THAILAND

THAILAND 2024

Anticipated Trip Cost: $3,899
Anticipated Dates: JUNE 30 – JULY 14

Leadership Development

9-month leadership development program with integrated local service component
Youthlinc’s mission is to transform volunteers into lifetime humanitarians, which takes time and effort- we are not a “pay-and-go” program
Twenty five years of proven curriculum and data show that our program truly changes and improves our volunteers & communities abroad
Connect and build friendships with your team for 9 months prior to travel

Projects

Work with Travel2Teach to make lasting impacts on rural villages outside of Chiang Mai
Projects relate to community health, business & vocational skills, ecological improvements, construction, cultural exchange, and education

What's Included?

We are a Utah-based program. Round-trip international airfare is included from Salt Lake City. Minors will never be asked to fly alone to another city to meet their team for the first time.
All meals, accommodation, transportation, & clean water
Excursions include trips to a butterfly biome, elephant sanctuary, and gorgeous Buddhist temples
Travel insurance, medical professional travels with team, 1:3 ratio of adults:student

BAN MAE MAE, THAILAND

Our first Service Year team went to Thailand in the summer of 2008. It’s hard to believe it was that long ago. Our first partnership was with the Rotary Club of Patong Beach in Southern Thailand. We are so grateful for them and their many years of coordinating for our teams.

In 2015 we made the move up to Northern Thailand with a new partner Travel to Teach in Chiang Mai. Travel to Teach is an NGO focused on organizing volunteers to teach English across the globe. The Chiang Mai Travel to Teach coordinating efforts are spearheaded by Jim Wiengyos. Jim is amazing and she does such a fantastic job making sure everything is prepared and runs as smooth as possible for our teams.

Our teams work hard but also get to have some fun. The Chiang Mai team spends their last couple days in Chiang Mai exploring the temples and night markets. They also visit Ran-tong Save and Rescue Centre where they spend the afternoon feeding, playing, and bathing elephants.

Read About Our 2023 Projects

The team did a variety of construction projects, including improving drainage away from the school so it would stop eroding into the hillside, doing improvements various structures on the school grounds, and doing improvements in the dormitories.

The cultural committee organized Opening and Closing ceremonies-- which included the team and the local community learning dances and performing together at the end of the trip. The committee also designed and painted the largest mural in Youthlinc history, covering the entire side of the boys' dormitory.

The education committee designed and carried out an English Camp for the students still living in the dorms. Most of the students that attend this school are from migrant farmers, gatherers, and works who drop their children at this school during the year so they can receive an education while they work to substist.

The community health committee worked with and learned from the local health clinic. They also ran a health fair for men and women where they taught lessons related to hand-hygiene, first aid, maturation, and feminine hygiene.

The vocational committee worked with the local women's co-op to improve their approach to selling their homemade and handmade items. Products included organic massage oils, organic tea, handmade clothing and bags, organic balms and other items related to health & wellness.

The business committee worked with the local women's co-op to take their business ventures to the next level. The committee organized a "shark tank" activity where the women's group presented their business plans and products to a panel of judges. The winners received cash prizes to invest in their businesses and the whole co-op was gifted sewing machines to support their work in that regard.

The ecological committee planted coffee at the nearby Buddhist temple and engaged with the community on eco-brick projects. The area of Ban Mae Mae is also a holistically organic village where no pesticides are used in any way. This allows for all plant and animal life in the area to thrive under natural means only.

Excursions included trips to a butterfly biome, Rantong Elephant Sanctuary, gorgeous Buddhist temples, and jungle hikes.

In-country Coordinator

Maneerat (Jim) Wiengyos
Tucker

She/Her

Jim is from from Chiang Mai, Thailand Graduated from Khon kaen University in Hotel and tourism management.

Jim is the leading coordinator for Travel to Teach. Jim is an expert at Coordinator Volunteers and organizations. She truly Enjoys working with international volunteers on project aimed at improving the daily lives of communities.

Jim has been partnering with Youthlinc as the Director of Travel to teach since 2015. Since then we have had 1+ teams working with Travel to teach to provide sustainable projects in rural Chiang Mai.

Meg Ashton

Thailand July Team Leader

Thailand JULY

Meg is thrilled to be leading the Thailand 2 team this year!! Ever since participating as a student in 2009, Meg has had a passion for helping others and humanitarian work. This great love is a driving force in her life; she is continuously seeking opportunities to improve the lives of others.

Meg took her first trip with Youthlinc to Kenya in 2009, and in 2018 was one of the very lucky mother-daughter duos to take on Thailand. Between 2009 and 2018, Meg had awesome adventures living in New York, Indiana, Nebraska, and Massachusetts; learning and growing every step of the way. Living in so many places has helped her to love and appreciate many different cultures and lifestyles.

The highlight of Meg’s day job is setting up relationships and events with various non-profit organizations throughout the Salt Lake valley; creating volunteer opportunities for herself and her co-workers. Through these efforts, she has met many incredible people. She sparks enthusiasm in so many by finding a way to share their time and abilities in meaningful endeavors.

Meg stays busy working a 9-5 job in downtown Salt Lake City, and when she isn’t working, she looks forward to constant excursions with her husband, two dogs, and a cat. They love adventuring in the outdoors and hanging out with their nephews. Meg cannot wait to meet her team and make this year an unforgettable life-changing experience

My name is Kodie Osterberg and I am currently at Utah State University, studying Business Administration. I have also been a dancer for 19 years and am currently teaching dance at a local studio. Other hobbies of mine outside of dance are snowboarding, hiking, wakeboarding, and any other outdoor activity.

I joined Youthlinc in 2018 and went to Thailand. I enjoyed every moment of this experience. Not only the international service but the local service as well. During my experience with Youthlinc, I realized how much a lot of people take for granted. I returned home and appreciated every little thing I had a lot more than I ever did in the past. The Thai people taught me many life lessons and ones I would have never been taught without this unique experience.

I am excited to be joining the 2020-2021 service year as a recruitment intern. Working with others has always been something I loved. I am excited to get to know the other interns, Youthlinc staff, and the other people I will meet throughout the recruitment process. I am excited to continue to learn, grow, and experience all the opportunities that come my way during this experience.

Kodie Osterberg

Thailand July ATL

THAILAND JULY

Team Leader

WADE BENNINGTON

He/Him

Wade has traveled with Youthlinc to Costa Rica and Peru as a medical mentor and is excited to add Thailand to his list of travels. He’s excited to visit a place that is completely new, but also very excited to get to work with another great team of humanitarians! Wade is a nurse from Ogden and in Youthlinc he has found amazing experiences while being able to step outside his comfort zone to truly connect with others and learn and grow. Outside of work and Youthlinc, Wade loves board games, football season, the outdoors, video games, all kinds of music and getting to spend time with loved ones.

Assistant Team Leader

BRIDGETT RODRIGUEZ ACERO

She/Her

Bridgett has traveled with Youthlinc to Kenya and Peru and is looking forward to stepping into a new leadership role as the Assistant Team Leader for the Thailand team. She’s excited for this upcoming Service Year because it gives her the opportunity to put herself out there and meet people from all different backgrounds. Bridgett attends SLCC and is studying Elementary Education. You can find Bridgett hiking, hangout with her dog, thrifting, try new restaurants, traveling and exploring Utah.

Driven by a desire to be an example of service to her two children, Sarah applies her tremendous energy to create positive change wherever possible. As a first grade teacher for the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind (USDB) she enjoys the opportunity of assisting deaf children with their speech and hearing ability on a daily basis. While finishing up her bachelor’s degree in special education at the University of Utah Sarah heard of YouthLinc and jumped at the opportunity of going to Kenya to work at the Kaaga School for the Deaf in 2007. Also recently Sarah has volunteered at the Holladay Rehabilitation Center, provided respite for parents of children with disabilities in Salt Lake County and prepared preschool-aged deaf children for the oral program at USDB.

As the Team Leader for the 2010 Thailand Program, Sarah is eager for the opportunity of service amongst people that still bear the scars of the 2004 Tsunami. Also, with her husband Matt, she looks forward to the experience of creating life-time humanitarians of the participants, families and friends that are involved in the program, especially by being an example to her own children.