Embrace Thailand’s culture while helping to educate children

Written by James Gatewood

Combine an exotic vacation and a worthwhile experience and volunteer in Thailand. Taking part in the uVolunteer program will enable you to explore the unique and varied culture of Thailand. The Thai people are often referred to as the kindest people in the world, a characteristic that has been affirmed time and time again by volunteers such as Micquella Galea, who said, “As soon as I touched down in Trat I was in love. The place is so inviting and the people are so kind.”

“Sanctuary of Truth” by Swaminathan

Volunteers who select Thailand as their destination will be working in Trat. The coastal city and province borders Cambodia and has a small population of around 50,000 who primarily make their living by growing fruit and mining for rubies.

Since Thailand hasn’t been colonized by another nation, many of its customs and traditions remain unchanged which means volunteers who choose to spend their time in Thailand will gain a unique perspective into the wonder of the nation. Thailand offers delicious food and exciting opportunities to see gorgeous temples and a plethora of wildlife, such as monkeys and elephants.

As beautiful and culturally interesting as Thailand is, there is also work to be done there. The nation depends largely upon tourism for its economic stability. The need for Thai people to learn English is of high importance since they need to be able to communicate effectively with visitors from English speaking countries. Many of the public schools in Thailand have funds that are so limited, they do not have the budget to hire staff that can teach the children English, physical education, and basic and advanced IT and computer skills.

Providing volunteers who are able to meet these needs helps offer Thai children a much higher degree of success as they grow up and enter the workforce. Volunteer’s are expected to work a certain amount of days and hours dependent upon which area you choose to teach, free time outside of your work hours is yours to do with whatever you please. You will have the opportunity to take in local sights and sounds and even visit other points of interest in the vicinity, so you truly will be experiencing the very best of both worlds.

This volunteering abroad opportunity is an affordable option that doesn’t require the hefty time requirement that many other programs require in order to donate your time in a foreign country. This means a much wider range of individuals are able to participate and teach children that would otherwise not have the opportunities to learn such valuable skills.

People of all ages, races, and backgrounds are welcome and will absolutely find spending time in Thailand one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives. Volunteer Helen Corbella classified her time in Thailand by saying, “I recommend anyone and everyone to do this at least once in their lives. It will change you forever.”