A volunteer trip overseas can be a great adventure, or a grand disaster. To avoid the latter, please have a look at these tips for preparing yourself for international travel.
Banking
Most Thai ATMs accept foreign cards which can be accessed through the Cirrus and Plus systems. Credit cards can only really be used only in big cities, and only at larger shops. To avoid the embarrassing and tremendously frustrating situation of not being able to access your funds abroad, it is highly recommended that you contact your financial institutions and inform them of your travel plans. These days, all banks and credit card companies track all of your transactions. If you haven’t informed your bank that you’ll be traveling, and withdrawals suddenly occur in Thailand, they will likely assume the card has been stolen and will cancel it immediately. Don’t get left high and dry.
Go back to the top of pageBudget
Thailand is quite affordable for most foreigners from the Americas, Europe, and other strong economies. Unless you require luxury, your trip shouldn’t break the bank. Bear in mind that while prices in rural areas and provincial cities (where most volunteer placements are located) are quite low, prices in tourist areas may be as much as 5X higher. Here are some products/services and their approximate costs in Thailand to help you plan your budget.
- 1 night in a standard guest house = 200-500 THB
- 1 night in a tourist hotel / bungalow = 600+ THB
- 1 normal meal, with drink (no alcohol) = 30-40 THB
- 1 nice meal or meal in tourist restaurant with drink (no alcohol) = 100-200 THB
- 1 large beer = 40-50 THB
- 1 large beer in a tourist area = 80-100 THB
- bus transportation = roughly 1 THB/km, with deals on longer trips
- tuk-tuk or taxi transportation = 10-20 THB/km
- 1 hour in an internet café = 20-40 THB
- 10-minute phone call to England = 60 THB
- 1 kilo of laundry, washed and air-dried = 30-60 THB
- 1 game of bowling = 60 THB conservative exchange rates: 1 GBP
Communications
Thailand has an extensive mobile phone network, so you can arrange an international roaming plan with your provider. If you have a mobile phone with a changeable SIM card, you can bring it along and buy a Thai SIM card (roughly 300 THB) which will give you a new local number. Overseas calling cards can be purchased at convenience stores and are not expensive.
The Internet is accessible at shops in all major towns and most schools, though some more rural locations may not have service. You may have to travel to a larger town to send emails.
One way or another, it’s always a good idea to let friends and family know where you are to prevent worry!
Go back to the top of pageHealth
Thailand is a safe country and Thais are notoriously clean, but we still advise all volunteers to visit their doctor or local travel clinic to find updated information about recommended immunizations or other preventative medicines. You are required to provide your own travel and medical insurance. We can advise you if you're not sure what kind to get.
Go back to the top of pageMental Preparation
You’ll be traveling to a new country with different cultural norms and values, a new language, different food, and in general a very different lifestyle. Plus, you’ll be there without the usual networks of friends and family that you normally rely on. All of this can make your trip difficult, or more enjoyable, depending on how you’ve prepared yourself.
Study some Thai online before you leave. Take your mom out for Thai food in your own city. Have rice for breakfast. Wear extra clothes to simulate the heat. Most of all, ready yourself to embrace the positives: all these new factors (friends, tastes, climates, words, feelings) can deeply enrich your life, adding colour and depth to what you already know.
Go back to the top of pagePacking
Weather in Thailand is seasonal and predictable. The rainy season typically spans May-October, while the rest of the year can be quite dry. It’s lovely and in some places a bit cool from November to January so a light coat will be handy, and really, really hot from February to April. In addition, Thais are very conservative, especially in more rural areas, and it’s polite to keep your shoulders, chest, and legs to the knees covered. Volunteers on teacher placements are expected to dress in a modest and professional manner.
With the above points to guide your choices of clothing, here’s a list of things you might want to bring along on your trip:
- clothing: trousers, shirts, skirts, dresses, long shorts, hat, swim suit, undergarments, & nice clothes for teachers
- shoes: a good pair for walking and a nice pair for teachers - sandals are cheap and readily available here
- camera: don’t forget your battery charger!
- books: a small notepad for jotting Thai words, a journal, and books to read or study in quiet times
- toiletries: towel, shaving kit, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, soap, shampoo, etc.
- med kit: medications, prophylactics, etc.
- gifts: souvenirs from your own country, a gift for your host family, photos of your home, family and friends to show to others, even pocket change or stamps are highly recommended!
Passport
Before you travel abroad, you’ll have to have a passport from your home country. Processes vary, but in some countries it can take up to 2 months to procure this essential document so make sure you’ve given yourself enough time.
Visa
Volunteers are required by Thai law to hold a non-Immigrant Type O visa.
Dragonfly will help volunteers work through visa applications on a case by case basis, as processes and requirements vary. A passport is essential for any application, so make sure you’ve got yours well in advance. The visa process is fairly quick, but if there is no Thai consulate/embassy in your city you’ll have to leave ample time for mailing your application.
*It is a legal requirement to have the proper visa before entering Thailand. We will arrange the paperwork neccessary for aquiring a volunteer visa. Any organisation that suggests working even as a volunteer on a tourist visa is putting you at risk of arrest or deportation
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