Khawalung Monastery

It's the kind of volunteer program that grows as you reflect. We were only there a week and the first few days were difficult. We didnt feel welcomed by the teaching staff who used us as time off. We were given little training and no level of expectation. So we worked a few classes a day, mainly sitting in on a teacher if the was one. The resources were good but often the class being taught wasn't what was timetabled and it was hard to teach without the text book. We felt a bit displaced to be honest. But the other volunteers were great and so we're the moms, both young ones and the seniors monks. We went to prayers when we wanted and respected their culture and kindness. It's an open minded monastery with girls as well and the volunteers are able to chat amongst all the monks. By our last two days, we had grown in confidence and took decisions about what and how we would teach. And the teachers then sat in on us.
All.in all it was such a privilege to get close to such a different environment and be privy to conversations and experiences so different to home. Without realising it at the time, we have learned so much, both from a teaching perspective and from a visitor one. It's an experience we will treasure.