global citizenship and leadership programs in the developing world

 global citizenship and leadership programs in the developing world since 1993 3200 Carbon Place #102, Boulder, CO 80301 [email protected] | www.wheretherebedragons.com | 800.982.9203 or 303.413.0822 THAILAND: THE SPIRIT OF GRENG JAI
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This experiential cultural immersion program introduces students to foreign environments where they develop self-­‐knowledge, leadership skills, and a better understanding of our global community. Through experiential activities, home-­‐stays, and work within areas of social justice, students learn firsthand about real issues facing people everywhere and learn ways to contribute positively to solutions. On the Tampa Prep Thailand Program, students experience the dramatic contrasts of rural agrarian and urban proletariat life while exploring issues of migration, development and conservation. They learn to interact with diverse peoples and emerge with a sharpened understanding of themselves, their world, and the issues of their age. Students will also develop new or sustained interests for further study at Tampa Prep. Rainforests, emerald-­‐green rice fields, rolling hills and remote valleys are the majestic natural backdrops to our culturally rich program in Thailand. From forested mountain tops to rural villages to the buzzing metropolis of Bangkok, we explore ethnic minority and hill tribe cultures, temples, ruins, markets and sensational landscapes by train, bus, truck, bike, boat and foot. In one of the world’s most popular travel destinations, this program offers off-­‐the-­‐beaten-­‐path experiences that incorporate village-­‐stays, collaborate work alongside local community, jungle trekking, and introductions to Theravada Buddhism, while maintaining a central focus on the themes of migration and regional politics. This program is for students seeking to be intellectually and physically challenged through rugged and authentic exchange with the landscape and culture of Thailand. [email protected] | www.wheretherebedragons.com | 800.982.9203 / 303.413.0822 NARRATIVE ITINERARY
We begin our program in Sukhothai, capital of a medieval kingdom and present-­‐day UNESCO world heritage site, where we engage in orientation activities and team building exercises in the shadows of 800-­‐year-­‐old wats and modern landmarks. Here we bike around the temple complex, begin survival Thai language lessons and spend our evenings together learning about localized customs and how to properly eat in the Thai style, which collectively set the tone for our adventure to come. From Sukhothai we travel north and embark on a 3-­‐day trek into the verdant highlands of the Chiang Dao district where we hike through inspiring jungles and visit traditional hill tribe villages that punctuate northern Thailand's astounding ethnic diversity. Along the way, we engage with local leaders and cultural representatives to better understand the social, developmental and environmental realities of rural communities in Thailand's changing countryside. While exploring these pristine tropical rain forests and the rise of responsible eco-­‐tourism, students take on leadership roles and form unique bonds in the face of new challenges. After emerging from our trek we head to Chiang Mai, the ancient seat of the Lanna Kingdom and cultural capital of northern Thailand, to connect with local NGOs working in areas of social justice and to provide students deeper exposure to contemporary issues related to Thai politics, the plight of refugees from Myanmar and Theravada Buddhist practices in Thailand. From Chiang Mai we make our way back to Bangkok to wrap up our course with visits to the Royal Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, the temple of the Emerald Buddha. We take boat rides through the city's meandering canals and floating markets in order to experience firsthand and analyze critically the dramatic contrast that defines one of Southeast Asia's most modern countries and its rural, agrarian heritage. We find space in Koh Kret, a Mon community living on the banks of the Chao Phraya river, to reflect on our program, prepare for the return home, and celebrate our journey with a group feast. [email protected] | www.wheretherebedragons.com | 800.982.9203 / 303.413.0822 PROPOSED DAILY ITINERARY
DATE
PLACE
TAMPA-
MAY 25-26
DETAIL
SUKHOTHAI
Overnight travel to Bangkok, arrival and transfer to orientation site at Sukhothai complex. Opening dinner, rest. SUKHOTHAI
Orientation activities and team building exercises. Bike around the ruins, learn Thai language, spend time in the market place, and spend our evenings together learning how to properly eat in the Thai style and participating in ceremonies, which set the tone for our adventure together. MAY 27-28
Day 1: 7:30am Depart Chiang Mai. Shop in local market for meats, water, candals. Eat lunch, then a 4-­‐5 hour hike to a Sgow Karen village where we stay the first night. Group homestays and dinner with families. CHIANG DAO
MAY 29-31
DISTRICT TREK
Day 2: Breakfast, spend time in Sgow village. Learning about the village and way of living, Karen survival skills, jungle cooking. Chance to plant trees in the village for service work. Take an evening swim in the river. Day 3: Wade up the Mae Hoo river. Explore an AMAZING bat cave. Hike is anywhere from 4-­‐6 hours depending on the rain and transportation. CHIANG MAI
JUNE 1-2
HOME-STAY
Pun Pun is an organic farm, natural building center, and educational retreat located about an hour and a half outside Chiang Mai. Pun Pun Village’s founder, Pi, established the farm more than a decade ago and has become a minor celebrity in Thailand in recent years. Students will participate in a four-­‐day workshop focused on natural building and sustainable farming methods and philosophy while staying in home-­‐stays in the nearby village. BANGKOK
Morning flight to Bangkok, settle into guest house, explore the waterways, and afternoon exploring Royal Palace, prepare for the return home. Final celebratory dinner. PUN PUN FARM &
JUNE 3-7
JUNE 8
JUNE 9
Visits with NGOs working on migration and regional politics, Thai cooking activities, focus on Buddhism and temple visits, meditation, Thai massage and student scavenger hunt. Lodging Pranee Guest House. BANGKOK-TAMPA Morning departure to airport and return travel. [email protected] | www.wheretherebedragons.com | 800.982.9203 / 303.413.0822 PROGRAM COMPONENTS
rugged travel To achieve an authentic cultural immersion experience and foster interactions between students and locals, we make every effort to live as locals do, sharing in local cuisine, accommodations, and modes of travel whenever possible. Life in Thailand is relatively rugged in comparison to life back home, and while we place a primacy on safety, students are expected to step out of their comfort zones, potentially using pit toilets, seeing garbage in public places, navigating chaotic streets, sleeping in rustic lodgings, and bathing with cold water. Students on this program are exposed to various modes of travel and enjoy a great deal of adventure and learning along the way. service learning / learning to serve Service on a Dragons program is not about doing work for someone else and not about taking any perceived expertise or experience on our part to solve others’ problems; it is about working together and learning from the members of a local community. By collaborating with our hosts during our trek, and while at Pun Pun Village, we seek to learn about the life of rural Thai peoples, whose reality radically contrasts our own. Working side-­‐by-­‐side, we engage in the rhythms of daily life, and better understand the material and spiritual world of our hosts. survey of development issues We explore a range of development topics, including issues in human rights, regional migration, resource management, and peace and conflict studies. Through meetings with development professionals, participants learn directly how the efforts of community leaders and aid organizations both positively and negatively impact the region’s people, culture, and environment. [email protected] | www.wheretherebedragons.com | 800.982.9203 / 303.413.0822 comparative religion Participants are introduced to the commonly shared religious and political thinking that has helped to shape the country’s culture. This course emphasizes an exploration of Buddhism through immersion with families and communities that actively practice, visits to sacred historic and contemporary sites, and lessons on the background and foundation of Theravada Buddhism in Thailand. language study We do not expect participants to come with language skills, nor to master them. We do expect that students want to interact with locals as closely as they can, and few things do more to empower participants and facilitate an ease of cultural understanding than language lessons with supportive instructors. At the beginningof the course, we will host several language lessons and promote the use of Thai throughout. home-­‐stays Often the most challenging and fulfilling component of this program, home-­‐stays take students to the core of their experience. During our village to village trek, students will stay with a local families in small groups or pairs and live as guests in their household, helping in whatever way possible to prepare food, and wor alongside siblings in conducting household chores. While staying at Pun Pun Village, we will be received by local home-­‐stay families and folded into the daily routines of their rural community. contemporary issues curriculum Our program is a holistic cultural immersion into daily life in Thailand, but we also delve particularly deep into conversations on social justice and migration, considering various indicators that define quality of life, progress, and wealth. We look at community-­‐based tourism in rural areas, international NGOs, and the work of government agencies. Although we’re likely to leave with more questions than answers, conversations with local experts and people we meet along the way help us clarify our own understanding of development both in theory and in practice. [email protected] | www.wheretherebedragons.com | 800.982.9203 / 303.413.0822 CORE CURRICULUM
Where There Be Dragons programs are built on the foundation of our core curriculum, weaving together our program components in a three-­‐phase skills progression towards the inculcation of our core learning outcomes: global citizenship, self-­‐awareness, and leadership. global citizenship Courses address issues of social justice and equity, globalization, race, power and privilege, and sustainable development by role-­‐modeling a dedication to social justice and a respect for diversity, while promoting a sense of responsibility based on the belief that every individual can make a difference. How can we help students harness privilege and opportunity for a common, global good? self-­‐awareness Instructors and teachers skillfully offer opportunities for students to reflect on their own lives through new perspectives and experiences, as they connect with “the other.” Programs cultivate student curiosity and ultimately help them embrace their most authentic selves. How do we facilitate a students’ awareness of personal and cultural values, strengths, and challenges? leadership and skill-­‐building Throughout each program, students are offered new skills, such as intercultural competency, foreign language, expeditionary behavior, and independent field research, and they are given opportunities to refine their leadership capacity. Instructors facilitate this process by modeling authentic leadership, teaching specific skills, and offering feedback and mentorship throughout the course. How do we empower students in this complex, interconnected world to act with confidence and leadership? [email protected] | www.wheretherebedragons.com | 800.982.9203 / 303.413.0822