Volunteer at Isara

[PK]

Are you interested in visiting beautiful Thailand and volunteering some of your time by helping with Isara projects?

Isara.org is a charity organization headquartered in Nong Khai, Thailand (near the border of Laos). Isara is focused on education, health, safety, and environmental issues. We create many different charity projects and are open to new ideas for projects. We are in need of native English speakers who are interested in teaching in small rural schools and also our Isara Learning Center in Nong Khai.

How Much?
Isara provides opportunities for volunteers to make a difference for FREE! There is no payment required to help or volunteer teach, but volunteers are expected to pay for their own living expenses and travel arrangements to and from Nong Khai.

Where to Stay?
If a volunteer wants to stay at the Isara Learning Center (ILC) in Nong Khai, Thailand then we will ask that they help pay for rent (no more than $90/mo). If volunteers want to stay some place else then Isara will help them find comfortable living conditions which they can afford (typically apartments are about $100-$150/mo).

How to Get to Nong Khai?
To get to Nong Khai you can either take a 12 hour night train ($17) or tour bus ($15) directly to Nong Khai from Bangkok or you can take a one hour flight to the Udon Thani airport ($50) and then a 45 minute van ride to Nong Khai ($5). If you let us know when you plan to visit Thailand we can provide you with more details on the best ways to get to Nong Khai.

If you would like to volunteer at Isara then please post your questions here or simply contact us directly. We look forward to making a difference with you.
pk

[Nick Lane]

I wish I could, but at this time I just can't leave the states. Maybe in the future I will be able to.

[thartley]

This is a great thread idea!  I was thinking about just this thing the other day..how there should be a thread about how to actually be a volunteer with Isara.  I am on the downward slope of getting everything done and arranged to actually get on the plane to get over there myself, and its been a real learning experience already.  Mostly because I have not done very much (i.e. any) traveling before. 

My horizons have already been expanded and I have not even left home yet.  LOL!

[Ronnyboy]

Sounds like fun. Still in school though. I would really love to help but unfortunatley I can not make it there until next year with the way things work around here. But if I have time I will definetly take a summer off and come and help.

[Cory]

Hello all, I am so interested to volunteering for Isara.org on this summer holiday.

But I am not a native English speaker, am I still eligible to participate? I am an Indonesian. Is there any other position else then teaching English? Perhaps teaching Art class?

Looking Forward to join u! 

[PK]

Thank you for wanting to volunteer, Cory. If you're interested in teaching art we might be able to make some classes for you to teach here at the ILC in Nong Khai, Thailand. Or we can find a local school where you can help in the art classes. How long would you want to stay?

Are you located in Indonesia right now? If you are then we might want to speak with you about doing a project in your home country of Indonesia. Check your messages (the "My Inbox" link at the top-right of each page) and let us know about volunteering or doing a project in Indonesia.

Thanks again. Keep on visiting Isara.org and keep on helping.
pk

[Cory]

Hey, happy to hear from u guys.

Well probably I can spent 1 month in ILC Nong Khai, which is around August 2008. Sorry I can't confirm the date yet, I haven't got my schedule. O ya, I can teach Chinese language as well.

Yeah my home country is Indonesia, but currently I am studying in China, I will be pleased to help with any information related to Indonesia, perhaps China too.

Thanks for the warm welcome. Happy to hear that I can help

Cory

[javiervelez]

Hiya all!
I'm interested in volunteering but I'm short on money. Does anybody have any idea of how much money is needed to make the jump to Thailand? (flying costs, visa, inmmunization) Does anyone knows how much one should have to pay for monthy expenses? (food, laundry, transportation, rent and misc.)  Any idea of how long can a volunteer stay working at Isara? I'm trying to make this project a long term one if I do it because I beleive that integration is a key part in developing a better society. If I could I would join today but you know... money money MONEY!! 
I'm not a native english speaker but speak it well. I live in Puerto Rico and english is part of our teachings from K to college. I'm a frustrated land surveyor who got tired of working measuring land to be devastated and replaced with cement.  So I went on to study education and I have been teaching for 2 years courses of Math, Computers, Typing and Office Administration. I also tutor students from 6th to 2 year college in courses of Math, Spanish, English, Typing and Computers. I have been helping high school student with a review for the college board exam for more than 5 years. I can play the guitar and teach it too, even when I haven't done it before.
If anyone can feed me some info on how can I join Isara, solve the money issue and jump there as quickly as possible, it would help a lot.  I guees I'll need some time to raise some money but any idea or service available on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
Please help me help others.
Javier Velez