SRI LANKA

TEACH IN EXOTIC SRI LANKA FROM 2 WEEKS TO 6 MONTHS. Sri Lanka is famous for its 1,600 kilometres of unspoilt, golden beaches and diverse climate zones. The proverbial paradise island! Sri Lankans are very friendly, hospitable and welcoming, if somewhat laidback and in no-rush mode to get things done!

►SUMMARY FACTFILE
Start Dates	All year round - you choose your start and finish dates!
Duration	Minimum stay 1 week up to 3 months, subject to visa restrictions
Requirements	No qualifications needed, just a big heart and a desire to help underprivileged children who have very little.
Price	From £795 / US $1,195 for 1 week, ranging to £1,995 / US $2,995 for 12 weeks. Full Price List and other Currencies
What's included	►Accommodation ►Food ►Meeting you at the Airport ►Transfer to your accommodation ►Full pre-departure support ►Local in-country team support and backup ►24-hr emergency support ►Free T-shirt.
What's not included	Flights, Insurance, Cost of Visas (if a visa is required, but we'll provide necessary documents and assistance).
Who can do this Project?	All our projects are open to all nationalities. Unless otherwise stated, you need to be aged between 17 and 70+

Also on this page:

• Accommodation and Living in Sri Lanka

• Travel and Visas

• Sri Lanka on the Internet

PROJECT OVERVIEW
Our largest teaching programme runs in JA-ELA, on the western side of Sri Lanka, midway between Colombo and the popular Indian Ocean resort of Negombo. You'll work with disadvantaged children and adults who benefit enormously from your help! Our volunteers have helped to improve significant sections of the local community schools, enabling more children to have access to education. You can teach a range of subjects - anything that you have a reasonable knowledge in.

Our schools are for the poorer children and the underprivileged section of the community.  We have on-going donation projects in the community and we also provide funding for uniforms, books, play areas, meals, sports equipment, etc. Our long-term goal is to try to raise the standards for the poorer schools and children. The extra teaching you provide will help to give them added opportunities in the future.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:

• An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into South East Asia and the Sri Lankan culture.

• The enormous satisfaction of helping disadvantaged children and seeing how your efforts are making a difference to them.

• New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional development.

• An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head and shoulders above most others in the job market

• And best of all ... an unforgettable experience!

WORK CONTENT:
You'll have the opportunity to teach at a variety of local schools, all of which are in desperate need of help.  The schools have about 400 to 500 pupils aged 5 to 16 years old, with approx. 35 per class.  Their English is generally poor and you'll work with all age groups, from 6 to 18 years old.

You may also have the chance to help out at CECO – a UK-run computer training school set up by a previous Travellers volunteer who subsequently joined Travellers' UK office. The purpose of the Centre is to give a helping hand to adults and school leavers, to enable them to get very necessary computer skills which in turn enables them to get better jobs.    

Sri Lanka Education Background:
As a result of an ill-considered change in the education system in the previous generation, the standard of English teaching in Sri Lanka has dropped dramatically.  Despite this, a good level of English is of the utmost importance for jobseekers – thus the poor of Sri Lanka are placed at a severe disadvantage when compared to more privileged children. Travellers volunteers can make a real difference to the lives of the children and adults they teach.

School Holidays:
Dates vary each year, but the months of April, August and December are generally taken up with School Holidays. Our volunteers usually use this time to travel around and explore the island, or they expand their travel experience by doing a project at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. This is an exciting project that gives you an awesome and totally different experience. If a holiday falls during your placement, you can take off and explore and then return after the holiday to complete your programme.

"Just wanted to drop you a line as my project in Sri Lanka comes to end to tell you that I have had the best time of my life and the project has been amazing, both the teaching and the elephant orphanage. It has been a truly amazing experience."  David Constable

Our Sri Lanka Director, Roshan Perera, will be available to help you with advice on any aspect of your stay and to liaise with the Head Teacher on any points you may raise. 

• Before you go - you can enroll in a 1-day intensive open teacher training day (optional) to help you teach if you have no previous experience and would like to gain a little teaching knowledge.

• You can combine a two-month teaching placement with one-month at the Elephant Orphanage. This is very popular so reserve your placement very early to avoid disappointment.

• Read volunteers' feedback on this project

"Like most others I have fallen in love with Sri Lanka! Teaching and staying in the Ja-ela house was really good. I went back there at the weekend and it was so nice to see everyone again; Roshan, the house boys and tuk tuk drivers are sooo much fun."  Jennifer Rowe

Teaching in Ja-Ela video by Rhian Jones
(Rhian participated on the programme earlier in the year and was working with a small group of children with special needs / learning difficulties)

Enhance your Programme with some exciting activities:

Travellers Sri Lanka Director Roshan at the Zoo!

Got any questions? Please email us:
info@travellersworldwide.com

LOCATION:
We cannot BEGIN to tell you how beautiful this paradise island is! Nor how cheap to live and get around.  It is almost too good to be true! But it is true. 

There is an abundance of fascinating places to visit. From towering Pagodas, Hindu temples and ancient fortresses to holy rivers and sacred mountains, Sri Lanka is blessed with a sense of deep spirituality and history.  The local people are extremely welcoming and friendly, especially in the rural areas. The tea plantations are a must, the lace making, monuments and architectural splendours,  etc., but the most appealing is the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala. Not to be missed!  It's an emotive sight that will send you away with memories you'll never forget!

ACCOMMODATION:
Travellers has a traditional Sri Lankan house in Ja-Ela. It has marble floors and 13 bathrooms! It is spacious and comfortable, with a garden, several balconies, two lounge rooms and many bedrooms. You will most likely share a room with other Travellers volunteers. There is a TV and DVD player for evening entertainment, in the upstairs lounge area and with the latest DVD copies just a pound to buy locally, there is usually something to watch!

A chef will cook all your meals and we have other staff at the house 24 hours a day for cleaning, assistance, security and comfort.

Teaching, Work Experience and the Colombo Zoo placements are all based in Ja-Ela and so the house is often full and offers a lively, sociable atmosphere – there is usually no shortage of friends to spend weekends at the beach with! Ja-Ela volunteers also have the advantage of easy access to Colombo’s facilities, major bus stations and also nearby Hotel's that allow you to use their fantastic facilities (such as the swimming pool) for a small fee. The hotels are all only a short trip away from the volunteer house: perfect for those lazy afternoons!

There is a local live-in cook at the Travellers house who will prepare your breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, throughout the week. The food is usually local cuisine which means lots of curry, rice and salads. Whether a curry fan or not, you will be by the time you return as Sri Lankan food is delicious! You can buy snacks and treats, including a growing variety of Western tastes (chocolate!) from the local store. There is also a KFC in Ja-Ela for those who need a fix of home.

The area of Ja-Ela is an industrialised town and although it is not one of the paradise beauty spots, it's a good point at which to start your exploration of the island's many beaches and beautiful inland resorts.

"I just wanted to let you know, that I had the time of my life in Sri Lanka. It was FANTASTIC, I wish the entire experience had never had to end. I would just like to say thank you to your team of organisers for organising the spectacular trip. And also a big thank you to Roshan, Shivani ... and all the boys at the house for making my stay very welcoming and memorable. I miss them all very much. And I will definitely want to return and pay them a visit." Rajni Kanda

MAP OF SRI LANKA

Climate: In the lowlands the climate is typically tropical with an average temperature of 27^OC in Colombo. In the higher elevations it can be quite cool with temperatures going down to 16^OC at an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres. Bright, sunny warm days are the rule and are common even during the height of the monsoon - climatically Sri Lanka has no off-season. 

"I'd just like to say that the Travellers teaching placement in Sri Lanka was brilliant, couldn't fault it at all. Doing the placement was the best decision I ever made, it was absolutely fantastic and I was pretty sad when I finished. Met some really nice people too." Gemma Leonard

Read a hilarious story about Sri Lankan Cows and classrooms by Travellers volunteer Richard Anderson.

Suite 2A, Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring Road, Worthing,
West Sussex, BN12 4AP, England
Tel: +44 (0)1903 502595    Fax: +44 (0)1903 708179
Email:info@travellersworldwide.com