Yayasan Widya Sari: Volunteer Teaching Children in Bali

I was in Tianyar for 4 weeks in January/February 2017 and it was an unforgettable experience for me! I still cherish the memories to this day and keep in contact with the friends I made there. The atmosphere is so welcoming from all of the locals and other volunteers and you get to experience another culture first hand. As well as this, you also feel that you are really making a difference to the children in the village who choose to come to the school. They welcome you with open arms and love to learn new things. At the weekends we visited different places on the island which we arranged ourselves with the friends we made and it was amazing to see all that Bali has to offer. It is such a beautiful island! I wished I could have stayed longer!

My experience at program by the Sea was unforgettable. The friendships I made with other volunteers from around the world were unforgettable. I still keep in contact with them months since I last saw them and plan to meet up with them in the near future. Our weekend adventure to Ubud, Nusa Penida, and Gili Islands were the best travel memories I have to date. It is breathtaking all of Bali and the people of Bali are what make it even more special. They share their culture with you willingly making you feel welcomed.
As for the teaching; the children really open your eyes up to what happiness is. Even thought I only volunteered for 2 weeks- the children made me feel so special and made me many gifts to show their gratitude towards me. I know the children enjoyed having me there but I think it was me who left with an even bigger impact from them. I still remember their smiles and laughs today and miss them everyday. It is because of these children I want to pursue teaching other English language learners.

I participated in the program for 12 weeks in Tianyar, and I can affirm that it is one of those experiences that you remember the rest of your life. Everything is really well organized by the staff. From the pick-up at the airport, accommodation in very cozy rooms, meals, and of course the classes. It should be noted that volunteers have enough freedom to make the plans they want during their free time.

If you are thinking about volunteering in an idyllic place, surrounded by fantastic people, I can not imagine a better option. It is undoubtedly one of the best experiences of my life.

I was there for 2 weeks, which is the minimum and definitely not enough. I wish i found about this program earlier and had the luxury of time so i can spend longer there. When you opt for this, you need to keep in mind that volunteering work is the priority and the travelling is second, with this mindset, it changes the expectation. But definitely a program i recommend to all.

I like how particularly this program - the sea program, allows you to experience the way of life by the sea and how raw and close you'll be to the villagers / kids / people there and it gives a totally different side of Bali that you won't experience on your own. From the day you arrive to the day you leave, you will feel welcome and part of the family. It reminds you to enjoy the simple pleasure in life and to count your blessings. The founder, the staff and the kids will make you feel part of something important.

When you arrive, they will assign your bed and also your class. I was given the 6-9 year old age range which is the youngest and i feel the hardest to keep their attention. But be patient and keep the class fun, you have to bear in mind as well that they have class in the mornings and the afternoon class is the additional class they opt to come, so it has to be fun for them and more of skills which are not taught in classroom style. You will not be given an outline or any reference to what to teach, but recommend the first few days to see from your co-teacher / translator how they teach and you can see the kid's competency. It also help to speak to the the kids what did they learn in the morning in the public school, so you have a rough idea of their capabilities.

The class on its own will be approx 3hours (max) but it is up to you on how you make use of the other time fruitfully. Initially i thought since i have so much free time, i would be able to do other things and time will past by very slowly, but 2 weeks past with a blink of an eye. You can do yoga, exercise, walk by the beach, go out fishing in the morning, star-gazing at night, arrange for hike to Mount Batur on the weekday, play volleyball, learn how to cook, learn Bahasa or the Balinese language and if you want to do something meaningful, teach the kids how to swim, speak to the villagers, think of a conservation idea / teaching kids about waste management system / the villagers and fisherman on the repercussions of waste. It is really up to you on how you spend your free time, so use it well.

Also, the most memorable of things - Yaya and the other dogs. Initially i was quite scared of it and was worried I can't sleep. But now i miss them, they make you feel safe as they follow you everywhere. I got used to it after a few days and seeing them makes me feel safe.

On the weekend, there are no classes so take that time to explore the village around it, Lovina, Gili, Amet, Ubud, Nusa Penida, etc. I can't repeat enough how amazing this program is. When i left, my heart is full, i was given fresh eyes and also to count my blessings. If you're planning on this, you made the right choice :)

My wife Nora and I decided during our year abroad in New Zealand to spend our last month in Bali and to teach English at Yayasan Wide Sari because we wanted to do something meaningful instead of just have holidays. This decision was one of our best in our whole life. We knew it would be a challenge for us because we never taught children and our mother tongue is not English but during our stay we found out that this is less important. Yayasan Widya Sari is a learning center in the village for the children not only to improve their english skills but also to offer a safe environment to spend their time in the afternoon. It is motivating to see what Ketut the founder and his lovely staff created and how much it helps the children and as well the whole community in the village. Everybody is smiling all the time and it is just heartwarming and makes you smile as well even when you had a bad day. Without the dedication of the locals and the international volunteers something like this would not be there. We got to know so many special people from around the world who had the same motivation like we had. Unforgettable is the fun and laughter and serious discussions we had at boo boo house and during our trips on the weekend. We will never forget this place and the people and their dedication to help and to do something meaningful. Thank you for being a part of it.
If you want to read more of our experience at Yayasan Wide Sari have a look at our travel blog www.noraleif.wordpress.com. The posts of Bali are for now just in German but you can use the google translate widget when you scroll down to the bottom of the homepage.

Yayasan Widya Sari is an incredible school and organization. The school was founded and is ran by a Balinese man, Ketut, who was born and raised in the village (Tianyar) where his school is located. The village is small and the people are so kind and welcoming to all the volunteers that you feel like you've been there for a long time. Walking down the street to the supermarket, students and their families wave and yell 'hello' to you from their zipping motorbikes. The school is well known in the village and you see that it's created a community for the students and also for their parents as well. The classes are all taught open air and the students are so eager to meet and learn about their teachers and the countries they come from. I volunteered for three weeks, which doesn't seem like that much time yet I still formed a deep connection with my students and the staff due to their welcoming and warm dispositions. If you want to help an organization that truly believes in and supports the education and progression of their students, then Yayasan Widya Sari is the place for you. Not only will you immerse yourself in Balinese and Hindu culture, but you will learn how to live and be a part of these peoples' lives. The only thing I would ever change about my experience is to have stayed longer.

I still care about everything about Yayansan even I haven't been there for a long time, and I treasure everyone and everything I meet there. This experience totally divides my life into two part. And I will definitely recommend this program to my friends, but only someone who deserve it. Actually I have done it.

Those days in Bali changes me a lot, I mean, I am even not afraid of dogs and insects now. After Bali. Maybe there is another new personality built, which drives me to see more of the world and love the world, and the personality is sharped by specific culture and I am a brand new people because I do give and receive a lot of love that is rare in the highly competitive life. I really want to contact with people with different cultural background and I realize that everybody deserves sincere affection. What's more I decide to study in Europe after graduation because I am so impressed and touched by the volunteers from there and I decide to keep studying psychology to help more people develop and lead a better life.

Yayasan is my harbour, another home of me. Sometimes while I am walking in metropolitan city, the moment in Bali occurs to me and I really want to go back to Bali. What's more, I also listen to the music again and again, the music I heard in komang's warung. I am not that into singing songs before, but now, I really enjoy singing aloud. Whereas there is no warung to sing and nobody to sing with.

I miss my dear friends everyday even we just have a short encounter! In Bali, just being with children, locals and volunteers can make me happy. But after I left there to China, I just feel so upset and stressful but I have no choice because I have to stay in university to finish my degree. But how can a person accept the dull life after seeing the wonderful world.

At beginning I have no appetite to eat and no mood to do anything. Then Somebody comforts me that times in heaven is temporary, the human's world is ordinary state and departure is always a inevitable theme. As Buddha Sakyamuni once said, there are seven sufferings throughout one's lifetime as suffering since being born, aging, illness, death, duhkha, suffering as farewell to the beloved, suffering as pursuing devotionally for something and somebody yet keeping out of reach for ever.

It really costs me a long time to get over this nostalgia, and now I decide to be a person where she was there is a miracle. I still have lots of things to do in Bali, such as climbing the Batur, snorkeling in Gili and diving in Tulamben......there must be another Karma for me to come back to Bali again. See you!

The greatest impact someone can have in someone else’s life is not giving them money but giving their time. People help people, just as iron sharpens iron; we too build others up to see their full potential. The Volunteer in Bali program is a one of the greatest ways to help someone who really needs it. The center is operated by the one of the greatest people on the island, who not only helps his fellow man but also loves the island he calls home. Ketut has a great heart and even better has a great will. He gives of his time, energy and resources to all the kids who basically have nothing. When I went to the center where I was going to teach I was in awe. The children run to you and hug you; their curiosity is wonderful as they want to get to know everything about you. I fell in love with my class because they were the best and smartest kids anyone can ask for. I then meet the family who runs a school out of there house, in the backyard! I couldn’t believe it simply because the idea of giving my home up to over 100 students so they can learn and play was strange to me but made complete sense. PutuKawi, Daysho, and Nova, are making an impact in these children’s lives. From the moment you step in the class you want to give your all for these kids. All these children come from all walks of life and the dedication of them all to go from school to the program to learn more is inspiring. I know as a child if you gave the option of more school I wouldn’t go, but the difference you can make in one child’s life makes you value everything you had. I know that the program is helping those in need and is doing so much more then teaching, they’re shaping the world and instilling in these kids morals and values that they will in turn take and give back to their community tenfold. As a volunteer it’s always what you put in is what you’ll get out. If you want to hang back and not contribute then unfortunately you may not get that smile from a child you helped, the kids won’t respond because you ignored them. If you’re going to serve, serve with a giving heart, make sure your mind and heart are in the right place. Being flexible also goes along way. Changes are always happening at yayasan, they’re always finding new ways to make an impact and if you can be flexible and open to finding new ways to improve then you will flourish here. I know the center is making a difference, some of these kids have little to nothing and the program helps them, not only with education, but teaching the kids how to save, how to serve their community, and how to become a difference maker in improving their island. Remember the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are. My favorite memories will be of dancing with the kids every week, and when the children of Pasraman Lascarya Paramaseva sing when you leave.