Friends for Asia

Program Reviews

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Juliette
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I think you’ll love this opportunity!

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What would you improve about this program?
The hardest part was definitely maintaining order and controlling the children. A volunteer would be better set for success if they had really solid lesson plans and activities for the kids.
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Ranbir
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Remarkable Opportunity

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Paul
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching Monks Chiang Mai

This was a moment in my life I can safely say I will remember for a long time. Friends for Asia took care of me from my arrival at Chiang Mai Airport where I was met to my Taxi ride back to the airport for my return home. They took the time to prepare me for my time in Thailand and my time teaching. The young Monks were a joy to be with and laughed with me as we journeyed through the day. The teaching staff took great care of me and included me as much as could be expected.The days were long as there were lesson plans to be prepared most evenings. At the end of week 2, it was a lot easier and I was able to mix up the plans for different classes. Friends for Asia is a great platform to travel and immerse yourself in a different culture. I meet some great people both Volunteers and Locals.My favourite thing was the laughter in the classroom.

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Beth
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thank You is Not Enough

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Thanyamai
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Worthwhile Experience

I did the Medical Internship programme for three weeks last summer in Chiang Mai. Seeing that I have done medical internship programmes before, I can say that this was different in the way that we got to fully engage with the various hospitals we were assigned to, and allowed for the experience to be invaluable. I learnt so many things, and the kindness and support of the staff bolstered the positive experience even more. The accommodation was also lovely, and the food for breakfast provided was plentiful. It is so easy to get around the town, and we got to go on some amazing weekend trips, such as to the Elephant Camps and the Sticky Waterfall. I kept a daily log of what I did and saw everyday, and still refer to it now during University (as some things overlap!). It was a positive experience overall.

Patrycja
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Teaching Monks in Chiang Mai

This was one of the best experiences in my life. I am so grateful for this opportunity. It not only gave me a chance to share my passion for teaching and helping people but also taught me so much about Thai culture, tradition, Buddhism and fun everyday things. The Education system in Thailand is a bit different than what I am used to so it also helped me to think outside of the box and go out of my comfort zone. I’ve had experience in ESL teaching but this was nothing like I had experienced before. It depends on you how much you will take and learn from that experience. If you put your heart and passion into it and if you are willing to learn from Thais and monks you will come back home a different person. They culture is very welcoming and they are always interested in learning about your culture and your life. Be open minded and enjoy what the Land of Smiles has to offer. Apart from teaching Monks and learning about theirs lives and culture you will have a chance to experience beautiful events ,festivals, architecture and food of Chiang Mai. It was an amazing trip. Very fulfilling I am very grateful for this experience!

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Taiysa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Professional and Rewarding Programs

Friends for Asia is a very supportive, professional and rewarding volunteer organization. They have the best orientation program I have experienced with a volunteer group before. They have support at all times for you. Their guest houses are clean comfortable and let you get to know the other volunteers. The have a lot of professional relationships with the community groups to give you a very meaningful and rewarding volunteer experience.

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Brandon
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Medical Intern in Chiang Mai

This internship was amazing. Before coming to Thailand I suffered from constant panic attacks that made it difficult to leave the house let alone the country. The staff welcomed the volunteers warmly and created a fun and safe environment. I made a lot of great friends in the FFA house and witnessed over 40 surgeries in the 3 week program. This experience changed my life and I'm so grateful for the opportunity.

What would you improve about this program?
If there was a bit more structure for the medical interns.
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glazier_25
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Loved My Experience

I spent 6 weeks with FFA teaching English at an international university for monks. I could not have been more pleased with both the FFA staff, and the project itself. Amazing life changing experience!

What would you improve about this program?
Wouldn't change a thing.
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nyctocnx
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Well Beyond Expectations

I recently completed three months of volunteering with ARI. My experience with this program and all the people who I interacted with along the way- staff, community members, and workshop participants- has been truly life-changing. I could not recommend CCT/ARI more to anyone considering volunteering in Thailand or in general. We all came here for different reasons and we all found new ones that continued to fuel us along the way. The diversity in volunteer backgrounds and aspirations is what makes this organization what it is and what has made my experience as complete and enriching as it was.
Without doubt I will miss attending workshops everyday but this experience will always be a part of me and I know that CCT/ARI will only continue to move forward as they acquire new volunteers and connections within the community. If you are thinking about this program, stop thinking and go for it! If you do need to talk to someone more extensively about it, both Emma and Wad (Assistant Director and Executive Director respectively) are amazingly helpful and responsive to e-mail, so ask questions if you have them!

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