Media Centre for Volunteer in Ghana

Gillian Barnett

Today someone asked me why I chose to join the GVI expedition in Thailand granted that I have no ambition to pursue a career in ESL teaching. It is true that TEFL training is a central aspect of life here on base but the skills one acquires during a hands-on TEFL course like this one are certainly transferable to many walks of life. These skills include the ability to plan a cohesive lesson or presentation, creative thinking, public speaking and critical self-reflection.

Of course GVI Thailand is so much more than just a TEFL course. I came here hoping to experience the “real” Thailand and I have not been disappointed. Ao Luk is a small community in which GVI is well established and respected. Everyone in town is as eager to say “Hello” to me as I am to say “Sawadee Ka” to them! Every other day we take Thai language lessons, which give us a deeper appreciation for our students efforts to learn English. Every night we eat Thai cuisine prepared by a local resident. Our students go out of their way to make us feel at home here – one of them even invited us to her wedding feast.

Though GVI is not a beach vacation, the side trips are remarkable and mostly off the beaten path. We went swimming in the beautiful national park next to the expedition base and kayaking through caves along the Andaman sea. Last weekend we visited Khao Lak, a beautiful beach town that was greatly affected by the tsunami. This weekend we hiked up to a beautiful temple that was literally “in the sky” before traveling to the beach for our day off. Okay, so maybe there are a few beaches after all!