Nay Min Monastery

Hello Everyone, In August 2018, through the assistance of Global Work and Travel and NELC Xplore, I was lucky enough to spend a month teaching ESL (English as a second language) at the Nay Min Monastery. During my time volunteering in Mandalay, Myanmar I taught around 100 students. The whole experience was extremely eye-opening and beneficial for myself in many ways, due to the feedback from the students and teachers at Nay Min, I truly feel it was for them as well. During my initial visit I was able to donate some items that helped the learning and everyday living of those at the monastery, however I feel there is a lot more they could be assisted with. I plan on returning to Mandalay in late December 2019 for around 2 months, with the intentions of once again assisting in teaching ESL. Also, just as importantly returning with donations towards helping the lives and opportunities for the novice monks, students and the other teachers within the monastery. Which is why I have created this GoFundMe page, with the intentions to obtain purely for the benefit of the monastery. I will be covering all my own own expenses and not using any money from the funds raised. When I began teaching at the monastery, I realised they were using a whiteboard the size of an A3 piece of paper. Thus, making it extremely difficult for large classes of up to 60 students to be able to read the text written on the board. Also, minimising room for additional information regarding topics at hand, ultimately slowing potential learning progression rates. Due to this, I decided to donate a double sided whiteboard of which would equal size to which are used in Australian classrooms. The students and staff were extremely grateful for this gift. The teachers who more so comprehended the added assistance this brought to their classroom and how much the students could benefit from, made it an overall rather heart warming experience. Towards the end of my stay, I wanted to donate something that would provide further use and long-lasting aid to the monastery. Being such humble and gratefully thankful hearted people, it was a task in itself to get their advice on what I could donate and what would benefit them. After several days persisting in questioning what I could help with, wandering around the monastery and it’s kitchens, yards and toilet facilities for ideas of potential items to donate. The head monk whom I had spent most of my time with had expressed how the novice monks had always wished for a TV, which a large percent of them had never experienced much of. After realising the novices love for soccer but never having watched a professional game, seeing groups of novices aged eight and below wandering the streets all times of the night due to having minimal activities to keep them occupied indoors, plus the added learning potential especially for younger students with the assistance of English teaching videos, this appeared to me as a great investment. As I am the sole organiser I will be withdrawing these funds into my own account. Due to the language barrier, discussing the exact needs of the monastery before arrival has proven slightly difficult.  I plan on purchasing several editions of Collins English text books for all levels of English understanding, for the students and teachers before my departure along with other essential classroom items. With the remaining money, I will post updates on this page as well as my Facebook/Instagram page. Covering what has been discussed with the head monk, that is seen as most beneficial to them as well as pictures of what is purchased demonstrating where and what we were able to assist with.  Upon arrival of my first trip I was unaware how much help they truly needed, which is why this time I have created this page to help me, help them. The enthusiasm and interest from my friends and family has encouraged me to establish this page so that they and others can assist with this cause. Any contribution towards this is gratefully appreciated by myself and those at Nay Min Monastery. Thanks, Shane. https://www.instagram.com/nayminmonastery/?hl=en