SojournAsia also works with mature and independent individuals who are motivated to create their own experiences. Currently, SojournAsia is planning Personal Sojourns in Mongolia, South India, Nepal and the West Bengal Hills. We help students in their transition by meeting them on arrival and orienting them to the location. We then arrange a homestay with a local family, as well as training in the local language. We also provide access to individuals and organizations with whom students can apprentice or volunteer. After the student has become settled, we follow up weekly with the student and provide 24-hour help in the unlikely event of an emergency.

Depending on where the student's Personal Sojourn takes him or her, the apprenticeship and volunteer opportunites may differ. For example, in Mongolia, a student may focus on Nomadic Studies and learning a Nomadic skill such as riding and singing to horses, building a yert, or making cheese and yogurt. In South India, students with an interest in traditional visual and performing arts will find much to focus their energy on, whether learning
Kathak or Bharat Natyam dance or vocal or instrumental music. In the West Bengal hill stations of Kalimpong and Darjeeling, students can study the history of mountaineering, volunteer at a snow leopard breeding project, or study the variety of orchids and other flowers that flourish in the region. This is not a complete list of apprenticeship opportunities; there are many other options. During the pre-trip planning period, we work with the student to find a situation that suits his or her interests.

Airport pickup transfer to local guest house:
Once we have been provided with the correct flight information we will meet the student at the local airport and provide transportation to a guest house.

Orientation Period:
		For the first 3-5 days after the student arrives, we will have intensive meetings and visits to possible apprenticeship and volunteer positions. The student will also be oriented to local customs and traditions, as well as health and safety issues and other cultural issues. During this period we will introduce the student to their homestay family. We will also set up the student's language course.

Language Course:
SojournAsia arranges for language instruction with one of our teachers consisting of one and a half hours of private instruction 5 days a week for the first 7 weeks of your stay. In the case of a one-month stay this will be a 4-week course.

Weekly Check In:
Once the student has been provided with an apprenticeship and/or volunteer position and a homestay, or another living situation has been worked out, we will check in on a weekly basis with the student.

24-hour Emergency Access:
We will be available 24 hours a day in the event of a medical or other emergency. In the unlikely event that a medical evacuation is necessary, we can help make arrangements to ensure it happens as fast as possible.

Excursions:
If the student wishes to take additional excursions away from the main site, SojournAsia will help them understand the various options and costs and help them find a suitable guide if needed. These excursions may be trekking in the West Bengal Hills, a trip to a pilgrimage site in Southern India, or a trip to Lake National Park in Mongolia.

Personal Expeditions:
		Personal expeditions offer students the opportunity to focus and explore their own individual pursuits while in Asia. They are a component of the program created to provide apprenticeships and service opportunities, but more importantly to offer an entry into each country's unique culture. Personal expeditions are commitments to journeys of discovery, exploration and awareness.As an apprentice you can gain new skills in medicine, meditation, arts, crafts, music, dance, and more. By volunteering with a social service organization you can support someone who has befallen difficult circumstances. We link you up with opportunities. Any apprenticeship you pursue can be an empowering experience itself. In a short time you will learn more about yourself, the city, and the culture.

Some apprenticeship options may include the following:

		Dance (classical, modern, folk)
		Music (singing, sitar, flute, tabla, etc.)
		Floriculture
		Stone carving
		Jewelry making
		Thangka (ritual) painting,
		Pottery
		Paper making
		Hand printing textiles
		Cloth weaving, spinning, vegetable dying
		Building a yurt
		Sewing
		Carpet weaving
		Cooking
		Ayurvedic Medicine
		Tibetan herbal medicine
		Yoga
		Making Incense

Some volunteer opportunities may include:

		Teaching English or environmental education at schools; help organize co-curricular activities; produce school magazine & newsletters.
		Helping non-government organizations by doing research and documentation or helping plan and implement programs
		Providing moral support and companionship at temporary shelters for victims of domestic violence and those who wish to get out of the sex business
		Helping plan play activities such as games, yoga, art, dance, health, or sports on weekends or after school at a day school for mentally retarded children