Mauritius Information Booklet
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CONTENTS 4 Why Mauritius 6 Example Opportunities 8 Project Daily Breakdown 9 Project Activity Explanation 10 Cost Breakdown 11 My Experience In 2014, AIESEC has already provided 17,000 students worldwide with the opportunity to volunteer abroad. Will you join them?
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WHY MAURITIUS CULTURE Throw away your stereotypes and perceptions of Africa! Even though Mauritius is located in Africa, it comprises of a mix of several different cultures including African, Indian and Chinese, you really won't find another place quite like it.
BEACHES Unlike the beaches in Sydney, the beaches in Mauritius are both warm and calm. Perfect for a swim even in the night!
SCENERY Mauritius is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations for a reason, just Google images Mauritius and you'll see why.
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Contents
FUN FACTS
DODO Though
extinct,
the
dodo
bird
LANGUAGE is Creole which is a mix of French, English and other languages
CREATION Mauritius was created underwater volcanic eruptions
by
SIZE Mauritius is smaller than Sydney. Mauritius is only 2040 km2 while Sydney is 12145km2
BEER The island brews their own beer called Phoenix Beer. They are very proud of it so
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PROJECT SNAPSHOT Project Name: Animal Protection Location: Mauritius Duration: 6 weeks Issue Segment: Environment
PROJECT OVERVIEW Animal Protection sets out to raise awareness regarding how animals can be protected, how we should care about them and responsible pet ownership. The purpose of the project is to spread animal welfare awareness and also have an impact on the society. Exchange participants will educate the public on responsible pet ownership and the need for neutering through striking virtual and physical campaigning. Moreover exchange participants also go onsite to deal with endemic species and work in various NGO The project hopes to achieve these objectives by reaching out to a large amount of people through promotional materials and goodies during both the physical and virtual campaigns.
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EXAMPLE OPPORTUNITIES
ANIMAL PROTECTION
DIS IS MY ABILITY EXAMPLE OPPORTUNITIES
PROJECT SNAPSHOT Project Name: Dis is my Ability Location: Mauritius Duration: 6 weeks Issue Segment: Human rights
PROJECT OVERVIEW development of disabled children and people who are said to be physically handicapped or require special care. This initiative focuses on how to increase the quality of life and empowerment of the disabled children and people so that they do not lack in anything for a normal future as well as attain a possible employment in the future. This is sought by increasing the level of internal and external education they are exposed to and hence workshops will be organised by the exchange participants. The project strives to equip children with ever-present support of their society to help them achieve and establish their interests and talent.
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DIS IS MY ABILITY DAILY BREAKDOWN
Below outlines the project timeline of Dis is My Ability and maps out the day-to-day activities that c an be expected to be undertaken in this project. Please note that this is only an exam ple and the individual activities of each project will vary. Contact qut@aiesecaustralia.org if you want more information regarding what day-to-day activities in a s pecific project may encompass. View next page for explanation of individual activities.
Week/ day 1 2 3
Monday
Tuesday
Thursday
Expectatio n Setting NGO Work
IPS
Off
Off
Off
NGO Work
NGO Work Off
Off
NGO Work
5
NGO Work
NGO Work NGO Work NGO Work
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NGO Work
NGO Work
4
Wednesday
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NGO Work NGO Work
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Off
Off
NGO Work
Opening Ceremony NGO Work
Global Village
Off
NGO Work NGO Work NGO Work
NGO Work NGO Work NGO Work
Off
Off
Off
Off
Off
Off
Off
NGO Work
Off
Off
DIS IS MY ABILITY ACTIVITY EXPLANATION 1 | EXPECTATION SETTING
4 | NGO WORK
Project leader conducts a session for the exchange participants in the project detailing the project and what it entails each day, as well as the lifestyle in Mauritius. Also an opportunity to meet many AIESEC locals and get to know the culture.
Exchange participants will teach children from ages 8-18 in a shelter. Subjects to teach include English, Math, Culture and Geography. Exchange participants must also teach extracurricular activities such as music, sports and dance.
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5 | GLOBAL VILLAGE
INCOMING PREPARATION SEMINAR (IPS
The IPS is a seminar conducted by the manager of the NGO. The seminar basically goes through the various skills and knowledge required to work effectively, as well as the problems that may be encountered
3 | OPENING CEREMONY A formal event for various projects in the country. All the projects and their members are introduced and marks the beginning of 6 weeks. This event is perfect to get to know what other projects are doing and how it is aligned with your project.
An event to showcase the origins of all exchange participants volunteering in Mauritius. This event is held in a shopping centre with each country having its own stall. Each country will also have an opportunity to present their country on stage by singing, dancing or anything they choose.
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COST BREAKDOWN The Global Citizen Program requires a $700 administration fee to be paid to AIESEC QUT once applicant has passed their interview and signed the contract. View below for an explanation as to what is included in the fee. The following is an example budget breakdown of minimum expenses that can be expected during a standard 6 week project in Mauritius. This does not include the administration fee, leisure and travel costs.
TIPS FOR CUTTING COSTS 1. Apply early to get $50-$100 discount off your admin fee 2. Get matched to a project quickly so that you can book cheaper flights well in advance 3. Look out for promotions from travel agencies 4. Get an ISIC card to get international student benefits
Budget for Mauritius Logistics Flights Visa Travel Insurance Vaccinations Subtotal:
$2200 $0 $200 $100 $2500
Living Expenses Accommodation Food (Paid for unless you eat out) Communications (sim, internet etc.) Subtotal: Core essentials:
$200 $250 $50 $500 $3000
WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY A FEE? You may be asking this breakdown of what the administration fee covers. AIESEC is a not-for-profit organisation so the administration fee goes towards the day-to-day operations and ensuring that our customers (YOU!) are provided with the best possible experience in terms of preparation, support and safety.
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PRODUCT VALUE
MY EXPERIENCE to describe my experience in one word and I'd use words like different, exciting, once-in-a-lifetime and even magical. But I've realised that the word that I was truly reaching towards was discovery. My journey in Mauritius was filled with new people, new food and new culture that I never thought existed and
Mauritius. What I really got out of this experience was a new outlook on life and a new perspective of myself. Living in a modern city like Sydney, we tend to focus and base our choices on our future, i.e. getting a job and buying a house. But experiencing their way of life and talking to the locals, I have realised that you don't need a whole lot to be genuinely happy. Just a pair of drums, family, and song and dance will put a smile not only on those who are involved, but all those who are watching. It's not every day that you go a country so small that it Ben Deng can barely be seen on a world map explore all it has 3rdand Year, Commerce
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APPLY NOW AT
http://bit.ly/ApplyGlobalCitizen
Email: qut@aiesecaustralia.org Website: www.aiesecqut.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AIESECQUT