Volunteering in Thailand – Explore and Contribute

Hello. My name is Taylor and I am a nursing student in Hays, Kansas. I had the opportunity volunteer in Thailand at the Learn, Volunteer and Travel project this past January.

My experience with GoEco was amazing. I spent a week with about 10 other volunteers. We painted, tiled floors, constructed a garden and improved the overall quality of the school. While it was hard work, everyone around you is encouraging, committed and excited to be volunteering. The coordinators are very easy going, they recognize the hard work the volunteers are putting into the GoEco program. It isn’t a problem if you need to take a break, which is often times simply playing with the children or relaxing in the shade.

Some jobs are harder than others, but there are a ton of jobs focused on just picking up minor things or painting cartoons on the wall to brighten up the school. During my week, a bunch of us painted Nemo, Crush and other characters from the Disney movie. The program coordinators provide a fun and nurturing environment for work and play. It was great to meet other adults my age and learn about their lives all over the world. I met so many people during my GoEco experience and gained so many new friends.

The accommodations provided are safe, comfortable and encourage social interaction between all of the program volunteers staying on campus.

Throughout the week, our coordinators provided several opportunities to explore and see Sing Buri. On Wednesday we went to huge swimming pool after finishing up at the school that day. The pool was a perfect way to cool off in the hot sun, we played pool volleyball and took naps in the pools lawn chairs. I think we bought almost half of the ice cream from the pool office. A different night our coordinators took us to the local market. We had about an hour or so to explore and buy whatever we wished. A lot of us ate dinner at the market, sampling whatever caught our eye, it was fun to experience authentic Thai food.

Our organized activities were a great way to relax and have fun with everyone in the program but my favorite memories were at the school, playing with the kids at the end of each day, or handing out ice cream after lunch. On our last day, our coordinators purchased water balloons and we surprised the children with a water balloon fight. It soon turned into a two-hour water fight, chasing each other around the playground with water bottles and buckets. I cannot wait to not only return for more volunteering in Thailand, but to explore other opportunities provided by GoEco.