Hilltribe Teaching opportunities

[Anonymous]

A couple months ago I saw a post on LP about teaching Akha children at a tribal village, but haven't been able to find the link since. Does anyone have more info on opportunities like this?

[Anonymous]

Whatever happened to Natalie in Mae Sot? Is she still posting ads on ajarncom for volunteers?

[Anonymous]

I don't know. She seemed to have ducked her head a little while ago when the Burmese refugee situation got a bit strained. I was in touch with her before that, but she needed more time and help than I could spare.
- Reg

[Bangkok Phil]

Whatever happened to Natalie in Mae Sot? Is she still posting ads on ajarncom for volunteers?

I'm ashamed to admit it but I used to get all kinds of unclean thoughts when I saw an ad from Natalie in Mae Sot. There's definitely something about the name Natalie. It's so utterly sensual. I used to picture a young girl with a flawless complexion skipping barefoot through a hill-tribe village wearing nothing but a daisy chain and a gossamer-thin cheesecloth blouse clinging sweatily to the curves and contours of a lithe young body.
It would be such a disappointment if she turned out to be the spitting image of the good-looking one in prisoner cell block H.

[Anonymous]

Something to consider :

Thailand's official stand in Siam as a whole is not to interfere in other member's problems .

Like any "democracy " however there are small groups within who contradict this strategy and secretly give assistance (monetary ,strategic, or other ) ,at the borders . Most are foriegners or with foreign backing .
This really pisses the neighbors off ,making Thailand look bad .

If you're looking to volunteer I'm sure you'll encounter at least one group . I've found two so far . One's a business ,though .

My advice is to stay away from 'em .

There're many poor communities in the Isan area that would love you and I'm sure would give you a bungallo and pocket money . Easy to find .

Hope you find a good gig.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Barkee, I have a friend here in Chiang Mai that's from Issan and I'll ask him if he has ideas. Pocket change would be nice. I'm not looking to make much money really; just enough to get by and maybe get a two-way flight home for December. Thanks for the tips.

(I have already run into a couple people promoting the Farang teams that sneak into Burma to do different kinds of relief work. The idea of spy-like do-gooding is romantic, but it seems like something one should put a lot of research and wisdom into before jumping in. Good intentions can have some nasty results at times.)

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by barkee

My advice is to stay away from 'em .

There're many poor communities in the Isan area that would love you and I'm sure would give you a bungallo and pocket money . Easy to find .

The forced labour and ethnic cleansing that the SLORC yahoos go in for aren't really in the same ball park as Thai rural poverty. If Dubya ever decided Burma was a terrorist threat I'd be in line to sign up at USMC. Instead we have (in the UK at least) former Tory cabinet members appearing on newsnight defending their investment in Burmese industries.

[Anonymous]

If you're looking for volunteer work this group have been going for many years:
http://www.mirrorartgroup.org/

[Anonymous]

There is a difference between helping hilltribes (many though not all moved here 60-100 years ago) who are undocumented, and refugees from Burma.

Strange thought, the Thai govt heavily promote the Pa-O (long necks) hilltribe in tourism adverts etc. FYI, they are ALL refugees from Burma, and none have Thai citizenship.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Barkee, I have a friend here in Chiang Mai that's from Issan and I'll ask him if he has ideas. Pocket change would be nice. I'm not looking to make much money really; just enough to get by and maybe get a two-way flight home for December. Thanks for the tips.

As a full time teacher i find it hard to save enough to return to Aust each year.
I have a baby to support though.

Do you live in Lao or Burma?

[Anonymous]

Yes, as someone mentioned a few months ago (perhaps it was Raphaela28), if you want to come to Thailand and do charity work, just teach in a govt. school in the provinces, since they don't pay you enough to save up for the flights home. That's what I do, and I love it, and they appreciate it, even if they think I'm overpaid. Not counting my watermelon lunch hours, I'm there about 35 hours per week, teach 6 to 16 contact hours per week, and sit around the staff room planning lessons from scratch, and answering questions like, "What's the American English word for rubber?" and "How many baht for one euro?" and "what does anthropology mean?" and "Is single the same as singer?"

[Ramalamadingdong]

Just practicing posting...I'm a newbie.Sorry

[jonny danger]

There's definitely something about the name Natalie. It's so utterly sensual.

Used to be for me.

Indeed, this time it's the Brits who are colder than any Yank alive. Search, British interests in Burma. And in order to do what they've done for 70+ years they'd have to be in leagues with the Chinese.

[Big Bear]

If some one is interested in teaching as a volunteer, I know a nice wittayakom school in Umphang. Lovely area and nice students.
You can get a non-immigrant visa if you are willing to spent a few months there.

[ScienceGuy]

There are hilltribes all over the northern border near Chiang Rai. You can get a guesthouse for pretty cheap and there are dozens of schools. If you're willing to work for free you can just show up anytime and start teaching You might even prepare a few custom lessons and approach the universities to see if they'd like a guest lecturer.

Hey if you want, I've got 210 math assignments that need grading...