The Draw of Isan

This program is located in Isan, the northwest area of Thailand. That turned out to be a wonderful part of Thailand, as its culture is still very much intact and not so much changed by Western influences as is the more southerly regions such as Bangkok. The culture is very welcoming, and as such, we were received and treated very well the entire time. To be invited to various local events and to be included in activities was the norm by our Thai hosts. The food is generally outstanding and always freshly prepared and there's always plenty of it as well. (Cheese and chocolate, however, are relatively rare.)

Many, but not all, volunteers are housed on campus alongside Thai teachers. That often means cold-water bucket showers and basic facilities but you end up living just as some of your fellow Thai teachers are. At my school (in a small village), the teaching aids were basic but sufficient; no overhead projectors, for example, but copiers/printers and alike were available. Internet access was sometimes problematic, which could be frustrating at times because I used it extensively to find materials to augment my lessons.

In my opinion, the WorldTeach home office had some serious problems with organization and communication and this weighed on my overall experience. On the other hand, they managed to find excellent staff to take on the in-country field director position.

For me, the bottom line is that the beauty and wonder of the culture outweighed the problems I experienced with the program itself. I heartily recommend experiencing the Isan culture; it was an amazing experience for me.