EIL Intercultural Learning | Enriching lives, inspiring global citizenship

Featured Programme

Volunteer Abroad: World Cup 2010

We invite you to participate in the very special 2010 World Cup volunteer programme. We have compiled a unique sports development programme structured around the local youth as well as offering the chance to explore the beautiful sights and sounds of this amazing country. The programme last 17 days and is structured with 2 arrival dates: 08 June and 22 June 2010

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Volunteer Abroad: Thailand

Whether it is the excitement and energy of Bangkok or the beautiful beaches and islands dotted around the coast, Thailand has long held a draw for travelers to South East Asia. Thailand is renowned for its Buddhist traditions, friendly people and delicious national cuisine. Whilst economic growth over the last two decades has been impressive, huge disparities remain, and the benefits of economic progress have not been shared by all in Thailand. Volunteers can work with ethnic minority groups, refugees or with people with special needs.

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Volunteer Abroad: Argentina Group

Join a of a team of willing volunteers or form your own and to contribute to the development of a disadvantaged community in the lively city of Santa Fe. For two weeks you will live and work alongside local people and learn more about their culture and the challenges they are facing. The volunteer project is a local school in a very disadvantaged area of the city. You will travel in a small team of 8-12 with an Irish group leader.

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Volunteer Abroad: China

China is a huge country with the world's largest population. It is a land rich in culture, traditions, and technological advances dating back more than 40 centuries. An early producer of paper, gunpowder and silk, China has brought its modern economy forward in leaps and bounds and now has the world's fastest-growing economy. The country also faces many challenges such as the economic disparity between urban China and the rural hinterlands. Volunteers are needed to work on teaching, welfare and sport development projects.

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Study Abroad: Tokyo Japanese Language Centre

Study in the heart of Tokyo at an international school which has been teaching adult students Japanese for almost 50 years. With small class sizes and practical lessons, the school boasts their own tried and tested teaching methods. With the addition of the homestay with a Japanese family, this 4 week course will give you a major boost to your Japanese learning and practise.

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Study Abroad: Study in the Land of the Rising Sun - Suwa, Japan!

Study Japanese in this rural town on the shores of Lake Suwa. The Nagano Prefecture has been welcoming Irish students from EIL for the past 15 years to study the Japanese language and experience its rich cultural heritage. Each programme is entirely flexible in terms of dates and duration and includes a unique schedule of activities and excursions. Living with a Japanese family, students are immediately immersed in Japanese family and home life, and quickly become part of the family. This is a truly unique travel and educational experience, only available through EIL.

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Volunteer Abroad: Morocco

Just 12 miles from Spain, the Kingdom of Morocco is a meeting of two worlds. A land of spices, deserts, Casbahs and medinas; its culture draws on a unique mix of Berber, Arab, African, French (widely spoken) and Spanish influences. Economically, there is a vast discrepancy between rich and poor. The majority of Moroccans depend on agriculture for a living, and are at the mercy of regular droughts. Other problems include low levels of literacy, a high level of unemployment and desertification. Volunteers have a unique opportunity to work on rewarding projects throughout the country.

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Volunteer Abroad: South Africa Group

What better way to spend a few weeks this summer than by getting on a plane and travelling to South Africa to volunteer on a local community project while discovering the beautiful Cape Town area? By volunteering in South Africa your group can help a township community while experiencing the warmth and hospitality of local people, the richness of their culture and learn more about the challenges they are facing.

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Travel Award: Global Awareness Programme

The EIL Global Awareness Programme seeks to raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS problem in Africa here in Ireland. Four partial travel awards are available to Irish participants who will spend 8 weeks fact finding as volunteers. On their return to Ireland the volunteers will commit to tell the stories of the people they worked with and will highlight their experience of the HIV/AIDS problem in Africa. This could take the form of writing newspaper articles, giving talks, lobbying politicians or hosting workshops – the more creative the idea the better!

Click here to learn more.

Volunteer Abroad: South Africa

Often referred to as ‘the world in one country’, South Africa is a land of extraordinary beauty, magnificent wildlife and rich cultural diversity. It is also a country where the extremes of modern development and poverty live side by side. Volunteering in South Africa gives participants a first hand experience of a new nation working towards a vision of unity and prosperity. Many serious problems such as poverty, AIDS and inequality need to be tackled if this vision is to be realised, and this is where volunteers can make a real contribution. There are many important volunteer projects available, mostly near the beautiful city of Cape Town.

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News & Events

Study Abroad Can Evoke Strong Emotions

I was delighted to have a case study that I wrote about an EIL academic field trip published as a guest blog on the US based website Facultyled.com. Facultyled.com is the leading website for faculty and study abroad professionals interested in developing, marketing, and maintaining faculty-led study abroad. It provides information and resources about study abroad and international travel.

NEW: Study Abroad Programme in France

New programme in Antibes for Transition Year students who wish to learn French! EIL Study Abroad has added a new programme in France to the EIL course portfolio for 2010. Ideal for Transition Year students, this course in the South of France coastal town of Antibes is available during the academic year in three different holiday sessions.

Travel Award Appication Deadline

Location: EIL Office, Cork

Time: 26 March 2010 - 5:30pm

Travel Award Application Deadline

Claire Wlash from Co. Wicklow spent six weeks in Shanghai volunteering in a school with her friend Dolores

The school had a very good atmosphere of care and a fine standard of work. All the teachers were young and very hardworking. I loved it all – I learnt a lot / I don’t think our contribution was vast but everyone was very accepting and appreciative.

Anyone heard about the Ray Brothers....?

Ricky (1977-1992), Robert (1978-2000) and Randy (1979) were three brothers from Arcadia, Florida. All three were haemophiliacs who were diagnosed with HIV in 1986. It is thought that the boys had been exposed to the virus through the transfusion of blood products administered to treat their haemophilia.

EIL Travel Awards 2010

EIL Intercultural Learning are pleased to announce the launch of the 2010 Travel Awards.

Are you someone, or do you do you know somebody who would benefit from a challenging adventure in another culture? If the the answer is yes then you are invited to apply or to encourage somebody to apply for one of the 31 full or partially funded awards available this year including exciting locations such as Japan, Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, Hong Kong or Nigeria amongst others.

A Nigerian Whirlwind: Crazy, Laid Back, Busy, Rich, Poor, Challenging, Fun

I made great friends in Nigeria and had a really good experience. It’s a country with a rich culture, full of friendly people. The work made me a lot more aware of important issues, both at home and abroad. Since returning I’ve begun volunteering with an organisation working with HIV/AIDS in Ireland. The experience also showed me the positive impact that organisations such as EIL can have, so I’ve become more involved with EIL as well. I’d recommend it to anyone.

Deirdre tells us about her first two weeks in Thailand

If you read this blog and are considering doing volunteer work...My advice is just do it...Its a great experience. My only regret so far is hat my time here will end too soon.

Global Awareness Programme 2010 - Deadline for Application

Location: Cork

Time: 26 March 2010 - 5:00pm

Application period now open (Deadline - March 26, 2010, 5 p.m.)

Promiscuity, the polio vaccine and HIV

When I chat with people about the prevelance of HIV & AIDS in Africa, usually their first response is to suggest that Africans are more promiscuous than Westerners.

EIL around the world

EIL Intercultural Learning's Travel, Volunteer and Learning Experiences around the world in 2008. Over 2,000 participants travelled to/from each of these countries in 2008 on a range of study, volunteer and cultural exchange programmes.

Take 5 minutes...

An image of a stopwatch counting 5 minutes

...to learn about poverty, racism, HIV&AIDS. Their impact abroad and here in Ireland and what you can do about it!