Volunteer Stories  |  Klara

Making the decision to volunteer during my gap year was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It gave the perfect opportunity to explore a different culture and meet people you wouldn’t meet if you didn’t live as a part of the community.

When I decided to volunteer I knew I wanted to have more then one placement and this was not a problem and was encouraged by Travel to Teach as you get to experience different areas. I started in Nongkhai which is a wonderful small town in the north of Thailand right on the Mekong. I immediately felt like I was at home and easily fell in to the way of life with the other volunteers. Many are still good friends a year later and it’s fun to know I will have friends to stay with from all over the world should I want to visit them.

Since I had just finished high school I didn’t have any experience of teaching and the first few days at school were a bit scary but it wasn’t long before it felt natural. Everyone at school was very welcoming and the kids were enthusiastic. We came up with loads of different games and activities related to learning English to play with them and they loved it. Sometimes it was a case of trial and error, but it was always good fun.

My other placements were in Chiang Mai and Laos. I am very glad I got to spend time in all of these places. They all have their own charm. In Chiang Mai there was so much to do. We went trekking and visited lots of temples. There are nightclubs, muay thai kick-boxing and plenty to explore. I preferred the lifestyle in Nongkhai and in Laos to Chiang Mai, both were laid back and I got to know the people and the way of life better. But seeing the contrast between a large city and rural life was great.

In Laos I stayed in a village just outside of the main town and the local people I met there were and still are the best people I have ever met. Laos isn’t as developed as Thailand but the people are truly amazing. I had voluntary evening classes with teenagers and grown-ups and they truly wanted to learn and became good friends. They invited me to their homes and took me for outings into the mountains. There is so much one can tell about but everyone volunteering had their own great experiences and the best thing is to just do it! You won’t regret it and will always have fantastic memories.

It has now been a year since I started my volunteering with Travel to Teach and I am back in South-East Asia traveling. Now I can’t even imagine how differently I would look at the world if I hadn’t been given the chance to volunteer. Everyone should do it at some point in their life.