Welcome to you, future intern / resident and member of our happy tribe!

This is Keveen and Gina, the happy and hairy faces behind KORAKOR’s Holistic Healing Center; your new home in Mexico!

We would like to welcome you to our little corner of the world, the little place we have been dreaming of and working on for so long (read our full story here).

This page is dedicated to those who want to be heroes, healers, brothers and sisters, educators and stewards of our planet.

Here is all the needed information about staying with us and collaborating on this life-enriching project.

We are dedicated to making life more wonderful for everyone, from our animals to the beautiful kindred souls coming to help (yup, that’s you!!!).

Together, we are building a slice of the world we want to live on, the world we want our children to play on and in turn have their own children play on…

We have entered a crucial age that will give space to human ventures. This is our collective chance to heal our planet…

Welcome…

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intern

noun |ˈinˌtərn|

• a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, at a trade or occupation in order to gain work experience.
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Firstly, we would like to emphasize that the term intern is multifaceted. Our interns will explore complex and diverse practices while becoming active agents of a local and global shift. Therefore, we prefer calling our interns “Stewards” as it reflects the intention and ultimate purpose of our center.
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Stewards not only offer their time and energy without financial compensation, but it is done towards the common goal: cultivating the best of humanity and elevating our consciousness.
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By joining us, you become a member of our tribe and help to manifest our vision. Everything done at KORAKOR promotes global stewardship and seeks to make life more wonderful for all earthlings (animals, plants and humans alike).
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Our center would not be possible without the help and dedication of our stewards who get involved in expanding the curriculum, healing the land and giving their unconditional love. We operate as a tribe and work collaboratively to better ourselves and support one another. Becoming a steward will be a very challenging experience and one should be prepared to grow emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. A lot of healing will take place…
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We cannot stress enough the virtues of conscious living and how much your life will be transformed. There is just so much joy in giving selflessly and all the more when it is contributing to a humanist cause.
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Having stewards join our program is a blessing and we are more than ready to make great use of your talents and energy. We build our team with a lot of attention as we prioritize living harmoniously together and with our surroundings. We value respect, unconditional love, sharing and adaptability above all else. It is a human venture first of all.
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Now, before you get started on your journey to join us, please read below for more information on collaborating with us. Feel free to read some previous intern testimonials.
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NB: The next residency program will start on May 1st, 2013.
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What we offer our Residents:

- Full room and board (vegetarian diet)

- Individual sleeping space in a shared tipi.

- Workshops on alternative education, personal development, permaculture, holistic wellness…

- Involvement in ceremonies

- Access to computer lab with average internet connection

- Resources about our methodology and vision

- Loving and nurturing communal space

- Travel information and technical assistance

- Free time to travel and explore

- Social integration with local families (organized dinners and events)

- Space and time to share your own talents through workshops and activities (from yoga to hula hooping)

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Typical day at KORAKOR

Sunrise: Agnihotra ceremony

6.30 a.m: Collective meditation

7.30 a.m: Communal breakfast followed by circle time

8.30 a.m: Personal time

10.00 a.m: Workshop for newcomers or communal work for other stewards

12.00 p.m: Communal lunch followed by a moment of silence (nap, meditation, reading…)

2.00 p.m: Communal farmwork

6.00 p.m: Personal time
Sunset: Agnihotra ceremony

7.00 p.m: Communal dinner

8.30 p.m: Open stage, dancing, singing, playing, sharing, ceremony

10.00 p.m: Collective meditation, circle time, collective hug

11.00 p.m: Time to be considerate for others’ sleep time.

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If we are attached to a schedule, it is to allow people to detach themselves from the stress of organizing a day. Of course, we will not force anyone to follow it (except the tri-weekly collective Vipassana Meditation) but we strongly recommend doing it for the sake of the community as well as for your own personal development and healing.
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Duties: 

- Stewards will become part of the tribe and will be expected to help accordingly (communal chores + farmwork)

- Become an active member of the community and participate in the workshops and ceremonies offered

- Dedicate time and energy to spreading the message about KORAKOR

- Strive to embrace our rhythm, philosophy and values
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Requirements:

- This is a drug-free program. Any participants using drugs on site will be asked to leave permanently.

- Complete the application process (ask for your application at info@korakor.org) 

- Make sure you read the FAQ’s thoroughly before sending inquiries (Gina might turn into a monster if you ask questions we have already answered!!!)

- No prior teaching/farming experience necessary

- Willingness to learn Spanish and respect indigenous practices

- Pledge to work towards the idea and practice of sustainable living

- Familiarize yourself with KORAKOR’s practices

- A non-refundable 2,100 Mexican Pesos (~160 US$) per fortnight (15 days) you stay with us

- Arrivals on Mondays only

- Purchase individual travel insurance (KORAKOR will not be held liable)
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☞ So, do you feel you will integrate organically and holistically to our tribe? If yes, please proceed in reading the FAQ’s to help you clarify any uncertainties.
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Being an intern at KORAKOR.

We select interns (sorry younger folks, 18 or older unless with a parent or guardian) with a lot of attention as it is challenging to live harmoniously together. We value respect, unconditional love, sharing and adaptability above all else. It is a human venture first of all.

Speaking Spanish (or Zapoteco!) is a great advantage as it provides easier integration into the local population and it better prepares you to lead and participate in out-of-center activities. If you don’t speak Spanish, we sincerely hope you will put forth all your effort to gain fluency. It will dramatically change your journey. We are a hard-working community who opted for voluntary simplicity and who seek to live as lightly as possible on the earth.

What am I required to do during my stay?

We occasionally teach and interact with children from our local village through games and workshops (mostly on the weekends). We also invite you to contribute as much as possible to the communal farm work and seek to absorb as much knowledge as possible (using our rich library or bombarding us with questions). If you don’t know anything about farming, do not worry, we will teach you all you need to know about sustainable agriculture (permaculture). Farming generally consists of: animal care (we have goats, hens, ducks, geese, quails, dogs, cats, bees and maybe more by the time you come), planting, harvesting, and basically taking care of the land.

During the first week, you will partake in the activities and workshops and be able to see how we function. After orientation week, you will be welcome to create your own class / workshop / project with the community (following our framework). We are open to anything creative that stimulates new senses and boosts creativity and understanding of our world (from handcrafts to film-making for instance).

Weekends are generally reserved for village time. We visit our local friends and family to help them farm, make organic mezcal, and spend a pleasant day together. It is also our opportunity to organize events for the children.

On Mondays (the only day you can join our center), we get to know each other and give you a thorough tour of the facility. Your first week with us will be your orientation week

Since stewards live in a common house, you will be asked to partake in making everything work. We are a small community and share all the meals, so we take turns in cooking, doing dishes and other basic chores and your help will be greatly appreciated.

We live a simple spiritual life in harmony with nature’s cycles and we often sit together to discuss consciousness expanding issues. We have some non-religious yet ritualized ceremonies to celebrate life and give thanks to the universe and Mother Earth.

What does teaching entail?

At KORAKOR, we will ask you to forget the classical (traditionalist) technique of teaching. We, the educators, are very loving, always encouraging, and at the same level as the kids. Our lessons are not boring classes trying to ram some grammatical points or facts in people’s brains, but pure fun! We play play play. You will not be a teacher but a facilitator. The person in charge (you?) will make sure the activities run well and smoothly. Whatever you will be ‘teaching’ / sharing, it will be through play. Do not worry about lesson plans as we organize everything together and will never put you in a situation you do not feel comfortable with. We want to make sure you feel prepared and empowered. As a general rule, we would like you to regress to when you were their age and remember how you used to play… It is (almost) as simple as that! If you need to read more about our school program, click here.

How old are the kids?

Most participants range between 3 and 12 years old, but we occasionally have adults participating in the activities and workshops.

How can I host a workshop?

Upon acceptance of your application (there is a special box to complete if interested in hosting your workshop), we will further discuss our framework (via skype session or phone call) and how we can hold space for your talents to be shared collectively. Bear in mind that your workshop might not be taking place during your first week with us. We first want to make sure you clearly understand how we function and what we promote.

Will I need to be interviewed?

Yes! Upon completing your application form, we will expect a Skype / or phone conversation with you. This enables us to get an opportunity to get to know you better and for you to find out more about the intern role and expectations. It gives us the best opportunity to ensure we have the best match for the residency program and ensure that your experience is a positive one.

Why pay to intern?

As an intern you are giving up your time and your skills to help those in need while gaining an incredible amount of life-changing skills. Furthermore, staying with us has a cost (food and energy). Bear in mind that our program runs on a closed loop, meaning that every penny invested in the program serves to feed and run it. Finally, the knowledge and experience you are about to gain from your stay with us is invaluable! It is definitely the best investment of time and money you could ever hope for. Besides, a regular tourist in Mexico spends well over 10$ a day, so you are saving while staying with us…

What is orientation?

Orientation officially starts Monday morning during which we will give you a general tour (facilities, village…) as well as introduce our values and methodology. Throughout your first week, we will dive deeper into our practices.

How much will it cost me?

You are responsible for your own transportation, travel insurance and any incidentals. We provide full room and board in tipis. We also ask every resident to contribute 2,100 MXN per fortnight they stay with us.

We therefore encourage you to find as many sponsors as you can as it will allow you to stay longer and expand your knowledge tremendously. Also, consider bringing school / art supplies with you, but keep in mind that they will not be deduced from your financial contribution (i.e, don’t buy new supplies! Empty your drawers and ask your friends). Please review our wish list for our current needs.

What about my Spanish?

We obviously encourage you to start practicing Spanish prior to your arrival. In any case, we will provide you (on site) with the necessary literature and software to help you out. We will also try to organize one-on-one lessons with a local teacher should you need to. Your Spanish should improve a lot during your stay and we should be able to provide you with enough linguistic background to venture off on your journey (yes, it means that starting your trip with us is a great idea!!!).

Can I take time out from the center to go sightseeing?

Yes! We believe it is extremely important to “soak up” as much of a country as you can while you are there. Interns will often spend a lot of money on their airfares and while we believe our trips are the most authentic way to experience a country (living and working with local people), tourist activities and in-country travel will only enhance your experience. We are very flexible and definitely encourage you to take time out from your residency to travel and explore Mexico (also, Guatemala and Belize are not too far either…).

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More questions?

We have answered a series of questions on our general FAQs HERE.

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Are you ready? Now, fill out our Residency Application and let’s start collaborating!

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