Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand: Environmental Conservation, Education & Elephant Trekking

This summer I had the chance to go on the Thailand experience with GIVE and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I learned many things about Thai culture, Karen culture, other people from different parts of the US, and myself. Between teaching children English in the village of Mueang Khong to doing permaculture at different locations to visiting the tribe villages of Ba Kao Lam and Pong Ngen, I was able to grow so much as an individual and see other people grow. I was able to get really close to my fellow volunteers, but also my amazing guides. Each of the local guides brought something special to the trip and taught me many new things. They were very open and willing to share their culture with us and learn about ours in turn. Everyone in my group bonded together and created a family; each and every one of them made a difference in my life and made me a slightly better person. Thanks to GIVE for having these opportunities to travel and visit local places to immerse ourselves in new cultures.

This trip is an amazing experience you definitely need to have. You learn new things every step of the way and the guides are so much fun and amazing people to meet and know. Your heart will be left with the kids in the villages, your knowledge of permaculture will be expanded, your view of the world will be opened and you won’t ever forget this trip and experience. It might be scary to go all the way across the world, especially if you do it by yourself but take the adventure learn something new about the world and yourself. Give trips are definitely the way to travel!

Going on a give trip was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made!! Between the connections I made and the amazing experiences that I get to take home with me. This trip is so diverse. One minute you will be teaching students in local schools and the next you will be in a remote village learning dances and embracing the beautiful culture Thailand has to offer. You also get to trek with an Elephant which is super cool… I truly can say I’ll never forget this experience and plane on going on many more give trips!!! TRAVEL WITH GIVE!!!💚

This trip is truly an amazing experience, I never thought I would learn so much from all the guides and they always make sure to keep us safe and having fun. I have created a community here that I will never forget and these people have pushed me to grow and pushed me out of my comfort zone in many ways. I can't wait to come back to visit the guides, all the beautiful people and places I met throughout this trip, and my fellow volunteers who have grown to be my family. I just want to keep doing the trip over and over again. I'm gonna miss it.

Traveling with GIVE was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Being welcomed into the communities in Thailand and having the opportunity to truly immerse myself in their culture was an experience I’ll never forget. The connections I made—both with the locals and fellow volunteers—were genuine and meaningful. Working on projects that directly benefit the community gave me a real sense of purpose and showed me just how much of an impact you can have, even in a short amount of time. It was inspiring, humbling, and incredibly fulfilling. I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.

This was an inspiring, unforgettable, and life changing experience. I had so many amazing experiences with the guides, the locals, and my fellow volunteers that I will treasure for a lifetime. I went to Thailand expecting to meet fun people and go on cool excursions, like caving and elephant trekking, but I left with so much more than that. I was given the opportunity to live among locals and experience their culture in a way that I had never imagined. I learned that where many Americans think people live difficult and unhappy lives, people are actually much happier and able to support themselves just using the world around them and living sustainably. This trip did contain hard parts, like farming and building a greenhouse, and enduring difficult weather conditions like extreme heat and rain, so if you are not up for it, it might not be the best fit. However, if you are willing to look past few inconveniences, it is worth it to watch the communities you visit benefit from your hard work and use these experiences to improve your own life. I would 100% recommend it to anyone searching for an incredible experience.

Wow this trip changed my life! From the amazing people that I met, the beautiful towns and villages we visited, the delicious food, and to the connection forged between mind, body, soul, and nature; Thailand made me feel alive again. Days were filled with laughter, learning, and exploring. The itinerary is perfectly balanced between volunteering and going on adventures. I didn't think that I was going to be very good at teaching English, but our guides Chelsea and Hailey gave us all the resources we needed to be successful! Spending time with the students was one of my favorite parts. I also loved getting to connect with and learn about the nature around us. P'Krit and P'Daves' expertise in plants and permaculture was astounding. I would do this trip over and over if I had the chance!!

I adored my trip to Thailand in the winter of 24-25. The volunteers that I went with were some of the most hilarious, intelligent, and kindhearted people ever, who I will never forget and most definitely stay friends with for a long time. The guides were equally amazing and I will miss them for as long as it takes for me to make it back to Thailand someday! I was able to learn so much about myself, Thai culture, and the Thai natives on my trip that I will never forget. I had so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences on this trip including getting to spend a day with an elephant and getting to feed it, going bungee jumping, and having access to small close-knit communities in northern Thailand that I otherwise may never have gotten the chance to go to without the amazing local guides. More importantly, however, I got to form close relationships with the kids that we taught and get real experience in the classroom while learning how much of a relationship you can build with someone without necessarily even speaking the same language. It was challenging and exciting and I desperately wish I could go back and see those kids again now that I’m home. GIVE taught me a lot about sustainable tourism and the importance of behaving as a respectful guest in a foreign country. Rather than walk all over someone else’s culture and take advantage of it, GIVE taught me the importance of learning the culture and respecting it through dressing culturally appropriately, attempting to learn some of the language and customs, and entering the country with an open mind and a non-judgemental attitude. I am counting down the seconds until I can be fortunate enough to go on another GIVE trip!