Travel to Teach Competitions

The first ever T2T Photo Contest kicked off in January 2011 and ran until May 2011. We were thrilled with the amount of entries and we will be launching another competition shortly – just watch this space!

Please take a look below to see more about prize winners...

My volunteer experience with Travel to Teach started in March 2011. I volunteered as an English teacher in Ubud, Bali. As the children had never seen snow before I brought some fake snow powder from Germany that turnes into snow as soon as water is added. Asking the children whether snow was warm or cold I could hear some of them shouting: "waaaarm!!". So it was time to show them. 35 degrees outside, letting small snow flakes drop on their tables seeing hands everywhere I realized how less it takes to make someone happy. I caught the expressions on their faces on a picture with which I participated on the Travel to Teach photo competition this year.

Thanks to the votes of all of you I won an amazing volunteer experience in Northern Thailand. Located in Chiang Mai I could find myself in a beautiful city where I had the opportunity to experience thai culture quite far away from masstourism. The volunteer's house is in a rural area and my way to school led through beautiful rice fields and small villages. You could easily go by bike as it wasn't far away and there wasn't much traffic around. My school was very small, the children gorgeous. Visiting a monk's temple where we could also teach was another interesting part to experience. Our coordinator, Jim, an open hearted, extremely humorous person did not only introduce me into teaching but also in experiencing culture, nightlife and good food.

All in all I can say that I had an awesome time with Travel to Teach. I met people from all over the world and some of them became really good friends for me. Volunteering in a foreign country is a huge enrichement as it offers not only cultural experience, but also personal growth and a different view of life. So if you're thinking about volunteering, there's only one answer: Don't miss the chance and DO it! :)

Denise Zielbauer, Runner Up Summer 2011

Dear Friends,

Let me begin by expressing my utmost gratitude to the Travel-to-Teach family and to all those who participated in the voting process. I am truly privileged to have participated among such talented artists and their inspiring stories.

I am glad to see that most of you have met Mercy. What did you see when you looked into her eyes? You might have noticed a person in their reflection. That person is me. I met Mercy last summer when I visited Gulu, a city in Northern Uganda. During my travels, I was privileged to learn about the remarkable community based and humanitarian projects in Gulu. I was so inspired by this experience that I knew I had to take action.

Back home, I created my first photography exhibit and showcased this shot. It turns out that people were just as captivated by Mercy’s look as I was. With the help of my peers, I was able to raise thousands of dollars to support healthcare initiatives in Gulu.

I am so excited to participate in the Travel-to-Teach program because I am passionate about doing just that; promoting global citizenship to ensure that the world is a better place for children like Mercy.

Taking that photo of Mercy one year ago, I never would have dreamed of being where I am today. I would love to pack my bags and leave to South-East Asia to begin my experience, but unfortunately, I need to post-pone my adventures for one year. I was just accepted to Medical school, and the Dean would not take kindly to a request for a 6-week leave in the middle of the semester!

I look forward to next summer’s journey.

With many thanks,

Arielle