To be Volunteer in Thailand, IPB Student Shares His Teaching Experience
Under the Association internationale des étudiants en sciences économiques et commerciales (AIESEC), the Student of Business School of Bogor Agricultural University (SB-IPB), Muhammad Imam Baihaqi, shows his ability to teach in Thailand. Bai, the man's nickname, has been a volunteer for AIESEC, a nonprofit organization.
AIESEC is the world's largest non-profit youth-run organization. It is an international non-governmental not-for-profit organization that provides young people with leadership development and cross-cultural global internship and volunteer exchange experiences across the globe, with a focus to empower young people so they can make a positive impact on society. Bai is one of 26 applicants who passed the selection processes for AIESEC program. In this program, those who passed the test will be selected randomly to be travel abroad during summer or winter holidays.
Bai has joined the 48-day student exchange program in Thailand, from 11 July to 29 August 2017. AIESEC's student exchange programs offers healthy life, green life concern, qualities education, and more. "Because I like teaching, so I choose to take quality education," said Bai. Bai explained the reasons why he chose Thailand because for him the country is culturally, economically and technically appealing.
While in Thailand, Bai teaches in Chataburi Province precisely Bantonkrabok School. Residents who live around the rubber trees are mostly rubber farmers. When Bai arrived there, Bai got a very good treatment as a foreigner. "They are all very friendly to me as a foreigner, especially in serving food, they understand very well if I am a Muslim who does not eat pork," he said.
While in Thailand, Bai was amazed to see the discipline and hospitality of Thai society. The children he taught also like his visit. Although there are difficulties in communicating because people in the area are teaching, it is difficult to understand their English both teacher to student. To be able to communicate with the Thai community, very often Bai uses Google voice translate. "Actually they understand English, but they are embarrass to speak English or to express, it is a new challenge for me. I use gestures more often when I communicate with them. When I order them to follow what I say they are quite loud and passionate. However, when they are instructed to read what are written in the blackboard, they again have difficulty to speak, "he explained.
Many things I learn and like while spending with the children and learning about their culture and life in Thailand. Every day students attend the flag ceremonies followed by reciting prayers to Buddha. Before going to class every child gets a box of milk that they can drink inside or outside the classroom. In the class they all obey their teacher and keep the class-room clean. "It was really amazed me, that they get used to brush their teeth after lunch and before going home," he said. Even the discipline was evident from the learning system there. Bai told, before beginning his class the teacher gave a piece of wood to hit the unruly pupil. " Obviously that's not my typical teaching. I also reject it, "Bai said, not surprising that Thailand has become one of the world's largest rice exporting countries, an advanced economy, and won many medals in every international competition, and in Thailand its educational facilities are very supportive. (Wied)
