Thailand has Diverse Culture, Volunteer Opportunities

The buddhist temple Wat Arun in Bangkok.
Image via Wikipedia

Thailand is a diverse Asian country. The culture is made up of people who mostly practice the Buddhist religion. The layout of the land is scenic. With Bangkok as its capital and economic center, Thailand is a hub of ancient cultures and modern business.

Bangkok is a major port for global trade. The entire country depends on export business for approximately two-thirds of its economic intake. Most of Thailand’s economy is centered around agriculture and exporting electronics and automobiles.

Some volunteer opportunities in Thailand are found in Bangkok, called “the city of angels” by many natives. There is a need for many different types of services in the metropolitan area. One of these is teachers. Many volunteers find a lot of satisfaction in teaching English to locals all over Thailand where Bangkok possibly has the biggest need because of its people’s business exchanges with America.

Teaching volunteers are also important because of the school system’s structure in Thailand. Although children do receive a public education, a large number of them do not continue on to secondary schools. Also because of the educational structure, children are not well-prepared for employment opportunities in the global market. This is especially prevalent and important in Bangkok because it is so densely populated.

The health care field is another area of Bangkok in need of volunteers to teach English. There are other volunteer opportunities in this filed, as well. Because Thailand’s culture takes a mostly spiritual and holistic approach to medicine, its native residents strive to achieve total wellness of the mind, body and spirit. The main focus of health care volunteers in the country is one of assistance to Thailand’s local medical professionals.

Other services provided by volunteers are abundant throughout Thailand’s communities. Many orphanages have opportunities for people to help. Nursing homes and day care facilities need volunteers to offer support and services, as well.

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Volunteers See Sights, Enjoy Culture Abroad

author: Dan Crow
Image via Wikipedia

There is so much more to gain from volunteering abroad than the obvious self-rewards for contributions to society. Other benefits of giving your time and offering your talent to help others in a foreign country can be limitless.

For instance, there are plenty of new sights to see outside the United States. Traveling and serving the community in Asia offers a visiting volunteer many of these. Doi Inthanon is a popular sight for visitors to Asia. It is Thailand’s tallest mountain. There are also waterfalls and walking trails to see in Asia, especially the Thailand area.

If visiting this area through a weekend, you might want to make a trip to Sunday Walking Street, a once-weekly event. There you will find shopping, food and entertainment. Khao San Road also offers this type of variety, but in a scaled-down version.

Another adventure to experience in while volunteering abroad is dining. In Asia, there are many different cultures and types of cuisine to enjoy. From fresh exotic fruits to barbecue chicken, plenty of new tastes await your taste buds. A popular desert favorite in some regions is the fried banana, called goring pisang.

Most of the food in Asia can be found in restaurants, but you do not have to get it there. Street vendors offer some of the great flavors of local cuisine in most of the metropolitan areas. The food found at these street and sidewalk shops is usually fresh and inexpensive.

If you decide you would like to shop for something other than food during your stay in Asia, there are plenty of souvenir shops, boutiques and American-type malls to choose from.

If you want to give of yourself to a society in need and reap rewards other than gratitude, consider volunteering in Asia. The culture, cuisine and sights make the reward of community service in a foreign country much richer.