About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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For a long time the Holy Grail amongst travellers looking to outdo their friends when comparing travel stories, The Philippines has a reputation for being a difficult place in which to travel. Thankfully that reputation is now undeserved although a few of the rough edges remain, like the street vendors who’ll try and sell you everything from plugs to ice cream! Our partner project here provides classes for school-leavers and unemployed adults interested in learning the basics of the English language. We include our TEFL certification so that volunteers will be confident enough to organise and schedule classes and really make a profound effect on their student's lives.
Project details:
The children in the Philippines begin learning English in grade one, so it's not a surprise that most of the population can speak and understand English. The benefits of learning English from a native speaker are inspirational for the local children who have rarely been exposed to foreigners. We place volunteers in rural elementary schools outside of Tacloban City and in surrounding towns to assist the local teachers with their English classes and other subjects. These volunteers are able to experience life in a rural village and will observe the true meaning of "community".
Another alternative to teaching in the rural setting is to teach the informal education classes in Tacloban. These classes are developed for the out-of-school youth and unemployed adults interested in learning the basic subjects taught in public school, as well as skills training.
Why the project needs volunteers:
Our international volunteers can be role models for these struggling teenagers and adults. The non traditional education sector lacks the teachers they need to conduct regular classes for these students who have previously dropped out of school and are looking to continue their education. Our volunteers can organize and schedule classes daily and really have a profound effect on these student's lives. The support that our volunteers provide allows these young people to gain valuable English language skills, which will create more opportunities for them in the future. For some of the young people at the projects, learning English will allow them to participate in overseas exchange programmes and experience a different culture.
What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
Volunteers at this project should have a genuine love of children and young people, and an interest in education. Although you do not require any special skills, any experience working with children or young people would be valuable. Volunteers must be able to use their initiative and be motivated to work without guidance. Volunteers should be patient, hard-working, resourceful and imaginative.
Your role as a volunteer:
You may become involved in teaching English through a variety of methods, including formal learning using textbooks, conversation classes, games and songs. Some of the projects have the opportunity to teach IT skills alongside English, or as a method of practising English. There may be the opportunity to become involved with drama or debates, and you might be asked to provide homework support for the children. You may also be required to help develop English teaching resources or improve the language skills of the permanent English teachers.
Where the project is based:
The projects are mainly based in and around Tacloban. Tacloban City, located 360 miles southeast of Manila, is the capital of the large island Leyte, in the Visayas region of the Philippines. The island is known for the landing of the American General MacArthur, during World War II, which liberated the Philippines from Japan. With a population of 300,000, the Filipinos in Tacloban speak the Waray-Waray dialect, as well as Tagalog (the national language), English, and Cebuano. Tacloban City is not a tourist destination, so it is a great opportunity for our volunteers to be immersed in a unique Asian culture.
Please book your flight to arrive into Tacloban (airport code TAC) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup.
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 fora the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
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
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.
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 how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
If you are volunteering on a Teaching project then a 60-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
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.
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 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
Your in-country team will arrange a pick-up for you at the airport and will conduct your orientation upon arrival. All coordination teams 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
Aside from the local support from your in-country team you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by our response team in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
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. We also fly in our in-country coordinators to the UK regularly for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
We don't fund our projects directly from the project fee that you pay us. Instead we choose to support a number of projects every year through a grant scheme for tangible long-term initiatives. In the last 3 years we have distributed over US$250,000 to our most needy projects to help them in the great work they do.
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.
Volunteering 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
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 the Philippines. Here's what will happen;
You will arrive on the Arrival Date - Tuesday and will be met at the airport on that day. You will be taken to your permanent homestay accommodation, information on this will be available within 2 weeks of booking your placement on your online account.
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. You will normally stay with your homestay family. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:
Volunteer for the Visayans Brgy.64 Lot 63 Cluster 2 Bliss Housing Project Sagkahan Tacloban City Tel +63 (053) 325 2462Your orientation will take place the following morning (Wednesday) at the above address where you will be introduced to life in the Philippines as well as important information about staying healthy and safe. You will then be introduced to your project and start working as a volunteer. From here on in you will spend your time with the project but the in-country team are there if you need them.
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 >>
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 youre flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night a
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 27.00
Archaeological finds show that the Philippines were inhabited around 250,000 years ago, most likely by migrating groups from the Asian mainland. The Negrito groups settled 200,000 years later and were followed by groups from Indonesia and Malaysia. Shaping the country’s cultural diversity, Chinese, Arab and Indonesian traders arrived by the 11th century. The country fell to Spanish rule from the 16th until the end of the 19th century, albeit with a two year period (1762-1764) when the British occupied Manila during the Seven Years War. Meanwhile, a movement for national freedom was gathering momentum with revolutionaries such as José Rizal paving the way for independence. Following the Spanish-American war, the US gained control of the Philippines, and Japan occupied the country during WW II, but it wasn’t until 1946 that the country finally secured full independence.
Post-independence, the political landscape was dogged by instability and corruption. In 1965 Ferdinand Marcos came to power and by 1972 had declared Martial Law. His notorious reign was effectively that of a dictatorship with imposed curfews and restrictions, while government protesters were harshly dealt with. The assassination of political opponent Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino in 1983 caused widespread condemnation of the Marcos regime. The 1986 election saw Marcos declare himself winner but he was swiftly overthrown and Aquino’s widow Corazon Aquino came to power while the Marcos’s were exiled to Hawaii. Aquino drafted in a new constitution to re-establish democracy and managed to survive numerous coups, but the economy remained in dire condition. She was succeeded by Fidel Ramos in 1992 who engineered economic reforms and peace talks with rebel groups and Muslim insurgents. Stability was short-lived when Joseph Estrada was elected as president 1998 but by 2001 had been impeached over allegations of corruption.
The current government, headed Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, has also faced its fair share of scandal. Shortly after being elected for a second term in 2004, allegations of election fraud were rife. She has managed to sit tight but the government’s stability is threatened by armed communist insurgents and Muslim separatists in the south.
Oppressive humidity and hellish typhoons are the evils of the Philippines’s tropical climate. To avoid the weather extremes, December to mid-May are good times to visit when the heavy rains are at bay and it’s slightly cooler, but expect hot temperatures around May when high 30ËšC’s are the norm. The wet season prevails from June to October with July and August the most rain-drenched. The crowds are out in full around Christmas and Easter time so it’s best to book accommodation and travel well in advance.
There’s a variety of airlines that serve both the main and more remote destinations. Philippine Airlines is the national carrier, while Air Philippines, South East Asian Airlines, Asian Spirit and Cebu Pacific also serve the main domestic routes. Charter services are also provided by companies such as A. Soriano Aviation and Aerolift Philippines which operate small to medium sized planes. Be prepared for flight restrictions or cancellations during the wet season, the same applies for ferries.
For a more scenic way of island hopping, ferries are readily available with the main operators such as SuperFerry offering regular services and it’s not uncommon for trips, including Manila to Cebu, to take over 20 hours. The Philippines, however, has a poor safety record when it comes to boat travel so it’s worth being aware of the weather conditions for the journey ahead and not boarding a boat that appears to be overcrowded. Manila is the main departure point and be prepared for scores of touts trying to cash in on the tourist trade.
Train travel is limited to one line running from Manila to Naga, making long-distance bus the obvious choice for overland travel. It’s also possible to island-hop without sailing along the waterways, with highways connecting the main islands. There’s a choice of bus companies including Victory Liner and Philippine Rabbit. The major car rental companies have a presence but it’s advisable to hire a car with a driver since road conditions vary and the driving, especially in large cities like Manila, can be erratic.
An idiosyncratic feature on the country’s roads is the much loved jeepney. Colourfully decorated, these modified jeeps have been lengthened and have added seats to accommodate up to 20 people. They serve the local environs as well as connecting towns and cities and are dirt cheap. Like taxis, there’s no shortage of them and they can easily be flagged down. In addition, vans, tricycles (a motorbike with sidecars), pedicabs (bicycles with sidecars) and calesas, which are horse drawn carriages that ply the tourist trade, make up the quirky transport mix.
We work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
* We can be held responsible for any starry-eyed and amazing journeys of enlightenment, discovery and thorough enjoyment...