Sweet Mango Voluntours

Sweet Mango Voluntours are village home-stays with a purpose.

Placements are designed around three types of tangible cultural exchange:

• To assist with farming activities and participate in timely celebrations and traditions
• To share and exchange personal skills and interests
• To exchange basic language skills

There are two basic options - a short-term village home-stay of 3 to 12 weeks, or a longer-term stay of 3 to 6 months. Voluntour meet-up dates are offered monthly. All voluntours include a full initial week of orientation and preparation for your village stay. Once you and your group move to your village, you will be provided with your own personal communication and cultural interpreter for up to one full month. Sweet Mango employs local, English-speaking, University graduates who know and love village life, and want to practice their language skills.

During the orientation week, you will learn basic Thai and Isaan language and about local customs and expectations. Together, we will determine the best community match for your skills and interests and design a plan for your stay. (Why Isaan?)

Voluntour group size ranges from 6 to 12 individuals. You can arrange to bring your own group - your family and/or friends. Your Isaan hosts will be rural farming families; they have requested you and are proud that you are coming. While Sweet Mango voluntours are about service and exchange - of language skills and practical skills, of generosity and assistance - in our experience, they are primarily about building self awareness and creating relationships.

"To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe." Marilyn vos Savant