FAQ

You can teach children anything you know or have experience in that you think would be useful for the students like basics of economy, English or other foreign languages, sexual education, etc. The only requirement is don’t be boring! You can teach an outdoor activity like sports, but please consider what equipment you would need to bring, dance, especially something truly exotic to the area for them like hip-hop or break-dance, or theater. Anything that will broaden their minds and will show them a unique aspect of your culture is fair game. Sexual education is a neglected subject in these villages. Parents feel uncomfortable talking to their children about sex and teachers prefer to remain silent as well. With so little information on the matter available, it is little wonder why there are so many 18-22 year old single mothers. Students don’t know about condoms and don’t know how to bring up the subject. If you are an individual who can to talk freely about topics like love, relationships, sex, health, contraceptives, family, as well as its psychology elements with our students, you are welcome to do so. Crucial subjects for the VSS are: computer basics (internet search, email, blogging), health education (alcohol and nicotine prevention, sexual education), and language classes.

To most of your questions concerning classes (kids age and number, facilities, place, etc.) the answers you will find just having a look on the photos from the VSS 2009 in the Gallery (or these particularly: pictures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Kids we work with are usually between 7 to 14 years old, there were about 15 kids in each village attending the classes of the 1st VSS in 2009. This number has doubled in year 2010 with approximately 30 kids in each village. Some tips from Eva Pfarwaller, Volunteer 2009:

• Prepare something for all ages and avoid very age-specific topics.
• Bring all materials (paper, pens etc).
• Computer and projector are (may be?) available so bring material on usb-stick.
• CD-player is available, so you can bring some music/dances/songs on cd.
• Prepare some extra ideas (for indoor and outdoor activities) to fill breaks, and in case of extra time.
• Have ‘plan B’: for street classes/ for rainy weather.
• Volunteers should be very flexible and try to think of a programme that is not very location-specific and doesn’t rely on any technical material.

I expected that there will be a time table and that everyone will be punctual. Due to the local culture time is nothing, they have plenty of it, so don’t be offended if people appear half an hour later. Instead of a schedule there is a rough guide line, from the moment I was able to go with the flow everything turned fine.

Because I will go there again if I will have enough money!!! Well, the first time is the hardest, now I know what I will find there and how life is going in this part of the world. It is a chance to get in touch with people and culture in the middle of nowhere, to know more about their habits, religion, daily life. For myself I’ve learned that I don’t need all the modern technical aids which I use every day in Austria, that I am happy if I can enjoy the beautiful nature and the nice company of other volunteers and locals.

Don’t go there if you don’t like meat. Here in Austria I eat a lot of meat but it is nothing compared with the amount of meat Buryats eat. They have meat for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Of course there is other kind of food too and you can live from bread and jam. Don’t go there if you are not interested into other cultures and if you can’t accept their way of life. If you’re in Rome, do as the Romans do! (It is not easy all the time) Don’t go there if you need your daily shower or your very own room. There is a Banya which is fantastic, I fell in love with it, but it is not a daily shower and you won’t use it every day. Families are very close there, they don’t need a lot of private space. Don’t go there if you are not able or willing to use outside toilets. Don’t go there if you don’t have at least a good Russian dictionary, better you know at least some bits of Russian language!

That you can’t rely on appointments. That there is no strict schedule, just a rough guide line instead. To learn that you don’t have to drink every served Vodka in one shot. If you don’t like to drink anymore than just pretend that you’re drinking. Every empty glass will get refilled immediately, that’s kind of hospitality there. It was hard to answer the same questions for 100 times and to be friendly and smiling to everybody, especially to heavily drunk people.

To work with kids, they are willing to learn. To become part of host families. To make locals smile just tell them that their nature is beautiful. And it is, it’s like a gigantic Austria.

No water pipes inside houses. Outside toilets, so called two-holes. To be famous and exotic. To give autographs to kids.

I’ve learned that it is hard to get rid of my personal opinion about appointments. Further on I’ve learned that hospitality is a big thing in Buryatia and that people don’t expect much of guests, but it is important to communicate with them (in every possible way) and to show them that you’re thankful. Don’t forget to smile and laugh with the locals, I still miss some of them.