Welcome to EkNews - Ekno Experience’s Volunteer newsletter!

Volunteering attracts all types of people and they contribute in different ways. Volunteers make a significant and positive difference in many areas of their host community – whether it is in your own country or in places less well off than your own - such as India and Nepal. Whether it's through social welfare, education, health or the arts, the host community benefits enormously from the generous input of volunteers who engage in the community. Volunteering has both short and long term benefits for both parties. We have put together some more facts about volunteering that you may be interested in:

• Volunteering benefits both the community and the volunteer.
• Volunteer work is unpaid.
• Volunteering is always a matter of choice.
• Volunteering is a legitimate way in which citizens can participate in the activities of their host community.
• Volunteering is a vehicle for individuals to address human, environmental and social needs.
• Volunteering is an activity performed in the not-for-profit sector only.
• Volunteering is not a substitute for paid work.
• Volunteers do not replace paid workers nor constitute a threat to the job security of paid workers
• Volunteering respects the rights, dignity and culture of others.
• Volunteering promotes human rights and equality.
• Volunteering is a great way of making good things happen for others by doing the things that you love and that you're good at.

Whether you choose to come to Dharamsala, India or the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal to volunteer you will benefit your host community in one of these ways. As a past volunteer of Ekno Experience correctly put it - "It's not taking time from me - it's me using my time to do the things I love – helping others". As a volunteer tourist in a host community, it is your passport to ‘community engagement’.

Ekno Experience will organize you to help others!

Our placements range from 1 week to 5 months – placements include 7x 1 hour language lessons.

Combine volunteering with yoga/meditation.

Our 14 day short programs are designed for those who want to combine work with language lessons with travel in both India and Nepal.

More details on our website www.eknoexperience.com – Work

CURRENT JOBS/WORK EXPERIENCE

English Conversation Partners - Required English conversation partners for Monks who are studying for their Geshe degrees (Professors of Buddhism) in the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics.

The Head of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics (IBD) is the Dalai Lama and has he has given instructions and funded the monks to study English and Chinese for a year (possibly 2 years). Offered in India only.

Volunteer English Teachers - Teach English to Tibetan Refugee mature-aged students or teach English to Nepali School students. Offered in India & Nepal.

Nurse Educators - Teach Health education in both in both Tibetan and Nepali schools. Subjects to be taught are: Nutrition, Hygiene, Women’s Health. Offered in India & Nepal.

Nurses - Work with local nurses on home visits. Train local nurses on up to date methods in home care. Offered in India only.

Volunteer Technical Trades Teachers - Teachers with the following expertise are required:

• Automobile (basic) and Motorcycle Mechanics
• Electricians (Electric and House Wiring)
• Plumbers
• Draftsman
• Offset Printing Press

Trainee Potters – Learn techniques of an ancient old craft traditional pottery making with local potter from the delivery of the clay, preparing, kneading, and forming the ware, finishing, drying, firing and preparation of the pots for delivery. Offered in Nepal only.

Editors - Required helping with editorial duties of transcribing Tibetan Buddhist texts into English as part of the Tibetan Library & Archives objective of publishing books and manuscripts. Offered in India only.

Graphic Designer - A Graphic Designer is required for the local English news magazine CONTACT. The magazine is a free distribution which relies on stories from other volunteers and advertising. Offered in India only.

Journalists for two positions:

1. The local English news magazine CONTACT. This print magazine is a free distribution which relies on stories from other volunteers and advertising.
2. An online news internet site called Tibet Sun. This internet news site has its office in McLeod Ganj.

Offered in India only.

Other Volunteering opportunities are also available in Dharamsala and Nepal. Full details on our website www.eknoexperience.com or email Sharon at info@eknoexperience.com for further details.

DHARAMSALA NEWS!

The big news in town during April was the Dalai Lama opened the 18th Mind and Life conference on Attention, Memory and Mind. Scientists, philosophers, scholars and contemplatives from North America, Europe and India were in attendance. The Karmapa, Ling Rinpoche and other Tibetan Buddhist scholars also took part in the conference. Actor and long-time pro-Tibet activist Richard Gere was also present (which created the most buzz around town).

The Dalai Lama said that many people were sceptical about the conference when it was initially started. He said that more and more people are interested in the conference and its outcome.

The meeting was the 18th in a series of dialogues between science and Buddhism that was organised by the Mind and Life Institute. The conference provides a platform for scientists and Buddhists scholars to dialogue on the effects of meditation and contemplative practice on the mind and brain, and in the prevention and treatment of disease. Interaction between scientists and Buddhist scholars would bring better understanding of the nature of the mind, which in turn will help bring a happier life. Problems such as that of terrorism is all due to lack of understanding and awareness of the mind, the Dalai Lama said.

The five day conference covered topics such as: multi-tasking, meditation and contemplative practice; the Buddhist contribution to first-person cognitive science; mental processes underlying attention, visual perception, and cognitive control; paying attention to awareness (attention, mindfulness and clear comprehension). The next conference is planned in Switzerland in April 2010. www.tibetsun.com

Dalai Lama News: The Dalai Lama’s busy schedule continues in 2009. He is expected to teach in Kaza, Himachal Pradesh in July, (see below) and Ladakh, Leh in August this year. Nirvana Tours in association with Thosamling Institute is giving you the opportunity to attend the Dalai Lama’s teachings in Kaza as part of their annual fundraising tour to Ladakh. For details see bottom of newsletter.

He will teach in Dharamsala from October 15 to 18 on The Diamond Sutra, Seven Point-Mind Training and Tsongkhapa's The Three Principal Paths.

He will also teach from October 20 to 22 on The Four Noble Truths and from November 25 to 27 on Atisha's Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment.

If you are thinking of coming to Volunteer in Dharamsala during the months of October or November, why not combine it to fit in with one of the Dalai Lama’s teaching dates.

NEPAL NEWS!

Nepal is always a popular destination for volunteers. Our volunteers have been working in Thimi in the Kathmandu Valley since 2001. Thimi is largest of Nepal's potter communities, and consisting of about 8,000 individuals involved in some aspect of pottery.

Ekno Experience is also proud to be part of a local school sponsorship program. Many people in the Thimi area are not well educated, so they prefer their children to continue the family business from an early age rather than educating them. Without proper education and skills the younger generations lack any opportunity to do anything but follow their parents business.

Vinayak Shiksha Niketan School was started in 1989 by Surendra Bikram Prajapati, because he was concerned about the lack of a good education in Government schools and the high fees charged by private schools. The school aims to provide education for local children at an affordable cost.

The school’s sponsorship program was started in 2001 when the director of Ekno Experience Sharon Thrupp, sponsored 2 children in the school. After she went home she told her friends about the school and others gave donations to the school or sponsored individual children and the program was on its way. To date, there are now 60 children sponsored.

However, the school is always searching for more kind-hearted people throughout the world to support many more students through education sponsorship.

Sponsorship allows a child to be educated in English, Maths, Science, Computer Studies and the local language of Nepali to class ten level, ie to School Leaving Certificate Level. Some of our sponsored children have already completed high school education and are studying medicine, engineering, nursing, teaching and management skills. Contact Sharon at Ekno if you would like to help, on info@eknoexperience.com

If you are open to different ideas and cultural values, enjoy working with people, and are prepared to live a life without frills for a short time you will be amply rewarded with a wonderful experience. One which you will remember for the rest of your life. If you enjoy working with children and people in general, have a trade, or a medical background this could be the Volunteering experience you have been looking for.

WHAT OUR PAST VOLUNTEERS HAVE SAID

A big thank you to Riki Tucker who has just recently returned to the Gold Coast, Queensland after spending two short weeks volunteering in English conversation classes with Tibetan Refugees (newcomers) in Dharamsala. Riki also combined her volunteering with her other love, Yoga. Riki attended yoga classes in the morning and volunteered and took Tibetan language classes in the afternoon. She was indeed a busy lady.

Here is what she had to say:

WORKING HOLIDAYS

If you have a short holiday planned why not try one of our working holiday programs – Teach English to one of the Dalai Lama’s monks in India, teach English to Nepali school children while combining it with learning Tibetan or Hindi or combine it with a holistic course such as a Reiki or Yoga course and or a cooking class… the choices are endless.

Full details are on our website www.eknoexperience.com – Work - Holidays.

Other Travel News:

2009 Nirvana Ladakh trip (16 days, 15 nights) leaves Delhi on 25 June 2009

We are offering participants on the Nirvana Tour the opportunity of a lifetime to attend Dalai Lama’s teachings in the remote Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India as a 6 day extension to the Ladakh trip.

Nirvana Ladakh trip – 16 days, 15 nights

Australian Dollars A$3500, US Dollars $2100, Euros 1750

Nirvana Ladakh trip & Kaza extension – 22 days, 21 nights

Australian Dollars A$4450, US Dollars $2750 Euros 2300

This trip is a fundraising trip for Thosamling International Institute for Buddhist Women. Further details are on our website www.eknoexperience.com – Travel, Nirvana Tour, or email us at info@eknoexperience.com for further details.

Our Nirvana Buddhist Sites tour will take in the sites of Sarnath, Varanasi, Bodhgaya, Kushingar and Lumbini. It will depart from Delhi on 21 December 2009 for 12 days and 11 nights. This is also a fundraising trip for Thosamling and full details are on our website www.eknoexperience.com – Travel, Buddhist Sites.

If you are the independent type take advantage of our expert advice and experience to help you with your transportation and accommodation needs. If you want to learn a new skill combined with some travel to Dharamsala then one of our Mind, Body & Soul Packages will be ideal for you. Whether it’s a Meditation, Reiki, Yoga, Language Cooking or Jewellery making class, your journey won't be complete without one.

Other courses offered are: Reiki, Meditation, Yoga, Massage, Tarot Card Reading, Crystal Healing, Dance, Cooking, Language and more...

See our full range of courses and descriptions on our website.

We at Ekno Experience will do all organization, leaving you free to concentrate on getting the most out of your travels and your experiences in India. Be warned however, once she (India) is in your blood it could be there forever.

Email us your suggested itinerary and we will do the rest to arrange all the details. Check out the list of destinations on our website.

Email us to discuss your travel plans at info@eknoexperience.com
or
call or SMS on 0437 967 819 in Australia.