Earlier this month we had the pleasure of hosting a special group of 8 international school students, and two of their faculty advisers, in our projects. The students are from the QSI International School of Dongguan, China. Due to our privacy policies, we do not list the names of participants in our projects that are under the age of 18.
In Thailand, Visakha Bucha Day is without a doubt the most important Buddhist holiday of the year, and in 2018, it falls on Tuesday 29th May. This auspicious day commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Lord Buddha, and it falls on different dates, as it is based on the lunar calendar. In Thailand, Visakha Bucha Day is a National Holiday and is a time for Thai Buddhists to traditionally make merit at the temple, and is one of the few days when the sale of alcohol is prohibited, which means the bars and clubs will close for this special holiday.
Traditionally, Thai schools end their academic year in mid-March, and after two months holiday, the children are ready and willing to return to the classroom for the new academic year, which begins on the 16th or 17th of May. The hottest months of the year, April and May, sees the mercury rising to 40 C and over and with almost 100% humidity, the Thai New Year celebrations of Songkran are a welcome break for the entire nation. Songkran is a time for families to spend some much needed time together and the holiday traditionally runs from 13th – 15th of April, although there are usually an extra two or even three days added, which is just enough time for the workers to return to their family home in the provinces.
Presenting Bangkok Volunteer and Intern Group #68! This group of three arrived last week, finished orientation over the weekend and started in their projects earlier this week. All of them are from the USA, and are participating in our Medical Internship and Teaching Monks Volunteer Projects.
Presenting Chiang Mai Volunteer and Intern Group #240! This group of 9 volunteers and interns arrived last week, completed orientation over the weekend and started their projects today. The volunteers and interns in the group are from Germany, the USA, Austria, and Singapore, and are participating in our Medical Internship, Children’s Home and Teaching Monks Volunteer Projects. For information on our different volunteer and intern opportunities, please visit our Projects Page.
Observed in early May, the exact date for the Royal Ploughing Ceremony in Thailand is determined by monks each year, and this year the ceremony will be held on Monday 14th May. The site is, as always, Sanam Luang, in front of the Grand Palace on Rattanakosin island, and the ceremony is expected to take place between 08.19 and 08.49, as is traditional. This fascinating ritual is both Buddhist and Hindu in origin and is performed at a similar time of the year in several other countries in this part of the world, including Cambodia and Burma.
Presenting Bangkok Volunteer and Intern Group #67! A small group of two ladies from the Michigan, the USA and Nordhein-Westfalen, Germany. Alyssa is participating in our Medical Internship for six weeks, and Ann is participating in our Bangkok Orphanage Volunteer Project for three weeks. For additional information on our volunteer and intern opportunities, please visit our projects page.
Presenting Chiang Mai Volunteer and Intern Group #239! This group of six volunteers and interns arrived on Friday and completed orientation over the weekend. They started their projects on Monday. In this group four of the participants are from the US, with two from Denmark. They are participating in our Medical Internship, Children’s Home, and Womens Empowerment Volunteer Projects. Please visit our projects page for more information on our different volunteer and intern opportunities.
In line with the Thai school summer holidays, April is a quiet month regarding the actual projects, yet this means you get to experience the Thai New Year celebration of “Songkran”, which traditionally occurs between 13-15 of April, when the entire nation throws water over each other and generally have a good time. One of the best locations for water activities is Khao San Road, or KSR, as it is known on the backpacking trail, where the street is zoned off to vehicles and with everyone armed with their water guns and on foot, you are fair game when you enter the arena!
Here are some Good Ideas of ways to get experience in the area of your Thailand volunteer project, before you leave home. Much of this is from my own personal experience, along with some other tips that may be helpful.
