Learn2Give: How did you find us?
GiGi: Through the helpx.net.
Learn2Give: Living most of your life in the US, has encouraged you to come volunteer in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand?
GiGi: Southeast Asia, for no reason, I always feel that I must go someday. An opportunity came up which allow me to take an entire year off from my current work, "traveling", no doubt, became my only choice. Thailand is my 3rd stopped countries. I decided to make a good used of my language proficiency to teach as a volunteer. I believed it would be another way to contribute while traveling but also could really get involved into Thai's life. And, it turned out to be true!
Learn2Give: Please tell us about your most unforgettable experience while joining the program?
GiGi: Enthusiasm & Moderate!! These are first words come across my mind.
Learn2Give: Working in art work field, which allows you to work independently, do you find it difficult in dealing with the kids with low English proficiency in your class?
GiGi: Yes, but only at the beginning. 10% of kids in the classroom are cheery, and the rest are shy. They always give me a puzzled look and then turned around looking for their saver to translate for them. So, sometimes I have to make a deal to ask their teacher not to save them or not to show up. Ha! Anyhow, patience is always a key.
Learn2Give: Is there any unexpected thing that you encountered positively? If yes, what is it?
GiGi: Conflict near Khao Phra Wiharn. I wouldn't say this experience is positively or not. Solving things peacefully is always the final cure, between any human beings, same as between countries. It's just most of people don't realize it yet, but it's definitely a chance for ordinary people to yell out their positive concerns, peace.
Learn2Give: Tell us one Thai word that you like the most. What it is? Please explain why?
GiGi: Boontarika. Ha! This is the name I got from one of the big family members, Ajarn Id, teacher from Nachaluay School. This word has somehow become my name in Thai.
Learn2Give: Being with Thai students for 3 weeks, do you find any interesting points of Taiwanese students differ from Thai students? How and in what way?
GiGi: Nowadays, Taiwanese students tend to express their thoughts more than our times. This attitude also directly encouraged them to build up their future competitiveness. Behind this, you could say that lots of study activities result from parent's expectation. The students I met in Nachaluay School, most of them come from farming families. Perhaps half of the class students will not continue their education after the high school. The attitude toward studying could also be affected and relaxed. However, 3 weeks it's still too early for me to put judgment on how I think the differences between Taiwanese and Thai students.
Learn2Give: How do you think this program meets your expectation?
GiGi: Ha! Everything I have experienced through this program will be considered gained!
Learn2Give: We have heard that you joined the school teachers’ excursion. Where did you go? How did you enjoy the trip?
GiGi: 17 hours bus driving which has taken all of us plus that crazy in-bus karaoke system along with broken speakers goes west through Bangkok then go south to Prachuap Khiri Khan's beach. Several stops we have made, such as Waghor Aquarium, King Mongkut science park, lots of monkeys, temples, Dan Singkhon market(closed to Myanmar border), and Hua Hin Beach! I was able to experience things and peoples that I won't be able to know if I was in the school. Good or bad things are both exciting for me.
Learn2Give: Visiting Thailand this time makes any difference from the previous ones? Do you see any changes within you? What and how?
GiGi: It is my first time visiting Thailand. No previous experience to compare with, but I was pretty amazed by Thai's variety of culture. Travelling along within Thailand plus join the Learn2Give project both allowed me to go locally, in terms of Thai family value, bond between students and teachers, boy scouts culture, variety of foods in different regions, Asia elephants' situation, different faith with neighboring countries, ....etc. All these experiences have encouraged me to want go further more to understand this country’s value. I will definitely visit Thailand again in the near future.
