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About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
Marco Polo described the island of Sri Lanka as the finest of its size in the world and he obviously knew his stuff. Legend has it that it’s shaped like a tear drop because the mainland was so upset to see the island become cut off, and we can understand what they mean. But their loss is your gain because left to its own devices it has developed a unique natural environment full of surprises for you to enjoy. Save some energy for the project though because you can make a real difference to young people's lives by providing support with homework and English language lessons, as well as generating creative play through games, sports, singing, dancing and drama.
In Sri Lanka, we work with a variety of different community development projects based around Colombo and the hill country. Many of the projects are orphanages or children's homes which house between 20 and 300 children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Generally, the ages of the children range from about 3 to 18, although some of the homes also care for infants. Many of the projects receive very little government funding and rely on charitable donations to care for the children, who often have very few possessions or clothing.
The organisations we work run various initiatives for young people or for the poorest people in Sri Lanka, including English lessons, social activities and youth camps.
Why the project needs volunteers:
The projects that we work with offer valuable support to children or young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are orphans. While many of the young people at the projects have access to education provided by the government, they are usually unable to benefit from it fully due to the many complexities in their lives.
The support that our volunteers provide allows many of the young people to improve their English skills, which will create more opportunities for them, and to learn about a new culture. Often, the staff members do not have time to give attention to all of the children, and they will really benefit from spending time and doing creative activities with volunteers.
Volunteers at this project should have a genuine love of children and young people. 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, compassionate, resourceful and imaginative.
Your role as a volunteer:You may become involved in a variety of activities, including homework support, arts and crafts activities, games, songs and social education. All of the projects involve an element of English teaching, but the amount required and the method of teaching will vary from project to project.
Your schedule will be flexible and will depend on the needs of the project. You may be asked to help the staff members improve their English or IT skills, or you may become involved with fundraising or improving the appearance of the project. You may also be involved in various extra curricular activities such as dancing, music, art and craft.
In the Kurunagala area you will be working on a number of projects. You will be working with younger children in the mornings at pre schools where the children are aged between 3 and 5 years and in the afternoons you will be working in orphanages when the older children return from school.
Where the project is based:You will spend your first night at a guesthouse in Mount Lavinia, a coastal area of Colombo with several beachside restaurants. After an orientation meeting the following morning, you will be transported to your allocated project.
The projects are based around Colombo and in the hill country of Sri Lanka near Kurunagala. Colombo is a bustling, vibrant city close to the coast, where you will be well placed for travel to other parts of the island and will have easy access to local amenities. The project in Colombo is in a quieter area just on the outskirts. The projects around Kurunagala are in the rural central hill country. Your accommodation will be in a shared room in a homestay or a shared room at the project. Meals will be provided for you.
Please book your flight to arrive into Colombo (airport code CMB) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup. Please note that we can normally arrange for an airport pick up at an additional fee if you are arriving early, please contact the office to arrange.
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….
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 project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development 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
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 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
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
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
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
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. Its also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Sri Lanka.
You will arrive on the Arrival date - Sunday and will be met at the airport on that day and will be taken to the Ranveli Beach Hotel (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. One of our team will be there on hand to advise you about the area and show you around and to take you to the Mount Lavinia hotel, where our volunteers can rest by the pool. The member of the team is on hand for an informal orientation before dinner at the Ranveli Beach Hotel at 18.30 to 20.30 hours.
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:
Ranveli Beach Resort 56/9 De Saram Road Mount Lavinia Telephone 0112 717385 Contact person Mr SusanthaYour orientation will take place the next morning, Monday, at 08.30 hrs and you will be taken to your projects and permanent accommodation at about 13.00 hrs after the orientation. Tuesday will be the first day that you meet your project and start working as a volunteer.
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.
If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:
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 you’re 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 accommodation is included in this payment; if you require more than one night please inform the team.
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 76.00
Sri Lanka’s history is interwoven with myths and religious beliefs. In the central hill country, Adams Peak is fabled as the first place that Adam set foot after being cast out of Eden – his footprint is set in the rock seems indelible proof. Buddhists claim that the footprint is proof that Buddha placed a holy foot in Sri Lanka en route to paradise. To the north of the country a series of islands runs north to India – these are believed to be the stepping stones that Rama crossed in order to rescue his wife Sita from Rawana, the devilish King of Lanka. One thing that these myths do prove is that the religious and cultural history is both diverse and complex.
The Veddahs were the original inhabitants of the island, but they were gradually displaced by Sinhalese migrants from northern India. This migration took place from around the 6th century BC and led to the founding of the first great Sinhalese empire, Anuradhapura in the 4th century BC. This kingdom was converted to Buddhism in the 3rd century by Mahinda and the country has remained largely Buddhist ever since.
The city of Anuradhapura was the centre of Sinhalese culture for over 1500 years until invasion by Southern Indian kingdoms gradually eroded its power and Vijayabahu I abandoned for the more southerly and more easily defended Polonnaruwa. This kingdom lasted for another 2 centuries until the excesses of its rulers and increasing invasions from India led to a dispersal of the Sinhalese culture and the emergence of a strong Tamil presence in the north of the country.
The Portuguese trader, Lorenço de Almeida, arrived in 1505 and began friendly relations with the king of Kotte, establishing a Portuguese monopoly on the lucrative spice trade. Over time the trade relationship changed from co-operation to colonisation and the Portuguese gradually gained control of the whole island. The Portuguese (like all colonial powers) exploited the island and ruled through a mixture of greed, avarice and intolerance. In an attempt to free themselves Portuguese rule the northern kingdom of Kandy enlisted the help of the Dutch, whose concerns were primarily mercantile and less intolerant of Sinhalese customs.
The Dutch ruled most of Sri Lanka until 1796, when the British swept to power. Over the next 150 years the British colonisers changed land laws and introduced the widespread planting of cash crops such as coffee, coconuts and cinnamon. The demands of these huge plantations saw a further migration of Tamil workers from Southern India, which would have devastating long-term effects on the future stability of Sri Lanka.
After India gained independence from British rule, the British government was under increasing pressure to grant independence to Sri Lanka and in February 1948 Sri Lanka became a sovereign state and a member of the British Commonwealth. In the years since independence tensions have run high between the Buddhist Sinhalese majority in the South and West and the Hindu Tamil minority in the North and East. Many wars have been fought, many ceasefires broken and an estimated 60,000 people have been killed and over a million displaced. At the time of writing, a Norwegian brokered ceasefire had been broken and fighting was raging in the around the eastern town of Vaharai.
As with much of Southern Asia, the country’s weather is dominated by the monsoon. To make things even trickier Sri Lanka experiences two monsoons!
The yala season runs from early May until August and sees the southwest monsoon hit the south and west coasts and the central highlands. The second monsoon – the Maha season – affects the north and east of the island between October and January. Dry season in this part of Sri Lanka runs from May to September while in the south and west it runs from December to March.
Temperatures during the dry season can climb to the mid-30ºC, but the central highlands around Kandy can offer respite from the heat and warm jumpers are a common sight in the evenings. The seas around Sri Lanka remain warm all year but can be rough and sometimes dangerous during monsoon.
Travelling in Sri Lanka is can be a hugely frustrating experience. The only compensation that the traveller can gain from travelling in Sri Lanka is that the distances are relatively short. Whatever journeys you do decide to make in Sri Lanka, check security warnings from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (see links below) before travelling to the north and east of the country.
When travelling by bus it is virtually impossible to reserve a seat. The only way to guarantee a seat is to arrive at the bus station a good half an hour before the scheduled departure time and hang on to your seat for dear life. There are a wide variety of bus services ranging from largely slow and uncomfortable CTB buses (Central Tourist Board) to privately run air-conditioned inter-city services that are faster and more comfortable.
Train travel can be a more relaxing option than travelling by bus. There are three main lines: Colombo to Matara, Colombo to Badulla and Colombo to Anuradhapura. There are also two branch lines one to Trincomalee on the east coast and another to Polonnuruwa. Because of the relatively short distances involved there a very few overnight sleeper services. It is usually best to take a second-class seat as the seats are padded and they are usually slightly less crowded. For journeys along the south coast train travel is definitely the best option. Although the trains are often late, they are infinitely better than trying to negotiate the traffic jams, crashes and pollution of the Colombo to Galle road and there are normally people selling great food on the trains – corn on the cob, Sri Lankan sweets and fried prawns.
While travelling around Colombo taxis and tuk-tuks are a great option. It is a good idea to arrange a fixed price before setting off. For longer distances car hire can be a great way to get around. Although the costs are relatively high, they offer larger groups more freedom and comfort. One consideration that should be taken into account are the state of some of the countries roads and the over-riding lunacy of many of the countries drivers –Sri Lanka is not a great place for inexperienced drivers, especially on the Colombo-Galle road. Another option is to hire a car and a driver. Again this is a relatively expensive option, but if you’re short on time and have a little money too spare it can be a good option as not only do you get transport but you get a local guide into the bargain.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas.
A locally run car hire company with a main office in Colombo.
Avis have offices in Colombo.
Official website of Sri Lanka tourism board.
Being part of an i-to-i project is a totally unique experience. You’ll join a global network of volunteers working side-by-side with local people and experience things that you’ve never dreamed of.
Be Part of this or any project and help us reach our goal of 400yrs combined volunteer help this and many other projects around the world.
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...
