Arrival and departure point: Bangkok International Airport
Project Location: Bangkok, Chiang Mai
Living Arrangements: Host family/Hostel or guest house
Language Requirement: Basic spoken English
Volunteer Types: Work with destitute children, teaching
Project skills required: None
Food: Local Indian food 3 times a day
Start Dates: June 29-July 28, July 15-Aug 14, 2009
Working Hours: 30- 40 hours per week
Age Range: Minimum 17+
Program Fee: $1599 for 4-week program
One of the major tourist hubs in the world, Thailand is an eye-catching land occupied with mountains, plains, white sandy beaches, and lush forests. Thailand also offers fascinating culture, vivid lifestyle, golden temples and exotic sights for visitors. Like most Asian cultures, respect towards ancestors is an indispensable part of Thai spiritual practice. Asia Horizon's summer program offers a unique opportunity to explore all this while working with desperate and destitute children of Thailand. You will enjoy the entire time you spend in this captivating destination with Asia Horizon’s four weeks Summer Program in Thailand. Our 4 weeks Summer Program in Thailand is divided into three phases:
Phase I: One-week Language Orientation and Cultural Immersion
Phase II: Two-week volunteering program with the destitute children in orphanage
Phase III: Seven days Exploration of Rural Thailand
Phase I: One-week Language Orientation and Cultural Immersion
Enjoy seven days of language and orientation program by joining guest lectures, culture and language classes. Learn the language, customs, religions, and other important aspects of Thailand including the role of the royal family in the modern days. Visit the major tourist attractions of Bangkok as a part of your orientation program, make a trip to Kanchanaburi, and be carried away by the sight and sound of magnificent Erawan waterfalls.
Day 0: Airport Arrival, pick-up and transfer to a hostel or hotel at Ayutthaya (approx. 1.5 hour drive)
Day 1: General orientation and informative presentation about Thailand, Thai language, culture, customs and others. Later, tour the former capital of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Explore Ayutthaya’s celebrated temples and the ancient ruins of revered Buddhist.
Day 2 – 3: Market trip: enjoy a unique market, which you can see nowhere else in the world. This market opens early in the morning and remains open until 11:00am.
Day 4: Bangkok trip - continue to improve your Thai language with lessons taught during the morning. After class, checkout of your respective accommodations. That evening, enjoy an overnight stay at a regional guesthouse on the Khao San Road – a popular tourist destination filled with prismatic markets and explore some of the region’s amazing attractions, such as the Emerald Buddha
Day 5 – 6: Early in the morning, continue the journey to Kanchanaburi where the group will meet with the tour guide/group leader. En route, enjoy the waterfalls of Erawan, the Bridge over the River Kwai, elephant camps, and more! All the while, enjoy and absorb the fascinating culture of the Thai people – experiencing Thailand’s past as told trough various memorials, war museums.
Day 7: Return to Bangkok – en route: stay at the same guesthouse at Khao San Road for another night.
Phase II: Two-week village stay working with orphan Children
You will explore Thai ways of life living with warm and welcoming host families in the rural village of Samutsongkram Rajaburi or Nakhon Nayok. Your interaction with Thai rural people will enable you to learn the unique culture of Thailand. Hike around the nearby areas and unite with the local villagers to enjoy your village stay even more. During this period, you will work in a local school as English teachers or support local children in a child development center.
Volunteer’s Activities
As an English teacher or a local destitute children supporter in childcare center in Thailand, you will help teach them to speak, and write. You will also help to sing songs, dance, play sports and fun games. Participants can formulate their own plans to perform in the classes bearing in mind the need and interest of the young children. You can help these children with activities related to day-care and physical development. You can also teach them any other skills, whatever you know, from arts to music, to anything.
Project Skills
No specific skills and qualifications are required. However, volunteers joining orphanage projects should be willing to share abundant love and passion for serving poor kids. Volunteers should also be flexible, self-motivated and open minded in accepting new cultures and welcoming new ideas.
Project Location
You will be working in nearby areas of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Bangkok is the capital and primate city of Thailand. It is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok is a city heaving with people and a magnet for travelers escaping turmoil in their homeland. The city's wealth of cultural sites makes it one of the world's most popular travel destinations.
Chiang Mai is a beautiful city enclosed by hills and mountains, streams, lakes, waterfalls, caves, forests and green fields. Others places of interest include Chiang Mai Zoo, Sankamphheng Industrial Area, Mae Sa Valley, Doi Pui National Park, Tribal Villages etc. Shopping centers, famous night markets, hospitals, Chiang Mai University are in accessible distance.
Phase III: One-week Exploration of Rural Thailand
This package will certainly enrich you with ever lasting memory of Thai people, culture and places. At first, you will be briefed about the seven days tour program. The briefing will help you to set yourself mentally and physically.
Day 1: Leave for Pattaya, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand. You will see White Sea sand beaches and enjoy delicious seafood.
Day 2: Enjoy in Jomtien Beach, 2 km distance from Pattaya. You will participate in different water sports. (Note: Your program fee does not cover the cost for these games).
Day 3: Visit to Ko Lan, a Lan island in Pattaya region. You will observe turtle breeding grounds and wonderful attractions in the island.
Day 4: Explore Motel cities and the local temples.
Days 5-6: Explore rural Thailand on your own during these two free days.
Day 7: Evaluation and farewell.
Program Fee Includes
- Airport pickup and hotel transfer
- One week Language and cultural courses
- Food and accommodations during the program in hostel and family
- Local sightseeing/tourist site arrangements
- One week Golden Temple Tour ( all expenses)
- In-country transportation
- Placement transfer, visits, and reception
- Community project support costs
- Certificate of performance
- 24/7 Emergency Support
- 24/7 coordinator Support
Program Fee Excludes
1. Airfare
2. Any personal expenses
3. Tips to guide, gifts to the host family or project
4. Bottled water, soft drinks during travel and project
5. Entrance fees
Note: Program Itineraries are merely samples and may change in accordance with the need of participants and changes in the field condition.
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