Volunteer & Travel in Sri Lanka

Hallo allemaal!

That was my dutch introduction. I am from the Netherlands and I spend the last month in the Idex house in Sri Lanka. This was my first time traveling alone so I kind of needed some support. And I think I got that from Idex. The manager Bhagi was always very very helpful and he really wanted us to feel good. So that was my first good experience with Idex. I arrived on monday at the Idex house and on tuesday I got my introduction. They told us exactly all the do's and dont's and what they expected us to do in our projects. When I came to Sri Lanka there where holidays. So the first week I had some free time and I explored (with other volunteers) Colombo. There is a lot of things that you can do. Mount Lavinia is a beach, 40 minutes with the tuktuk. I also like gale face. That's a place where you can see a beautiful sunset at the sea. So friday was my first day at the day care center. I was a bit nervous. But the rule is in Idex that there is always someone with you in the project. So it was a relief that I was never alone. So at my project I was the first two hours with little children, I taught them the ABC and I played with them and I drew a lot. Them I taught a 20 year old girl English for one hour. Then I had a break and from 2 till 4 o'clock I taught children from 8 till 10 years English. I really liked having the responsibility, because you can really make a difference. Being a volunteer isn't always easy. Because you really have to teach and sometimes it is quite exhausting. But at the end you will see that it is really appreciated. In my last day as a volunteer one of the women made pancakes because it was my last day. Also they sang for me. That was the point that I was really happy with the things I did and I would recommend it to everyone.
Also a big plus for the food here! I am going to miss the rice and curry when I'm back home.

So if you want to volunteer I would choose Idex, because that support you a lot. I also recommend booking the travel package, so you can see much more of Sri Lanka. I really liked yala national park, it was my first time going on a safari. And I also liked kandy

Groetjes Tessaaaaa
:)
and special greetz to my lovely Luna, Anna and Menkeee woeeehoee

Helloooo all together!
I would like to share each unique experience with you, but of course this isn`t possible because I have so many experiences on each single day.
Nearly four weeks ago I arrived in Colombo.
From the first moment I had so many new impressions at once: The traffic, the different appearance and culture of the Sri Lankan people etc. I can't describe that now in words. But I got used to all the new impressions really fast and it was quite exciting to get to know such another culture. And during all the new experiences and impressions I felt always supported by all the friendly people who surrounded me. Local people as well as the IDEX family want you to be happy and feel good all the time.
My project started four days after my arrival and the monks who I am teaching as well as the children in the Day Care Center were really open-minded in the first second and they were looking forward to learn things that's why we had a connection from the beginning.

The special thing about being a volunteer is the fact that you have a lot of responsibility and in the end it depends on your own whether the project is successful or not.
I met so many beautiful people and I'm totally happy that I've decided to be a Volunteer in Sri Lanka.

I hope you like my text because otherwise I am really sad.

No, honestly, I am really really happy to be here and enjoying each day.

Special happy greets to Luuuuna, Teeesa, Meeenke, Best Baaghiii, Lakmini, Anuuushi and my dearest Chathuriiii

Annaaa

Although your feet won't be clean each day, you leave footprints behind you

It's not that easy to write a review. I would like to share each unique experience with you, but now I have to decide. So I will only start with my all over impression.

Three weeks ago I arrived in Colombo and the first thing I noticed was the unbelievable heat. You can't compare it with Europe, the climate is the absolute opposite.

Actually I think all in all I had so many new impressions at once, I can't describe that now in words.

But the best thing is that people from IDEX as well as the local people want you to feel good and happy in each situation.

My project started four days after my arrival and the monks who I am teaching as well as the children in the Day Care Center were really open-minded in the first second and they were looking forward to learn things that's why we had a connection from the beginning.

The special thing about being a volunteer is the fact that you have a lot of responsibility and in the end it depends on your own whether the project is successful or not.

I met so many beautiful people and I'm totally happy that I've decided to be a Volunteer in Sri Lanka.

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Si buscas una experiencia diferente en donde poner a prueba todos tus conocimientos previos y descubrir un lugar diferente, participar como voluntario en Sri Lanka es tu mejor opción.

Existen diversos proyectos entre los cuáles elegir dependiendo tu nivel de Íngles, tus objetivos y aquello hacia lo que sientas mayor empatía. En todos ellos te encontraras con montones de caras sonrietes y personas dispuestas a ayudar.

Personalmente participe en el proyecto ubicado en el Orfanato Vajira, donde estoy con los mas chiquitos (4 a 6 anos), ensenando inglés básico, canciones y jugando.

Cada día me sorprenden con cosas nuevas, y si bien al principio el lenguaje puede ser una barrera dificil de cruzar vale la pena atraversarla para vivir la experiencia de salir todos los dias de este orfanato con el corazon mil veces mas grande que al entrar.

Conocer a estas personitas ya hace que valga la pena el viaje hasta aqui, pero ademas hay muchas otras cosas que potenciar la experiencia de descubrir Ceylan.

El personal de la casa de voluntarios, asi como las cordinadoras de proyecto, Baghi, nuestro manager y la maestra que colabora con las lesson planning son todas muy buenas personas. Estan siempre preocupados en nuestro bienestar y dispuestos a resolver cualquier duda, ya sea donde pasar alguno de los fines de semanas libres o cuestiones relacionadas con los proyectos.

Por otro lado Sri Lanka es un pais lleno de matices y rincones por descubrir, desde el olor a especies en las calles, es desconcertante trafico, la variedad de frutas tropicales que pueden encontrarse en los mercados callejeros , cada una de ellas unicas en sabor!

Tanto si recorres por tu cuenta o realizas las excursiones de fin de semana con Idex no tiene desperdicio!

Preguntando se llega a Roma y nunca fue mas cierta esta frase para mi que aqui en Sri Lanka, moverse es muy facil y los locales siempre estan dispuestos a indicarte el camino correcto, en que Anden tomar el tren a Negombo o acompaniarte un tramo hasta la parada del autobus correcto.

Desde playas paradisiacas hasta plantaciones de arroz, te o canela, recorriedos por paisajes selvaticos, ciudades ancentrales y atmosferas con holor a flores y sahumerios rodeando las millones de stupas que hay en el pais donde se puede sentir en carne propia la paz en estos lugares, estas son solo algunas de las cosas que ofrece Sri Lanka.

Ademas tuve la suerte de compartir mi estadia con maravillosas personas con las que compartir charlas, viaje y tardes de te. Creo que es una excelente experiencia y quien tenga la oportunidad de hacerlo y elegir Sri Lanka no deberia tener ninguna duda!!

Muchas suerte!! :)

My name is Adam and I’m from Sweden. I’m 19 years old and graduated from school last summer. After I graduated I decided to take a gap year before University so I could get more experience and explore more than I otherwise wouldn’t have done. One part of my gap year was to volunteer work in Sri Lanka for six weeks. And to make a choice what to work with, it wasn’t so difficult. When I read about that you can teach monk I decided quite quickly to do that.

Now when I have worked with them for six weeks, I really enjoy it. The best thing is when you learn about the Monks lives and about their religion. In Sweden we live in quite a different way so I learn very much from spending time with the Monks. The Monks are pretty old as well so they can share some life experience.

In the house where all of us volunteers stay, is really nice. Clean, good food and very good IDEX staff that takes care of us. They also help us when we, for example, plans our trips on the weekends with hotels, transport etc.

In the weekend we have experience a lot of Sri Lanka. Often we go on Saturday morning to some place and stay one night and doing different thing. Like going on Jeep safari, climbing Adam’s Peak, visited Kandy and visited the beautiful beach in Unawantura. So I really enjoyed my stay in Sri Lanka.

The weeks went by so fast! 35 degrees warm Sri Lanka has been my home for the past ten weeks! Everything is incredibly green here! The accomodation was really good! We had a central leighn house whitch still had a big garden with eg. monkeys and lizards and all the rooms had their own bathroom. Furthermore, it was very quiet which was awesome when you needed a rest from the crowded and loud city of Colombo. The food was local and absolutely delicious! I already miss it now! The staff in the house was really warm hearted, the husband of the cook also cleaned the house and their 8 year old daughter brought some lovely small chaos into the house sometimes :) our location manager was always very interested in helping us to have a good stay and always asked if there were problem or anything! I worked in a public primary school for boys. I taught english. Things are handled a bit different here by the teachers than they do in the western world, but once you accepted that, it can be really really joyful to teach something to a crowd of loud 7yearolds! The city of Colombo is a big and colourful and very loud mixture of cultures. Its kind of how you imagine a big city in the indian asian region. Best way to experience the city is just to go around by tuk tuk! The other volunteers are from a lot of different cuntries and have all been super nice and openminded! Ive made a lot of new friends and experiences! On the weekend, getaway trips to cultural sites or just to a beachtown can either be organized by yourself or the organisation. Theres a lot to see in Sri Lanka and our location manager is always willing to help you finding the right spots!
So i can just say that if you want to experience sri lanka how it really is, take the chance and volunteer!