Through the Peace Village Volunteer Work

2017 2/13～2/25 NICE/07-011 Kana Takahashi

*The reasons

 There were three reasons, I decided to participate in this volunteer work.

First, I am interested in volunteer work and I want to know what I can do in the different country. I am member of the Girlscouts and I have experienced many kinds of volunteer work in Japan. For example,  fund-raising activities, helping a traditional festival and also a farmer, cleaning neighborhood and a visit to homes for the aged. Though, I have not experienced the volunteer work in the different country and these kinds of work which have something to do with education.

Second, I like children very much. I like to play with children and teach something , so I wanted to join this educational volunteer work.

Third, I had a class about the national volunteer work in my university and I wanted to go abroad to do volunteer work, but some of volunteer work in Japan, the other only Thailand. So I decided to go to this camp.

There are why I decided to participate in this volunteer work.

*Feelings

I have a really good time in Thailand. I think this camp was so exciting and fantastic for me, because I could make many friends who live in different country, communicated with foreigner, played with children of elementary school in Thai, taught English for the children, did some activities with the children , and so on. These experiences were so valuable. I was really glad to meet participants, students and leader of this camp. I want to go to Thailand again and meet everyone.

*What I learned and got

Through this camp, I learned a lot of things and these were precious experience for me.

At first, I learned many ideas of foreigners. We have different culture and environment, so I can learn the different point of view.

Then, I learned the Thai cultures, behavior and also the Thai language a little. For example, the Thai children express their respect for their teacher, they say pee before the teachers name. The Thai people have three ways of greeting’s hand gestures to express their respect for senior people. Hands together is the same thing, but which part of their body or face touching their thumb is different. The part is jaw, mouth or nose. I am so glad to know these things.

Next, I got some skills.

First, I got cooperation skill. There were twelve people in this camp. We were cooperated with each other to make many games for the children and solved our problem, so I think I could get cooperation skill.

Second, I got communication skills. I could say my opinion or ideas in English at this camp. Before this camp, I couldn’t say them in English, but this camp had a lot of meeting, so my English and communication skills were polished up!

The last is listening English skill. We had to talk in English. Everyone knows native language, but apart from that only English language, so I had opportunity to listen English many times. This was really good time to grow up my listening to English skill.

Through this camp, I want to join other national volunteer work strongly and meet everyone again!! Thank you.

Kana Takahashi