Thailand Summer Program | Pacific Discovery

Why did you pick this program?

Ethan: I had only been on one real international trip before (besides a brief stint in Montreal), so I wasn't particularly comfortable going abroad independently. I decided to take an organized trip, but because I was doing that, I wanted to go somewhere that was totally off my radar (i.e. outside of the OECD/Europe). This trip seemed to have a really positive spirit and variety of activities compared to many others.

What do you wish someone had told you before you went abroad?

Ethan: Don't try too hard to be moved. I think a lot of people (myself included, although I learned quickly) go into a trip already having planned to be "moved" or "inspired" by the things they see. Those who do this tend to do things like use the word "they" to make sweeping generalizations about all people in a country in order to force a learned lesson into a photo posted on Facebook. Instead, enjoy yourself and let things come to you. If you try too hard to learn lessons that aren't really there, you may end up looking like a bit of a fool later when it turns out it was based on a misunderstanding.

Tell us about an experience you had that you could not have had at home.

Ethan: One of the activity highlights of the trip was spending a week at Elephant Nature Park in the Chiang Mai region. This converted me from someone with only passive interest in animal rights to a passionate supporter. For lack of a better term, getting to watch the elephants for a week continuously really humanized them, bringing the gap between humans and other animals much closer in my head.

This opportunity, which was definitely unique to Thailand, has since lead to my becoming a vegetarian, as well as pushing my school to cut elephant riding from its study abroad programs in India and Southeast Asia.

What was the hardest part about going abroad?

Ethan: The only difficult thing about going abroad is managing relationships with people with whom one is traveling. It can be very difficult to find a group of people who share the same interests and desires surrounding travel, so when selecting a program or even just personal friends to travel with, make sure that they share your values and interests.

What made this experience unique and special?

Ethan: As mentioned before, this trip really fundamentally changed the direction of my life. I learned to be much more culturally aware and careful about making assumptions, and to impose my norms and assumptions as little as possible. More importantly, it allowed me to begin to pursue the opportunity to live abroad and in ways less traditional than office jobs, as this trip gave me the confidence to travel anywhere in the world independently and pursue my desires.

What position do you hold at Pacific Discovery? What has been your career path so far?

I am a Program Leader and Photographer for Pacific Discovery. I currently lead our programs in Southeast Asia, Nepal, Tibet and India. Since I first came to Asia in 2008, I've combined my love of photography and travel by leading adventure and photo trips to high school and college students. I found that teaching about cultural and social issues was extremely rewarding; I was immediately blown away by how many of my students would leave the program and become so involved in their communities and raise awareness of issues they'd learned about on their program. In my free time, I've also photography issues of social justice and human rights in rural areas of Burma, Thailand and Lao.

What is your favorite gap year abroad memory?

A few years ago, I was with a group in a small rural village outside of Nong Kiaow, Laos. We ended up having a pig roast with the entire village. We sat in a small house lit by candlelight, ate together and swapped stories. As the night went on, some of the villagers brought out a big radio and we had a huge dance party under a full moon. Our students even got some of the older villagers to dance with them; It was such an amazing moment!

What does the future hold for Pacific Discovery - any exciting new programs to share?

We have just announced our new India Summer Program that has a photography focus. We will be combining aspects of our traditional program, such as experiential education, cultural immersion and outdoor exploration but I will also be teaching a photography course throughout the 4 weeks. Students will have photography assignments, critiques and even have our own exhibition at the end of the program.

My aim is to teach our students how photography can be a tool for communication, not just for your viewers, but also for the individuals you're shooting.

We've also chosen some of the most profoundly beautiful areas of the country, both geographically and culturally, to run the trip. We're hoping this will be the first of many photography trips for Pacific Discovery!

What unique qualities does your company possess?

I feel that I've learned an immense amount about leadership in the time that I've been an employee at Pacific Discovery. I believe our team, in the office and on the road, are great at communicating effectively. We have great relationships with our vendors, staff abroad and local guides. I have a huge amount of respect for our support team in Nelson, New Zealand. They are really supportive and always there to chat when we have an issue arise and we need some advice or suggestions. The feedback we get on how to handle difficult situations is incredibly professional and always helpful.