The Orphanage and working in Peace Village

Thailand is a great country and when I arrived to the Peace Village, I travelled alone from Bangkok to Hat Yai. It was my first time to travel alone and I was surprised, that it was working so well. All the Thai people wanted to help me so I got never lost. In Peace Village were the other volunteers and members from VSA. They showed me everything and were very welcome to me. During my first week I had an orientation week. In the second week, the short term volunteers arrived. Very nice and kindly people from Korea and Japan. We had a program every day. Mostly we did some renovation or farming in the Peace Village.  That means I had the chance to learn how to make a bamboo chair. It was a very great feeling to make one at my own. One day, we visited the local night market and also the market with the boats on the river. We also visited the zoo in Songkhla. To see and do so many different things made me very happy

My project is working in the orphanage. The orphanage is a big children village which called SOS Kinderdorf. There are 12 houses and in each house are living around 14 orphan children. These kids are in different ages, from 3 years old to 18 years old. My work there is teaching English. The kids have holiday during this month what means they can join my lessons if they want to. My lesson starts at 9.30 am for one hour. During this lesson I have the small children who are 7 years old. During the next lesson I have children around 10 years old. After that, is lunch time.  At 1.00 pm I have one more lesson for children who are around 15 years old. In the afternoon I have time to play some games with the children. For me it is the first time to teach English and I was a little bit scared because I never did it before. But the kids are so open-minded and interest to join my lessons and that gives me a great feeling.

It’s such an amazing job with these children and I really feel that I am doing something very useful.

I already learned so many different things here and it’s such a great experience for me to be here as a volunteer. I’m so happy to work the local people because I can learn so many interesting things about the Thai cultures and their language. For example how important is it, to wear long T-shirts in the school or not to touch the head of the kids. I’m really happy and glad that I have the chance to know and learn Thailand so well.

Katja Broennimann, Switzerland

October 2012 - January 2013