EIL UK - homestay

American students meet the Mayor of Worcester and tour the Guildhall.

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:24:09 +0000

A group of American students visiting the Guildhall in Worcester, during a homestay weekend staying with local families

homestay

Worcester

American

student

Guildhall

Mexico - homestay accomodation

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:24:11 +0000

A volunteer at homestay accomodation in Mexico. The volunteer was taking part in a Volunteer Abroad programme.

Volunteer

homestay

Mexico

Group of Mexican students in Worcester

marina — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:23:46 +0000

A group of Mexican students who were visiting Worcester as part of a language learning an activity group. The group were staying with local host families.

Visit UK

homestay

Worcester

Mexican students

Group Travel to Tunisia

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:01:57 +0000

EIL UK are developing an Arts and Crafts Programme in Tunisia in and around Carthage.

There will be opportunity to learn about traditional Andalucia-style ceramics and Arabic calligraphy in a traditional workshop situated in the heart of the Tunis medina.

Participants will learn some modern standard Arabic and take part in voluntary work.

This programme will last for 2 weeks and will take place in August 2010.

There are a maximum of 20 places available.

For more information about this exciting programme contact EIL.

Brona's account of volunteering in Nepal

Piers Meynell — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:42:09 +0000

Brona Higgins is a student from County Monaghan who spent 9 weeks on a volunteer programme in Nepal. She's shared with us an account of this life changing experience:

Nepal. The natives will continuously tell you it stands for Never Ending Peace And Love. Of course you laugh off this cute but predictable little mantra in the beginning but by the time you leave this absolute paradise you realise they couldn't have been more right all along!

I spent 9 weeks in Nepal both working as a volunteer and travelling with the other volunteers and (without wanting to sound like a Miss Universe candidate!!) I can honestly say that those 9 weeks have been the most fulfilling, rewarding, happiest and most memorable of my life so far. I had always wanted to visit Nepal, but not as a mere fleeting visit or holiday where I would only get to see the 'touristy Nepal'. I chose to work as a volunteer so that I could experience true Nepali life for myself and get to the root of it's culture.

I was 19 last summer when I went there, and was going on my own so I was a bit worried that I would have trouble assimilating into such a different culture and that there may be no other volunteers there to befriend. I needn't have worried.

When I arrived in Nepal I was picked up at the airport, by a member of EIL's sister organisation in Nepal, and whisked through the streets of Kathmandu en route to the hostel where I would be staying and taking language classes, with a group of other volunteers form all round the world, for the first week. Quickly, our little group became good friends and we would all go on excursions (both day and night!) together in-and-around Kathmandu after the classes.

On the second week most of us went our separate ways with some volunteers beginning their various placements while the rest of us got the opportunity to visit and stay for two nights in a traditional ethnic village, Lamatar, in the hills encompassing the Kathmandu Valley. Here we were taught ethnic dances, how to cook the national dish - Daal Bhat - and got a lot of exercise on our daily hill hikes which were more than compensated for by the staggering 360 views over the Kathmandu valley and the snow-capped mountain peaks. If I could imagine a place to epitomise what Heaven should look like it would be Lamatar.

During the second half of the second week we were brought by bus, with many of us choosing to ride on top of the bus (extremely recommended!!!) for five hours through some of the most breathtakingly picturesque Mountain Passes imaginable, stopping half way to go white water rafting on the Trishuli river, only to be picked up again and brought to Chitwan National Park. Like the rest of the whole experience, the days spent here were also unforgettable, filled with elephant riding through lush jungles, being happily thrown off the back of an elephant into the river while 'helping' with the elephant baths, visiting indigenous ethnic villages and an elephant breeding centre, floating down the river in authentic dug-out canoes while crocodiles swam lazily past and again, dancing hand-in-hand ethnic tribes.

On our third week we were given the opportunity to partake in a Himalayan Trek, which I enthusiastically accepted. Had I realised how physically demanding I was going to find it I might have reconsidered, as I struggled to drag limb and lung up stepped mountainsides while native 'sheraps' ran unfazed past (once even while carrying a TV. and a table on top of his head to my utter disbelief!) But given the chance I would undoubtedly do it all again, as no amount of physical exertion can dampen the high of sleeping above the clouds and waking up to a 'gods-eye-view' of snow capped mountain tops for as far as the eye can see.

I finally began my volunteer placement on my fourth week. I was originally intended to be teaching English but I was eager to experience working in an orphanage also, so I asked the coordinator in Nepal about it and he willingly arranged for me to work for a week I an orphanage along with another one of the volunteers. My time at the orphanage was demanding but utterly enjoyable. The kids vied for our attentions non-stop and we were constantly called upon to play with them, or in my case sing a song or play something on the guitar. Our duties involved caring for the children, bringing them to school and helping them with their homework. I fell in love with the kids and did not consider it 'work' as such as I loved playing with them and just being happy with and towards them brightened up their days. The only down-side of my week at the orphanage was that after a week I had to leave them and I was afraid they would feel like I was abandoning them just as they were beginning to get attached. I made a promise to myself, and the kids that I would return once a week for the rest of my time in Nepal to visit them and let them know I hadn't forgotten about them. That promise was easily honoured.

It was after my week in the orphanage that I was brought to my original destination the family home stay. I didn't really know what to expect, living with a Nepali family for 5 weeks - would they have sufficient English? Would they like me? Would they be very protective over me? Even what would the food be like?

But, typical of everything else that had happened to me so far this experience, this too, surpassed all my expectations. The mother was an exceptional cook and I often found myself helping myself to more food than even the father! Meal times were family times and enjoyably intimate. Another volunteer was staying with the same family at the same time as I was and we would sit with the family during meals and in the bedroom/living room, all of us watching TV together in the evenings. We would join in the cheering for our favourite Bollywood Stars when they appeared on TV or jeer if a villain did. The younger children would lie with me on the bed while we watched TV as if I had lived there with them all their lives. The parents, also, more-or-less adopted me as one of their own. By the end of my stay I had assimilated into their culture with so much ease that I was beginning to feel like a Nepali myself!

The kids in the school where I taught were no less accommodating, always bringing me flowers or cards into the school or inviting me to come eat dinner with them in their houses, which I did on occasion. The school children, also, would plan little day trips on Saturdays where they would escort me on foot to all the local attractions - hill-top temples and lakes passing shocks of colour in the form of the vibrantly coloured saris of the women picking rice in the paddy fields as we walked by.

As for the people of Nepal, they are without a doubt, the most welcoming, selfless, generous and friendly people I have ever come across. Whether it be the families of schoolchildren who would kill a chicken for my benefit at dinner or the ladies on buses who would insist upon me sitting on their knees if the bus was over-crowded, or the group of young Nepalis whom I befriended that brought me everywhere - parties, sightseeing, their respective rural villages - on the back of their motorbikes day after day without asking for a thing in return, these people would put the selfishness and greed of other nations to shame.

I fell head over heels in love with this land of unique beauty and even intend to go back to work there when I finish University.

I would definitely recommend choosing to do volunteer work in Nepal, especially with this programme as it gives volunteers the chance, not just to work as a volunteer, but to explore the country through a whole host of other, previously arranged, activities - ie. White water rafting, trekking, rural village stay.

If you do choose to go to Nepal I needn't wish you a happy journey - that's a given, and I might even see you there :)

Brona Higgins

Travel Abroad

Volunteer Abroad

Nepal

orphanage

welfare

children

homestay

teaching

Kathmandu

Lamatar

orientation

Chitwan

Himalayas

Homestay day trip in the Comeragh Mountains

Piers Meynell — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:16:41 +0000

Margaret Walsh, EIL Local Coordinator in Tramore talks about a day trip she organised for 3 particpants currently in Ireland on a homestay programme in her community. Margaret met up with Paul and Thomas from France and Cornelia from Germany and they set off to explore Mahon falls in the heart of the Comeragh mountains:

Saturday 9th of August, despite the rain I was looking forward to the trip up to Mahon Falls one of my favourite places to visit. I collected Tomas and Cornelia first at Junes house and then collected Paul from Colette. We travelled out to Mahon Falls it was only around 10.00am so I was hoping that it would not be that busy. It was perfect no one there all we had for company was alot of sheep with blue splashed all over their coats which caused some amusement. The rain lifted while we were there so plenty of fresh air was had by all. Tomas and Paul enjoyed climbing a little to enjoy the views, Cornelia took in the sights and was busy with her camera. Its so peaceful out there and the views are of completely uninterrupted countryside. On our way back to the car we were delighted to be joined by an unexpected friend, our little goat nearly walked us the whole way to the car until he took a shine to another group. It was getting busy by the time we left.

Off we headed back towards Tramore and continued on out to Annestown beach. Its a lovely small beach a short distance outside of Tramore, all the exercise gave us an appetite so we had our lunch there. Paul, Tomas and Cornelia were full of energy then so they walked along the cliffs overlooking the beach. We decided to pop downto have a quick look at Dunhill Castle, there was already a big tour of students there, there are steep steps going up to the castle so we were out of breath slightly when we got to the top (or maybe that was just me). I dropped everyone home then and I hope they enjoyed their outing in Co Waterford.

Travel Abroad

Volunteer Abroad

Ireland

project staff

homestay

Tramore

excursion

Gary's blog: Imitation of Life

Piers Meynell — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:58:20 +0000

Gary Finnerty from won a travel award with EIL Ireland that enabled him to spend a month or so volunteering in Ecuador. He wrote extensively about his experiences, here's a blog entry from mid way through his time in Ecuador:

Today is E-Day plus 31 and I'm finding it hard to believe that I've been here for a month with only a week left. Today is also my last day here in Riobamba as after lunch I'm heading to Quito for a night before getting a flight tomorrow to the Amazon rainforest. You'd expect me to be happy and excited at the prospect of being in the Amazon (something I've always wanted to do) yet what I'm feeling at the moment is a sadness that I'm leaving my homestay. I've been here in Riobamba for nearly 4 weeks staying with a family and without doubt this part of the trip will be the highlight of my time in Ecuador when I think back in a years time.

But picking up from my last blog last Friday I went with the group on Nariz del Diablo. This was an amazing train journey that takes 3 hours and brings you through some spectacular countryside. It's also an increadible piece of engineering as it goes through some of the Andean mountains. It was a really early start but very worthwhile and thankfully I remembered my camera this time! Saturday we went to a few different markets in Riobamba which were an interesting experience but I think a little horrific at times for the vegetarians in the group, they got to see the before, after and consumption of animals in the space of a 100 very crowded yards. Saturday morning was our last group activity during the homestay.

On Sunday it was the farewell meal with all the group and their host families, It was held in a very nice leisure centre outside Riobamba. The actual meal was quite a sad one as it really began to hit home that soon we'd be leaving our host families. At the end of the meal each member of the group had to say a few words of thanks to our host families in Spanish and by the end it was a very sad room. But afterwards we got a soccer match going between the host families and a "Gringo" Dream Team that included myself, a couple yanks and 3 host brothers (Gringo is a North and South American word for North Americans travelling in South America). I'm delighted to say that the Gringo Dream Team were the victors 10-8. It was a happier end to the day.

Yesterday was my last full day in Riobamba so I stayed mainly with my host family but at 3 I met up with some friends from the American groups and host families to watch what was a huge game for Ecuadorians, Real Madrid against Liga de Quito (South American champions). In Europe these pre-season matches mean little yet here it was huge. The bar was really crowded and the people were fanatical following the match. Sadly Liga lost 4-2 but I enjoyed the atmosphere and it was a good way to say good bye to some of the Ecuadorians that I've played football with and hung around with while I was here. They've been friendly and been easy to bond with so it's sad to have to say goodbye. I haven't had to say a proper goodbye to my family yet (another 3 hours left!) but last night I brought them out for a really nice dinner as a small token of thanks for all they've done for me.

If everyone on this trip is honest, the most feared part of the whole experience is the homesaty. There's nothing as scary on this trip than staying with a bunch of strangers who speak a language you know little of (if any!) for nearly 4 weeks. Yet speaking at the end of the homestay I honestly know that the time spent here is the real highlight of the trip. The strangers become family who you share a bond with and will be a part of you for a very long time in your life. My family have been so friendly and accepting of me I'm depressed to be leaving to go the Amazon, something I thought I'd never say. I hope we'll be able to keep contact through e-mail and hopefully meet up again in the future. My time in Riobamba has been so much fun I will never forget it. Between staying with Luis, Andrea and Tomas, the activities with the 2 American groups be it organised day trips or just meeting up (with host siblings) in Riobamba to even the experience of my lousy attempts to teach the many taxi drivers in Riobamba a little bit about Ireland in my limited spanish. It's been brilliant. I could stay rambling on for a long time but sadly time is something I'm running out of in Ecuador. I'm heading out to my last lunch with my host family and after that I'll be heading to Quito with my group. Tomorrow we're getting a flight to the Amazon and I'm sure that´ll be incredible, but not the highlight of the trip. In the Amazon I won't have any internet so I'm sorry to those I haven't been able to get in touch with in the last few days but I'll get back in contact next Monday. Best wishes to friends, family, well-wishers and the folks in EIL. Gary.

Travel Abroad

Volunteer Abroad

Ecuador

host family

Spanish

EIL Ireland

travel award

Riobamba

Nariz del Diablo

homestay