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“Let’s find some beautiful place to get lost.” That was my intention as I chose Chiangrai, Thailand for my 3-week volunteer trip. The beauty was that not only did I find myself but also learnt many new things and made some great new friends through my journey.
Arriving at The Mirror Foundation, I was happy to see such an environmentally friendly living space. There were tall trees, green grass, a lovely hand-built garden, cool wall paintings, a small pond, a lovely bamboo hut, and an impressive sight of colorful handprints from previous volunteers on one of the houses. The Thai interns who had escorted me all the way from the airport were very nice and helpful. They showed me around and we headed to a supermarket in town together with other new volunteers who had also just arrived earlier that day and later became my dearest friends.
The next day, I was really excited for my outdoor project to start after having an interesting orientation with Nikki – the volunteer program manager. I did not have to wait long as my outdoor team started digging a ditch that afternoon. It was hard work I must admit. However, the satisfaction looking back on the road and seeing what our teamwork had brought about was worth it. As time passed, our list of achievements went on; they were mending a dam, preparing a campsite, making a road, building fences, renovating a toilet, and growing chilies. Not a single day was wasted, and I loved every minute working side by side with my friends and our outdoor project mentor. On those days, we sweated a lot, laughed a lot, talked a lot and understood each other a whole lot more despite our different backgrounds. I also really appreciated our lunch boxes which were kindly prepared for us by the kitchen lady whenever we had to work off-site.

Nothing could ever beat the sense of waking up so far from home but having the peaceful feeling of belonging where you are at this very moment. Feeling the cold breeze of the morning passing through the mountains before giving place to the warmth of the rising sun. Walking calmly in such a quiet and tranquil place to find his temporary but lovely family around the table waiting for breakfast. Talking and smiling right before going on another hard but satisfying day of work.

I am 55 years old (a fit healthy 55 year old) and when I volunteered, I had no idea what to expect other than what I had read and been told by the operators of the program. What a surprise I got after arriving in Thailand, I met a group of twenty somethings who became my work partners and a second family. I met many local people who were so thankful for our help which made the experience even more pleasurable. I explored waterfalls, Tea plantations, authentic villages that don't exist in color brochures and the whole experience has left me hungry to volunteer again as soon as I can.

Anyone can look at a travel brochure and the white sands of the glorious beaches and I also love these places but they do not have stories as all the stories are the same. Volunteering will give you stories that no on else will experience unless they actually go and do it. Walking through water all day carrying 30kg sandbags until you can hardly walk anymore, carrying Bamboo to build a bridge in 30 degree heat until you have drank as much water as you possibly can! Digging roads so they are safe enough to be traveled along until you think you cannot dig anymore!!

All the above are challenging things to do but you work at your own pace and at the end of each day, the satisfaction gained through working hard and helping other people who actually need the help is something that is almost impossible to explain, hence the reason you need to try it as it is the only way you will find out what its like .

My favorite story is when I got offered to live with a farmer who told me he would feed me and give me a roof over my head if I stayed and worked on his farm for a year, his name was TIGER and this name has been in the family for 4 generations and folklore would suggest that his great grandfather actually killed a tiger with his bare hands and a knife many years ago. These are the stories you hear when living in the bush with a REAL Thai local who almost lives like our ancestors would have centuries ago, It was outstanding.

When I arrived at the office of the Mirror Foundation in Chiang Rai, I started doubting whether I had made the right decision coming to volunteer in Thailand.
The accommodation was very basic and the premises were located quite far from proper civilisation.
But truth is, this is exactly how the majority of people in Thailand live like. No, actually many of them even live under worse circumstances.
The factor that made my stay so rememberable wasn't the quality of the accommodation though.
It was the kindness of the Thai people.
Everywhere you go everyone smiles at you and wants to take pictures with you and Thai people are so appreciative as well!

I was lucky to be able to go on a homestay three times during my stay, which only was three weeks, and it was the best experience of my life.
We were preparing the lessons in a group of 4 people and we had to teach classes with children ranging from 8 to 16 years.
One of our homestay guides, Tar from PayaPraj School, took us to his school, which was far up in the mountains. There was not much to do there but he did a good job looking after us and making sure that we don't get bored.
He assigned us one student each, to show us around in the school and to help us translate some words to Thai, while we taught.
After school he took us to the music room, where a couple of students and teachers were practicing a song. Tar taught us to play some songs on the guitar and also how to sing some lines of a popular Thai song, which we would sing on stage in front of 300 students later that week.
He really appreciated us teaching his students some English and as a thank you he took us to some local places, such as local restaurants or the famous Mae Chan Tea Plantation.
Leaving him at the end of that week was really difficult for all of us.
The homestays were really what made my experience so unique. Some of the homestays also took us to the Golden Triangle and other famous sights.

In retrospective, volunteering in Thailand brought me very close to the Thai culture and taught me a lot about the different aspects of life in Thailand. The first steps were quite difficult for me coming from a western country but it was more than worth it! The Mirror Foundation did a really good job in making the introduction to different living standards as smooth as possible!

If you are ready to lower your living standards and to live in a very basic environment then, I am confident, that you will have a live-changing experience in Thailand.

And many thanks to IVHQ for making volunteering so affordable, the project was worth every penny!

I first arrived to Thailand with one friend, when I left I felt like I was leaving a family behind. I fell in love with the Thai people, their culture, and their adorable smiles.
Our accommodation was pretty basic, but that added to the charm of the experience. Everyone was really friendly; volunteers and thai interns bonded over stories from their respective countries. Both kids and teachers made me feel like my work was really appreciated.
Being able to directly interact with the kids made me realise that my small, but relevant, contribution was helping to achieve a much bigger goal.
I fell in love with the Land of Smile, and I never wanted to leave.

People say when you do something you have never done before, you step out of your comfort zone and you grow up. I had traveled to so many places that I had become numb about the world. Thailand changed all that. The land of smiles, indeed; never had I ever seen such welcoming people.
The homestay I had is a memory I will never forget. Thailand kids are just so smart; they got everything immediately and learned so fast. It's such a pity they are not getting the education they deserve to get. Due to a family emergency, I had to go back home on a very short notice and didn't get to say goodbye to the kids I spent every single day with and this is always going to be a huge pity for me. I won't forget the sunny afternoons when we played games together in the shady corner of the playground and how the kids circled me in not letting me go; not for the rest of my life.
I wish I could say I were going to go back there to be their teacher. But I can't. What the kids in Thailand really need are responsible teachers who are not there to experience a different kind of life or simply just looking for a thrill, and who can stay with them instead of leaving them behind after one or several weeks.

This was my first time travelling outside of the United States and I feel as though I could not have picked a better program. The experince of getting to know the locals on homestay was by far my favorite part. Getting to sit with them around a campfire, cooking rice and barbequing pork over a bamboo firepit and hear stories and learn some of thier traditions. During one particular homestay, we cooked a meal without any cutlery or kitchenware, we served to food on banana leaves, and at with our hands! All while watching the sunset over Thailand, voulunteers and locals eating together. It was such an amazing experience, I'm definitely hoping to do it atleast one more time!

IVHQ Thailand is a great experience, providing volunteers with the opportunity to make new friends from around the world, learn new skills and immerse themselves in a new culture. For me, teaching English at the mirror foundation was very rewarding, there was challenging moments and the language barrier often proved to be a difficulty. Yet, the friendly and eager pupils were
the reason why teaching was so much fun. The accomadtion at mirror is basic, but you easily adapt to living like a local, this includes eating rice three times a day too.
Aside from the volunteering, the weekends were some of my fondest moments occurred. From Saturday to Monday we were free to leave and explore more of Thailand. We ventured to Chiang Mai to visit an elephant sanctuary, a Grand Canyon and explore the night markets. There is also plenty to see in Chiang Rai if you want to stay local; including plenty of temples (the white temple is definitely worth seeing), the big Buddha statue, botanical gardens and cooking classes.
Volunteering in Thailand is one of the best things I've ever done, it does not come without its challenges and culture shock, yet, the experience exceeded any of the expectations I had. I made life long friends and grew in confidence and character.