Volunteer in Thailand

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	“The group of volunteers consisted of another American gal (who found Dalaa through VFP), three German guys (two ladies and the boyfriend of one of them), a lady from the Netherlands, another from Austria, another from Japan, and another from Switzerland, three young ladies from South Korea, and two local young gentlemen. Very soon we all became very close. We all had all our meals together, taught English to the children together, and slept in the same room….. After two weeks of teaching the tiny village’s children and cleaning the beach, planting trees and staying at their homes, we really got to know the locals. For this party, they cooked for us, gave us gifts and speeches, brought a music group to play local songs, and had the children danced Thai dances. The kids were hugging us and showing us how much they appreciated that we took time of our lives to spend with them.” Florencia Renedo ~ 2009
	“The second week of the work camp we did community activities. One day we picked up trash on the beach, another day we planted trees, and for two days we cleaned up the flower gardens at the school, and planted new flowers in them as well. All these projects were done with the students and teachers, so it was a great way to get to know the local people better…. We did have quite a lot of downtime in the evenings, but it was nice. We played a lot of card games, played/listened/sang to music, hung out and talked, drank coffee, read, wrote, etc. It was nice to have time to get to know the other volunteers. Our group consisted of people from all over- Korea, Germany, Holland, Austria, Argentina, United States, Japan, and Thailand, so it was great to get to know people from a lot of different places. Our group got along really well too. We didn’t have any conflicts, and had a lot of fun together. The weekend in between the two weeks of the work camp we all went on a weekend trip together. It was a really fun time… All in all, I had a wonderful experience with this work camp, and would recommend it to anyone looking to see Thailand, get to know people from all over the world, and experience the Thai culture.” Kristen Anne Ritter ~ 2009
	“I think I overcame the difficulties and made a positive impact on the community, and I can’t wait to get involved in more projects in Southeast Asia.” Malcolm Piper ~ 2009
	Teaching english classes Christopher Goodwin / Thailand ~ 2008
	“I will never forget my time in my small village in Sing Buri, Thailand. As volunteers who predominantly taught English at the primary schools, we truly became part of the wonderfully caring and welcoming community." Mckenzie Jones / Thailand ~ 2007
	"VFP work camps focus on creating a good mix of volunteers from all over the world (which in turn helps to promote peace and understanding). I find that working with people in diverse age groups is a wonderful extension of the same idea... No matter what your age or cultural background, we all have something unique to offer. I’ve learned much from volunteers half my age, and that gives me renewed hope for the future of our planet.” Connie Poole/Thailand ~ 2007
	Teaching English Connie Poole/Thailand ~ 2007
	“It really was the experience I was looking for, and I feel I will be able to go on my next volunteer trip with more confidence and energy knowing what I know now.” Ashley Parker / Thailand ~ 2008
	Painting a mural Johannah Reimer / Thailand ~ 2006
	Teaching at a local school Johannah Reimer / Thailand ~ 2006
	Becoming part of the family. Carolyn Verst / Thailand ~ 2005
	Cultural exchange with people in remote village. Robert Popken / Thailand ~ 2004
	Volunteers and workcamp leader in "tuk-tuk" (local taxi). Jessica Thoennes / Thailand ~ 2004
	Volunteers biking. Julie Tam / Thailand ~ 2004
	Boat trip to plant Mangrove trees. Erik Smith / Thailand ~ 2004
	I have just arrived home from six months in Thailand. Three of those months were spent volunteering for an origination called Greenway. It was an amazing three months and an incredible learning experience. I was in the North-East of Thailand in a rice-farming village called Ban Nakor (ban means village in Thai). I was working with six other volunteers between the ages of twenty-two and thirty. We taught English to Thai children between the ages of four and fifteen. We would teach at a local primary school five days a week and we had evening teaching at our house four nights a week. We also helped the villagers with rice farming and gardening. I felt like I truly got a taste of authentic Thai culture. Anna Keene-Winsor / Thailand ~ 2004
	Volunteers learn how to grow and harvest rice. Maureen Maske / Thailand ~ 2003
	Tak Bai is in southern Thailand, close to the Malaysian border. Here, a volunteer and a local lady work on a construction project together. Charity O'Neill-O'Kane / Thailand ~ 2002
	"The intimate collaboration at work or at play was instrumental in bringing us close to the Thai and from it was born the universal feeling of camaraderie that no language barrier could hinder." Jer Kwang Song / Thailand ~ 2002
	Volunteers worked with underprivileged children at a monastery. "Among other friends of mine who have volunteered, many have said to me it was the single most rewarding thing they have ever done, and for myself, this program was no exception." Charles Johnson / Thailand ~ 2001
	Volunteers worked with the local population to learn and promote traditional crafts. "When I look at the kids in the village, they all have glows in their eyes whenever they smile. They came to learn English every evening before dinner time because they truly wanted to learn." Agnes P.K. Chong / Thailand ~ 2001

“The last day we were there, all of the villagers came together and made us about 20 different kinds of thai desserts and the children put on a show for us, complete with traditional costumes and dancing. The four thai words I used the most meant: "hello", "thank you", "delicious", and "very full." Melissa Duvall ~ 2009

“I was pleased with the amount of information that I received beforehand and the speed with which it arrived, since I registered for the project less than a month before it began. My e-mail communication with Greenway was also very helpful. They sent me bus schedules and promptly answered all of my questions, which made me feel more prepared when I arrived in Thailand.” Amy Peters ~ 2009

“I am writing a volunteer report for my amazing experience among the Akha people outside Chiang Rai
with Greenway. The other volunteers and helped construct a bathroom and shower for future volunteers and as an available bathroom to anyone in the village. Afterwards, we helped prepare the village for an upcoming celebration by cleaning up the central area and preparing a field for an asphalt soccer field. Other days focused on making crafts like bracelets. All work was done with the Akha and social at the same time. We didnt just work (although the place was called a workcamp) but also engaged with the community.” Chris Marino ~ 2009

“We had a wonderful experience. Our camp consisted of 14 people: 4 from the US, 3 from France, 3 from Holland, 1 from Austria, 1 from South Korea, 1 from Germany, 1 from Spain. The ages ranged from 16 to 60, with the two of us (Peter at 52 and Kate at 60) being by far the eldest. We were nicknamed Mom and Dad by the group leader.” Peter Westcott & Kate Friesen ~ 2009

The workcamp provided me with such a unique experience that most tourists do not receive. Because I was staying with a host family in an area that many tourists do not venture, I was able to experience Thailand in a way that was more authentic. From the food to the interactions, I had one of the best times of my life. I painted a Buddhist temple, helped fertilize rice fields, and taught in the primary school. ….

In particular, I think the volunteer group size was perfect for a trip like this. We had five people total, and I think any more would have been crowded. It really allowed us to get to know each other, and because everyone was from a different country, it really broadened my worldview.” Kate Haagen ~ 2009

“During two months of traveling in Laos and Thailand, I visited and volunteered with about five different communities that incorporated volunteers into their projects. My two weeks volunteering with A.F.E.C.T., Akha Hilltribe organization in Chiang Rai, was the highlight of the trip.” Peter Gallo ~ 2008

“It really was the experience I was looking for, and I feel I will be able to go on my next volunteer trip with more confidence and energy knowing what I know now.” Ashley Parker / Thailand ~ 2008 

“I have often heard it said that volunteers learn more than they give.  I feel I received a lot from being part of life in that community.  I did work hard when I was teaching ESL, and I still hope I gave as much as I received.” Claudia Apfelbaum / Thailand  ~ 2008

“With a healthy balance of physical work, teaching, and spending time getting to know the villagers, this was a great overall experience and I walked away with some true insight into the warm hearts of the local Thais and pleased with the contributions I felt that I was able to make.” Matt Wold / Thailand ~ 2008

“As a 46-year-old camp participant, I’d like to encourage more “mature” travelers to consider joining a work camp. It’s true that a majority of the volunteers are university students, but there are also a number of older volunteers such as myself looking for a unique cultural experience. VFP work camps focus on creating a good mix of volunteers from all over the world (which in turn helps to promote peace and understanding). I find that working with people in diverse age groups is a wonderful extension of the same idea... No matter what your age or cultural background, we all have something unique to offer. I’ve learned much from volunteers half my age, and that gives me renewed hope for the future of our planet.” Connie Poole/Thailand 2007                  

“I will never forget my time in my small village in Sing Buri, Thailand. As volunteers who predominantly taught English at the primary schools, we truly became part of the wonderfully caring and welcoming community. Kicking around the soccer ball and playing volleyball or rattanball with the kids always made afternoons more fun, and it was as if there was a totally new language spoken through those times of play. Overall it was an amazing experience and I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity.” Mckenzie Jones/Thailand 2007            

“Whether in the classroom or in the forest, time spent in Thailand is time one never forgets. The people always wear a smile, and never hesitate to open their door to a stranger. Volunteering in this paradise is something every human should experience." Christopher Hesh / Thailand - 2006

"This was a truly unique experience and one that was very authentic. … All in all this was an experience I would not give up for the world. It was one I knew would change my perspective on the globe and other cultures and it certainly did for the better. I learned so much about a country of which I previously knew nearly nothing and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with people whom I had never met. I hope sometime in the future to be fortunate enough to return to Thailand and maybe get the chance to once more say hello to my friends in Ban Na Kor." Andrew Dean / Thailand - 2006

"Throughout the trip I marveled at the ability of this experience in volunteering to mend rifts between opposing political views and cultures." William Riordan / Thailand - 2006

"I cannot imagine an experience that could top the amount of cultural immersion and knowledge as well as international/intercultural friendshipsthat I gained in those two weeks. I am sure that what I personally took away from this Chiang Rai workcamp will stay with me for a long time and will affect the decisions I make in the future as I consider how I can best serve the world in my career and life." Laura Goodwin / Thailand - 2006

"I feel good about the work we are doing and feel that it is worthwhile and that we are making a difference, both physically and with people's mentalities as well, especially regarding the environment. The organization of the group is sometimes a little random and usually changes everyday, but this is generally because of limited community resources (eg. community members usually need to be present to assist in building and instructing us at the beginning of each project).The organization encourages us to be creative and develop our problem solving skills, but there are also times when it is necessary to simply follow directions (eg. when building structures). In general, most volunteers adapt to the changes and some level of uncertainty, but there have been a few people that were disappointed that we weren't told exactly what to do at all times. The rest of us who are enjoying the work take this as an opportunity to be more creative and take initiative. In general, I am really enjoying my time here and feel I am making a difference." Julie Gabert / Thailand - 2005

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