Volunteer Abroad in Thailand with Volunteers for Peace

I spent 2 weeks at Peace Village in Thailand in February. I was struck by the juxtaposition of old and new in Thailand; a cell phone tower next to a temple for example. I have to say the Thai people have an energy and way that exudes kindness.

The project was a really nice balance of work, culture, relaxation, cultural exchange and fun. We were a group of 8 from 4 countries and I was the only one from the USA. The project was focused on sustainable gardening so at times the work was hard. We planted and cared for vegetables, moved compost piles, planted herbs and did general renovation and improvements on Peace Village. We also had the opportunity to visit the Ministry of Sustainability where we saw all different types of energy projects.

I loved the whole experience, the balance, the people, visiting markets, traveling by train, visiting temples, the food, new friends and everyone at Peace Village.

I attended a VFP cultural exchange workcamp in January of 2007. The project was in a small village in the most rural, and poor part of Thailand (Issan), where no foreigners had ever visited before. We stayed with a family, and from the first day, were welcomed as members of the village. During our time there, we learned Thai language, taught our language to students at the local elementary and high school, met with members of the nearby police department to teach them some useful English phrases (“Please slow down.” “May I see your license.”), visited a monastery, helped on a farm, learned traditional Thai dance, and much, much more. At the end of our two week stay, the entire village threw a party with everyone dressed in traditional costume, giving dance performances, and sending us off with a very moving goodbye/thank you ritual. I will always feel that we are family.

There is no way that I could have gained such incredible cultural insight, developed such strong relationships, or had as many “real world” experiences as a tourist. This volunteer camp absolutely exceeded my expectations.

The program I participated in was focused on cultural exchange and that is probably what it did best. In terms of volunteering and the work camp that was set up, it felt like we were only involved in unnecessary make-work projects. It felt like the organization hosted us more for the financial contribution than anything else. That being said, they did trek us around to a number of places in the back of a truck to try out hot springs, see waterfalls, climb a hill and go ride elephants that looked very sad. If you are happy to be a tourist and have lots of time sitting around visiting in a foreign language, this may be a good fit for you.