching. Before enrolling, all participants should consult the disclosures on Physical Hardships of CCS.

For more details on recommended immunizations consult the immunizations chart. Passports required at additional cost. Passports required at additional cost.

Trip Costs

Students are responsible for tuition for COR374 and COR375, as well as a $200 nonrefundable application fee. In addition there is a  $2,200 travel cost for the 2025 CCS Nepal trip.

A current passport is required.

CCS trips are not guaranteed and are subject to change.