Workcamp in Thailand - Intercultural and Language, Nakhon Ratchasima (including a few tips)

I applied for this project because I wanted to discover new places, experience a different culture, get involved in something meaningful, and at the same time choose a date that would fit the second half of December, when we have Christmas holidays in the Czech Republic and I can use my time off work well. There were several options, but Intercultural and Language (ICL) Nakhon Ratchasima suited me best – both in terms of timing and because it had been verified by many previous participants. At the time I was deciding, the flight prices from the Czech Republic were still reasonable (then I hesitated for a while and the prices went up significantly – tip #1: Book your flights in advance!).

I had never been to Asia before, so I was really curious to find out what local people are like and whether – and how much – they differ. I was interested in cultural differences, language, everyday life, and also how locals perceive foreigners and Europeans. The best way to understand all of this is to immerse yourself in local life and spend time with local people. The project is also designed to support the use of English in primary schools, giving children the opportunity to hear English spoken by a foreigner and try using it in real situations. At the same time, they learn something about another culture and see that studying English truly makes sense. For me, this was a great opportunity to explore these things starting with the youngest generation.

I must say I didn’t have any big expectations. I left with the mindset that things would somehow work out and that I would definitely come back with new experiences (tip #2 – Don’t overthink what it might be like and don’t create unrealistic expectations. That way, you can be pleasantly surprised by how things naturally unfold on their own). However, already from the email communication with the host organization, I had a very good feeling. Before departure, we also connected via WhatsApp with Aom, our host and at the same time an English teacher at one of the two schools we were going to visit. When I say “we,” I mean myself and Daria from Russia, who was the other European volunteer.

After arriving in Bangkok and traveling for several hours by bus to the Dan Khun Thot area in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Aom picked us up as agreed and took us to our accommodation. In a beautiful, fully equipped family house, we immediately met her very kind parents, who are also teachers, and had dinner together. Since only two of us had signed up for this term, each of us had our own room – comfort was definitely not an issue. Soon after, we also met Baibua, another English teacher with whom we spent time at the second school.

We visited two primary schools – Ban Map Krat School and Ban Krok Luek School. Ban Map Krat School (MG) is a smaller school with around nine teachers, one janitor, and about 60 students, including kindergarten and grades 1–6 (ages 7–12). Ban Krok Luek School (KL) is slightly larger – it has a similar number of teachers but approximately twice as many students. Both schools have very pleasant facilities, including playgrounds and areas for growing their own crops.

Every weekday, we alternated between these two schools, assisting one of the teachers (either Aom or Baibua) and getting involved in the lessons. I really liked the way English classes were conducted – in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. We always started with a shared game to “warm up our brains,” then learned something new or revised previously covered material, and at the end we wrote everything down in our notebooks so we wouldn’t forget it (tip #3 – Prepare a simple game to liven up the lesson; both children and teachers will really appreciate it.).

Overall, it seemed to me that children enjoy going to school. They can meet their friends, play different games (which we were often invited to join), and learn new things. In the vast majority of cases, I saw happy and smiling faces. I feel that European schools are worse off in this respect. School is often seen as an obligation where we have to perform well and achieve the best possible results. Somewhere along the way, the joy gets lost…

In addition to regular lessons, we also experienced a so-called Scouting Day. With both schools, we went to a camp where the students enjoyed overcoming obstacles in nature, performing rehearsed shows for groups from other schools, and spending the night away from home. For us, it was also a very powerful and unforgettable experience.

In several classes, there was also space to share our cultures – Czech and Russian. We tried to show the children what characterizes our countries: their location, national symbols, landmarks, customs, traditions, fairy tales, and even some sports-related fun facts. Besides new information, the children also received small gifts from our home countries (tip #4 – Bring a few little things for the kids. They will like you even without them, but it’s a nice bonus.).

Outside of school, we also had a very rich and varied program. Aom really made sure we wouldn’t be bored. We visited the Phimai Historical Park, the Wat Ban Rai temple, local markets in Bueng Sikhio Public Park, evening markets in Korat, and took part in Christmas celebrations at both schools. And that’s just a part of what we experienced.

When I think about how many new flavors we tasted, how many kind people we met, and how much we learned, it is almost unbelievable how quickly those two weeks passed. Next time, I would definitely choose a stay that is at least one week longer (tip #5 – Enjoy every moment. → The present is a gift… that’s why they call it “present”.).

I would like to thank everyone who prepares these and similar projects. Thanks to you, we have experiences that will stay with us for a lifetime, and I truly believe that we also left something good behind in the schools. And if someone reading these lines is still hesitating, I have the best tip to end with: Apply right now!

Best regards,

Ondrej Damborsky