Final Reflection: Teaching in Mae La Noi & The Value of Being on the Ground by Intern Layne O'Connell

Having never traveled to Southeast Asia and being relatively unfamiliar with the culture before my internship in Mae La Noi, I tried my best to do some preliminary research. There is definitely no shortage of resources available to learn about general Thai culture, but the village of Mae La Noi itself cannot even be seen on most maps. Armed only with the information from my mentors at Global Playground to go on, I arrived for my internship at Mae La Noi Daroonsik excited, open minded, and maybe even a little apprehensive about what was to come. One of the things my university challenged me to think about while abroad was the value of “being on the ground,” as opposed to learning about the culture of the region from afar. As my internship now comes to an end two months later, I reflect upon how grateful I am to have experienced the culture of this unique community on the ground and in person. I am taking away unforgettable experiences and invaluable knowledge that I never could have acquired virtually.  

One thing that I did know before arriving was that Mae La Noi is a small village surrounded by a number of hilltribes. These groups each have different languages, traditions, beliefs, dress, religions, and food- all of which come together at Mae La Noi Daroonsik school. As such, from each student I talked to, I could learn something completely new about the culture of this region. Each Friday, I wore a beautifully hand-woven traditional shirt from the Karen tribe. I ate traditional Karen dishes, which are different from mainstream Thai cuisine, alongside my co-teacher while visiting her village. I have learned about Lawa rituals and admired the hand-crafted Lawa bags my students carry. Getting to talk to people in real time, ask questions, and physically witness the culture has taught me so much about what it really is to live in this region of Thailand, and these experiences cannot simply be supplemented with a book or a website.

Interning in a school has been an imperative aspect of my cultural learning experience. From Anti-Drug Day to Buddhist Lent Day, school holidays and events have revealed a lot about the values of the community. My favorite school event was Thai Culture Day. The festivities included plays and dances that depicted the history of Thailand, as well as a number of fun competitions. Morgan and I were chosen to represent the English department in a competition amongst the teachers, where we had the length of 1-2 Thai songs to make and present papaya salad to a panel of judges while simultaneously dancing. We had to do it in front of the whole school, and we had never made papaya salad before, so this was a bit stressful at first but we had a lot of fun! Thailand is one of the only countries in the world to have never been colonized, so the culture is so rich, old, steeped in tradition, and beautifully unique. Furthermore, the culture is so full of color, life, love, acceptance, and the desire to just have a good time together. I could definitely see why the community is so proud and happy to have that to celebrate, and I was so happy to be part of the fun. 

For as much as I have learned at school, I have learned an equal amount, if not more, outside of the classroom. I’ve gained invaluable skills in communication, proactiveness, and facilitating positive cross-cultural exchange. For example, our co-teachers taught us how to make green curry, a traditional Thai dish. In exchange, Morgan and I introduced them to Tex Mex, a cuisine from our culture that they had never tasted before. (They enjoyed it, but admitted it wasn’t as “flavorful” (i.e., spicy) as their own cuisine). Similarly, a group of students came to our house to show us how to make mango sticky rice, a favorite Thai dessert, and when they were curious about American desserts, we showed them how to roast marshmallows on our little gas stove for s’mores. Morgan and I have been invited to visit local villages, farms, and festivals. We have learned that while the level of respect for teachers held by the students is extremely high, the social boundary is much more lax than in the United States. Our students messaged us, hung out at our house, braided our hair, and invited us to engage in activities. I joined a Thai dance class, and attended badminton practices in the evenings (I am not great, but better than where I started)! Furthermore, I have made a real effort to be a proactive and curious member of the community. From attending local church services to playing cards at the restaurant in town with the family that owns it, I have learned so much from community members. In fact, one of the coolest skills I have gained is how to count in Thai, which I obtained entirely from dealing cards at our nightly games. I am so grateful that everyone has embraced me so warmly and shared their culture so eagerly. Books, websites, research, reading materials- they can’t provide you with the feeling of camaraderie you get from participating in a Thai dance performance, the feeling of joy you get from celebrating a new friend’s birthday with her whole Thai family, or the feeling of pride you get when everyone cheers for you because you finally counted 1-10 in the correct accent. The little things learned from simply putting yourself out there and starting a conversation- like how “have you eaten rice yet” is the equivalent of “how are you”- are things I never would have thought to ask Google in the first place. Ultimately, being on the ground has allowed me to make connections, forge bonds and friendships, and experience what it is like to actually live in a new place, that is, to be an accepted member of the community, even though I might look, walk and talk like nobody else. 

I have ultimately learned so much from my internship in Mae La Noi, and I cannot wait to apply this knowledge to my future studies, volunteer work, and career aspirations. I could not be more grateful for or overstate the value of this experience enough, and I cannot wait to return to Mae La Noi someday!