Leadership and Community Engagement in Thailand

Discover Bangkok on a guided sightseeing tour of its most iconic landmarks. Explore the Grand Palace, home to the revered Emerald Buddha, dressed in seasonal royal attire. Visit Wat Pho, where the famous Reclining Buddha stretches 150 feet, and admire the stunning spires and colorful mosaics of the riverside Temple of Dawn.

Have fun dressing up in traditional Thai costumes at Duriyapraneet House, a Thai music house which has been actively engaged in preservation of Thai music throughout several generations! Members include royal musicians and the princess' teacher. We then learn how to play traditional Thai musical instrument with the master.

Ayutthaya Old City walking tour, Bang-Pa-In Summer Palace visit, Service-learning activities

Your group will have the opportunity to participate in a Thai cooking class! Preparing curry paste is one of the most unique and important aspects of Thai cuisine, as fresh-picked herbs and whole spices are ground together in a stone mortar before being cooked in various ways. Aroma is just as important as taste in Thai cooking. Afterwards, you'll get to enjoy your delicious creation!

To discover the way Bangkok used to be, travel outside of Bangkok, to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market with its many colors, flavors and exotic fragrances. Start with a scenic ride on a narrow longtail boat, passing riverside villages and fruit plantations, before entering the vibrant market. There will be many photo-opportunities along the way and on the colorful market on the water.

Buddhism first entered Thailand at Nakhon Pathom, the country’s oldest town. Here stands the Phra Pathom Chedi, one of Thailand’s most sacred temples. Shaped like an inverted bowl, its golden spire soars nearly 400 feet, commemorating the Buddha’s time in the region and drawing pilgrims from across the nation.

Explore the Patom Organic Village See different kinds of "organic journeys" from the raw-to the finished product and to choose one of the following activities: Rice farming and processing (or) clay workshop or weaving workshop

Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558. Its Old City area still retains vestiges of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. It's also home to hundreds of elaborate Buddhist temples, including 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, adorned with carved serpents.

Activities may include: leading art, English or music camps for children, youths and /or families; or English tutoring for children and youths.

Visit the Elephant Nature Park, providing a unique opportunity to learn about its mission and the incredible work being done to protect these majestic animals.

Drive approximately 90 minutes outside of Chiang Mai through rural landscapes, agricultural areas, and forested hills to the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary for rehabilitating elephants. Enjoy an introductory lesson about elephant anatomy, history, and behavior before meeting the gentle giants themselves! You can feed, interact, bathe, and play with the elephants in their natural home as you learn about their behavior and the long history of working elephants in Thailand.

Drive approximately 90 minutes outside of Chiang Mai through rural landscapes, agricultural areas, and forested hills to the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary for rehabilitating elephants. Enjoy an introductory lesson about elephant anatomy, history, and behavior before meeting the gentle giants themselves! You can feed, interact, bathe, and play with the elephants in their natural home as you learn about their behavior and the long history of working elephants in Thailand.

The On-Site Learning Center for local students who live in construction camps and have no access to public education because of their illegal refugee status. The most important goal is to teach fluency in Thai, and as a further incentive to teach English. We will have the opportunity to volunteer at the center (subject to confirmation).

Enjoy delicious gourmet "Khan Toke" Food, the symbol of Northern Thai cuisine. A variety of graceful Chiang Mai traditional dancers, also selected hill tribe dancers will perform their colorful, original and photogenic, traditional dances. These can be viewed while seated on traditional floor mats with comfortable cushions Lanna Thai style.

Tonight we will enjoy a Thai Welcome Dinner and Classical Dance Show! Enjoy a feast of Thai culture and the country's legendary cuisine in one sitting. The delicious meal is accompanied by Thai classical music and exquisite dances. Once performed in the innercourt only for royalty, every hand gesture has a significant meaning. In the background, expert musicians demonstrate their considerableskills with ancient instruments exclusively designed for Thai classical music. You will be amazed by the grace and beauty of the dancers as they elegantly perform stories from classical Thai literature and folk-tales. The exquisitely crafted traditional costumes adorned with jewels provide the perfect photo opportunity.

Throughout the program, we will set time aside time for discussion, guided reflection, and time to write reflections on self-discovery and what we have learned. "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey