Bali: Kindergarten Volunteer Project

Introduction

We work in over 15 kindergartens in Ubud and its surrounding villages. We also have our own kindergarten that we run for 4-5 year olds, who can attend it for free. The children are right at the start of their school careers and we offer them the chance to start learning English at an early age, which is an invaluable skill for their later life.

Our teaching style is informal as the children mainly want to play with you more than to be ‘taught’. However, simply by getting them excited about coming to school, teaching them some basic English phrases such as simple greetings, you will be helping them enormously in their early development

The children will always be excited to see you! They are exceptionally welcoming, partly due to the natural and genuine friendliness of the Balinese, but also due to the fact that you will be one of the few foreigners they will have met!

Intro. Week

Your placement can start with an optional Introductory Week, which will introduce you to the Balinese way of life, and prepare you for the rest of your placement. This week is automatically included in your placement. Your schedule will look like this;

Monday
After our coordinator collects you from the airport, you’ll be taken to check in at your guest house. The day begins with a briefing to outline your program, and to tell you our house rules. You’ll be introduced to Bali on a walking tour of Monkey Street, the main commercial road in the city. There’ll be a welcome dinner, followed by a traditional Balinese dance in Ubud palace.

Tuesday
After breakfast, you’ll be given a language lesson to teach you some key phrases. After that, you’ll go on a walking tour of the village, where you’ll get to experience how Balinese families live.

Wednesday
After breakfast, you’ll be given a language lesson to teach you some key phrases. In the afternoon, you’ll go to a local batik shop, where you’ll learn how to draw, and paint your own batik designs.

Thursday
You will be given a Balinese Cooking Class. You will learn to cook Balinese food. In the after noon you’ll learn how to make an offering to God, and the spirits of the Hindu religion. There will be a flower offering class, and you’ll be taught how to make a flower basket. You can use your flower offering in the next day.

Friday
Spiritual Tour: We will bring your Flower offering to the Holy temple. We go to visit the famous temple ” Pura Tirta Empul ” the holy water temple and you can enjoy a shower with the Holy Water.
You’ll be free to enjoy your weekend however you choose, and you will start your volunteer placement on the following Monday!

Culture Week

Prepare for an engaging week filled with captivating adventures, cultural discoveries, and the chance to connect with your fellow travelers!

Please note that this week is an optional add-on to your Volunteer trip, typically scheduled at the beginning of your journey.

Culture Week is a rich tapestry of experiences designed to immerse you in Balinese culture and provide you with meaningful interactions. It encompasses language lessons to help you communicate with the locals, visits to Bali’s stunning temples, a leisurely walking tour of Ubud, encounters with local art and cuisine, traditional dance performances, and even the art of flower arranging.

Throughout Culture Week, you’ll engage in various activities that offer insights into Balinese culture, learn the Balinese language, explore the beauty of Ubud and its surroundings, witness a traditional Balinese performance, embrace your creative side with Batik Painting, and test your culinary skills with a Balinese cooking class.

Towards the end of the week, you’ll have the opportunity to create a traditional flower offering and present it at the revered Tirta Empul Temple. Here, you can immerse yourself in the sacred waters and offer your prayers for positive fortune.

Schedule

Monday

On Monday, you will have breakfast and then get an introduction to the Bali traditions and culture. Then you will go on a walking tour of the popular Monkey street and Ubud market. After the visit, you will have lunch and then join a class on introduction to Balinese culture. You will then have an early dinner and leave to witness the traditional Balinese dance show.

Tuesday

8.00  Breakfast

9:30  Balinese Language Class

12:00 Lunch

14:00 Village Walking tour (Visit rice terrace, an art village and beautiful hills by walking)

17:30 Dinner

Wednesday

8:00 Breakfast

9:30 Balinese Language Class

12:00 Lunch

13.00 Batik painting class

17:30 Dinner

Thursday

8:00 Breakfast

09:30 Cooking class

12:00 Lunch

14:00 Balinese flower offering Class

18:30 Welcome and Goodbye dinner

Friday

8:00 Breakfast

9:00 Spiritual Tour: we go to visit the famous temple “PuraTirtaEmpul” the holy water temple and you can enjoy a shower with the Holy Water(Late Lunch at the house /Possible to get some snack or drink in the temple)

13.00 Lunch

15.00 Project meeting

17:30 Dinner

***This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.***

Daily Life

After your optional Introductory Week, you will be working Monday to Friday, preparing your lessons for 1-2 hours in the morning, and then teaching for around 2-3 hours each afternoon.

You will have breakfast at 7:30am and preparations start from 8am until 12pm. After an hour’s lunch, you’ll then start teaching. The evenings are then free for you to do as you please.

Why not then also explore Ubud and its fascinating culture? There’s a beautiful majestic palace situated right in the centre of the town. There are also lots of great art studios, galleries and a craft market to be explored during the weekends.

You could also explore Ubud in the evenings, taking advantage of its laid-back atmosphere. You’ll find cultural night performances at the Puri Saren Royal Palace and live music events at the Laughing Buddha Bar just north of the Ubud Monkey Forest.

Travel & Accom.

Upon arrival, you will be welcomed and picked up from the airport, before being taken to your accommodation. Our houses are located in Pejeng village which is about 15-20 minutes drive from the center of Ubud.

You will be staying in shared accommodation of 4-8 people per room. All bed linen a fan will be provided. You should bring your own mosquito net, or you can purchase one locally for very cheap. There is a safety box available and free wifi in the public areas.

Indonesian food is tasty and diverse and you can expect to experience a myriad of flavors and meals during their stay. Typical dishes included mie goreng (fried noodles and vegetables), nasi goreng (fried rice and vegetables) or gado gado (mixed vegetables with a satay sauce). For those who do not eat meat, Indonesian cooking uses a lot of tofu and tempeh (soy beans), we also provide for some of western dishes. Breakfasts are varied and include pancakes, fresh fruit, toast etc. Vegans are welcome!

Requirements

• Minimum age 18
• Be keen to teach and help students develop their knowledge and skills
• Not afraid to stand up in front of a class and teach
• Ability to work within a team environment
• Minimum 2 weeks commitment
• CRB Police check (or equivalent) showing that you have no previous criminal convictions
• Good English skills
• Necessary vaccinations
• Necessary flight & visas
• Full travel & medical insurance. Full assistance will be provided in getting everything you will need ready if you choose our Placement Support Package.

Costs

£350 GBP per week

* Check the latest currency conversions with xe.com
** All payments incur a 5% bank transfer fee
*** Placements are confirmed with a 1 week deposit, minimum 2 weeks booking

What’s Included:

Project Fee includes food, accommodation, airport pickup, orientation, in-country support and project activities.

Private accommodation is available for an additional €150 per week.

What’s not included:

Flights, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these arranged if you choose our Premium Support.

Premium Support Upgrade

We understand there’s a great deal to plan and organise for your trip. When booking a Placement, many of our participants choose to purchase our Premium Support Upgrade to benefit from the expertise, knowledge and experience of our Project Coordinators.

We can provide the personal advice you need to ensure your trip is organised with excellence and planned with efficiency; ensuring the very best experience possible. Read more about how we can help you.