The

Nai Soi Community

Learning Center

We are seeking enthusiastic individuals that wish to volunteer their time and effort to make a positive contribution to the students at the Nai Soi Community Learning Center.

Unlike many volunteer positions found on the internet today there is NO COST to volunteer at the NSCLC. Upon arrival volunteers are given housing and food. Volunteers are responsible for paying for travel to and from the NSCLC.

While we don't have any specific requirements regarding your qualifications we are hoping to attract qualified teachers of ESL. Still, if you don't have experience teaching we still strongly encourage you to contact us.

We are seeking volunteers willing to stay for at least three months but preferably willing to stay from an entire school year! Our year runs from late May to mid-March. In our first two school years (2005-6 and 2006-7) we have had many great volunteers, but unfortunately most have only been able to stay for a month or two. This of course makes the learning more difficult for the students as they are passed from teacher to teacher and their instruction lacks continuity.  

Currently we have enough volunteers to finish our 2007-2008 school year. Our next school year will begin in late May of 2008 and we are still looking for qualified volunteers!

To apply for a position at CLC or to ask any questions please send an email to Emmett at info@naisoi.org

Some common questions:

What is the cost of volunteering?
There is no cost.  Volunteers must pay for travel to and from the city of Mae Hong Son(MHS) where they will be met by a school representative.

Where is Mae Hong Son?
The city of MHS is the capital of the Mae Hong Son Province in the far Northwest of Thailand.  The province shares a border with the country of Burma(Myanmar).  Click here for more info.

What is expected of volunteers?
Volunteers are expected to teach a minimum about 5 hours per day of English.  You may also be asked to teach at a nearby Thai government school.

What else do volunteers do when they aren’t teaching?
There is so much and so little to do.  It is up to each volunteer.  Of course all volunteers spend time each day reviewing lessons and preparing for the next day.  Beyond this some volunteers simply relax and read.  Others accept the invitations of the community members to eat, drink, and experience various cultural activities including festivals and ceremonies.  Nai Soi is located in a stunning stretch of rice growing valleys surrounded by beautiful green mountains.  Some volunteers explore the landscape by foot, bike, or motorbike.  Volunteers also spend time in MHS with the many foreign workers in the area. These foreigners work with the thousands of refugees and migrants from Burma..

What if I’ve never taught before?
Several of our volunteers had no prior teaching experience.  Of course it isn’t easy, but if you are willing to challenge yourself and work hard in preparing lessons you will certainly be a benefit to the students.

What will my living conditions be like?
In the second school year we were able to construct a volunteer house.  Volunteers now have a private living space with tile floors, brick walls, and private washing facilities. This is the nicest building at our school.

Thoughts from former volunteer Anne Ford:

The smiles from the students and the stories behind each one are what I will never forget from my time in Nai Soi. Memories of their kindness and generosity will last me a lifetime and I hope to return again one day. Living with the students you learn much more than you normally would, not only of their future desires but about their incredible pasts and life in and around the refugee camp. I feel fortunate to have met these amazing, hardworking students. During one lesson, we were talking about daily activities and some of those listed were: morning chores, cooking food, eating meals, playing the guitar, sports and singing songs. I then asked what their favorite activity of the day was and to my complete surprise the most common answer was eating breakfast. I asked why and they replied because they are hungry in the morning! And no wonder why as the students truly honor their privilege to study here and work hard for it. Many mornings I would wake to the sound of cutting grass, collecting trash to burn or clearing the field for future planting. The volunteers are made to feel welcome and students enjoy being around English speakers. I feel lucky to have been able to help out and share my life with the students. Their vibrant personalities, memorable songs and heart-warming smiles cannot be matched elsewhere and place perspective on what is truly important in life.

Thoughts from former volunteer Rich Peterson:

I had a wonderful time volunteering at Nai Soi last April. My most memorable experience at Nai Soi School was going to a nearby waterfall one afternoon with a large group of kids. It was great fun in a totally casual atmosphere with everybody laughing and having a good time. There's no language barrier when everybody is just sharing a laugh. I also had a good time going speargun-fishing with a group of boys from the school. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Many of the students love being around English speakers and sharing stories while learning. They also are very open and inviting into their own lives, willing to invite me into their home and show me around the local village. It was a fantastic experience, and I cannot wait to return to the school.