Live and work in the tropical town of Ao Luk and teach English to children
Program Overview
Travel to the exquisite and idyllic Andaman region and experience white sand beaches and tropical jungle as you become immersed in the local culture. Contribute to helping the communities improve their future opportunities while living and working in a side of Thailand that so many tourists miss out on.
You will be teaching English in local schools so that children can develop their language skills in order to work towards better future education and work opportunities, while we aim to help the community overall to improve their quality of life through education and maintain their unique culture.
Life on the Program
The majority of your time, Monday through Friday, will be spent teaching English classes and assisting local teachers, playing games and leading educational activities that will improve the eager children’s conservational English.
Although rewarding, your days can be long and tiring as you keep up with the children’s energy and enthusiasm, but both the children and their families are extremely appreciative of all your hard work as you see the difference you can make first hand.
You can choose to live with a local Thai host family or at a GVI lodge with your fellow volunteers. Living with a host family will give you an unrivalled insight into the Thai culture and life as a local as you receive simple but delicious Thai meals. The GVI base has shared facilities with access to cold running water and other basic amenities.
Program Details
In the community where you will be teaching, there is very little exposure to native English speakers, making your presence all the more invaluable. Classrooms are often overcrowded and teachers need enthusiastic volunteers like you to ease their workload and give the children some extra attention.
You will also be required to practice English with the wider community, providing them with the language skills to be able to take advantage of the increase in tourism in the area.
Our goal is to help our local partner communities develop by providing the children with the necessary skills for improving their future opportunities, all while highlighting the importance in preserving and appreciating the fascinating culture.
Volunteer Testimonials
It is tremendous to see how excited the kids are to see us every time that we are at the school. I have learned a lot about teaching English for the past week and how to manage a Thai classroom. This has been my first teaching experience, other than tutoring, in which I have a lot to learn about techniques and skills to use. I have learned and improved on nonverbal commands and cues, since most of the students know very little English.
The trip changed my life for many reasons. I have actually returned to Ao Luk 3 times this year because I felt so connected to the area, the people and what GVI were doing. I learned to step out of my comfort zone and stand up in front of 30+ children and make chicken noises. While I have given presentations at work nothing compared to this. I was suprised at myself and realised that there was nothing to restrain me in this environment.
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Program Details
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What's Included
- Pre-departure support and discounted services
- 24-hour emergency phone
- Airport pick-up (unless otherwise stated)
- Arrival orientation
- Long term experienced staff
- Safe and basic accommodations (usually shared)
- All meals (unless otherwise stated in field manuals)
- Welcome meeting
- Location orientation
- All necessary project training by experienced staff
- All necessary project equipment and materials
- 24-hour in-country support
- Complete immersion in the local culture
- An optional home stay with a traditional Thai family
- Learning the basics of the Thai language
- Learning how to cook a number of tasty Thai dishes, including some regional favorites
What's Not Included
- Flights
- Medical and travel insurance
- Visa costs
- Personal kit
- Additional drinks and gratuities
- Extra local excursions
- International and domestic airport taxes
