My volunteering experience

I visited Luang Prabang for about 3 months in 2014/15. My experience volunteering was amazing and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to see such a different culture, meet so many new and wonderful people and teach students who really need and want the education this program offers.

Being in the classroom was so enjoyable. The students had a genuine desire to learn as well as an incredible gratitude towards their teachers. I was teaching between 3 and 5 hours a day (Monday to Friday) with a variety of Lao students, village children and Novice Monks of varying ages and abilities. I was also planning for lessons each day, often with a teaching partner and a staff member if assistance was needed. The resources available, while less than what is expected of a classroom at home, were adequate for creating engaging and informative lessons. The staff were incredibly supportive in all aspects of my trip, ensuring I was comfortable both in the classroom and the program.

The social experience of the program was amazing and I met so many volunteers from a variety of places and cultures. The Lao culture was also incredibly interesting. It was very humbling learning about Lao culture from my students and experiencing Lao customs in a way no tourist ever would. For example, being invited to watch hundreds of Novices chant at a meditation retreat or attending a traditional Buddhist Baci ceremony was something no tourist would get the privilege of experiencing . The city of Luang Prabang was beautiful in itself with so many things to do and see. It was the program as a whole, however, that provided me with such an amazing memory which is why I am considering volunteering on this program again.