Experiencing Over-the-Top Kindness

When I got the travel bug, I wanted to just pick up and go. But I had zero idea where to start, and was overwhelmed by all the options...it's a big world out there, after all! I didn't know the first thing about visas, or even where I wanted to travel. I knew I wanted to see tons of new places, but I also didn't want to just bop around aimlessly. I wanted some type of home-base...and I wanted to be able to say, "I LIVED in _____," not just, "I've been there."

CIEE held my hand through my entire journey of deciding where to go--they answered all of my bizarre hypothetical concerns with such tranquility and professionalism, that it made me feel like I could go anywhere and be happy. But they also helped me clarify what I wanted for myself.

Once I made the decision to teach for one semester in Thailand, CIEE guided me throughout the visa process...the resources they provided me were incredibly detailed without being overwhelming, and I've NEVER experienced such incredible customer service...they were always a phone call or quick email away, and always had an answer for me. They kept me sane throughout the whole process.

When I touched down in Thailand, orientation was the perfect way to meet the new people who later would become my close friends and travel buddies, explore Bangkok, and ready myself for the unpredictability of the classroom.

I was placed in a VERY small village three hours north of Chiang Mai. It has been the most incredible experience. I live with three other teachers--two Americans and one Canadian--on the school campus. We are the only foreigners in the village, so the entire population knows who we are and are quick to offer warm smiles and say, "Hello, Teacher!" whenever we're out and about.

We've been blown away by the hospitality and generosity our director, co-teachers, and fellow villagers have shown us. The first weekend we arrived, our director personally drove us (on a Saturday!) to the nearest supermarkets and superstores so we could get things for our house. Our co-teachers are fountains of knowledge about life in Thailand....they often offer to personally drive us to the bus station when we want to travel on the weekends, and are always giving us fresh fruit from their gardens!

Teaching abroad, I've discovered, is the PERFECT way to live in a country and travel. During the week, we kick back and relax in the village. I've been cranking through books, laughing the night away with the other English teachers, and watching so many sunsets over the mountains from our school soccer fields. And then on the weekends, we meet up with the other teachers we met at orientation throughout Thailand. It's great, because we're all getting to see each other's placements, and subsequently seeing all this wonderful country has to offer. It's the perfect hybrid of having a home-base, but also living the backpacker lifestyle.

I think the most heart-warming connection we've made is with a woman in our village, Mei. We eat at her restaurant every day...sometimes for lunch AND dinner (yep, her home cooking is that good). As we've gotten to know her (shoutout to Google Translate!), she's become like a mother to us. One night after eating dinner there (as usual), she took us along with her on her monthly grocery shopping trip. She bought us soft drinks, donuts - literally took us on an outing! She pointed out all the spices and sauces she uses to make her dishes, and now, when we come for dinner, she shows us how to make the dishes we order.

It's this type of unprovoked, over-the-top, unnecessary kindness we've received from Thai people that continually blows me away. I am so grateful to have landed here. My eyes have been opened to the fact that working a corporate 9-5 job is not the only option. I've discovered so many avenues for future travel, compensation, and education, and I intend to explore them all.

Most of all, this experience has made me want to pay it forward...to show anyone who walks into my life the same unprovoked, over-the-top kindness that the people in our village have shown us. I think our purpose on earth as human beings is to make our fellow man feel at home, and I've met so many people here who seem to know instinctively how to do just that.

I'm so grateful for this experience, and grateful to CIEE for leading me here!