Volunteering in Thailand

by karol and Sam Epstein
(Vancouver British Columbia,Canada)

My husband and I decided to have an experience in another part of the world before embarking on a move to Vancouver British Columbia from Montreral,Quebec.

The reason for this move is to spend our retirement years with our beloved children and grandchildren who all live out west.

As a recommendation from our daughter, Elana, we decided to search the web sites for some volunteer experiences away.WE came up with an organization called Friends for Asia which appealed to us.

After many emails and telephone conversations with the director, Todd, we decided to venture on and spent 6 fabulous weeks in Chaing Mai, Thailand.

My husband and i chose different projects and spent 4 weeks doing our own thing.

He decided to work on a Beautification Project in the city. He spent the days, traveling 25 minutes by bicycle,at a large city pakk. There he worked with several Thai workers who spoke no English, He worked in the flower beds and helped clean up the parks shrubbery and grass.

His experience was gratifying as he tried so hard to communicate with the men who did not speak a word of English and took long breaks between jobs.They had a lunch break for 1 1/2 hours and stopped work at 3;00. So the day was not too long and very physical.He loved it. The day began at 8:00 and ended by 3:00.

I on the other hand began my day at 9;00 after a 25 minute bus or Sangtaw as they are called in Thailand.

I worked at a woman's shelter with unwed mothers and their children.

This was a most challenging and heartful experience.The difficulty was the language ,and trying to understand what the children, ages birth to 8 years of age were trying to tell me.I spent the morning in the Day Care as the Mothers were doing their chores around the shelter. The
challenge for me was to use my imagination as best I could to entertain the varied ages with what little equipment there was at my disposal, Being a missionary project there was limited funds to provide the nursery with the proper toys, books and games for these tots.

They were delightful,however and despite the language barrier I had a wonderful time playing, singing and dancing with them. They certainly touched my heart and made it very difficult to leave them at the end of my 4 weeks with them.These were very disturbed children as they were being brought up by mothers who had to leave their village homes in the mountains as they brought shame to their families and had to leave home. Some never return to their families and have to fend for themselves in this difficult world.

In the afternoons I spent teaching the staff ,who were living in the shelter and holding down jobs as well. I taught them English along with the mothers of the children. This was lots of fun as I began teaching them a language which was so foreign to them with different alphabets and vocabulary.I played word games and taught them songs which helped make the chore more fun. They touched my heart as we sang together at the end of each class.

I was asked to cook an American meal for them and when I decided one day to make a Thai recipe that I had learnt in a Thai cooking course, the women were not happy. They preferred my Pasta Primivare.!!!!

I left at 4:00 each day hot from the high temperature, but feeling invigorated and happy to be able to bring such smiles and laughter to a group of children and their Mothers.

My wish is to be able to return some day to perhaps spend more time at the shelter.
The experience my husband and I had was one of

the most fulfilling and worthwhile experience we have had in our lives and we feel very privileged to have taken the time out to learn another culture so different from ours, and to share our life experiences with others.

Thai people are always smiling and in spite of all they might be missing in their lives, they want nothing and appreciate all they do have, family being the best.

If anyone reading this wants a most memorable experience in a country that is not only beautiful with the most delicious food and wonderful people then they should consider doing what my husband and I have done this past fall.

Good Luck and Happy Volunteering!!!!!