During the first two weeks of October, GRID Alternatives completed its first project in Nepal, bringing power to a community that is still rebuilding after last year’s earthquakes. GRID Alternatives’ International Program volunteer Ryan Berglas reflects on his experience.
These days you’re better off spending time gaining a new experience rather than spending money gaining new things. In my all travels, to the dozens of countries I’ve visited (and a few in which I’ve lived), at no other time, and in no other place, has this saying hit closer to home than the trip to Nepal I was able to take with GRID Alternatives. Some places, some truly spectacular places are there waiting for you to discover them. But Nepal felt like it was instead a place waiting to meet you. Ultimately, it was the connections with the people that truly set this trip apart. That’s why this trip, for me, was nothing less than life-transforming.
While I had always wanted to travel to Nepal, I didn’t have any special connection with either the country or the people. And while I was equipped for the adventure, excited to volunteer and determined to learn as much as I could about off-grid solar systems, I simply wasn’t prepared for the impact the people would have on me.
On our second full day in country, we set out for Dhapchung, the village where we’d be working on the PV system. As we started the 4-hour hike we quickly learned the power of greeting locals with a “Namaste” with our hands pressed together and a solid smile on our faces. It never failed to elicit the greeting in kind, sometimes followed by a “where are you going?” As the smiles added up, we learned that it wasn’t because we were special tourists – it was because we tourists were among special people.
And then the ceremony the people of Dhapchung had arranged for us took it to the next level. Due to some unforeseen delays, traffic jams and monsoon-soaked roads, most of the group didn’t arrive in the village until close to 11 PM, many hours later than expected (though the small group of hikers I was part of managed to get there by 7:30 PM!). Despite the late arrival, and the fact that it had started to rain, the people waited patiently until we were ready so they could present to us silk scarves and Dhakas (traditional hats) amid much clapping, celebrating, and what else, smiling. We were honored by the generosity of their gifts and the graciousness with which they presented them to us.
For the next three days we set about working on the microgrid, which at times kept us focused on the technical aspects of the system, and at other times busy playing with the children and being treated to rounds of BBQ’d corn on the cob, yak milk and an alcoholic drink called “chhaang”. We divided our group of 14 into three crews so we could take turns working on the batteries, charge controllers and inverters; installing pre-pay meters wired into each of the 42 homes in the village; and speaking with the locals (with interpreters) about how they’d like to use the electricity and how it might impact their lives.
When I was fundraising, the three things I loved to talk about the most were a) with a pay-as-you-go system, the people of Dhapchung would have a sense of ownership over their new microgrid; b) two households would actually be starting businesses by being able to operate a grain and a saw mill; and finally c) through our partnerships with Nepalese organizations we could both maintain the system as well as contact with the village after we left. After more than a year of preparation and planning, on our last night in the village, we were able to turn on electricity in the village, powered by the sun, stored in batteries, and delivered through transmission poles into pre-pay meters.
We all have so many friends, family and others in our network to thank for contributing to the project. Without their generosity and without the work of GRID Alternatives and Gham Power none of this could have been possible. Participating in this is an experience worth a million memories and as many smiles. We indeed connected the power, but for me, the power is in the connections. I could ramble on about the shopkeeper of a tea store in Kathmandu with whom I exchanged emails, or next door the honey seller and his son whom I chatted with for 40 minutes over a cup of tea which they bought, or the two army dudes at a national park entrance who took a photo with me and then added me on Facebook. I also had an impromptu Nepali language course in the hotel lobby, which by pure chance coincided with a photo shoot and led to me appearing on the hotel’s website.
But there is one connection which stands out. I’ll never forget, after being invited in for chhaang at one house, then being invited in by the neighbor for some yak milk, and then the very next day being invited in again for more chhaang. What stays with you is the ability of two people to experience a connection getting by on just smiles, gestures, and a few words in Nepali (thanks to my phrase book). Through our “conversation” I learned that this one gentleman has six sons, five of whom live and work in India. The funniest moment was the photo we took of him with my GRID Alternatives hat and me with his Dhaka. Somehow we managed to graciously turn down yet another offer of chhaang, and upon leaving he reached out to shake my hand, looked me in the eye and said “mero sathi.”
We saw each other again on the trail leaving the village as he volunteered to be a porter for the 4 hour hike down the mountain (the villagers called it a “hill!”). Being in the lead group, we had some time before the others arrived, so we popped into one of the local establishments for some cold beer. After refills, laughter, and smiles, we parted ways for the final time with a firm handshake and locked eyes as we said to each other – mero sathi. My friend.