Experienced and friendly coordinators and staff garantee success and gratification

Feedback volunteering in Laos October/November 2024

My name is Gerburg Ingrid Kamm. After a working life of over 40 years as a foreign language teacher of German and English I now enjoy my retirement “travelling with a purpose”.

Introduction
I consider myself lucky to have signed up for the IVHQ project of teaching English in Luang Prabang, Laos, because the 3 weeks from October 21 to November 8, 2024, have been extremely enriching and enjoyable.

First and foremost, my gratitude goes to the local team, who are responsible for the smooth running of the various projects, like childcare, teaching English, and construction. The coordinators of IVHQ did everything to make the volunteers feel welcome, to help them understand the new culture, and to or get accustomed to their new environment.

The program starts with an excellent, insightful introduction on the first day, which helps the newcomers to get acquainted with the customs and habits of the host country, in particular the dress code and behaviour code at school and in the presence of Buddhist monks and novices, and verbal and gestural expressions like greetings and thanks.

Hospitality
Accommodation: The rooms and bathrooms are tidy and in good condition and get cleaned twice a week, which includes the changing of towels and bed linen. They are equipped with air conditioning and fans.

Food and beverages: the food provided is excellent: three complete nutritious, savoury meals, starting with a good substantial breakfast made up of eggs, bread, and fresh fruit. Lunch and dinner are always abundant and well-balanced, containing protein like meat, fish, etc., carbohydrates like rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and fresh fruit. All dishes are always freshly prepared with great care. Dietary needs of the volunteers are taken care of. Hot and cold drinking water is available around the clock in the tea and coffee kitchen.

Transport by tuktuk is provided to and from the volunteers’ “places of action” and often in the case of planned group activities.

Activities
As a volunteer in teaching English as a foreign language, I was placed together with the other teachers at a local English club, which is connected to a wat. My assignment consisted of lessons of 80 minutes in the morning from 8.30 to 9.50, mainly for Buddhist novices and monks from the Wat and for other learners, and 2 courses of 1 hour in the afternoon and evening from 16.30 to 17.30 and from 17.40 to 18.40 for schoolchildren and other learners.

The local teachers, as well as the students, responded with great willingness to get acquainted with new ideas and teaching techniques. Every week the volunteers are assigned to a different teacher and 3 different classes. The enthusiasm and gratitude shown by the teachers and the students made my lessons extremely rewarding.

The school headmaster welcomed the volunteers warmly and organized several occasions to get all his teachers together in informal gatherings such as an invitation to lunch, a visit to a fair taking place at the university campus, or a get-together after lessons in the evening. On these occasions, we, the teachers, could get to know each other better and exchange our experiences.

Finally, teaching was a pleasure, because the classrooms were equipped with a computer with an internet connection, overhead projector, and amplifier, which made it possible for the teachers to use modern teaching techniques.

Thank you

I am back at home now, and my special thank you goes to the local coordinators of the project (IVHQ) who always did their work in good spirits and tried to fulfill the volunteers’ every wish.