Unlike most project experiences, I began mine feeling very tired. Prior to my arrival to the project, I had already spent 3 days in Moscow, travelled to Mongolia for 5 days on the Tran Siberian train and went on a 3 day trip to the countryside (which I thoroughly recommend). So I was slightly drained of energy but intrigued to see how the next two weeks would pan out.
My first day of the project was quite relaxed. With an early start, I left my hostel and was picked up by the manager of MCE (Mongolian Workcamps Exchange). We arrived at an apartment block with children’s climbing frames and play sets scattered around. I was then introduced to the supervisor of the project and he took me to our apartment, where I was pleasantly greeted by the rest of the volunteers. There were 2 girls from France, a girl from South Korea and a guy from Hong Kong. The apartment wasn’t fully furnished but was equipped with the essentials, such as a kitchen, bathroom and 2 living areas, which we slept in. We also had a sofa bed and a TV that occasionally played badly dubbed episodes of Lost.
After our quick introductions we went to visit the first part of the project, a children’s orphanage. As soon as we entered the building, we were surrounded by knee-high kids welcoming us and grabbing us by the hand. We were taken to a classroom where a group of hyper and energetic 8-12 year olds waited for us. I realised this was the class we’d be spending time with for the next two weeks. The kids spoke little English, some more than others, but we were able to communicate quite well and had a very entertaining meet and greet session where we were exposed to some of the talents of the children.
(Above: Asha, bottom right, with the other volunteers and their supervisor "K" at the orphanage)
After a play session and personal tour around the rooms of the orphanage, we made our way to the second part of the workcamp, a secondary school. As we entered the classroom, the students were already sat down at their desks and surprisingly in uniform (well, partially). There were mainly girls at the age of 14-16 years old. They were more laid back than the kids at the orphanage but still excited to meet us and full of enthusiasm. We divided ourselves around the class and got to know the students in more detail. I was quite amazed at the variation in the levels of English in the class. While many children spoke good English, some were at same level as the younger kids we met at the orphanage.
Before the project, I hadn’t planned anything in the way of lesson plans and activities for the children in either group, because I didn’t know what to expect. I was very open to see who we’d be teaching and at what level. Each day before class, we would discuss and brainstorm ideas for the next lesson. We decided that each session would have a different focus, for example grammar, punctuation, vocabulary etc. Then we would always end class with a game of charades or hangman. At the orphanage, our sessions were less structured and we mainly organised lots of arts and craft activities. We also helped with the cleaning on the weekends, which the entire orphanage (120ish) took part in.
(Above: volunteers with the children at the orphanage)
Through this experience, I have met some great friends and been exposed to a beautiful country that I hope I will return to in the near future.
Asha-Jennings-Grant, Volunteer in Mongolia, 2010
Being an inexperienced traveler, having only stepped foot in North America and
I knew that I wanted to do something a little different and volunteering appealed; I discovered Concordia thanks to Google. Then I found the problem of having so many fantastic projects to choose from. Working with children sounded like it suited me, having spent lots of time with children (having an 8 year old sister largely contributing to this), so I selected the kid’s camp project and chose
Prior to departure, the planning, the budgeting, and the expectations all seemed overwhelming. The preparation weekend was very useful for reassuring me and it widened my horizons, in addition to stamping out any apprehensions. Hence, I was purely excited on departure.
I got to visit
On arrival in
Evidently we did not have the creature comforts; the toilets became bearable and the lack of running water
Most of the kids were orphans so I expected them to be sad and withdrawn, not animated and full of fun as they all were. We were not expecting that they would offer us so much love, and not want a single thing in return.
(The kids in the project are having fun with a cake!!)
Although many of the kids did not speak English, we managed to communicate wit
The volunteers had the opportunity to see a different part of the country over 2 days in the middle of the project. We stayed in a desert area with a Mongolian family in a ger tent, what an experience. This really was sampling the culture as closely as anyone could hope to. We also visited Buddhist temples, drank horse milk and saw goats being milked; all symbols of
Traveling after the project came highly recommended from some of my fellow volunteers, who were lucky to do so. There are beautiful lakes to be seen,
To me, this work camp did not feel like work, instead it felt more like I had been privileged to be in this unspoilt country and to spend time wit
It was so hard to leave behind the completely compelling and tremendously rewarding time that I had had.
There is a website about the children, with photos, at www.theirfuture.net. Please take a look.
(Katie Blampied, Mongolia 2005)
Alex Kay went to Mongolia with Concordia International Volunteers in August 2007
Kids
I spent the last two weeks of August volunteering at the Khangait summer camp for the orphans of
As soon as we assembled the group of volunteers got along very well everyone could speak some English and we were all in our early twenties, or at least behaved like it!
After drawing up a timetable of activities and projects on the first night we spent as much time with the orphans as our energy levels could cope with. Meanwhile, three less fortunate volunteers were the cooking and cleaning team for the day.
We organised a myriad of games and activities for the children. There were frequent games of football, volleyball and basketball, English and Korean lessons, art workshops, mini Olympics and even a disco one night.
Mongolian kids have this fantastic, insatiable competitive spirit and many of the best activities were those where the children were split into their four ‘house’ groups and competed for small prizes.
After our first week we had two days off and the in-country coordinator organised a trip for those interested, to journey into the vast, open expanses of
When we returned the blistering summer heat had contributed to an enormous forest fire which was gradually expanding down the slopes on the opposite side of the valley towards the summer camp. After an uneasy night where a watch was organised in case we had to evacuate, the rain came and extinguished the fires within 3km of our camp!
I felt our main goal was to make sure the kids had a fun, active and educational summer camp but other members were keen to improve the facilities at the camp and during our two weeks we built several benches from logs collected in the forest and concreted over a slope to improve drainage in order to protect against landslides around one of the accommodation blocks.
Most of us had brought art and craft supplies, sports equipment and clothes for the kids. We also pooled some money together to buy fresh fruit which we gave out most evenings. Several other groups who visited the camp for an afternoon or during our days off had brought sweets for the orphans which they enjoy, but receive so often that their teeth suffer.
During the second week my specialty became the construction of paper aeroplanes that the younger kids soon had me producing in every spare minute I had. Throughout the week the air was filled with squadrons of planes soaring around the camp! Fortunately, a few kids had learnt the folding technique in the final few days and I hope they will be able to enjoy creating planes for the rest of their childhoods!
I had a brilliant time volunteering and I would love to go back and help at the camp again, to check on the kid’s progress as they grow up and meet more volunteers from across the globe.
By Alex Kay
