Gaia Ashram
Natural Building Internship
Learn to build your own Eco Home in every step!
“Architecture is the manifestation of human beings attempting to communicate with their environment.”
This three weeks Natural Building Internship will be held from the 18th of November until the 9th of December, 2018 at Gaia Ashram in Thailand. This internship is ideal for those that are interested in building their own earthen home, for those interested in learning a variety of natural building techniques & for those that are looking to live a sustainable lifestyle.
Throughout the three weeks we will have theoretical sessions and practical hands-on experience in natural building. We hope that participants go away from this course understanding the basics of natural building and will feel empowered to try and learn more.
What is Natural Building
Natural building is all about reconnecting with our ancestral roots and our natural environment. Building beautiful, durable, healthy and spiritually uplifting buildings as well as building nurturing relationships with people and the planet along the way.
What is this Natural Building Internship is about?
This is an internship aim to provide comprehensive knowledge, practical skills and experience for building a house using natural material locally found in the area. You will be involved in lots of hands on work on the Gaia Ashram project during this three weeks program. For this program you do not need any previus skill or experience. Our aim is that participants will leave motivated, empowered & with plenty of practical experience.The main content includes;
House design and designing for energy efficiency
Using natural and ecological building materials which include natural material locally found in the area and reused and recycled materials
Integrating gray water management in the house and the house area
How to build a house step by step
Landscaping around the house
Practical work during the internship
A part from having the knowledge about all the different kind of Green Building or Natural Building, this internship includes practical learning or learning by doing where it will help interns to walk away being empowered with a lot of knowledge and practical skills.
Main Project we will work on
Interns will be building a small house together with the Gaia Ashram team. This house is designed for two permanent residents of Gaia Ashram. We will use earth or dirt as main materials, with recycled wood, straw, rice husk, saw dust, grass bottles etc. Hands on learning in this project include:
Making Adobe bricks
Building the house’s wall with Adobe brick
Integrating furniture in the house
Installing basic water and energy system in the house
Installing doors & windows
Integrating Earth bag and wattle & cop technique in the house
Building the house roof
Plastering and paints with natural materials
Creating gray water system and landscaping around the house
How the program will look like over all:
During this three weeks there will be theoretical sessions to give the knowledge on the topics mention above and there are time to practice the knowledge. A part from that interns will also be integrated into the Gaia Ashram community. There will be space for sharing and learning in other aspects apart from the course contents.
The additional learning the Gaia Ashram community offer to interns include:
Community living and Ecovillage design ; different aspects of community living and how to build a community or an Ecovillage
Spirituality; daily practice on meditation and yoga. There is also space for interns to share their practices with others
Deep Ecology; Gaia Ashram built on inspiration of Deep Ecology & Nature connection philosophy which we will be happily sharing it through introductory session and through the culture we create here.
Who is the main teacher?
Ben Murray
Ben is an Ecological designer, consultant and teacher with a background in organic and biodynamic gardening / agriculture, natural building, horticulture & landscape architecture. Ben is the founder of Holistic Regeneration, has 20 years experience in the realm of Horticulture and has been consulting, practicing and teaching permaculture, organic gardening and natural building for almost 10 years in England, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Kenya and India and is currently working as an itinerant trainer of transformational and empowering workshops and courses.
And the Gaia Ashram team! (See who we are here https://wordpress.com/view/gaiaschoolasia.com)
Where is this Natural Building Internship?
This Natural Building Internship will be held at Gaia Ashram which is located in the North-East of Thailand near Nong Khai in a rural area. Gaia Ashram is a community – based education centre on Permaculture, Deep Ecology, Ecovillage Design Education and other sustainable living practices. We are a learning centre that provide training workshops and courses for international and Asian participants and aim to inspire people to become good caretakers of the Earth.
When is this Natural Building Internship taking place?
18th of November- 9th of December
How to Apply to this Natural Building Internship?
Email us a motivation letter why you want to attend the course, then sign up and pay your registration fee through Eventbrite link. We will send you Registration form to fill in your personal information along with information package for your preparation to participate in the course. Then you are booked!
What are the fees?
We give different options course fees that are based on the accommodation people chose. Here are the rates:
575 Euro (Dormitory)
625 Euro (Shared room)
700 Euro (Single room)
Cancelation Policy :
This course requires a minimum of 10 participants. We ask people to book and pay the deposit of 100 Euro before October 1st, 2018. As soon as the minimum number of 15 participants is reached we will confirm that the course will take place. In case there are not enough participants signing up, we will announce the cancellation of the program by 15th of October the latest. If Gaia Ashram has to cancel the program, the paid deposit of 100 Euro will be fully refunded.
In case a participant cancels his or her participation in the program, the deposit of 100 Euro can not be refunded.
Facilities:
Gaia Ashram provides basic facilities and the basic needs of participants will be met. We are always working to upgrade our facilities but also aim to keep the facilities basic and simple.
Accommodation: Dormitory, shared rooms and single rooms. Mosquito nets, cushions, bedding and blankets are provided.
Common Space for sessions: Indoor session will be held at the first floor of Gaia Sala & the Mini-Sala and practical session will be happening on the land.
Toilet and Shower: compost toilets and showers for men and women.
Internet: Internet Shop in the next village is usually available everyday. We have a few bicycles available. We will provide trip to internet on Sundays.
Food: Healthy local vegetarian food will be served by local cooks. Participants will team up to cook breakfast in turns and on Sundays there is the space for participants to also cook lunch and diner.
Gaia Ashram’s policy on drugs & alcohol
We allow no alcohol or drugs on the Gaia Ashram property. We ask people to smoke at the smoking corner only. This will help to provide healthy environment for learning and living together for one month. We encourage people to take this time as an opportunity to have a break from their smoking or drinking.
Any further information you need about this course, please contact us at gaiaschoolasia@gmail.com
About Gaia Ashram, our Internship and Natural Building, please watch these video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HTejGXcGc8&t=63s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nspbKJZ7fLI