Mauritius
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Quick Facts
- Duration: 5 weeks
- Orientation: 3-days
- Village-stay: 5-week session
- 2010 Program Dates
- Orientation begins: July 15th
- Program ends: August 15th
- Orientation Location: Flic en Flac, Mauritius
- Number of volunteers: 8
- Language Requirement: None, but French is strongly recommended
- Village Setting: Rural, Urban, Suburban
- Living Conditions: Modern (plumbing, TV, some internet)
- Students’ Level of English Proficiency: Basic
For questions not answered on this website, contact the 2010 Program Director, Sindbad Fennimore at mauritius@learningenterprises.org.
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Program Structure
Upon arriving in Mauritius you will travel to Flic en Flac, a tourist town on the West coast of the island, for a three-day orientation session. You will stay with all of the LE Mauritius volunteers in a hotel in town for the length of the orientation. The first day of this orientation will be spent adjusting to Mauritian time and getting to know one another. It will also give you time to get a little more comfortable with your surroundings. The second day will be spent planning lessons, discussing Mauritian culture and educational system, and starting to develop a classroom plan with your teaching partner. The third and final day will be spent preparing you for the village and host family experience.
You will be staying in the same village for the duration of the program (about five weeks). You will be placed in one of four villages, all of which are on the West coast of the island. One is urban (Bambous), one is rural (Chamarel), and the other two suburban (Cascavelle and Case Noyale). Mauritius is a small island with good public buses and taxis. It is easy to get from your village to larger cities such as Quatre-Bornes or the capital, Port-Louis and no drive by bus takes longer than 2 1/2 hours. You will not be too far from other volunteers, though some villages are closer than others.
Volunteers have no problem finding ways to spend their free time. On the weekends you will have the opportunity to visit sites around Mauritius, either with your host family, the group, or on your own. You can go to the huge outdoor market at Quatre-Bornes, climb Le Piton, the highest mountain in Mauritius, and eat raw sugar cane. You can also play soccer with your students, visit the sacred Hindu lake of Grand Basin, and see the Chamarel Waterfalls.
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Your Host Community
In your villages you will live with a Mauritian family. Typically, a normal Mauritian household will have indoor plumbing, TV, and possibly Internet. You will either stay in your own room or share a room with a host sibling. Mauritians are known for their warmth and hospitality, are very excited to make you a part of their village and family. Volunteers always are invited to birthdays, weddings, sporting events, and religious services with their families. Mauritians are generally quite religious, and if your family is particularly religious, it is a great opportunity to learn more about the customs and culture of Mauritius.
Because they are responsible for you, host families are generally extra-protective, which can be difficult if you have been living on your own. Remember that your families are looking out for your best interests – they are experts on what is and is not safe or appropriate in their country. Additionally host families will try to accommodate your needs, provided that they are not too demanding. Vegetarians will have no trouble getting great food! Mauritian cuisine is delicious!
The native language of Mauritius is Creole, but nearly everyone speaks French as a second or first language. You will be living in a family that has at least one proficient English speaker, unless you have specified that you are completely comfortable living with exclusively non-English speakers. Most families are in need of your teaching skills, and will be thrilled if you offer to help them with their English. That being said, many Mauritians have a wonderful command of English and want to take advantage of the opportunity to practice it with you.
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Teaching
The program runs during the Mauritian winter break and all your students will be on vacation from school. You will teach Mondays-Fridays, from 9am to noon and will be responsible for planning your own lessons to cater to your students needs and interests. Volunteers teach in pairs. Teaching is exciting and challenging, and you are encouraged to incorporate your own skills and interests into the lessons. Past volunteers have also offered afternoon or evening classes for adults and teenagers, which have been rewarding for both volunteers and students.
Your students will generally be between the ages of 8 and 12 who have little to no knowledge of English, and whose families cannot afford the extra education required to succeed in the Mauritian education system. As a working knowledge of English is crucial to success in Mauritius, English education is an important part of relieving poverty and lessening social disparities in the regions where we teach. Our main goal is to make sure that students associate learning English and going to school with having fun. This hopefully ensures that they will continue to study English in the future and perform better in school.
Most students will speak French; however, some only speak Mauritian Creole. In the rural village, class numbers range in the twenties. In the city and other two villages, classes range from 20 to 60. Mauritian students are very attentive, and they love to participate in interactive activities like games. Villages will supply a classroom, desks, chairs, and a chalkboard. Volunteers are encouraged to bring children's books (basic to intermediate), crayons, scissors, paper, etc.
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Additonal Information
Please note that Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view this document. To download this program, go here.
Mauritius Addendum, a field guide to life in-country.
Projected Expense Sheet. Please note that all expenses are estimates and can vary depending on personal spending habits.
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