Let's Get Quizical Slv

Pre-departure                                                               Whilst in Sri Lanka you will never be more than 2 hours away from a hospital during the week, and 4 hours at the weekends (depending on where you choose to visit). There is a large range of vaccinations available for people travelling abroad with some usually advised more than others. Please bear in mind that if you are on either of the mental health placements you'll need to take necessary precautions, as you'll be working in a hospital.                                                               Do volunteers need vaccinations before travelling to Sri Lanka?

• Yes, you should consult your GP or local travel clinic regarding which vaccinations are necessary

• No, vaccinations are not necessary

• No, you will be vaccinated upon arriving in Sri Lanka

• Yes, volunteers can be vaccinated at SLV meet-ups

During Placement When organising timetables SLV considers how close projects are to volunteer's homestays. However, we try and reach as many projects as possible so please prepare yourself for journeys of an hour or more at times. How are SLV volunteers expected to travel to projects? 

• All projects can be reached by walking

• Volunteers travel to projects by local buses, walking and tuk tuks

• For projects that are difficult to reach, volunteers descend by parachutes.

• Some projects are quite far so volunteers stay over close by

Pre-departure In March 2014 the Sri Lankan government changed their visa requirements. Volunteers now need to have an Entry Visa before entering the country. All information regarding the visa process is given in the Acquiring your visa document on your SLV participant portal.When should you apply for your Sri Lankan Entry Visa?

• You can apply at any time

• You must apply for your visa at the airport

• You should apply for your visa in the month before you go to Sri Lanka

• SLV volunteers don't require visas as we're awesome

Upon ArrivalVolunteers are asked to book flights arriving in Colombo/Bandaranaike International Airport between 7AM - 5PM on the day their placement starts. How will you get from Colombo airport to your homestay? 

• Volunteers should take a private taxi

• SLV will wait for everyone to arrive and then take a coach to the homestays

• SLV will meet you at the airport and take volunteers in groups to your homestays - usually by mini-van

During Placement                                                              The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an island country in the northern Indian Ocean, off the southern coast of India. It is of similar size to Ireland (but feels bigger as transportation can be much slower).Where are SLV volunteers based whilst in Sri Lanka?  

• Volunteers are scattered around the island

• Volunteers live together in a community centre in Colombo and travel to projects outside the city

• Placements are located in 5 locations outside of Colombo and volunteers live in homestays

• Volunteers are able to do placements in London as well as Sri Lanka

During PlacementSpicy curries, fresh fruit and rice are all staples of the typical Sri Lankan diet. Kottu, roti and hoppers are also dishes every visitor to Sri Lanka should try. What food will be provided to you during the week at your homestay?

• A Sri Lankan breakfast only will be provided Monday to Friday

• Every homestay has a kitchen where volunteers prepare their own food

• Your homestay will provide 3 meals a day, Monday to Friday

• Homestays provide breakfast (Monday to Friday) and dinner (Monday to Thursday)

Pre-departure The types of resources volunteers use at projects range from arts and crafts (paper, pens, blu-tac, playdough, paints and string for friendship bracelets) to games (like cards, scrabble and even twister) and sensory objects like feathers and bubbles.  Who provides resources for the projects? 

• SLV will provide all resources for projects

• Your homestay will have resources you can take to projects

• Volunteers should bring resources to use in projects

• The projects will provide their own resources

Pre-departure You can apply for your Sri Lankan entry visa either in person or through the post. If applying through the post, what type of postage should you use? 

• A4 brown envelope  

• Padded jiffy bag envelope  

• Recorded delivery   

• Special recorded delivery  

During PlacementWhatever your placement, all volunteers work on a variety of projects. After the first week of orientation, your timetable will remain the same each week.Which would be the right timetable for a volunteer on the Mental Health placement (previously named Psychology placement)? 

• A full week with a variety of projects  

• Full timetable of mental health specific projects  

• Varied timetable with some time off for rest during the week  

• Varied timetable with Monday morning for planning and Friday afternoons free  

First Week Everyone is really keen to get involved at the projects straight away, but to help prepare you for your placement, your first week is focused on orientation and practical training.Which timetable best represents your first week in Sri Lanka? 

• Morning project planning and projects in the afternoons  

• Workshops, some free time and jungle weekend  

• Workshops, project visits and jungle weekend  

Mental Health Placement The timetable for volunteers on the Mental Health placement includes one day a week in a psychiatric setting. Why do we limit the mental health projects to one day a week of your timetable?

• So that you can apply and develop your skills across a variety of settings

• To prevent attachments forming that can be detrimental to the recovery of the service users

• Because work on these projects can be emotionally and physically draining

• All of the above

Pre-departure  Volunteers are required to arrive on the start date of their project. Placements end on the Friday of your final week. Please carefully consult a calendar before booking your flights, as they can be expensive to change.What are the options for flying home? (Hint, there's more than one)

• A few days before your placement ends

• On the morning of your last day

• Later in the day of your last project

• A day or so after your placement ends

During Placement Being aware of a country's social norms and cultural beliefs can make your experience abroad that little bit easier. Which of these practices are not usually done in Sri Lanka? 

• Wearing shoes inside the home 

• Waving at people

• Eating with a fork and knife

• Speaking during meal times

• Having visible tattoos

• ​Public displays of affection

Upon ArrivalWe require all volunteers to have a working phone in Sri Lanka so that we can stay in contact with you throughout your placement. You can purchase a cheap mobile for 2000-4000 LKR (Sri Lankan Rupees) with a SIM for an extra 1000 rupees.(check those prices in your home currency)It is quite reasonable to phone abroad from Sri Lanka and texts are really cheap (0.5p or 2 cents per text max).Some volunteers may choose to keep in touch through emails, whatsapp and Skype. Where will you be able to access the Internet during the week? (Hint, there's more than one option) 

• Homestay (it has wifi access)

• Local Internet cafe

• You can't get any internet in Sri Lanka

• Sri Lanka has 3G

Pre-departure Although you can find most of the toiletries that you need in Sri Lanka, there are a couple of 'essentials' that you'll want to bring with you from home (we've learnt this from experience). What toiletry items are hard to find in Sri Lanka? 

• (Good quality) sun lotion

• Mosquito repellent

• Toilet paper

• Sanitary products

• Shampoo and conditioner

During PlacementAlthough everyone's main priority is to give our time and skills to projects, it's natural that volunteers will wish to take this opportunity to visit some of Sri Lanka's beautiful environment and historical sites.The weekends are a great opportunity to do this.What resources should you use to plan your weekend travel?

• Guidebooks

• TripAdvisor

• Ask previous volunteers

• SLV plan all of your weekends, so don't worry

During Placement As a team we have no choice but to be really strict about dress code due to Sri Lankan and Buddhist cultural norms. Tight or translucent clothing, or any that reveals the tops of your arms, cleavage or knees is culturally unacceptable.  If you go to projects dressed inappropriately you are putting SLV’s future work at risk.   Which of these outfits are appropriate for volunteers to wear to projects?

Pre-departure On average our volunteers spend 10,000-20,000 Sri Lankan Rupees a week (approx £50-£100 or $75-100) with the bulk of their money spent travelling in the weekends. You can spend a lot more or less depending on whether you spend like a local or have a YOLO budget. Sri Lankan rupees are hard to get hold of in the UK. What are our recommended methods of bringing money to Sri Lanka? (there's more than one option) 

• Cash – you can exchange currency at the airport when you arrive

• Debit card

• Prepaid currency card

• Travellers cheques

During Placement Volunteers live in homestays in groups of 5-20, with 2-4 volunteers sharing a bedroom and 6-10 people sharing a bathroom. Each homestay has a family or couple who live either with volunteers or close by. Your room will be very basic compared to what you’re used to at home. What can you expect to find in your home stay? 

• Electric fan

• Wardrobe/drawers

• Squat toilet  

• Washing machine

• Hot water  

• Mosquito net

• Mat to sleep on

Pre-departure It's best to pack 'economically' for Sri Lanka, particularly as your bedroom will have limited storage space. To pack lightly, it helps to know what will come in really useful and what will probably remain at the bottom of your rucksack. Which things on this list do you think you should pack? 

• Sheet or sleeping bag liner

• Hand sanitizer

• A waterproof jacket

• Padlock

• Plug adaptor

• First- Aid kit

• Hair dryer

• Gifts for the children

• Gift for the homestay

• Knife and fork