About EIL

EIL volunteers, board members and staff gathered in Dublin to select the winners of the 2008 EIL Travel Awards and to take part in a variety of development education workshops.

The international organisation The Experiment in International Living has been promoting peace and international co-operation from it's founding in 1932. Since it came to Ireland over 30,000 people have taken part in our travel and learning opportunities.

With EIL making a difference doesn't stop after returning from volunteering. Through the Development Education programme we encourage and assist our participants to continue to support their project by spreading the message here in Ireland.

EIL is a non profit organisation, any excess funds are ploughed back into our mission by enabling people to participate in our programmes via our bursary Travel Awards.

EIL's Visit Ireland programme inspires people to look beyond tourism, to experience the 'real' Ireland and to live the Irish way of life among her people.

EIL Intercultural Learning is an Irish "not for profit" organisation which provides intercultural learning opportunities through study abroad, volunteer abroad, language training, travel awards, group educational programmes, and other cultural immersion activities for about 2,000 people each year.

Based on principles of experiential learning (learning by doing), EIL programmes are designed to provide tools to survive and thrive in another culture or in a different language, to foster personal development, to build communication and leadership skills, and to be active citizens in an interdependent world.

In short the aim of EIL Intercultural Learning is to enrich lives and to inspire global citizenship.

EIL News

Cape Town and The Cape: Orientation Overdrive

My first week here in South Africa was hectic. It started as it meant to go on as well! After being in Cape Town for a few hours, and just meeting my orientation group, we all decided to hike to the top of Table Mountain for our first day.

Settling in to life in Shanghai

I'm now into my seventh week in Shanghai and I'm well and truly settled in to my life here - I still have three weeks of my placement left, but I already find myself getting sad at the thoughts of leaving the city!

My First Three Weeks in Shanghai

I'm now three weeks into my three-month trip to China and I'm loving it! I arrived in Shanghai at the end of May and will spend a total of nine weeks in the city, with one month teaching English in a kindergarten and one month working in a primary school summer camp.

EIL Network Weekend

Once again the passion and energy of EIL members made the April Network weekend another unforgettable one!

EIL Travel Awards 2010: deadline this Friday and new awards!

The deadline for applications to the main group of EIL Travel Awards is this Friday (5pm 26th March). There's still time to get your application to us and there's a further group of Awards with deadlines in late April which you can apply to too. This later group includes two late additions to this years Awards: the opportunity to go to school and live with a family in Germany and the chance to be nominated for a scholarship to spend three months volunteering in Argentina.

Travel Award Deadline Fast Approaching

The deadline for submitting your application form for this years Travel Awards is fast approaching. 5pm March 26th. Mark the date in your diary and don't miss out on what could be an experience that might change your life. For more information click here

6 Months in Ireland by Kathrin Schneider

Kathrin Schneider spent from August 2009 to the end of February 2010 in Ireland as a student of EIL and Experiment's Secondary School Programme in Ireland. Kathrin was in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary and lived with an Irish host family, the Phelan Family of Lisronagh. Below is a reflection on her experiences here in Ireland:

My life in Ireland

Hun Bin 'Jackson' Lee is a current exchange student on EIL's Secondary School Programme in Ireland. Originally from Korean, Jackson has been living with a host family and going to school in Colaiste Dun Iascaigh in Cahir since August 2009 and will stay to complete the academic year in June 2010. Here are his reflections on his time spent in Ireland:

Exchange Students in Co. Tipperary have Community Reunion

On Saturday, 24th January, 2010 students of the Clonmel/ Cashel/ Cahir host community had a get-together at their local coordinator's home. Susan Phelan hosted the event so that the international students of the community could gather and socialise with one another. As many of them attend different schools and live in different areas, they do not get the opportunity to mix and meet all that often. Also, Susan wanted to welcome and introduce to the group two new exchange students who arrived in early January.

Students Get into the Festive Spirit

EIL's very own Gorey host community secondary school students were featured before Christmas in an article in the Wexford Echo Newspaper. Avril Brady is the Gorey Local Coordinator, and also runs an English language school. She invited both her English students and her long term international students to a multicultural Christmas bash to celebrate the season:

General News

The Power of Naija (2)

Jack Hamilton, from co.Down, volunteered in Nigeria during the summer 2010, on return he shares his experience with us.

I found that it was immediately impossible to put the experience into a concise article as ‘Nigeria’ itself refuses to be categorised. The people identify themselves primarily through their tribe rather than nationality, the international press fails to account for the complexity of the country and therefore any stereotype of Nigeria is doomed to be extremely limited if not entirely false.

The Power of Naija (1)

Jack Hamilton, from co.Down, volunteered in Nigeria during the summer 2010, on return he shares his experience with us.

The fact of the matter is that Nigeria is an incredibly vast and complex nation, most of which is not represented by newsworthy stories that seep from the problematic Oil Delta Region and in more recent times, the Middle Belt.

The majority of this article was written while on my way to the airport to leave Nigeria. The bus bounced and cajoled its way from Osogbo to Lagos as I sat with my head out the window, as far as common sense would permit. Dust battered my face as the sun set over the forests of palms trees and the reckless driver veered between potholes and oncoming tankers as if the two were equal obstacles. This, for me, was Nigeria. A complete barrage on the senses but in an utterly addictive way.

31/08/2010 - Roll the credits - Marie-Claire Walsh

Bare with me here folks, somehow I have to do a final blog which draws a conclusion on my Mexican adventure...but first the final weeks of my time there have to get a mention, some highlights included me discovering Susana the 3 meter crocodile had escaped from her pen, the same morning a deer escaped, all ended well though, only 1 casualty (the fence she bit through!!)...Starring as “the tourist” in a film

November Network Weekend

Location: Cork

Time: 13 November 2010 - 12:00am - 14 November 2010 - 2:15pm

Twice a year (in April and November) EIL Network members and staff meet for practical, interactive and informative workshops, debates and activities on global issues and lots of fun at the EIL Network Weekends.

Back to reality

Hi Everyone,

So I have made it back to Ireland after a fantastic two months in Ecuador. I have to say this is the post I was looking forward to writing the least because it means I am out of Ecuador. While I am glad to be home I have definitely noticed a change in myself. I think I had gotten very used to the relaxed atmosphere, coming back to my work and study and everything else moving at 100 mph was a bit of a shock to the system. Although now that I am back I want to fill you in on the last and possibly best moments of my time in Ecuador.

There are no innocent victims of HIV and AIDS.

School in Tokyo

Thanks to my friends at Google Maps, few words are needed to explain just how fantastic the location of my school in Tokyo was.

Mighty Craic in Asia - Hong Kong 2010

Next time you find yourself in Asia don't be too taken aback if you are asked by one of the indigenous people, "Whats the craic?", or "How's the form?" - because thanks to the EIL Hong Kong Youth Exchange Programme at least twelve Hong Kongers are now well accustomed to using these distinctively Irish greetings – your expected response will of course be, "the craic is mighty".

The Betrayal of Tea

People at home have stopped asking if I would like a cup of tea, simply because they know my reply will be yes! All my family, friends and even most acquintances know how much I love my tea! Before I left for South Africa my mom asked if I was going to bring tea bags with me and when I replied no, she was shocked.

Mastering the Chopstick

After an eventful twenty hours of travelling, which included a mad dash through Amsterdam Airport that resulted in a broken flip flop and some memorable encounters with Airplane cuisine, we finally arrived in Hong Kong.We were given a warm welcome by the Hong Kong delegates, almost as warm as the heat that embraced us on leaving the Airport terminal.

Photos & Videos

Click to watch World Humanitarian Day: 19th of August 2010:

The 2010 World Humanitarian Day project is a collaborative film shot in over 40 countries in under 9 weeks, on a shoestring budget - with the goal of showing the enormous diversity of places, faces and endeavours of humanitarian aid workers in 2010.

It was filmed by humanitarian staff and freelance filmmakers from around the globe (over 50 contributors in total) with all time donated.

Click to watch First tank: Joseph McLean is spending 6 months volunteering in Huehuetenango, Guatemala where he’s working with rural communities to help with the construction and maintenance of Wells, Greenhouses, Rainwater Harvesting, Latrines and Crop Irrigation systems.

Access to clean water can be difficult particularly during the dry season, supplies are limited and often a long distance from the families that need it. This video he prepared which demonstrates the technique he used to help construct from basic materials semi-underground water tanks capable of holding around eight thousand litres. Water is channelled from the gutters of the houses into the tanks, providing a ready and clean supply of water for each family.

Click to watch Hong Kong-Ireland youth exchange 2009: Each year EIL Intercultural Learning helps organise the Ireland-Hong Kong Youth Exchange: a group of young people head off to Hong Kong for a week or so and are shown around by a group of local young people, before returning the favour and helping to host the group from Hong Kong as they explore Ireland. This video was created by Laura Masterson, who took part in the 2009 exchange.

If you’d like to take part in the next exchange or perhaps one of the many fully/part subsidised programmes EIL Ireland runs please visit http://www.eilireland.org/travel-awards

Click to watch Volunteer in 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 travellers to South East Asia. The only country in the region never to have been ruled by a European power, Thailand is renowned for its Buddhist traditions, friendly people and delicious national cuisine.

Economic growth over the last two decades has been impressive. However, huge disparities remain, and the benefits of economic progress have not been shared by all in Thailand. This is particularly true for ethnic minorities, migrants and refugees.

Volunteers can contribute their time and energy to a wide range of projects in the region of Chang Mai, while gaining a real understanding of the country, its culture and the challenges faced by local people. Placements are available in the following areas: teaching and education, health and HIV/AIDS prevention, women's empowerment, refugee education and assistance.

Click to watch Peggy and Tom invite you to volunteer in China: Peggy and Tom are the volunteer coordinators who match the skills and interests of volunteers with the needs of a network of local projects in three provinces of China: Shanghai, Su Zhou and the Si Chuan.

Click to watch Volunteer in Amecameca: Video of Cecilia Gamez, Coordinator of the Volunteer Programme in Mexico, and Kevin Hickey, Director of EIL Ireland, talking about volunteering in Amecameca, Mexico, working with disabled children, helping in the maintenance of the house, and gardening at the Pequeño Cottolengo home.

Click to watch Volunteers in Mexico: EIL volunteers Karen and Brian working in conservation, welfare and teaching in Mexico.

Click to watch Human Trafficking in Ireland : During the April network weekend, Gillian Wylie (TCD)& Gillian Kennedy (Immigrant Council of Ireland)facilitated a workshop on Human trafficking. Mark Moore - EIL Development Education Committee member interviewed them

Click to watch Cap d'Ail - summer french language camp: Cap d'Ail is located in the South of France, at the heart of the French Riviera, between Nice and Monaco. This Summer Language Camp is an international language school for young teenagers. Set in a beautiful wooded and floral park, nestling on the hillside situated approximately 100 metres above sea level, overlooking the Mediterranean, it is the perfect safe location for young people to learn French. Its cultural commitment and pedagogical experience attracts approximately 4,000 youths and 200 teachers each year. The Centre is located 1 kilometre from the border of the Principality of Monaco, 15 kilometres from Nice and 20 kilometres from the Italian border. Cap d'Ail is a safe, fun environment for teens to meet new friends, practise French and experience the beauty of the South of France.

Click to watch EIL Global Awareness Volunteers 2009: Each year 4 people participate on the EIL Global Awareness Programme, a training,volunteering and Awareness Raising Project focusing on HIV&AIDS. In 2009 Lynda, Ciara, Karen and Barry received a training on HIV&AIDS, they volunteered for 8 weeks in Africa and they lead an awareness raising campaign on their return.

EIL offices from around the world meet in Morocco

EIL Boards in Germany and Ireland have a joint meeting