Volunteer and Teach English in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Volunteering in Chiang Mai at the elephant sanctuary and teaching English is something I will never forget. We were treated so amazing and provided with great safety. The workers were so kind and wanted us to have a great cultural experience.

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Volunteering in Thailand was genuinely one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I went into the program excited but unsure of what to expect, and I left feeling more connected, inspired, and grateful than I ever imagined. Teaching English to children for five weeks pushed me far outside my comfort zone in the best possible way. The kids greeted every lesson with energy, curiosity, and huge smiles, and their excitement made even the most challenging days feel meaningful. Watching them slowly gain confidence in speaking, reading, and interacting in English was incredibly rewarding. It made me realize how powerful patience, consistency, and genuine care can be when working with young learners. What surprised me most was how much I grew personally. Being in a new country, adapting to different routines, and learning how to communicate across language barriers taught me resilience and flexibility. There were moments where I had to think on my feet, adjust plans, or find new ways to teach a concept, and those moments ended up being the ones that taught me the most. I learned to trust myself, stay calm, and choose kindness first—skills I’ll carry with me forever. But the people I met along the way were just as unforgettable as the experience itself. I went with my best friend, but we quickly built a little family with other volunteers, teachers, and locals. We explored markets, beaches, and temples together; we shared meals, stories, and laughs; and we created memories that I know will stay with me for life. Thailand has a way of bringing people together. The warmth and generosity of the community made every day feel special, and the friendships I made there are ones I’m incredibly grateful for. Living in Thailand also allowed me to experience its culture in a deeper, more authentic way. From learning basic Thai phrases to trying new foods and observing traditions, every day taught me something new. The country is beautiful in every sense—its landscapes, its culture, and its people. It’s impossible not to fall in love with it. Looking back, volunteering in Thailand wasn’t just a trip; it was a meaningful chapter of growth, connection, and joy. I would absolutely do it again, and I truly can’t wait for the day I go back.

During my time in Thailand I was able to experience the most amazing things. From volunteering teaching English, to waterparks, beaches, forests, city life, and hanging out wth everyone from the accomodation the trip was unforgettable. IVHQ made the process so simple, easy to understand and upfront so I knew what to expect walking into it.

I really loved my 3 weeks in Hua Hin (one week of culture week and two of teaching English). The local team were very supportive and welcoming and provided us with great accommodation, transport and food. My volunteer programme allowed me to make a direct impact in the community by helping lots of children age 6-15 learn and improve their English skills. As an 19 year old girl who was travelling solo for the first time, I felt very safe and supported and made many great friends with the other volunteers. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who wants to step out of their comfort zone and make a difference!

The opportunity to work with children has been incredibly precious to me. Experiencing the local lifestyle was eye-opening and completely new, challenging but extremely enriching. As someone used to a Western lifestyle, volunteering in Thailand offered unique challenges and rewards. It taught me the values of gratitude, love, and simplicity. For anyone hesitant about joining this program, I would say that while it may be challenging, the benefits far outweigh the difficulties. You’ll gain invaluable experiences and a deeper appreciation for different cultures.

The highlight from the volunteer experience was everything! From teaching the most amazing children and learning so much about their culture to travelling with my newly found friends to Bangkok for the weekend. The program is so much more than just working with children, it‘s the people you meet the places you see, all of it is eye opening. It awakened an urge to travel and volunteer all over the world. I want to work with more children, animals and adults and learn more about all the different cultures in this world. What I would say to someone still hesitant about volunteering abroad is just do it! It is so cliché but not once did I regret going abroad. Once I was there and met the most amazing people I just asked myself why I didn’t do this earlier.

The highlight from the volunteer experience was meeting the other volunteers as they were from different parts of the world and immersing ourselves into each other cultures as well as learning another one. The biggest impact my volunteering trip had on me was gaining more confidence in myself and my ability to interact more within my community. My advice is just go for it. If you're scared about meeting new people, you do have the option of doing it with friends but once you are there, you'll notice that majority of everyone is solo. So everyone is in the same boat of not knowing what they are getting themselves into but are truly doing this experience as open-minded and welcoming as they can be.

I am not gonna lie, exactly EVERY moment was my favorite moment! Some highlight examples are we went to beach with other volunteers watching sunset together, exploring night marketing and sharing food. The night out on Friday night is so much fun. Apart from that, preparing lesson and teaching lovely kids, kids are hugging us so tight and they would not let us go. I really love the moment. One of the sad moment but also my favorite moment is that we cried when the day I left. One of the volunteers hug me and said: "aww you are crying because you really enjoy the trip and have a great experience" There are so many memories stay in my head, and my camera roll! The biggest impact my volunteering trip had on me was that everything is possible and going alone is not scary. You will make so many friends along the way. My advice is you never try you never know! You are capable doing that! just book a flight ticket and go! Do not hesitant! This trip will be forever remembered for the rest of you life.

My favorite moment was the last day of the programme as this was something very touching!! The kids made us so many presents and gifts and they were crying, they were so grateful for the opportunity they had and we really built a special bond! I actually still keep in contacts with them. The fulfilment you feel and the emotional relationship that you create was the biggest impact my volunteering had on me. You’ll meet so many amazing people and helping people less privileged than us will make you feel so many sensations!

I wanted to take a break from work and to find myself. IVHQ offered me the best opportunity I could ask for. My time was meaningfully spent, my inner voice was better heard, and my friendship was lovely enriched. I stayed and worked on an outdoor project at The Mirror Foundation in Chiangrai, Thailand. The whole experience was so beautiful that I didn't want to leave and would definitely love to go back if I have a chance. Arriving at The Mirror Foundation, I was happy to see such an environmentally friendly living space. There were tall trees, green grass, a lovely hand-built garden, cool wall paintings, a small pond, a lovely bamboo hut, and an impressive sight of colorful handprints from previous volunteers on one of the houses. The Thai interns who had escorted me all the way from the airport were very nice and helpful. They showed me around and we headed to a supermarket in town together with other new volunteers who had also just arrived earlier that day and later became my dearest friends. The next day, I was really excited for my outdoor project to start after having an interesting orientation with Nikki – the volunteer program manager. I did not have to wait long as my outdoor team started digging a ditch that afternoon. It was hard work I must admit. However, the satisfaction looking back on the road and seeing what our teamwork had brought about was worth it. As time passed, our list of achievements went on; they were mending a dam, preparing a campsite, making a road, building fences, renovating a toilet, and growing chilies. Not a single day was wasted, and I loved every minute working side by side with my friends and our outdoor project mentor. On those days, we sweated a lot, laughed a lot, talked a lot and understood each other a whole lot more despite our different backgrounds. I also really appreciated our lunch boxes which were kindly prepared for us by the kitchen lady whenever we had to work off-site.

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I had an incredible journey teaching local kids english. The amount of joy that was brought from volunteers and from the kids made it an experience I shall never forget. I will be returning in the future.

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A volunteer holiday in Thailand? ‘Great idea!’ said my daughter; ‘Why on earth do you want to do that? I shan’t have a moment’s peace until you are safely back home!’ said my brother. At over 70 years old I wanted to know if I could still cope with the demands and hardships, and contribute something worthwhile. And if the young people would put up with me. The Mirror Foundation is a worthy Thai NGO and their beautiful site among the Hill Tribes is the next best thing to Paradise. It’s in a clearing in the jungle in the Golden Triangle, with streams and ponds and greenery. You walk along paths and over a little bridge to breakfast, past a variety of traditional housing nestling in the hollows, by the water, or on the sunny open area. We were well-housed and well-fed. The simple food prepared by ladies from the tribe, is very healthy and based on local produce - rice, vegetables and a little meat or eggs, usually in spicy sauces. Tip - never pile the sauce on top of the rice on your plate, put it to one side so that you can take a spoonful of it at a time with the rice… just in case it’s a little too spicy! The dormitories are a little snug, but lockers and mosquito nets are provided. Up in the hills here there can be a 20 degree change of temperature from day to night, so a sleeping bag is a good addition to your luggage, but you can always hire one on site. I have to admit that I never got used to the cold showers! Tip - take one in the afternoon when the water may have fractionally warmed up. The range of nationalities was interestingly diverse - there seemed to be at least 75% of the volunteers from all over Asia, with the rest from the English-speaking world. The Outdoor team went off and did amazingly useful things during the day, such as cutting down trees, re-roofing homes or digging up old rice paddies. The Indoor group were either doing child care, which meant playing in English with the nursery age children, or teaching English. After a day’s orientation the teaching group used the Wifi room computers and facilities to prepare for teaching. Every day we would be sent out in cars (covered pick-up trucks) looking like a gang of migrant workers (which is actually what we were!) to variety of locations, mostly primary schools around Chiang Rai, also to a group of monks, or even to an English Festival at the local university. The teaching was challenging - it was the first time in my life that I had taught children whose language was totally incomprehensible to me, and to whom I could not explain even simple things. We learnt a list of Thai expressions and instructions, e.g. ‘Kián!’ (‘Write!’), but were hampered in explaining more complicated activities. Fortunately there were usually 2 or 3 volunteers in each room, and we had helpers who circulated among the classrooms, in the form of our invaluable driver/mentor, and Thai interns on a 3-month placement from their university. We usually felt by the end of a lesson that some language learning had taken place and the children had made progress. Given the inexperience of the majority of volunteers this was a triumph. We would drive back home after teaching, to fall into the wonderful snack bar on the site, (or take that shower), have a debriefing session and then chat over the evening meal, before preparing for the next day. Some nights there was time to go into the town of Chiang Rai, about half an hour away, and have a drink or visit the Night Market and spend too much money. We were free to explore at the weekends, and all took advantage of the travel possibilities, or went on homestay to a tribal home. I was impressed by IVHQ, and much admired the aims and efficiency of the the set-up and the personnel here, which made it all possible. We felt safe and supported at all times, and I congratulate the staff for looking after us extremely well (yes Nikki, this means you). It gave me personally great pleasure to to see the children respond to our teaching, and to watch inexperienced young volunteers flourish and develop their skills. The unexpected bonus for me was the way being old in Thailand is not a disadvantage: people always went out of their way to help me, and fellow volunteers welcomed my experience and were willing to learn from it. It turns out that you can do something worthwhile and enjoy it, and have a life-changing experience at any age.

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