A trip worth remembering

I traveled with ISV to Thailand during the summer of 2011 with 11 other college-age students from around the country. This was the first time I had been involved with a group outside of my community or school, and I would say it was definitely worth it.

I met other ISV participants at the LAX airport where we all wore our distinct t-shirts and waited in anticipation for the long flight ahead. As each group split into smaller flights, I got to know individual participants that I would be spending the next two weeks with. Three guys and nine girls from places like California, Washington, Texas, and Canada. We met our group leader at the Bangkok airport, and she immediately welcomed us and helped is feel comfortable. This would be a fun group.

We stayed at the Makhampom Theater Foundation in Chiang Dao. This organization partners with local schools to provide workshops and activities using books, puppetry, music, and theater. As a group, we got to prepare a day's worth of material to teach kids English, perform a skit about conserving the environment, and use recycled materials to create puppets and toys. We went to three different elementary schools, and my favorite part was the excited welcome we received from each of the young students. Although we couldn't communicate well through words, we chased each other across the playground, played hand games, and gave each other hugs and warm goodbyes at the end of the day. The kids loved having us there, and I learned so much from their instant love and desire to learn.

When we weren't teaching at a school, we spent our days biking to various sites. We rode past rice fields to temples, caves, hot springs, and a river where we went bamboo rafting. This trip was not without its adventures. We spent a day in Bangkok exploring the market and buying gifts for friends and family back home.

One of the best parts of traveling to a foreign country is the food. Every meal was rice based, and the dishes included a delicious variety of vegetables, meats, and spices. Breakfast always included yummy sweet foods such as dragon fruit, purple rice wrapped in a banana leaf, and pineapple. It was hard to return home without the native Thai fruits.

Yes, this trip was worth it. It was only two weeks long, but it stuck with me for life. I discovered lots about myself. I associated with people with many different beliefs and backgrounds, and we all accepted each other completely. I would recommend a volunteer trip to anyone, because you will get an important glimpse of a world beyond your own.