Need some peace and quiet?

One thing we can promise you on this project is that your students will be well behaved! You’re sure to learn as much as you teach in gorgeous Nepal and with well behaved and positive students ranging in age from 8 to 25 it’s a great opportunity to gain a wide variety of experience and test your TEFL certification, which is included with the trip. Some schools are affected by pujas (festivals) which can give you some free time to fit in some trekking before school starts again. From your base it couldn’t be easier to plot a route into the mountains and for those who don’t fancy doing it alone, fear not, the city is full of travellers looking for walking buddies.

Project details:
For those looking for cultural immersion, there is a unique opportunity to teach Buddhist monks in the serene surroundings of a monastery. The Monasteries vary in size. Some have about 30 pupils (all boys), aged from 10 to 21. Other Tibetan and Nepalese Buddhist monasteries have approximately 400 resident monks.

The schools in the monasteries provide classes in a number of subjects for about 150 monks. The classes are divided into groups ranging from upper kindergarten (age 8yrs) to class 9 (age 16/17yrs). Attendance at classes is voluntary for the monks so class sizes tend to fluctuate! Ability levels in each class can also vary.

Volunteers should be aware that most of the schools use teaching methods are quite old-fashioned. There are also a lot of religious festivals in Nepal so working hours are often affected.

Why the project needs volunteers:
Many schools in Nepal lack the funds to provide effective English language training. Native or fluent English speakers with or without formal teaching experience can contribute greatly to a child's educational development. Career prospects for children of Nepal often rely on their knowledge of English, and by teaching English, you become an important part of the community.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
If you have an interest in and some knowledge of Tibetan and Buddhist religious philosophy and culture, you will get the most out of your project.

You will often be left to your own devices when teaching and have responsibility to plan your lessons, therefore this project is suitable for those who can demonstrate the ability to organise. The pupils are keen to learn and are responsive and active. If you have teaching experience you could also conduct workshops on new teaching methods with the teachers. The more you get involved in all aspects of school life the better your experience will be.

Your role as a volunteer:
Your main duties in the monasteries will be teaching English and occasionally maths. Most of the morning is taken up with prayers, so teaching normally starts after lunch, for about 3-4 hours a day.

Please note: During February (dates are not confirmed) each year the Losar festival occurs celebrating the Tibetan New Year and will mean that you can join the celebrations. The projects will be disrupted but is a great opportunity to see some of the performances in the city and see thousands of monks in their deep red robes worshiping.

Where the project is based:
The Monasteries are located about 2-6km from Thamel and are easily reached by public transport.

Your accommodation will be at the Student Guesthouse in the Thamel District of Kathmandu. 2 meals are provided per day and both food and accommodation is included in the project fee.

Please book your flight to arrive into Kathmandu (airport code KTM) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup. (Please note that when booking flights the airline Nepal Air does tend to be unreliable and is not unusual to be subject to delays.)

Please note: During February (dates are not confirmed) each year the Losar festival occurs celebrating the Tibetan New Year and will mean that you can join the celebrations. The projects will be disrupted but is a great opportunity to see some of the performances in the city and see thousands of monks in their deep red robes worshiping.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

VVolunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Nepal.

Here's what will happen: You will arrive on the Arrival Date - Sunday and will be met at the airport on that day. You will be taken to the Student Guesthouse (see contact details below) which will be your permanent accommodation during your stay.

Note: If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:

Your orientation will take place the next morning at the Student Guesthouse and will introduce you to life in Nepal, places to go, what to do, as well as important information about staying healthy and safe. Chris has a wealth of knowledge about life in Nepal so please do ask him lots of questions! You will be shown to the project the next day, Tuesday where you will start your work as a volunteer either on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

EU Customers – find out more here >>

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. The team in Nepal can offer this service for no extra charge as long as you request it. We will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to the orientation accommodation. Accommodation payment for any extra nights will then be made in country directly to the accommodation (approx 500 NPR per night).

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 36.00