Why Pay to Volunteer

Mundo Exchange volunteers help Thai communities and children not only by sharing experiences, skills and knowledge but also by taking responsibility for our own expenses. By giving a bit financially, volunteers save the time, legal paper work and expense of organising their own volunteer placement in Thailand. The local Thais who serve global volunteers locate the schools, projects and individuals that are truly in need of volunteer services. These local hosts are also in need of employment sometimes due to lack of skills, education or illness. Volunteer financial support allows locals to attend schools, orphans to get needed supplies, and schools and other community development projects in Thailand and Guatemala to get needed educational materials, uniforms and books.

The Mundo Exchange team believes that cross cultural exchanges can benefit the world by increasing cultural understanding. We also have the desire to help and learn from volunteers. We believe in finding ways to reduce or eliminate cultural conflict through volunteering and exchanging ideas and ways.

We keep our fees low so that gap year, retired, school and university students can come to help projects that are in need of assistance. For travellers with no money to volunteer we try to find available no cost projects too. For travellers only having a day or two to volunteer we often have available projects in Thailand.

For international and national volunteers, we provide global service projects in schools, at learning Centres, and with other community defined programs that do not have the time, financial resources or the skills to search for global volunteers. The majority of our projects lack the money to provide volunteer accommodation, training, orientations or cross cultural outings. The locals that run these service learning projects ask Mundo to help them find high quality, dedicated, independent and fun loving volunteers to help their programs and their students.

How to Apply

X Read through our site so you understand our vision and mission as a volunteer non-profit cross cultural exchange non-profit in Thailand and Guatemala

X If you want to come help, let us know more about you and what your ideal volunteer program would include by Applying and completing the application on our website. Applying does not mean that you commit financially, it means you would like to learn more about our global community development projects.

X You can then contact or call past volunteers and in-country locals or email your questions.

X When you are ready to commit to volunteering in Isaan Thailand simply email us confirming your arrival and ending dates, sending us your resume, a reference letter and an updated photo.

X Your local Thai volunteer program hosts and placement team will be given this information about you. Then your local Thais who sponsor you will visit your projects and prepare for your arrival and projects. Once in country of Thailand we will help you visit and get to know our immigration Thais.

X We will send you payment information and an invoice. 100 Euro secures your placement. If you should need to cancel, this partial payment is non-refundable unless your hosts have not prepared your accommodation, orientation, cross cultural training and placement for you. Two weeks prior to coming to your cross cultural and project training orientation pay the remainder of your payment which is totally refundable if information is given one week prior to your scheduled orientation. If you should not be able to come at the last minute we will reserve alternate dates for you to volunteer or you can send a family member or friend at a later date too if they pass our applicants screening.

X We will send you information about Thailand, ways to prepare for your placement, emails of former volunteers if desired, readings and other important pre-arrival information that will help you prepare to be the best volunteer or intern possible in Thailand.

Free Volunteer Support

If you would like to volunteer for 3 months or more we may be able to help you arrange a teaching position in Thailand. Volunteer teachers must have experience teaching, training, and certification. We will help you arrange low cost accommodation and talk with the school directors with you. A 4 day cross cultural orientation is available and provides cross cultural studies, Thai language books and educational training from qualified educators for a fee. Those interested in this orientation component should contact us through email or by phone.

In May and June 2013 we will primarily be helping in Guatemala but there will be internship positions available in Thailand.

Volunteer Payment Support

• a cross cultural educational orientation for volunteers and interns. For 1 week or short time visitors our orientation is two days but will include a cross cultural outing, meetings with Thai community members, volunteer learning sessions, and more.  For those staying longer than 2 weeks you will have the opportunity to go on 2 day trip cultural outings; you can arrange more but need to help your Thai hosts with petro.
• a welcome meal and Thai greeting cross cultural ceremony,
• sponsorship with the local Thai government,
• a visa letter for your Thai Embassy or Consulate to possibly help you to obtain a long term 3 month to 1 year visa.
• a secured and community designed cross cultural placement or placements,
• Thai Language lessons if desired,
• prearranged accommodation at our Thai Western style Volunteer Centre with Thai Centre home hosts,
• Home Stay opportunities,
• team teaching projects often offer a simple school lunch,
• use of project materials, academic and fiction books, films, bicycles, internet access at Centre,
• optional Thai cooking class,
• Thai/Western style equipped kitchen,
• when required educational training meetings, research, lesson planning and curriculum design seminars for those staying two months or more,
• certificate of completion for those successfully completing their volunteer or internship duties,
• letter of reference for work, global teaching positions or universities for interns and volunteers staying 3 months or more,
• immigration and work permit assistance in country,
• project travel costs when necessary,
• assistance with long stay volunteers with paid and unpaid teaching positions in Asia,
• evacuation plan and 24/7 support,
• help with medical assistance if necessary,
• volunteer support before, during and for interested volunteers notification of placement happenings after your volunteer stay.
• an experience with Thai friends in a unique and simple cultural style.

For volunteers wanting to completely integrate into Thai village life home stays are available. To talk with former volunteers who lived with host families Contact Us. Volunteers give an additional 1000 baht to home hosts for wonderful Thai food, drinks and their other expenses. Discounts are available in Thailand for teams of two or more, interns and 4 month or longer.

Volunteers returning for the third time decide independently what donations they would like to make for their stay.

All financial support goes in the form of education, volunteer supplies, for medical and educational supplies, for community development individuals in need, for locally defined projects and to compensate your Thai hosts that support volunteers and interns in Thailand.

• travel to and from your cross cultural training orientation,
• visa and passport expenses,
• medical and travel insurances,
• most meals and personal expenses (lunches are often free at schools).

Volunteer Agreements

Volunteers agree to abide by the laws of the land; We ask that during your volunteer or intern stay you devote 100% of your energy and services to our community development projects and refrain from excessive drinking, any illegal drugs and also personal relationships with those you come to serve.  All volunteers and interns serve as role models at our sites and with the local people.