 The year 2008 ended on a very high note for Andaman Discoveries. We welcomed a record 60 guests, most of whom traveled here to participate in a unique holiday cultural exchange. One couple had the exclusive opportunity to be the inaugural homestay in Tung Dap village on Koh Phratong, which went off without a hitch! We also solidified a new alliance with the Kuraburi Burmese Learning Center by sending our first long-term volunteer there for four weeks of English teaching. All of this came on the heels of an informative and enjoyable community forum in Ban Talae Nok with some of our most valued regional partners.
We appreciate your continued support of our work through visiting, volunteering, donations, good wishes, and words of support. We love to hear your thoughts, so please send us an e-mail or leave a comment on a story that interests you. Thank you, on behalf of Andaman Discoveries and the communities we work with.
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Partner's Forum in Ban Talae Nok
Stakeholder meeting to launch SEED regionally
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 Andaman Discoveries, in cooperation with the SEED initiative and The Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-i) (a renowned Thailand-based CBT consultant) hosted a partner's forum in Ban Talae Nok in December. Stakeholders at the community- and district-level attended the forum, as well as several NGOs interested in working with the Ban Talae Nok community-based tourism (CBT) group. There were several objectives to the forum, including assessing the progress of CBT in the village, exploring options for sustainable expansion, and identifying problems. Villager feedback was overwhelmingly positive. "Income from tourism benefits the whole community. People did not realize this before, now they see others benefiting," commented Ekarat "Hem" Chuengyang.
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Kuraburi Burmese Learning Center
New Volunteer Program in Partnership with Grassroots
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 Started by Grassroots Human Rights Education and Development, the Burmese Learning Center provides education to the children of Burmese migrant workers who sometimes face discrimination in Thailand. These children have few (if any) opportunities to attend Thai public schools, and many start working at a very early age. Andaman Discoveries decided to help, and is now offering long-term volunteer English teaching placements at the school at Kuraburi Pier in partnership with Grassroots. Sharon (UK) piloted the program in late December. "I have had four amazing weeks teaching the Burmese kids at the Learning Centre. The kids were fantastic, if a bit shy at first," she reported.
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New Destinations: Tung Dap Village
French tourists pilot our newest homestay
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 Andaman Discoveries has worked with the village of Tung Dap, located on Phrathong Island, since it began as a tsunami relief NGO four years ago. Inspired by the successful model in Ban Talae Nok and spearheaded by an energetic village youth named Duan, the ethnically-Moken villagers of Tung Dap have designed their own homestay program, which now will be offered by Andaman Discoveries. Visitors have the opportunity to learn firsthand about Moken culture and traditions -- homestay host Noi spent the first 24 years of her life as a sea gypsy, and offers a fascinating account of her time living on a "Kabang." Galaad and Julian (France) were the first visitors, staying in the village for two days. "Being the first farang to come to this homestay, I must say I felt as comfortable as in my own home; things were done naturally, spontaneously, and genuinely from the heart."
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Stone Family Donation
Family spreads holiday cheer
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 Simply visiting a village or sharing your expertise with those less fortunate is an enormous contribution to the communities we serve; however, some people choose to give back even more. In the spirit of the season -- and at considerable personal expense and burden -- the Stone family (USA) arrived in Ban Talae Nok in time for Christmas with bags of clothes and educational materials for their homestay hosts and villagers. The materials were collected by a local Girl Scout troop, and were distributed amongst the various villages and programs we work with.
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Andaman Eco Discoveries
Staff observe rare water lily
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 Most of our staff and volunteers couldn't be with their families this Christmas, but those selfless souls who stayed behind got to spend a day bamboo rafting in nearby Klong Nakha Wildlife Sanctuary. There they were treated to the rare fresh-water lily lab phrung tan, whose delicate white flowers bloom only from October through December. Due to highly localized conditions, including the flow of the river, this beautiful flower is totally unique to this area -- attempts to introduce it to other regions with nearly identical climate conditions have failed.
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Chok Dee (Good Luck), Mister Mai
Community coordinator returns to school
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 It was with deep sadness that we said farewell to Piyawich "Mai" Budhagesorn, who left Andaman Discoveries at the end of December to continue his formal education in Bangkok. Mai joined Andaman Discoveries in April 2008 and quickly became an integral member of the team, working as a translator (he speaks fluent Thai, English, and German) and community coordinator. Mai was happiest in Ban Talae Nok, where he taught English, worked tirelessly to train local guides, and spearheaded a youth drama program. "Mai was part of the family. To the children in Ban Talae Nok, he was a big brother. We miss him very much," said Ladda "Pink" Ardhahn.
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Calling all Techies!
Growing organization needs your help
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 Do you or someone you know have advanced technical skills and want to assist an Internationally-recognized leader in community development? Andaman Discoveries has limited funding for a website search engine optimization (SEO) expert, as well as an advanced database/application developer to design and implement a custom client- and booking-management system. (For the latter, on-site consultation and initial development is required). If this sounds appealing and you have the knack, please contact us for more details today!
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The Month in Pictures
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| Lisa and Brad help build orchid cages in Tung Nang Dam. |
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| Mimi (right) with a new friend in Ban Talae Nok. |
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| David and Genevieve emerge from behind the roots of a "buttress tree" in Ban Talae Nok. |
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Copyright
2009 Andaman Discoveries
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February Single-Traveler Special
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People traveling on their own often want to take part in an authentic cultural experience, but are unsure about doing so alone. Solo travelers who take advantage of this special will get the chance to experience traditional southern Thai culture with other like-minded travelers!
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Stay Connected!
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"Our kids -- eight, 10, and 13 years old -- loved to play with the children in the village and we all felt very safe and taken good care of. Our children already ask we can visit the village again."
Sabine and Klaus, Denmark
Two-day family tour
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"This was a one of a kind experience; I feel I really got to know the villagers of Ban Talae Nok. Everything was well planned and organized"
Emily, USA
Five-day volunteering
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"A fantastic and rare experience of local Thai culture. I can recommend this tour to anyone who wants to go (far) beyond mass tourism ...even with young kids."
Goldsmith family, USA
Five-day cultural tour
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"Very good holiday, we
made friends not only with the family we stayed with, but with all the children
in the village."
Trine (age 10), Denmark
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"Doing things together, especially cooking, proved to be a great way to communicate. The family was proud of their way of life, and rightly so. We felt privileged to be a part of it, even if only for one day."
Ian and Lyn, UK
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