Teaching in Thailand

Name: Emma Marshall
School: English, Communication and Philosophy
Global Opportunity: Volunteering with VSA Thailand/WCIA, International Summer Programme

What motivated you to take up a Global Opportunity?
Participating in a global opportunity is an amazing way to gain confidence and to also develop crucial employability skills which you can apply to your future career. It is also a life-changing experience, both for yourself and for the community that you are volunteering with. You meet amazing people from around the world and come back with so much more awareness and knowledge of other cultures.

How has your placement been beneficial to your studies at Cardiff University or your future career?
My placement has been extremely beneficial to both my studies and my future career! It has helped me to be more open-minded and also given me the confidence to participate in more university activities. My placement involved teaching English at a local boarding school and I hope one day to be a qualified English teacher, so the placement was an amazing opportunity to put into practice the skills needed to be a teacher and it also taught me new strategies which I cannot wait to utilise one day in the future.

What were your top 3 highlights from your time abroad?

1. The people you meet: I went away not knowing any of my fellow volunteers, but by the end of the placement we had all become so close and built a really lovely relationship! You also meet incredible people who live/work in the county you visit. They are so grateful for the support you provide and it is so rewarding to see how you have made such an impact to them in such a short amount of time.
2. Getting out of your comfort zone: Volunteering abroad provided me with experiences that I never thought I would be able to do. Even the little things such as trying new foods or trying to learn the local language. You also get given the chance to participate in amazing activities! I was lucky enough to zip-line through Samui Jungle (never thought I would be able to do that!) and go snorkelling to see amazing the amazing marine life which we don’t have in this country.
3. The impact you make on the community: Even though I was only volunteering for four weeks, by the end of my placement, I had built such an amazing relationship with the students and teachers. It was really difficult to say goodbye. The students were so grateful for us being there and it was incredible to see how much confidence they had gained in such a short amount of time. Most students were very shy at first but it was amazing to see their personal confidence and personalities come out over time.

What was your biggest challenge? How did you overcome it?
Personally, the biggest challenge I faced was adjusting to the geographical location and cultural differences. No matter how much mosquito repellent I applied, I would still be covered in bites at the end of every day! The best way to try and overcome this is to keep insect repellent with you at all times and try to cover up as much as possible (especially at night time!).

It also took me a while to get used to local customs and traditions. For instance, in Thailand, it is polite to bow to someone who has a higher ‘authority’ than you. Although it was difficult to pick up at first, I soon understood the mannerisms of the Thai culture. The best way to learn this is simply to be respectful and ask questions. The Thai staff were more than happy to teach us and help us to develop our understanding of their way of life. Just be polite and try your best.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you left?
I wish I knew how fast the time would go – my placement felt like it was over so quickly and I wish I could have stayed longer! Make sure you make the most of every opportunity given and use your time wisely. Don’t be afraid to try something new – you don’t want to return having regrets or thinking that you could have done something different. Be open-minded and put 110% into everything that you do.

What would you say to a student that was unsure about spending a period abroad?
Although it seems so daunting at first, remember that everyone else who is thinking about volunteering probably feels the exact same way! Most of the worries that you have can probably be eased by talking to people either who are going with you, or are thinking of volunteering too. Try not to let any of the practical things stop you from spending time abroad, such as long flight times or nerves about missing home. Once you’re out there, it will be the best experience of your life! In most cases, you will probably be able to speak to family and friends at home every day. And when you come back, you will be able to tell them all in person about the life-changing experience you would have had.

What are 3 things to do in your host destination? In Thailand, you can:
(1) climb the sticky waterfalls in Chiang Mai

(2) zip-line through Samui jungle

(3) go snorkelling with amazing marine life in Koh-Tao!

Share your top tips for thriving in your programme destination:
1. Download ‘Grab’! It is essentially ‘Uber’ but in Asia. And it is so, so cheap! Amazing way to get around places as opposed to using other public transportation. I recommend being brave and trying a ‘grab bike’ at least once – it’s so much fun!

2. TikTok is an amazing resource for finding amazing (and cost efficient) restaurants, hotels, etc! It was also really good at recommending activities to do.

3. Don’t be afraid to barter prices for certain things, such as clothes or food from a market. It is common for people to try and overcharge you, so make sure you do your research and have an idea of what is an acceptable amount to pay for certain things.

Please sum up your experience abroad in one sentence:
A life-changing experience that allowed me to meet amazing people from around the world and will forever be grateful for!