GIVE Volunteers

Why did you choose this program?

I found GIVE Volunteers through my university and was so excited to see they had Thailand trips because my grandmother was from Thailand. I decided to choose Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand: Environmental Conservation, Education & Elephant Trekking for the diverse experience of Thai culture and meaningful efforts for conservation. In other words, I saw this trip as the best opportunity to give back to my heritage and to the country my grandmother loved so much.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

GIVE Volunteers was very helpful with assisting me in planning my trip! After I discovered GIVE at my university, I attended an in-person information session explaining the mission and purpose of the non-profit organization. The GIVE ambassadors taught me how to fundraise in order for me to pay for the trip, encouraging me to set up a GoFundMe that I then shared with friends and family. Once my payments were all set they helped me pick flights through my preferred airline and created a travel itinerary for me. Throughout the planning experience, their program coordinators are very responsive through both phone and email and are always incredibly helpful with any questions!

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

This will be one of the most valuable and meaningful experiences of your life. Go into your trip with an open mind and a giving heart to truly soak it all in. And to truly immerse yourself in the experience, set the intention to unplug from social media. You can always update others after you return home!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Each daily agenda is different, but once you arrive at the main accommodation in Mueang Khong for 8 nights, most days will start with either Thai boxing or yoga (your choice), followed my breakfast, teaching English at the local school, lunch, working on the permaculture plot, free time to bond with other volunteers, discussion time, dinner, and a session of "good vibes" to celebrate the day. And throughout the week there is always fun field trips and cultural activities to mix it up!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

As someone who takes a while to trust new people, my biggest fear was connecting with the other volunteers I would be spending 14 days with. The night before the trip I had a moment to set my intentions—this can look like a prayer if you're religious, or simply a positive message to put out in the universe. I intended to go into the trip with an open heart, with the hopes of making new friends and having a fun time. What I didn't know then was that I was about to meet a group of the most amazing, kindhearted people. By the end of the trip, we all agreed we had never clicked with people this quickly or this deeply before. When people from around the world come to this beautiful place with this meaningful purpose of giving, you're bound to find a deep connection.

How did your experience extend beyond the trip dates?

Since I have returned home from Thailand, I have been able to permanently document experience through my photography and through my writing. After taking only a few photos in Thailand, I was able to come home to upload, and share my art with my family and friends. Two months after the trip ended, I finished writing a photo essay about my experience connecting with my heritage through giving back. I have now published the essay to my online portfolio and shared it with everyone who donated to the GoFundMe that helped fund my travel expenses. And since the last day of the trip, my volunteer group chat has continued with a series of updates, loving messages, and funny videos. We all intend to stay connected to each other and to GIVE, despite us all living in different parts of the world.

There was a time in my life when I wanted to see the world and thought I only had a short amount of time to see it all. I was more concerned about how many stamps I collected in my passport rather than the quality of the time I spent in each place. It was not until I had my first experience in SE Asia with GIVE that I realized I had been doing it all wrong.

We spent 2 weeks living and working within the region, Muang Khong. This experience lifted the superficial veil of travel and allowed me to become part of a community rather than a tourist passing through. We shared meals with the locals, learned from them, and became completely encompassed by the culture. By the end of this experience, we felt like we were part of the family.

I'll never forget trekking through the jungle following in the footsteps of a mahout named Eddy. We spent 2 hours tracking semi-wild elephants. As we passed through lush vegetation, Eddy was telling me about his family, his experiences growing up in the jungle and the special connection he shares with his elephant. Reminiscing on standing face to face with my favorite animal and I still remember my conversation with Eddy above it all. Memories are deeply encoded when you share an emotional connection with that place or the people within it. That is what GIVE provides when you travel, a connection to yourself, others, and this planet, unlike anything you have ever felt before.

Before joining GIVE, I had never truly made the connection that my actions could have an impact. I cared about social issues but lacked guidance and direction. GIVE mobilized that deeper desire within me to be a part of something that was bigger than myself.

I've learned that small choices lead to larger lifestyle changes and one of the best ways to make others more cognizant of their actions is to lead by example. I'm thankful to work for a company that builds up its employees and genuinely cares about the legacy they are leaving behind.