I'll always remember my students

There was so much to do in Chiang Mai that I don't even know where to start. The food is affordable, plentiful, and unlikely to be found outside of Thailand. The area is incredibly safe; our group often walked back to our guesthouse at night with no worries. The night markets are always so lively, with plenty of street food and souvenirs to satisfy your spending itches. We also went to several temples, speaking to Buddhist monks for more of an intrinsic reward. What more can I say but playing with tiger cubs at Tiger Kingdom, riding on top of elephants, filling up the night sky with floating lanterns for Thai festivals, ziplining through Thailand's forests, relaxing through Thai massages, rafting down white water rapids, watching a ladyboy show, and taking an authentic Thai cooking class?

Make no mistake about it; all these experiences are now my cherished memories. But the main reason I would encourage my friends to volunteer in Thailand is simple: the people. First off, all the Chiang Mai residents I bumped into were extremely kind and courteous. They love tourists and you should see them beam up when they hear you sheepishly struggle to offer a Thai greeting. Secondly, I made some incredible friends with the other volunteers. I met fellow volunteers from the States, Australia, the UK, Holland, Belgium, and Sweden. And honestly, all my memories from Chiang Mai (rafting, temple hopping, and night market shopping) became such strong memories not because of the location, but because of the people I was with.

Finally, some of the most fantastic people I met on the trip were without a doubt my students. Our volunteer group taught English at Buak Pao School and at a local orphanage, as well as constructing a bathroom and dorm for the latter. The kids I met made me fall in love with Chiang Mai. No matter how exhausted we were, whenever we traveled to Buak Pao School, we couldn't help but smile along with the children. Whether the program for the day involved fun spelling contests, lessons about bordering ASEAN countries, or simply chaotic playtime during recess, I loved every second I spent with my students. I may not have spent much time in Thailand, but I am proud to know that I made a difference (both an educational difference in my students and a tangible difference in the bathroom I built for the kids at the orphanage) during my two weeks in Chiang Mai. I loved those kids so much that our final goodbyes at both the school and orphanage were two of the saddest moments of the trip.