International Student Volunteers (ISV)

Be more than a tourist; become an active global citizen by contributing your energy on projects that truly make a difference

The ISV Thailand Program consists of two halves – two weeks spent volunteering, and two weeks travelling the country. The difference between the two elements of the trip was quite striking. As the last group of students to travel to Thailand with ISV in 2015, our experience was slightly unusual, in that the adventure portion took place before we volunteered, as opposed to all other groups. This situation was not ideal, as it meant after two weeks of incredible adventures, the nitty gritty of volunteering was inevitably a bit more sedate. Regardless, time spent absorbing Thailand is never something to be sniffed at. If you travel on any other departure date, the adventure tour will be the incomparable reward for your charitable deeds, but either way you’d jump at the chance to stay longer on this unforgettable tour.

After meeting tour guides in Bangkok, we took a short flight to Chiang Mai for the start of the travelling half of the tour. Chiang Mai is a vibrant, lively and beautiful city surrounded by jungle. The Night Market is not to be missed – being in the resource rich north, prices here are as cheap as you will find anywhere in the country. Yet even the thrill of finding yet another pair of enduringly chic harem pants for 100 baht ($2.80, £2) can’t compare to a visit to Elephant Nature Park, a refuge for formerly abused elephants. Here you can get up close and cosy with the gentle giants to wash and feed them, knowing that they are being ethically treated to the extent that you are practically their servant.

From Chiang Mai you hop on an overnight bus to Hua Hin, a coastal resort with a ridiculously long beach and stunning hilltop temple. What could be better on your free day than an easy hike up the hill to watch monks meditating or monkeys causing mischief?

Onwards now to Khao Sok National Park for an idyllic lake swim surrounded by islands and the most photogenic lunch you’ll ever eat on a floating restaurant. No, that backdrop isn’t a green screen, and yes, you actually are in a different world here. Staying in cottages in the jungle, it may be difficult to believe that your day really happened. Beware though – the monkeys are real and will try to steal anything they take a fancy to.

After another day spent on water, this time on a sea kayaking tour at Koh Yao Noi, you head to the last stop on the adventure tour – Railay Beach. A peninsula near the city of Krabi accessible only by boat, Railay Beach is another too-good-to-be-true destination. With two stunning beaches and a hiking trail which rewards the climber with jaw dropping views, you may never want to leave. If that isn’t enough for you greedy so-and-sos, there is also a risqué shrine to male fertility and a few bars clustered on the short strip.

If you’re not on the last trip of the year, then you will have volunteered before setting off on the adventure tour, and this will be the point where you reluctantly head home with a head full of memories and a belly full of Pad Thai. For those who are on the final departure, like I was, then it is likely that you will now head to your volunteer project.

Where you go, and to do what, will depend both on the need for volunteers in each project and on the wishes of the volunteers. Two weeks can be spent working at an elephant rescue organisation, feeding and washing the elephants, doing repair work to the facilities and generally helping to run the centre. Alternatively, you can work with children in disadvantaged communities in schools and helping to improve community infrastructure. My group did the latter, and while the fortnight was another fascinating peer into another society, we were a little disappointed with what we were able to accomplish.

In a small island community that was devastated by the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004, we were set to work repainting a classroom in the local primary school. Following the wishes of the community who run their own project, we worked hard to scrape off the previous paint job and start again. However the walls were riddled with holes and when we asked to be able to buy some wall filler to smooth them out we were repeatedly told to ignore them. I understand that the community can and should decide what volunteers should work on, but it did seem a little short-sighted by ISV. Unsatisfied with the unavoidably short-term work we would have to do, we nevertheless completed the paint job.

Additionally, we attempted to teach the pupils some English, to mixed success. With none of the volunteers speaking any Thai, it was difficult to help, and we all came away feeling like our well-meaning efforts would have limited positive impact – a problem, though, that I feel is hard to overcome with most unskilled volunteers.

In retrospect, I believe we did help the community at least a little – in spending money in the village we helped them economically and some of our pupils did seem to learn some words in English. It is difficult to know, not having returned to the village to judge any long term impact of our efforts.

During our time in the village, we lived in home stays with Thai families. This can generate some culture shock – with neither groups speaking the others’ language, confusion is assured. This is part of the point of going somewhere so far removed from your home – to challenge you and to see life from another perspective. The warmness with which we were received overcame linguistic barriers and it was a lovely experience. Squat toilets can take some getting used to, but having a friendly lizard living in the kitchen more than made up for it.

Many reviews will tell you this is a once in a lifetime trip, and it truly was unforgettable, even with those few but lingering disappointments. The key lessons gleamed from a month spent in Thailand are these - monkeys are not to be trusted, always carry hand soap and toilet paper, and don’t be surprised to be treated warmly by strangers. Thailand isn’t called the land of smiles for nothing.