Teaching can be challenging work, but it comes with great rewards. Ben Sweetland may have said it best: "We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."
Every June, Thailand celebrates wai khru, a ceremony to mark the commencement of the school year in which students pay respect to their teachers. To honor wai khru and the work of teachers in Thailand and throughout the word, we're dedicating this issue of the Andaman Discoveries newsletter to teachers. And as many of the stories below attest, teachers come in all forms, whether it be teaching in a school or sharing experiences in a homestay.
Thank you for reading.
The Andaman Discoveries Team
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Lucky To Have You
Teacher Karen Honored in Wai Khru Ceremony
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 When our volunteer coordinator and part-time English teacher Karen was asked to attend the local wai khru ceremony, she jumped at the opportunity to take part.
"Buddhist Monks led chanting and prayers, and then children paid respects to the teachers by bowing three times and presenting flower arrangements.
"I was invited to take a seat on the main stage. 'Are you sure? I only teach one day per week,' I asked. 'Yes, we are honored and lucky to have you -- you are part of our teachers!' a staff member replied.
"I felt tremendous joy and emotion at being included in such an event. The willingness of Thai people to show sincere respect for teachers is something that we in the west seem to have lost, and such a pity we have."
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The BBC is coming!
AD is shortlisted for award
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 The work of Andaman Discoveries is not only helping to change lives at a grassroots level, but are also changing approaches to business development. So concluded the judges at the World Challenge 2009 -- a global competition aimed at finding projects or small businesses from around the world that have shown enterprise and innovation at a grassroots level -- who recently named Andaman Discoveries one of the twelve finalists for this prestigious award.
As a finalist, we will be featured by the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC). The filming is scheduled for early July, and will include footage from village activities as well as long-term volunteering. The voting period is from September 28 through November 13. Please check future newsletters or contact us for updates on when our segment will air and for voting information.
Thank you to Stanislava Cholakova, on behalf of the SEED Initiative, for the nomination.
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Lesson Plans
Burmese Learning Center Welcomes Teachers
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 According to Thai law, all children, regardless of their status in the country, are entitled to receive an education. Children of migrant Burmese workers, however, face overwhelming challenges, including communication issues, the lack of resources for them at schools, and prohibitive expenses for supplies and uniforms. For these children, The Kuraburi Burmese Learning Center and volunteers like Rebecca Lilly (UK) are critical to a hopeful future.
"In the brief month that I taught at the Burmese Learning Center, I felt that I developed relationships with the students and teachers. The students' confidence and skills grew steadily, as did mine, as I learned to find my footing as a teacher in Thailand," said Rebecca, who volunteered from mid-May to mid-June. Rebecca chronicled her experiences as a first-time teacher, as well as adjusting to life in rural Thailand with a surprise reptilian roommate. Check out Rebecca's Journal on our Blog.
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Freshman Year
Villagers Experience First-Hand Training
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 The village of Ban Lion on Koh Phratong became a real-life classroom for two days in June. Built after the tsunami, Ban Lion is a collective of people from many different villages and cultures, yet they live together harmoniously.
"A place is about the people. The people of the Ban Lion Village made the experience. The guides and homestay hosts exuded an enthusiasm that cannot be imitated. Their pride and willingness to share their way of life was remarkable," said Program Development Manager Mimi Cheung.
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Graduate School
Ban Talae Nok Shares Lessons Learned
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 Not long ago, several villagers from Ban Talae Nok were learning how to implement a successful responsible tourism and youth conservation program in their village. Today, the award-winning Ban Talae Nok CBT program is the aspiration of many organizations in the region, including twelve villagers from Cambodia who, with support form IUCN and WWF, hope to replicate BTN's success. "I am so glad to see another homestay come from another country to learn in my village. I hope they enjoyed and learned a lot." said a beaming Ladda "Pink" Aharn.
The CBT graduates in Ban Talae Nok also received a visit from the Tourism and Sports Authority of Thailand to measure their compliance with the homestay standard.
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Sage Wisdom
Bill Tuffin consults with Andaman Discoveries
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 Andaman Discoveries sends a big thanks to Bill Tuffin, who joined us as a consultant for two weeks. Bill first arrived in the Southeast Asia as a United States Peace Corps volunteer in the mid-1980s, and quickly developed a passion for Southeast Asia. Subsequently, Bill was the innovator behind the first eco-lodge is Laos, and made been deeply involved in responsible tourism development. "When I first saw Andaman Discoveries online, I followed its development with interest and wanted to learn more about the AD's work in the North Andaman Region. I finally got a chance to work with the team this past month," said Bill.
Bill shared his extensive experience with us during his two-week visit. In addition to expertly facilitating our staff retreat, he offered his thoughts and feedback on everything from our business model to our promotional materials. "It was a pleasure to work with the AD team. They are highly motivated and dedicated to the work that they are doing."
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There is no "I" in Team
N-ACT Group Management Training
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 Nineteen people from six area villages took part in a group management training to help define the status of tourism in their village and to learn how to work in a team. Expert facilitation was provided by Mangrove Action Project, with support from the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism.
Bodhi Garrett, founder of N-ACT and Andaman Discoveries, kicked off the meeting by stating, "Think of your CBT -- where it is now and where you want it to go." Participants learned how to work together and manage meetings. Nattaya "Nat" Sektheera, N-ACT program manager, said, "Villagers departed the training, confident, with new knowledge and an understanding of how to manage a meeting within their CBT programs."
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Take a Hike -- Up Mae Nang Khaow Mountain!
N-ACT Organizes Pilot Trip
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 The North Andaman Community Tourism (N-ACT) Network arranged a light trek up Mae Nang Khaow Mountain with ecotourism specialist Bill Tuffin. The purpose was to determine the viability of the hike as an ecotourism activity for Mae Nang Khaow village. "The route was of high interest, with fascinating things like a large banyan tree. The hike has potential for a tourist activity once the route is improved," concluded Bill.
The hikers were treated to a peaceful waterfall during the three-hour activity, which bypassed the summit in favor including a local temple. (Venturing further up the mountain could reward more intrepid trekkers with additional waterfalls and a possible sighting of the famous raffleasia flower.)
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Call for Support
More than one million displaced by Cyclone Aila |
 More than 100 people were killed and at least a million were displaced when Cyclone Aila, driven by winds in excess of 60 miles per hour, slammed into Bangladesh and eastern India on May 25. Our friend Trine Willumsen of Grace Tours contacted Andaman Discoveries with the request to help spread awareness of this natural disaster. To learn more about the disaster or how you can help, please visit the group page to support the victims of Cyclone Aila, initiated by The Blue Yonder, Traveltocare.com, and Help Tourism. You can also click on ReliefWeb and AlertNet for updates on the aftermath of the storm.
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Class Act
Thank You Leslie |
 The month of June ended on a bittersweet note as we celebrated our all-too-brief time with Leslie Welshimer. Leslie joined Andaman Discoveries in late January, and though she was hired as an "intern," the title feels wholly unworthy of the mark she forever left on the organization. Leslie dove headlong into the chaos on day one without complaint, and she found her footing immediately. She could always be counted on for her cheerful smile (even after the fourth power outage of the day), unwavering commitment, and for being the first person to volunteer to take on a new challenge. In just over five months Leslie accomplished a staggering amount of crucial work for us.
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Copyright
2009 Andaman Discoveries
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Why Us?
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Andaman Discoveries' internationally recognized community development and tourism projects make a real difference. Our International and bilingual staff have extensive knowledge, allowing guests to enjoy a true cultural exchange.
We have developed comprehensive teaching materials for those planning to volunteer in a school. And for folks new to Thailand we can arrange regional transport and accommodations, and even offer advice on traveling (our staff loves to explore the country, too!).
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Stay Connected!
Join our mailing list, become a friend on Facebook, follow our moves on Twitter, or join our LinkedIn group!
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"In the brief month that I taught at the Burmese Learning Center, I felt that I developed relationships with the students and teachers. The students' confidence and skills grew steadily, as did mine, as I learned to find my footing as a teacher in Thailand."
Rebecca, UK
Burmese Learning Center
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"After the initial 'culture shock,' we all settled into the village way of life! We've loved the community feel ... everyone helps each other, excess harvests of fish, fruit, etc. are shared amongst everyone. Life here has taught us that we don't need much in this world to be happy and healthy. Good friends and family are precious things to have -- we should look out for them always!"
Hannah Family, USA
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