Mothers learning English

"I am learning to communicate in English," said Chandrakala proudly. Although she received adult education a decade ago, Preeti Gurung (40) is currently learning to welcome foreign guests in English.

'Hello, good morning. I know how to say welcome to Ghalegaon," Preeti said with a smile. a Learned a lot for

years.' Within 2 months of learning English, she has learned English numbers and the alphabet. More than 50 mothers of Ghalegaon have now started learning English vigorously. Sally, an American citizen, is in charge of teaching them English. She has come to Ghalegaon from California, USA as a 'Piscore Volunteer'.

Sally, who is running Hameste, will teach women in the age group of 22 to 60 here for one year by forming five groups, namely Laligurans, Sayapatri, Sunflower, Threestar and Mothers. Mothers between 48 and 60 years of age are studying in the mother group.

Phoolmaya Gurung (50) has been able to say the name, bar and month of fruits and vegetables in English within two months of starting to study. I didn't study when I was young. I studied a little Nepali in adult class. Now I am learning English,' said Phoolmaya, 'I have to speak in English with the guests who come from abroad. I am very happy to learn English. She also said that she has learned English numbers, ABCD.

According to Deumaya Gurung (27), who dropped out of class 8, the mothers who run the 'homestay' are trying to learn English after the arrival of foreign tourists in Ghalegaon. Foreign guests come, I had to talk to them. But when we didn't understand what they said and they didn't understand what we said, it was difficult to communicate, now it's easier," she said.

Omkumari Gurung (35), who passed SLC and left, said that there is a revival of English at this time. I have studied English before. But after stopping reading, many things are forgotten," she said, "now I am learning again. I am going to tell the names of fruits and vegetables to foreign guests. I have started to speak a little bit.'

Sally, who is teaching English to her mothers, is also learning Nepali language herself. Pooja Gurung, an employee of the Tourism Management Committee, is currently teaching Sally an hour of Nepali every day and is also acting as an interpreter in Sally's English class. Mothers don't know English, I don't know Nepali. I understand how difficult it is to learn English,' said Sally, 'I am teaching English for the convenience of the village. I am teaching mothers to speak in English with some ease. I am teaching by making 5 groups based on the age group of the mothers and their speaking ability," she said.

It separates age groups and groups of mothers who have previously attended school or adult education and those who have not. A group consists of 10 to 12 people. According to him, the names of daily consumables, how to call the tourists who came to the village, and household chores have been taught in a practical way.

"Sally has prepared and taught different lesson materials according to the level," said interpreter Pooja. According to him, Sally teaches by jumping, sitting, showing pictures, writing pictures. Sally does not understand the Gurung language spoken by the mothers. Mothers do not understand the English that Sally speaks. Not all mothers understand English, some even find it difficult to understand Nepali. I sit in every class and translate," said Pooja.

Mothers are studying at the Tourism Committee building at Buspark. Mothers have a strong desire to learn English. A few boys are also learning English by joining the mother group. 62-year-old Yamaprasad Ghale said, "We have already learned the names of foods, fruits and vegetables. We have learned the English words of greeting, greeting and farewell. We have also come to the house of mothers," he said.

According to Prem Bahadur Ghale, Chairman of Tourism Management Committee, "Smart Village" Ghalegaon, more foreign tourists started coming to the "homestay" and after the language problem, the mothers were taught English. "We have coordinated with Piscor organization in America and brought volunteers for 1 year and started teaching mothers general things, household work, dialect work," he said.

He said that mothers running homestays would benefit if they could talk to tourists in English, ask questions, talk about the food they like, and understand even if they don't want to return it. Residents of Ghalegaon, which is 2,100 meters above sea level, have been operating a 'homestay' since 2057.

Domestic and foreign tourists come to Ghalegaon except during the latest covid infection risk. There are 44 houses in Ghalegaon, which is 24 km away from Lamjung headquarter Bensisahar.