Description

Work with your hands, give from your heart, and laugh until your sides hurt as the sun sets over the rice fields. This is an enriching service program with a strong cross-cultural learning component. Life here is fun and exotic (very Thai!), the service initiatives are exciting and really help the villagers, and the sense of teamwork is powerful and motivating. Village life is easy going, and locals go out of their way to welcome you. The Ricefields Base itself is one of the coolest places in Thailand and a hive of happy activity. We have an awesome host family, great Thai and American leaders, and enough fun activities to keep everyone laughing all day long. Past students have often used their experiences here as a basis for their college essays. They tell us repeatedly that this program changed their outlook on life and their view of the world.

Not Just a Visitor - Part of the Family
You'll be welcomed like one of the family in this traditional village. The friendly, gracious nature of the Thai villagers catches many students off guard, and the warmth of village life is often one of their most memorable experiences. Everyone here says hello, offers you water, shows you their newborn, ties string around your wrist to bless you, and welcomes you into their life in the most sincere way. You'll be part of the village as soon as you arrive!

A Great Place to Live, Learn, and Serve
Your room will be comfortable and full of Thai antiques, funky artwork, photos from around Thailand, and handmade wooden furniture. You'll have a big teak-wood chest to store your stuff, and you'll sleep on a traditional Thai platform bed. It will quickly become normal for you to wake up to buffaloes
grazing in your backyard, monks chanting in your front yard, and neighborhood children singing at your window! The longer you stay, the deeper your attachment to the people here will become, and few students want to leave at the end of their program. Many students come back year after year.

Life in the Hong is a Hoot!
You'll share a big room with several new friends, and together you'll form a hong. A Rustic Pathways counselor, or Hua Naa Hong (Head of the Room), will meet with you and your roommates every day to talk about your experiences, attend to housekeeping matters, and track your service activities. Your Hua Naa Hong will also organize social activities for your hong such as special dinners or shopping excursions. The friendly rivalry between hongs often results in various interhong games and competitions that keep everyone laughing.

Weekend Side Trips
Many students who come to The Ricefields Base stay for two weeks, four weeks, or even the whole summer. To allow extended-stay students the chance to take a break from The Base and experience other parts of this beautiful country, we also offer incredibly popular weekend side trips. For students who stay at The Base for two weeks or more, there are now four exciting optional weekend side trips available.

Service That Really Does Change Lives
Twelve different service projects are offered at The Base each week. You will select one core project for each week of your stay and join other exciting projects for the balance of your service hours. Each project has between three and twelve students who work alongside both Western and Thai leaders, and the projects are meaningful, rewarding, and fun. The Ricefields Base operates year round and is open for school groups, families, and special-interest travel.

Want to continue your summer adventure? This program easily connects with our other great trips in Southeast Asia, China, and India.

Highlights

GET INVOLVED with a variety of powerful service projects that benefit the surrounding communities in many ways.

IMMERSE yourself in Thai life at our fantastic Ricefields Base in one of the most warm and hospitable villages in the world.

LOVE your host family, the cool Thai culture, the tasty food, the inspiring leaders, and the happy social life at our Ricefields Base.

EXPLORE exciting places and interesting cultural aspects of both Thailand and Laos by joining one or several of our optional weekend side trips.

STAY for two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, or the whole summer! Rustic Pathways' most popular service program offers twelve diverse service projects, exciting side trips, and a rich social life perfect for long-term cultural immersion.

Qualifications

Students must be 14-years old and up to participate on the program. Additionally, participants must submit an application through the Rustic Pathways website and complete the appropriate documents before traveling on the program.

Type of Programs

• Community Service / Volunteerism
• Cultural Exploration

Languages

• English
• Thai

Cost in US$:

USD 2,495 + 225 Internal Airfare

Cost Includes:

• Travel while in host country
• Housing
• Food
• Excursions
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Written materials pre-departure
• Written materials abroad

Program Fees Include:

Students must be 14-years old and up to participate on the program. Additionally, participants must submit an application through the Rustic Pathways website and complete the appropriate documents before traveling on the program.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living
• Other

Participants Travel

in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of 8-35 students

Scholarships are Available

Scholarships are available annually for students interested in Rustic Pathways programs on an application basis. The scholarships are for all Rustic Pathways programs across the world and not only for this particular program. Applications for scholarships are available starting in late January or early February for students and interested parties should contact Rustic Pathways directly to learn how to apply.

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

1-2 business days

Rustic Pathways's Mission Statement

Rustic Pathways is a pioneer in providing superior quality travel and service programs for students and families in some of the world's most welcoming countries. Rustic Pathways demands professionalism and integrity across all of its operations, insists on quality in all aspects of its programs, and places the safety of its students above all other considerations. We enrich the lives of our students and our staff, benefit the parts of the world we serve, and build cultural bridges that lead to greater global understanding and cooperation.

Year Founded

1983