Future plans became concrete, Harvard Student Goes to Thailand to Brighten the World! Review

#Future plans became concrete #Hands-on NGO experience; time immersed in nature #The beauty of Thailand's nature

Author: Seongbin Lee
Country / City: Asia/Thailand/Chiang Mai
Views : 5251

Through my overall internship experience in Thailand, I thought more concretely about my future plans. By directly experiencing how an NGO operates and what specific needs the children have, I learned a lot of practical skills.

[Overseas Internship/International Development] Harvard student goes to Thailand to brighten the world

Lee Seongbin, gap-year participant (24, university student) / 12-week gap year

* This review is a translated and edited version of the testimonial the participant left directly with the local organization.

A project that appealed to me after discharge when I wanted to experience something a little more special

Last October I finished my military service and took five months to recharge before returning to university. I had previously traveled around Europe for two months and even visited Geneva to attend a UN Human Rights Council conference. HoweverThis time I wanted to experience something a bit more special.

I have always been interested in human rights, refugee issues, and education, and I wanted to work for an NGO doing that kind of work.My major is child development and I love children, so when I saw this Korean Gap Year project I found it very appealing and decided to participate.

I was also interested in the sustainable development the local organization was doing, and because volunteering abroad was my first experience of this kind I was a little worried, but I was more excited about the adventure ahead. To join the Korean Gap Year internship project I worked at a restaurant for about two months to save money.

Lovely children, great staff, and some of the kindest people I’ve met

When I first visited the organizationmy first impression was overall very good. The children were lovely, the staff and other volunteers were great, and some people were among the kindest I have ever metThey were.

However, at the accommodation provided by the organization I had to accept that the bathroom wasn''t the cleanest. In particular, I couldn''t get used to all the little lizards at first. Also, I had never ridden a motorcycle before, but the local staff taught me how to ride, and learning wasn''t difficult.

Above all, what I liked most about Thailand was the Thai food I ate so much of at the accommodation.

And what really surprised me was how beautiful the scenery around the local organization wasIt was. On the first day, a foreign volunteer friend and I went to the riverside together; the riverside was really peaceful and beautiful. I have always lived in the center of a big city, and although I had been to mountains and the sea in Korea before, it was my first time being surrounded by forests truly in nature like northern Thailand.

My own project; calendars and note cards produced through crowdfunding

In Korea I had previously sold coffee, rubber bracelets, and t-shirts for a Korean NGO working in Kenya. I also made mitten kits to sell on the street, and the finished mittens were sent to Kenya after being returned to the Korean NGO. Generally, it seemed that Koreans donate more to or help Africa than Southeast Asian countries.

Building on that experiencemy project idea in Thailand was to make and sell calendars and note cards on a Korean crowdfunding websiteAt the time, crowdfunding sites were quite popular in Korea, and people were selling various items to make their campaigns successful. When I arrived, a former volunteer named Dawn was teaching the children to use pastels to make pretty thank-you cards, and I decided to use this method for my calendars and note cards.

I found suitable paper material and sizes for the calendars and note cards in Chiang Mai. After creating a few appropriate designs, I found a print shop and made samples. The calendar looks like the picture above.

Then I wrote an introduction of the local organization and the project idea on the website. Unfortunately, all my plans were halted by a motorcycle accident. But luckily, after I was treated and discharged from the hospital and could work again, Dawn, who had inspired much of my project plan, returned to the local organization to volunteer for about 10 days.

She helped a lot with making more artworks with the children and improving my product designs and the financial aspects of the funding.Ultimately I launched the crowdfunding campaign on February 20, and my goal was to raise $1,000 by the deadline of March 13It was.

I promoted the crowdfunding campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and several Korean websites. Our campaign received some pledges, but unfortunately we did not reach our final goal and therefore could not receive any funds. I''m sorry that my project couldn''t proceed, but this experience gave me confidence that if there''s another fundraising opportunity I can make higher-quality products and organize a better team.

I also haven''t given up on this project. Now back in Korea I''m looking for other ways to sell the calendars and note cards through schools or flea markets. I have a friend who runs a print shop, so if there is enough demand I plan to produce them in Korea as well.

Motorcycle accident — my decision to stay at the local organization despite it

In early January, on my way home after dinner, the motorcycle accident I mentioned earlier happened. Fortunately, it wasn''t a collision with other people or a car; I suddenly lost my balance on a hard, uneven road. The moment I fell it was very painful, so I knew something was wrong.

At first some Thai people helped me, and then I called the local coordinators. They called an ambulance, and the local organization''s CEO accompanied the ambulance to a Bangkok hospital and even stayed with me at the hospital for two nights to take care of me.

I''ve never had surgery before so I can''t compare the treatment I received, but the hospital I saw in Bangkok had better facilities than most hospitals in Korea. The doctors and nurses were very kind, and there was a Korean interpreter, so communication wasn''t a major problem.

I was anesthetized for the surgery, so I don''t remember much about the operation itself, but I didn''t need a cast. I stayed in the hospital for five days, and everyone from the local organization, including the volunteers, came to visit me.

And as soon as I arrived at the hospital, I called my parents,My parents were very worried but left the rest of the schedule entirely up to my judgment. I had been participating in the project for only one month out of the 12-week period, and because it was winter in Korea, I decided to stay a little longer.Fortunately, the total medical expenses covered by my insurance were approximately US$10,000.

* Depending on the accommodation, participants may in some cases commute by bicycle or motorcycle together with other volunteers, and during pre-volunteer training they receive motorcycle safety instruction.

However, Korean Gap Year does not recommend motorcycle riding for participants'' safety. If you must ride, please do so only if you hold an international driving permit.

A time when I could think more concretely about my future

On my last weekend at the local organization, the volunteers including me and some of the children went to a nearby waterfall. The water was very clear and the weather and scenery were perfect. I was really sorry that because of the accident I couldn''t play in the water with the children. Nevertheless,I came to Thailand intending to give help, but I was able to learn much more and received a lot of help.

Through the overall internship experience in Thailand, I was able to think more specifically about my future plans.By experiencing firsthand how an NGO operates and what specific needs the children have, I learned a lot about practical aspects.

I still haven''t decided on my plans after graduating university—whether to become a generalist or a specialist, whether to go to graduate school, work at an NGO, or work at another company. But what is certain for me is that I will do work that helps others, and I hope to visit this organization again someday soon.

Why This Project

Capturing the growth journeys
of our participants.

#Self-Esteem & Confidence#Career & Direction#Rekindling Motivation#I am a Planner#Grow Joyfully#Gain a Positive Mindset#Real Project#Expand Myself#Take Direct Action#My Own Career#Love Truly#Global Career#Express Myself#Heal Emotional Wounds#Change Life Attitude#Be Confident in Myself#Overcome Fear of People#Regain Self-Esteem#Practical English Use#Be Loved

Take just one brave step.
GapYear will take care of the rest.

KGY-Cert

| Chiang Mai,Thailand | Campus

A Harvard Student Sets Off to Chiang Mai, Thailand to Illuminate the World

#I am a Planner #Grow Joyfully

Next |[Thank you, Gap Year] To the Gap Year Coordinator! Volunteer activities in Bangkok, Thailand — a warm city where NGOs from around the world gather

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Future plans became concrete, Harvard Student Goes to Thailand to Brighten the World! Review

Why This Project

Why This Project

Take just one brave step.GapYear will take care of the rest.

A Harvard Student Sets Off to Chiang Mai, Thailand to Illuminate the World

#I am a Planner #Grow Joyfully

Take just one brave step.
GapYear will take care of the rest.