One Day Volunteer Thailand

By Svenja Müller, Volunteer in Bantub School project Chiang Mai, Thailand. October 2026

My day begins by waking up in the small house that I was provided by my host family, a bedroom with a wardrobe and next to it the bathroom. My house sits right behind my host family's house which allows me to have my own space while still remaining close to them.

After getting ready for school I walk down the short street that leads to the campus, which only takes about 2 minutes.

At 8:00 a.m., the teachers stand at the entrance to greet the arriving students. I sometimes join them when I have lessons in the morning, but I can often sleep in a bit since my own lessons frequently start later in the day.

The students, who range from 3 to 16 years old, are incredibly friendly. The moment they see me, they often shout "Teacher Mary" or run up to give me a hug. They genuinely seem to enjoy being at school, which is quite different from my own experience in elementary school, where everyone always seemed annoyed to have to attend this "boring institution

In class, we are given the topic of the day, which usually consists of new vocabulary and a worksheet. Our main task is to teach the students these words in a fun, memorable way. Most of the time, that means playing games like pantomime or "Simon Says". While managing a crowd of loud children can be overwhelming, our mentor, Teacher Tom always helps us out.

At lunchtime, we eat food provided by the school. Even though I'm vegan they always put in the effort to give me delicious meals that meet my dietary preferences.

We also frequently order drinks from a nearby café to be delivered directly to the school. My drink of choice: a strawberry smoothie.

In the afternoon, we have the option to join various clubs that change depending on the days of the week. On Fridays, we can join the students in weaving the traditional skirts of the region, the Sarong. Even though I can't dream of mastering the complicated patterns of the yarns, its still fun to try the beginner-level designs. The students are always eager to help us, which makes the learning process a lot easier.

Once school lets out, I often head to 7/11 or grab a bite to eat with Anne, the other volunteer working at my school, as well as two other volunteers who work at a different school in Mae Chaem. On Fridays or Saturdays, we sometimes visit a local bar to eat and dance to live music. If there's no band playing that night, we can even request specific songs from the staff.

On other days, I enjoy eating with my host family that prepare delicious dinner for me, they also make the effort to cook vegan for me for which I'm deeply grateful.

At home, we have a karaoke machine which we often use to sing with family and friends and have fun. Conveniently, there is a washing machine right in front of my little house, so I can wash my clothes without having to visit a laundromat. I simply hang my wet laundry up outside. Interestingly, drying clothes here takes much longer than it does back home in Germany, where a few hours on the line is usually enough. Here, it can take up to two days for items to dry completely.

At night I get ready for bed and maybe read something or watch a movie in my bed. Because my classes often start later the next morning, I frequently allow myself to stay up a bit later than I probably should.

In conclusion, my days in Mae Chaem are wonderful, full of laughter and fun. I'm so grateful that I'm allowed to be here for a year with people that welcomed me with open arms and hearts. Even if we don't speak each other's language, it has never stopped us from understanding one another. I experienced a level of support from, essentially, strangers that I could never have imagined in Germany.