AFS Year High School Abroad in Thailand

Thai schools are the center of life for Thai youth, and their social lives revolve around school. Movies and television are the most popular forms of leisure entertainment for young people. Soccer, table tennis, badminton, and volleyball are the favorite sports. The school you attend and the courses you take will depend on your age and interests as well your host city. Thai schools offer a wide variety of opportunities in addition to academic courses, including cultural subjects such as Thai language, dancing, sword fighting, music, cooking, arts, history, Buddhism and meditation.

Gap semester community service: A semester in Thailand gives you a truly unique opportunity to experience an amazing country and culture. Live with a host family and spend your days volunteering in the local community. Work placements include volunteering with orphans, the elderly, children with disabilities, people with AIDS, and many more. Thai food is some of the world’s tastiest cuisine. You will likely eat a lot of rice, paired with curries, fish and vegetables. Spicy pepper and peanut sauces are quite common, and fresh fruit is available year-round. Most Thai families share the evening meal together. Many host families in Thailand can accommodate vegetarians so this is a good destination if you have dietary restrictions. Spend your semester working alongside local community members in Thailand. Potential projects include working in a hospital or health clinic, a zoo, a school teaching about social and health issues, centers or homes working with the blind or those with developmental disabilities, working for an HIV or AIDS prevention program, women and children support centers, or doing marine habitat research. For those participants in teaching areas Thailand will offer a second placement/work site during school vacation periods.