These answers to frequently asked questions will help inform you about the program in Bangladesh. If you have further questions, please call the WorldTeach office at 1-800-483-2240 or 617-495-5527. As the program is new, we cannot yet put you in touch with a returned volunteer from Bangladesh.
General
When does the program start and end?
What is the cost for the Bangladesh program?
What special requirements are there?
What academic background does a volunteer need to have?
Do you take only women as volunteers in this program?
Can I talk to a returned volunteer?
Why was the program closed for a year?
Teaching Assignments
What is the purpose of the Asian University for Women?
Who is eligible to attend the Asian University for Women?
Who is behind the Asian University for Women?
What is the Access Academy?
What would I do at the Asian University for Women?
How would I help as a TA and at the Support Center?
What else will be required of volunteers each week?
What is the school itself like?
Will I get training?
Languages
What is the language of instruction at the Access Academy?
Do I need to speak Bangla?
Accommodation
Where will I live?
What will I eat?
Travel
Do I need to get a visa?
Can I make my own travel arrangements?
Can I come home during the year?
Will there be a chance to travel to other places?
Can my parents or friends visit me during the year?
Health and Safety
What immunizations are required?
Is malaria a problem in Bangladesh?
What if I get sick? Are there doctors and hospitals?
Is it safe?
Logistics
Will I be paid?
What happens if I decide to leave before the 11 months are completed?
What else will I need to do before departure?
Will I have internet access?
How much money should I take?
What do I need to take with me?
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Q: When does the program start and end?
A: The 11-month Bangladesh program departs at first of August. New students arrive August 15th, and school begins one week later. After three weeks of orientation, volunteers will teach for approximately 11 months, with several week-long vacations during the school year. (See below for the special benefit in this program of $2,000 per volunteer for travel in Asia.)
Q: What is the cost for the Bangladesh program?
A: We have entered into a partnership with the Asian University for Women, and the total costs of the program are underwritten by them. WorldTeach does require a $2,000 deposit, however, to confirm your participation. This will be refunded to you only if you successfully complete the full teaching commitment.
Q: What special requirements are there?
A: Since the number of volunteers is limited to only twelve and because it is a program with high international visibility, it is anticipated that this will be one of the most competitive programs at WorldTeach.
Volunteers must have a strong academic record, with strong content knowledge in at least one of four disciplines (humanities, quantitative reasoning, science, social science.)
Volunteers must have strong writing skills, and an interest in assisting students with their writing.
Volunteers must have some experience teaching and/or tutoring.
Volunteers must be committed to empowering women through excellence in education.
Volunteers must have an interest in Asia, especially South and South East Asia, and be interested in working within the Asian culture.
Volunteers must have a deep commitment to teaching and assisting students during their time with WorldTeach.
Volunteers must be flexible and positive.
Volunteers must have at least one extra-curricular activity that they are prepared and interest to implement.
Preference will be given to women who can serve as role models for the students.
Preference will be given to applicants who have a TEFL/CELTA certificate or equivalent and ESL teaching experience.
Preference will be given for applicants who have overseas experience.
Q: What academic background does a volunteer need to have?
A: All volunteers must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and a strong academic record.
As teaching assistants and for the Support Center AUW seeks approximately three volunteers with backgrounds in each of the four major disciplines:
Social Science (including Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Policy)
Science (Biology, Chemistry, Ecology)
Humanities (Literature, Art History, Women’s Studies)
Quantitative Reasoning (Math, Statistics)
Q: Do you take only women as volunteers in this program?
A: Yes. Unfortunately due to the housing arrangements for volunteers in Chittagong, we can only accommodate female volunteers at this time.
Q: Can I talk to a returned volunteer?
A: Previous volunteers can be contacted via email, although the assignments given to the previous volunteers were different from those that we are now asked to fill.
Q: Why was the program closed for a year?
A: WorldTeach partnered with AUW in their first year (2008 – 2009) by sending volunteers to teach English and Quantitative Reasoning at the Access Academy, the preparatory year-long program sponsored by AUW for in-coming students whose general academic background, especially in English, was weak. This year we have been asked to serve at Teaching Assistants to professors at the University and as assistants in the Resource Center, as well as assisting with extra-curricular activities with the students. This current responsibility is better aligned with the background and teaching experience of our WorldTeach volunteers. A number of volunteers in the first year felt that they did not have the requisite teaching skills to meet the needs of the Access Academy or the students they were teaching. Both AUW and WorldTeach took seriously these observations and spent the year in determining just what was the best use of a WorldTeach volunteer at the Asian University for Women. Both AUW and WorldTeach feel that we have identified an important role that will fit well with the backgrounds and interests of our volunteers.
That said, all potential volunteers should be aware that launching any new institution of this magnitude is going to have challenges that arise from a myriad of sources. Flexibility is extremely important for anyone wanting to volunteer in this program. Only in its third year when you go as a volunteer, AUW will present many unknowns that need to be addressed. You will want to go with the attitude that you will be a great team player, that you will contribute your ideas, hard work, and creativity to join with that of the administration and faculty in making this exciting endeavor the success everyone wants it to be. This means acknowledging that policies may change, calendars may shift, offerings may be modified, etc. but everyone is trying to craft the strongest possible educational institution for these exceptional students.
One of the most interesting aspects of AUW is its ambitious goal in establishing in Asia a first-rate institution based on the American model for a liberal arts university. This model presents challenges to everyone since it aims to meld “the best of the East with the best of the West.” Many components of the university will appear to be like their counterparts in the West, but actually there are differences. WorldTeach volunteers need to be sensitive especially to the different social codes for Asian women, in particular recognizing that many students come from more conservative backgrounds. While as a volunteer you may not understand why certain policies are what they are, you will need to be comfortable in following the lead of the Asians in these social and cultural areas in particular. (And in the process you will learn a lot about Asian society!) This can be difficult, though, if you feel that certain things at the university just “ought” to be done differently.
Lastly, while there are vastly more resources available at AUW than in almost any other of our WorldTeach programs, there still are limits to what is available at the university. WorldTeach volunteers will need to be flexible in adapting the resources that they can access to the tasks they have been asked to do.
Q: What is the purpose of the Asian University for Women?
A: From Asian University for Women Plan of Operations: "The Asian University for Women (AUW) will provide a vibrant residential learning community where highly talented women from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds can achieve their full intellectual and personal potential. AUW will enable women to become effective professionals, leaders, and service-orientated citizens. And it will serve as a beacon for those striving to raise educational standards, increase opportunities for women, and promote regional cooperation and understanding among the people of Asia.” See their website at http://www.asian-university.org/
Q: Who is eligible to attend the Asian University for Women?
A: AUW recruits students from different socioeconomic backgrounds and prepare them to make important contributions to their societies. Currently there are students from 14 countries in the region.
Q: Who is behind the Asian University for Women?
A: The idea for the AUW originated with Kamal Ahmad, who is the Vice Chairman of the AUW Support Foundation and a member of the Board of Directors. Originally from Bangladesh, Mr. Ahmad, a lawyer, has worked for the World Bank, the Rockefeller Foundation and UNICEF, and has been in private practice in London and New York.
The AUW has a list of luminaries who have given their support to this ambitious and important initiative on behalf of Asian women.
For a full list please see their website.
Q: What is the Access Academy?
A: The Access Academy is the preparatory school for the Asian University for Women. The Academy is held on the campus of the AUW. It is for the women who have been accepted at the AUW who have come from under-resourced backgrounds. The training at the Academy will give these women the skills and background they will need to be successful at the AUW. In particular, the Access Academy will emphasize English and Quantitative Reasoning skills.
Q: What would I do at the Asian University for Women?
A: WorldTeach volunteers will assume three major responsibilities at AUW. The general responsibilities with an approximate breakdown of time spent at each are:
Serve as Teaching Assistants to the professors at the University.
Approximately 6 hours in class weekly.
Approximately 20 hours in class preparation, teaching of sections, and grading
Work in the Support Center tutoring students and running workshops, about 10 hours weekly
Oversee community activities, about 4 hours weekly
The structure of the positions may be different from that described above, and volunteers will need to be flexible in adapting to the assignments they will be given. But the general responsibilities that volunteers will have are in these three areas of responsibility.
Q: How would I help as a TA and at the Support Center?
A: As a Teaching Assistant you will support the teachers you are assigned to help. Each TA would cover either two courses or multiple sections of the same course. You will attend classes, grade papers, and assume the responsibilities for teaching the classes if the teacher is otherwise not available. You will also lead sectional meetings, where they are scheduled. The TA’s would report to the Dean but would work closely with their one or two faculty members.
At the Support Center volunteers will support students who need extra help in their classes. This may include help with researching and writing papers, with general class assignments, etc. Volunteers will also run specialized workshops to address general problems they see in working with the students. The Support Center Coordinator will oversee the Support Center and coordinate the schedule and activities of the Center.
Q: What else will be required of volunteers each week?
A: Volunteers will also run extra-curricular activities for approximately four hours each week. The Academy is very serious in wanting the students to be exposed to a wide variety of activities that will enrich their experiences, provide them with new talents, expand their capacities for leadership, and to provide for them all rich experiences with sports, music, drama, literary activities, broadcasting, etc. that will enrich and empower them.
In addition there may be opportunities to represent AUW in outreach classes to the community.
Q: What is the school itself like?
A: Classes are held in a cluster of rented new high-story buildings in downtown Chittagong. The permanent structures are being built on the campus, which is on the outskirts of town. Some sporting activities are held on the campus grounds.
Q: Will I get training?
A: Yes. Your first few weeks in Bangladesh will be at the school where you will receive an intensive orientation training program with your fellow volunteers. This will include orientation to the country and cultures of the students who will be at AUW, an introduction to the AUW and its philosophy, an introduction to the curriculum and curricular materials that you will be teaching from, and Bangla language classes and teacher training. Teacher training will focus on TEFL teaching methods, lesson planning, teaching resources, and a teaching practicum. You will also be introduced the Resource Center and your responsibilities there.
There will also be general discussions on how to structure the various extra-curricular activities that members of the group intend to implement.
Q: What is the language of instruction at the Access Academy?
A: All classes will be taught in English. Spoken English of the students at the university will be quite good.
Q: Do I need to speak Bangla?
A: No. Students will come to the university from many countries. English will be the common language for them. In addition, the majority of people that you will work with on a daily basis speak English very well, but a general knowledge of basic Bangla will definitely help you in navigating Chittagong.
Q: Where will I live?
A: You will live in a residential apartment turned into faculty housing and provided by AUW.
One of the challenges of this program is the fact that all the volunteers will live next to each other. While it sounds good to have the support of fellow volunteers throughout the program, actually there is a larger challenge of seeing other ways of doing things when you have the comfort of the familiar so close to you. We seek volunteers who will make the extra effort to understand Asian systems and values while bringing the strengths of western culture to the students and the school.
Q: What will I eat?
A: You will also be able to eat with the students when and where they eat, free of charge. If you choose not to, you may cook in your apartment. Your housing will have a kitchen/cooking facilities and refrigerator. Buying food, both groceries and eating out, will be quite simple. From your stipend you will have ample money to purchase whatever food you need.
Q: Do I need to get a visa?
A: Yes, a visa is required to travel to Bangladesh to work. WorldTeach, with the help of the AUW staff, will assist you in the visa process once you are accepted and confirmed in the program. You will need to collect various documents and have a health exam, while WorldTeach obtains official letters of invitation from the hosting authorities at AUW in Bangladesh. As a first step, make sure you have a passport that is valid for at least six months after the program is due to end and that you have at least six extra pages in your passport. Once you are there, you will likely want to travel to other countries in the region, so you will want to have room for visas for those countries and also the entry and exit stamps.
You will actually get two visas. The first will be good for three months, and once you are in the country you will get a second extension that will allow you to continue to live and work there. WorldTeach and the AUW staff will take the responsibility for helping you get both visas.
Q: Can I make my own travel arrangements?
A: Yes, you can opt to purchase your own ticket to Bangladesh if you wish to travel independently of the group. However, you are responsible for making sure you arrive there in time for the start of orientation and that you get to the orientation site on your own. You will not be met at the airport if you travel independently.
WorldTeach will reimburse you the amount you paid for your ticket, up to the amount that we paid for our group tickets. You will be reimbursed for half the amount upon your arrival in Chittagong, and the second half when you complete your service at the end of the year and are returning home.
Q: Can I come home during the year?
A: Yes, however keep in mind that it is both expensive and time-consuming to travel to/from Bangladesh. If you become a WorldTeach volunteer you are responsible for teaching full time each day that the school is in session for the duration of each school term. If you choose to travel home during the year this should be during school vacations only and will be at your own expense.
Q: Will there be a chance to travel to other places?
A: Yes. Bangladesh is an extremely interesting country in an extremely interesting region of the world You will meet at the Academy women from all over this region and you will teach with colleagues who have deep interests in this region, so you will be encouraged to travel. You will be free to travel on your own. However, any travel must be done during school vacations or after the end of your teaching commitment. As a volunteer you are a full time teacher and cannot take time off during regular school hours.
You also will want to consider traveling in the region during your school vacations. Past volunteers have been invited to visit families of students both in Bangladesh and in other countries in the region like Nepal, India, and Cambodia. AUW encourages travel to the home countries of the students and so has provided a $2,000 stipend on top of your teaching stipend, for travel to those countries. This stipend cannot be used for travel to the US or Europe or other countries where AUW students are not from. Further restrictions for this travel stipend will be explained to you during orientation.
Q: Can my parents or friends visit me during the year?
A: Yes. Visits from family and friends can help them relate to your experience and provide you with an important connection with home. Try to schedule visits during vacation time so that you will be able to spend time with your family/friend.
Q: What immunizations are required?
A: For up-to-date information on immunizations and travel health consult the Center for Disease Control's website. This provides recommendations for travel to specific regions and detailed information on specific diseases. WorldTeach cannot give out medical opinions.
As for travel to any developing country, you should
make sure that your Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), and Tetanus-Diphtheria (TTD) vaccinations are up to date, or get a booster shot if necessary.
get immunized against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid.
have an HIV test and bring the test results with you (make sure they state your name)
Q: Is malaria a problem in Bangladesh?
A: Yes! Malaria is a serious problem in this region of the world. And mosquitoes are ubiquitous especially at dusk and dawn. You definitely want to check with your doctor to determine what you want to do to prevent contracting this potentially fatal disease. Malaria in South Asia, including Bangladesh, is chloroquine resistant, as it is in much of the world.
Most important is that you must try to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes, by using treated bednets (treated with permethrin), using a DEET-containing insect repellent on exposed skin, draining standing water where possible in your room, using screens and fans and mosquito coils, spraying your room with insect repellent in the evenings and by taking anti-malarial medication. You will also want to cover up during dusk, so the mosquitoes have smaller target areas!
Be sure to consult your doctor or a travel health specialist. WorldTeach is not staffed by medical professionals!
Q: What if I get sick? Are there doctors and hospitals?
A: Yes. But standards are variable in the country. The field director and the AUW personnel will insure you get the best care. There are nurses who are part of the AUW staff, and western qualified medical practioneers who have their own clinics/ labs/ or consultancy offices. The general hospital situation is not satisfactory but there are private clinics. If serious emergencies arise, volunteers will likely have to be transferred to Dhaka or Bangkok. There are a number of flights to Dhaka daily.
As a WorldTeach volunteer you will have health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation insurance. For medical expenses such as doctor's visits, medicines, etc. you pay up front and then file an insurance claim to get reimbursed. For larger expenses the insurance company may be able to arrange direct payment to the hospital or medical provider. Your field director can assist you in emergencies.
Q: Is it safe?
A: Safety in Bangladesh can be an issue, but you should be quite safe at the University. There are full time security guards. The apartments have boundary walls and a security gate. Entry to the apartment is restricted and monitored. All windows have security grills. Doors have locks! The ground floor of most apartments is for cars. So volunteers will be staying in the first floor or above.
Volunteers should show vigilance in general, especially when they are traveling away from the University. But volunteers routinely move about Chittagong and take weekend trips to Dhaka. Travel by a woman alone at night, however, is not a good idea.
During orientation you will discuss ways to stay safe.
Q: Will I be paid?
A: As a volunteer you will receive a monthly stipend of $300 for each full month of teaching. You will be paid at the end of the month, and for partial months your pay will be pro rated. You will be paid during official school vacation periods.
Q: What happens if I decide to leave before the program is finished?
A: Don't! If you aren’t sure you will make every effort to complete the full 11.5 month commitment with WorldTeach, please do not apply! We really need only persons who are fully committed to stay for the entire academic year. So if you are hesitant about making this commitment, please don’t apply.
If you leave before the program is over, you will be responsible for all costs incurred in your travel, including your airline ticket home. In addition, you will forfeit your $2,000 deposit. Volunteers who leave programs early do not receive a letter of recommendation. Health and emergency evacuation insurance is terminated when you leave the program.
Leaving early really leaves the schools in a terrible position. And it's bad for the reputation of both WorldTeach and the University. So be sure you are committed to finishing the program before you go. You’ll be glad in the end!
Q: What else will I need to do before departure?
A: You will receive a checklist of pre-departure preparations when you are accepted for the program. Make sure to follow the timeline and dates that are specified on that checklist. You will need to find somewhere to gain at least 25 hours of experience teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). You will need to make an appointment with your doctor for a medical exam and to get your immunizations. On this compressed schedule WorldTeach recommends you allow yourself at least 2 months for pre-departure preparations.
Q: Will I have internet access?
A: Yes. Volunteers have internet at the ICT center and throughout most of the school, and they will very likely also have it in their apartments. You will probably want to bring your own laptop.
Q: How much money should I take?
A: This will depend on how much you intend to travel, and the lifestyle you intend to lead. You will want to plan these things out and then determine how much money you want to bring and how much money you want to have access to through ATMs or otherwise. The $300 monthly stipend is quite a bit of money, especially since you will be able to eat at the school. You will need to bring money for the initial month until you are paid. $500 should be enough for this period. Travel around Asia can be quite expensive, so if you intend to travel a lot during your vacations, you will want to bring extra money. You will probably want to have access to money while in Bangladesh, as well. There are adequate ATM machines in the city.
Q: What do I need to take with me?
A: A suggested packing list will be included in the guide to Living and Teaching in Bangladesh (which you should receive with your confirmation packet). Do not take too much baggage - you will need to be able to carry it easily.
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