In July, Andrew and Janice joined our summer study program ,for a month of experiential education and hands-on volunteering. The conservation-themed program included organic gardening in Ban Talae Nok, planting mangrove trees, helping control riverbank erosion, and helping with seagrass and turtle conservation at Ban Lion. Andrew and Janice have now returned to the University of California at Los Angeles, where they are sharing the knowledge and experience gained during their time with Andaman Discoveries. Thanks to them both for their enthusiasm and excellent community service.

Janice's blog: " ... We had dinner inside. Then I “showered” by scooping water over myself from a large basin of water to freshen up before bed. This is a little tricky when you are not used to it and takes practice. One more activity was planned for the evening. Rai dressed Andrew and I both in traditional Muslim attire. We learned that prayers are held five times a day, though not always at the mosque. We learned a greeting or way to say blessings upon you that uses words and hand motions. There is no alcohol in the village and no pork/pigs or dogs. However, there are a lot of caged birds, cats, chickens, ducks, geese, goats, cows, and buffalo..." read more on jrowland.blogspot

Andrew's blog : Part of my last week in Thailand was spent at a Buddhist temple. It was an enjoyable, while also an intense experience...mostly because I helped make a roof structure to shelter a group of students who would be studying at the temple for the weekend. We were able to listen to the monks speak to us and the students, and they discussed the importance of community and love in the world. Using a powerpoint presentation (the monks are surprisingly adept with technology, each having his own laptop and a digital camera to take pictures which are later uploaded on their website), they also talked about not getting distracted in life. In an age with beauty products, rock concerts, and advertisements telling us how to think and live, it can be difficult to understand what is really important. We need to stay focused, pursuing the things that we ourselves know is meaningful. We shouldn't feel as though we have to follow the grain of others. This is our life and we must live it as we see fit. I also realized, though, that I could never be a Buddhist monk. For one thing, they can only eat twice a day and never after 12pm. In other words, they have a really early breakfast at around 5 and then lunch at 11. After that -- nothing. In other words, I would die... read more on aimoncada.blogspot.com

Labels: community development, study program, study tours

International School of Bangkok Visits AD Team

The International School of Bangkok (ISB) became AD's first high school community service group in February! The pack of 21 students hailed from around the world, forming a truly diverse mixture of guests. Lead by Tui, our fearless Director and Translator, the students experienced a variety of activities that the Northern Andaman Coast has to offer.

The trip started in Ban Talae Nok where the students got a taste of traditional Thai cooking. The local youth group lead ISB through the nearby Nipa palm conservation project, explaining their efforts to preserve the environment by working with natural tidal processes to sustainably harvest crops. The ISB students then had an afternoon of weaving nipa palm leaves to make traditional roofing materials, and working with the Ladies' Soap Cooperative to mix up a batch of fresh soap!

The students spent the next day at Koh Ra Ecolodge, an environmentally sustainable outfit on an island off the Andaman Coast. They learned about local wildlife, conservation efforts at the lodge, and the nearby Reef Check Project.

ISB followed up Koh Ra with two days of fun and games at local school events. First, they visited Kuraburi High School, sharing their English conversational skills with the younger students. The following day they attended the Family Fun for National Children's Day in Khoalak, an event encouraging Burmese family interaction and integration with the Thai community.

We sent ISB off with a farewell dinner in Khoalak, where they shared their favorite learning experiences throughout the trip. As the waves crashed on the beach in front of the restaurant and we enjoyed a delicious Thai dinner and sent the ISB students back to Bangkok in style. After returning home, the students wrote a class blog to recount their time with AD!

Labels: Ban Talae Nok, Koh Ra Ecolodge, study tours

N-ACT Hosts Educational Events

“It’s important for those in our tourism network to meet regularly to exchange ideas, support one another, and share information,” believes Nattaya “Nat” Sektheera of North Andaman Community Tourism (N-ACT). Her conviction was the driving force behind two very busy months organizing a guide training, study trip, and network meeting with members from nine communities.

With three days of expert facilitation from the Thailand Community Based Tourism Institute (CBT-i), village guides were trained in showcasing village attractions and practicing the “safety, meaning, and service” (SMS) philosophy. The guides strengthened their knowledge through role play activities.

To improve their administrative, hospitality, and financial management skills, villagers traveled to the Koh Lon Homestay in Phuket for a study tour. The study tour participants engaged in hands-on activities such as reforestation and inspecting and learning about the operation of a local dam. “We’ve been able to use ideas from the Koh Lon study trip and implement positive changes to the appearance of our homestay guest areas,” said Manee Kong Gim.

Finally, a network meeting provided a chance to tie everything together by communicating recent news and encourage each other’s activities. N-ACT staff informed the group about recent FAM trips, lessons learned from the study trip, and the outcomes of the recent Homestay Standards meeting in Bangkok.

Labels: community development, community-based tourism, study tours

Students Complete Month-Long Study Tour

Students and staff from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) turned Thailand into a classroom for their field study course: “Thailand: Sustainable Communities and Ecosystems.” The course is a community-based, integrated, and social and natural science field research program. Students engage in sustainability research, intercultural activities, and fieldwork. Students used their knowledge to join Thai villagers and organizations in community service.

The study tour was sponsored by the UCLA Institute of the Environment. Professor Michael Silverman was involved at each step of the development and implementation of the program. The dedication of Professor Silverman and the UCLA Institute of the Environment were crucial in the success of the program.

“The thing that I liked the best about this program and AD is that it allowed me to go to places and get involved in activities that I would not have known about otherwise. If I were to come to Thailand on my own, I doubt I’d have ventured too far from the major cities, so this definitely made for a worthwhile and more authentic experience with Thai culture,” said Michelle Honda, UCLA student.

For the final project, students had the opportunity to do their work in different places. Some students spent five days at Ban Lion Village on Koh Phratong Island. The group’s activities included two mangrove study visits, interviews with the locals regarding the opinions and impacts of community-based tourism at Ban Lion, homestay sign preparation, making certificates for the winners of a garden competition, as well as repairing the school-kitchen garden fence.

“University groups benefit from study tours because the students learn firsthand through work that helps ordinary people in their day-to-day lives. They can experience rural culture and practice ways to preserve local lifestyles. Our goal for study tours is to help students give back to the communities and gain knowledge about the importance of responsible tourism and voluntourism,” said Karen Spackman, AD client and community relations manager.

Mimi Cheung, AD program development manager, said, “The students were enthusiastic, collaborative, attentive, and flexible, which allowed all the activities to run smoothly. Having a group of energetic students in the village resulted in the locals’ attitudes being more expressive, appreciative, attentive and proud. For example, the interview allowed the villagers to express their views regarding the outsiders’ input to their village. The villagers had positive opinions towards the CBT-development program. Additionally, the locals learned many lessons from this visit, including improving some of the CBT services provided and on the visitors’ orientation regarding dress code.”

Students also spent three days at Koh Ra Ecolodge. Awe, Study Tour Project Coordinator said, “On Koh Ra, the students did a hornbill and strangler fig count. This type of information has not been recorded before and is essential if we are to know the impact of humans and ecotourism on the island. They also learned how the sea gypsies use medicinal plants and natural resources.”

Thank you to the students and staff of UCLA for completing your course in Thailand -- we hope to see you again next year!

Visit the UCLA blog and the UCLA Institute of the Environment Web site, to read more about the UCLA study tour. Also, please feel free to contact us if you’d like to know more about the program.

And special thanks to everyone who collaborated to make the UCLA study tour possible.

Labels: community service, community-based tourism, study tours, UCLA