Teaching in Monastery

Once you arrive we organize an introduction for you. We deem this to be highly valuable and it’s a program valued by many volunteers in the past. By means of an introduction, you can acclimatize and prepare for your volunteering. You can begin your project rested and prepared. In this way, you can be really effective. Arriving to work in a foreign country can be a nerve-wracking experience, this is why at VSN we provide a friendly and in-depth welcome. The in-depth welcome encompasses basic language training, cultural training and sightseeing through Kathmandu and its surroundings. This is what you can expect from the moment when you touch down at Tribhuvan Intl. Airport. The program may vary depending on your time of arrival. We will manage to include all the below-mentioned activities in your introduction program.

Day 1: Arrival & Introduction

You will be met at the airport by one of our staff. Together with our driver, Chandan, you will be taken to either the VSN office or a homestay. Here you can drop your bags and relax. The VSN director, Tej Shrestha, will come to meet you to clarify your program for the first days. Depending on when you arrive, you will begin a Nepali language class or a sightseeing tour of some of the world heritage sights of the Kathmandu valley. In the evening you will enjoy your first Nepali dinner.

Day 2: Nepali lessons and local amenities and sightseeing

After a leisurely start and breakfast, so you can recover properly from your journey, you will start your Nepali language course at the VSN office. After meeting the entire VSN team you will have 2 lessons from around 10.30 to 12.45 with our highly experienced language teachers. This will also give you a chance to meet any other volunteers joining at the same time. In the afternoon, one of our staff will take you around the local area of Pepsi-Cola where the office and homestays are for the induction period. Later that afternoon, you will be driven round being shown where all relevant amenities are: the nearest bank, shopping centre, internet café, food shops, and post office. You will also be shown the local buses that can take you to Kathmandu or to Bhaktapur and also where you can catch a taxi. You will also be told where to keep your valuables and general information about life in Nepal. At the end of the afternoon, you will be driven by our guide to see some of Kathmandu’s famous UNESCO world heritage sites. One of our guides, Sushil, has over 10 years of experience taking foreigners around the ancient city and can answer any questions you have on ancient and contemporary Nepal. During your introduction, you can visit the famous Buddhist Boudanath and Swayambhunath stupas as well as the Hindu temple complex of Pashupatinath. The Durbar squares on Patan and Kathmandu are also essential visits. If you have other sites you are particularly interested in then this may be integrated as well.

Day 3: Nepali lessons and VSN’s projects

In the morning we will continue the Nepali language training. Be aware we are aiming for a basic understanding. For example to say ‘yes and no’ and to introduce yourself. We do not expect you to speak the language fluent after the training. After the lesson, you are driven around some of VSN’s projects in the Kathmandu Valley. This may include the new CBIA school, our women’s centre, our orphanage in the Pepsi-Cola suburb, or a visit to the village of Sunakoti where you will see new toilets, drinking water systems and environmental projects that have all been recently implemented by volunteers and fundraising efforts. In the afternoon, you can do more sightseeing with our guide in Kathmandu, or if you desire to take some time for yourself that’s even so possible. This afternoon, it’s also a good opportunity to stock up with anything you may have forgotten before heading up to a rural placement. The tourist hub of Thamel will be able to furnish you with anything from Marmite to an extra pair of Merino socks.

Day 4: Introduction Host Family and Start Project

After about two days of language classes and sightseeing, you will be moved to the monastery by our program coordinator, Bishal.

For every volunteer teaching English to monks in Nepal, expect to be woken early each morning as the gong is sounded and morning prayers commence. What a unique opportunity to learn and get immersed in the Buddhist way of life!

There are usually opportunities for informal teaching such as conversational English, learning games and how to follow rules as well as homework and exam revision. Your volunteer programs abroad run from Monday-Friday. Above all, English teaching is the main way you will help whilst you volunteer in Nepal, but there may also be the chance to teach other subjects like Maths and Science.

On this volunteer teaching English abroad project, you will follow a flexible curriculum syllabus when conducting your lessons, whereby most of the time you will plan your own lessons and activities, working independently or alongside a fellow volunteer. There is usually a government course guidebook available according to class standards that focuses on English, Maths, and Science.

The level of English will vary depending on which class you’re assigned. Therefore, you should be prepared to spend time planning for each lesson. Anything that you can teach about your own culture will also be gratefully received. In the evening times, volunteers in Nepal are encouraged to help the monks with their homework and any one-to-one learning experiences formally or informally.

During your time as a volunteer teaching English to monks in Nepal, you will live at one of the monasteries in Kathmandu or Pokhara. International volunteers will sleep in separate living quarters to the monks, where the accommodation is basic but comfortable, usually up to 2  people per room. Volunteers have their own space and privacy, but are encouraged to only bring essential items during their volunteer work in Nepal and use a padlock to keep valuables safe. The monasteries in Kathmandu tend to be more modern and are situated in various locations across the valley – close to the city areas where you can buy the basic amenities.

The monasteries in Salleri is located in more rural settings so volunteers should not expect western-style toilets, hot water showers or internet access. Most accommodation does not have Wi-Fi access and electricity is intermittent so it’s a good idea to bring a torch and plenty of books! It’s a wonderfully rustic way to live and a million miles away from today’s hectic, hi-tech lifestyle, so enjoy every peaceful second!

Living at the monastery is a truly unique experience that can bring with it some amazing views. Every morning to the monks participates in prayer and meditation – something you’re welcome to take part in! Living life side-by-side with the monks and engaging in simple ritual life is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Comfort

You should not expect luxury on your stay in Nepal. Nepal is a developing country and may well be different from what you are used to at home. However, you will have your own room unless requested otherwise, and the rooms are always clean and comfortable. The quality of toilet and washing facilities vary significantly between placements. If you are based in Kathmandu you may find you have a hot shower and a Western style toilet in your homestay. However, if you are in a rural placement then it is more likely that you will have a traditional squat toilet and a cold shower. If you feel like having a hot shower and flushing toilet is a priority then make this clear when you are applying and we will see if it is possible to find you one of our better equipped host families.

Electricity

The electricity supply in all areas is good.

Food

The kitchen staff will prepare all the meals for you and the monks at your volunteer placement, which will generally be traditional Nepalese food. You’re more than welcome to lend a hand in the kitchen and learn how to cook Nepalese dishes! Traditional food generally uses a variety of fresh, local ingredients including; lentils, potatoes, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, chillies, yoghurt and lots of rice, so it may take a little getting used to. Some dishes may typically be quite spicy too.

Dhal Bhat is the national dish and is usually served for breakfast and evening meal every day. It is a dish comprised of rice, lentils and seasoned vegetables.

Most meals are vegetarian with typical dishes being pasta or noodles complemented by locally grown vegetables. There is the occasional chicken, pork or fish dish served up from time to time.

Water

Monastery have a water purifier from where you can refill your water bottle.

The Placement Is Available At The Following Beautiful Places:

Kathmandu Valley

The Kathmandu Valley lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and Buddhists. The cities of Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Chobhar are located in this valley, and each displays excellent examples of Newar art and architecture. The valley is the cultural and political hub of Nepal, but this melting pot of traditions and different Nepali >>>>

Himalayan Region-Salleri

In Salleri you can teach in Schools, teach English in a monastery, work in a Health Clinic or work in Construction. Salleri is a small Himalayan Region town that serves as the headquarters of the Solukhumbu District. It is everything you would imagine from the Everest mountain region: beautiful landscapes, hillsides dotted with villages, a lively weekend bazaar, a Tibetan camp, and many spectacular Buddhist monasteries. Recently a road has been connected with Salleri and regular jeep services operate from Kathmandu, taking about 10 hours. The nearest airstrip is at Phaplu, about a 20 minutes uphill walk from Salleri.

Accommodation & food are in simple lodgings at the local host family with a shared bathroom, squad toilet, but will have running water. There is now also basic internet in the town too. >>>>

Pokhara and  Kaskikot

Pokhara valley is located at the very center of Nepal and is dominated by the peaks of the Annapurna mountain range. The town of Pokhara (913 meters), is only fifty kilometers from Annapurna 1 (8,091 meters), and the sharp decline of six thousand meters within the short distance of only twenty-nine kilometers gives the region. It is famous for the peaceful Phewa Lake and the magnificent >>>>

Why pay for volunteering?

You probably asked yourself on occasion. Why pay for volunteering? After all…you’re offering your services free of charge… and on top of that you have to pay? How ridiculous is that?? The question one should ask though is: “what is it I’m paying for?” In the following points, we will shed light on this question, and hopefully will have answered any misconceptions many people have on volunteering. As a potential intern/volunteer you need to understand that below is a list of reasons why a program fee is required.

1. Airport Pickup & Transfer

After traveling halfway around the world to a country you’ve never visited, there should be someone who will greet you at the airport who then grabs your bag and whisks you away in a car. When it comes time to leave, you have someone willing to help you lug your bags back to the airport and seeing off you.

2. Logistics

The most difficult part of picking up your life and plopping down in another country is all the logistics involved. From finding a place to live to obtaining the perfect volunteer placement, the details are much easier to accomplish when you have a local there to guide you or take care of it for you — who, obviously, needs an income. Additionally, we have our own project developed to place our volunteers and have also developed relationships with many schools, hospitals, and orphanages in the every part of Nepal where we can get you to the placement there.

3. Language and Orientation

As a volunteer, you can be very useful. However it takes time to understand not only your role but how your placement organization works as well as local cultural practices and etiquette, which is why orientation and trainings are a crucial part of any responsible volunteer program. The orientation will include language training or cultural orientation by our staff. The fees paid by you will help us to develop our training programs and hire on quality individuals to run them.

4. Food & Accommodation

We charge fee may not only set up your accommodation but also include the cost of living in your program fee. The program we arrange at a homestay, you will have your meals cooked for you by the host family, in which case you would be charged in advance.

5. In-Country Assistance

Perhaps the volunteer placement isn’t all you hoped it would be. Or you need help sorting out a banking issue, renewing a visa, or tracking down a doctor who speaks English. Having associated with organization in-country to help with issues that inevitably arise can be invaluable, especially if you aren’t fluent in the local language. We know which doctors to visit when you’re sick, where the best place to buy a bus ticket is, how to avoid being scammed, and so much more! Plus we are around to help at all hours of the day, so if an emergency happens on a weekend or in the night, we are always available for you to call. We also keep in touch with family members if the unlikely happens and you need to be evacuated from the country or fall seriously ill. For those with worrying parents the peace of mind might be worth the money!.

6. Programmatic Support & Continuity

We charge fee may not only set up your accommodation but also include the cost of living in your program fee. The program we arrange at a homestay, you will have your meals cooked for you by the host family, in which case you would be charged in advance.

7. Trips and Excursions

We offer you to choose trips for you a wide range of volunteering, trekking, tour, rafting, peak climbing, jungle safari, home stays program including tours to Tibet and India to experience the unique beauty of the Himalayas region, to enjoy the customs and food of the diverse people who call Nepal home; to be awed by the mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, jungle and ancient cities and to have the journey of a lifetime, this is a great way to see the country without being responsible for the logistics. Plus it means you will have the opportunity to better acquaint yourself with your fellow volunteers and local staff. Note: In some cases, you may work directly for the organization in need of volunteers and there may be volunteering program with little fee. These organizations may be local or international, and their process for applying generally differs from our organization as it will be more tailored to their requirements and needs and less so on those of the volunteers. But, be aware that they usually are unable or unwilling to provide above mentioned logistics and support like arranging housing, orientation, sight -seeing, language classes, visa Assistance, 24/7 support and social and Cultural activities etc.