Description

Vital Voices
Mother, daughter, teacher, businesswoman, friend - women fulfill many roles in Southeast Asia, and as the region modernizes and changes their role in society continues to evolve. This trip will pull back the curtain on the female experience in Thailand, revealing a vital part of society that often remains hidden from view.

From the sleepy fishing ports along the Andaman Coast in Southern Thailand to the bustling metropolis of Bangkok, and in rural rice farms and Hill Tribe villages, you will engage with a colorful array of female voices. The stories you will hear of hardship and success will shed light on the ways tradition, landscape, and religion shape women's roles, and how women are fulfilling, challenging, and redefining these roles. Throughout the trip you will get beyond the experience of the average tourist and truly connect with the people you meet.

Diverse Perspectives
The Andaman Coast offers a medley of Southern Thai, Sea Gypsy, Buddhist, and Muslim cultures, and you will have the chance to converse with women who have fashioned unique identities based on the flux and flow of this ever-changing region. Meet with women who are still living with the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami and spend time with girls your age in the fast-developing beach communities.

In Northwestern Thailand, your first stop will be the eclectic city of Chiang Mai, where you will learn about Buddhism and interact with women who have migrated to the city in search of work and education. Along the Thai-Burmese border you will hear the stories of disenfranchised women from marginalized Hill-Tribe communities and spend time with orphaned Karen teenagers. You will also observe a women's rights organization at work and speak with activists and with the women benefiting from their efforts.

As you move into Northeastern Thailand, you will begin to feel the rhythm of Isaan culture. Here you will absorb the wisdom of an older generation of women and also see how young female nurses and health professionals reconcile modern medicine with local traditions.

Your final stop will be Bangkok, where you will come face to face with modern, cosmopolitan Thailand. Immerse yourself in Thai pop culture, share the works of women artists, and gain access to the world of elite businesswomen.

Beyond the Conversation
Throughout the trip you will be encouraged to actively participate in the lives of girls and women from across the spectrum of Thai society.

You may try a morning training session with a ranked female athlete, meditate with Buddhist nuns, spend an afternoon drinking tea with a rural midwife, have lunch in the boardroom of a high-power urbanite, work with a budding female poet, and much more!

Woven together, the stories you will hear make up the intricate fabric of the female narrative. The exchanges you have and the connections you make during this trip will empower you and help you better understand both the women of Southeast Asia and yourself.

Highlights

JOURNEY from the beach communities of the south to the Hill Tribe villages of the north collecting the stories and sharing your own experiences.

CONNECT with girls your own age and gain insight into their daily lives.

LEARN from women who are working to make a difference in their communities and become inspired and empowered by their dedication and desire to create change.

Qualifications

Students must be 16-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 3,695 + 390 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:

The above cost includes all ground transportation in-country, 3 meals a day, housing, staff through the duration of the program, all supplies for the volunteer projects and all excursions on the program itinerary not listed as optional.

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Education
• Gender Issues
• Grassroots Organization
• Indigenous Issues
• Volunteering
• Women

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel

in Groups

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