thailand - holly's habitat site · repairing, rehabilitating and rebuilding houses. in 2011,...

Global Village volunteer handbook

Thailand

community

development

home

construction

disaster

recovery


Welcome to Habitat for HumanityDriven by the vision that everyone needs a

decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity

began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a

community farm in southern Georgia. The

Christian housing organization has since grown

to become a leading global nonprofit working in

more than 1,300 communities throughout the

U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families

and individuals in need of a hand up partner

with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a

place they can call home. Habitat homeowners

help build their own homes alongside

volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.

Through financial support, volunteering or

adding a voice to support affordable housing,

everyone can help families achieve the

strength, stability and self-reliance they need to

build better lives for themselves.

About Habitat ThailandEstablished in 1998, Habitat for Humanity Thailand

improves the quality of Thai people’s lives through

building homes and transforming communities. HFH

Thailand works with like-minded partners, focusing

on holistic development and sustainable change to

achieve a positive and lasting impact. By providing

decent homes, HFH Thailand boosts a family’s

economic and educational opportunities, improves

health and social integration. According to the needs

of the families and communities, HFH Thailand and

its partners will facilitate job training, encourage

home-based businesses, set up health centers,

community centers and libraries, among others.

Disaster Response

During the time of natural disasters, especially flood

which becomes more and more catastrophic and

leaves more casualties each time it strikes, our

challenge is to deliver a response immediately to the

shelter-related needs in such harsh conditions and

to provide solutions in the Recovery phase by

repairing, rehabilitating and rebuilding houses.

In 2011, HFHT prepares to respond to the

nationwide disaster that affected more households

in a larger scale than ever before. HFHT continues

to work with private and public sectors to help flood-

affected households in the 8 provinces of

Phitsanulok, Uthai Thani, Lopburi, Saraburi,

Ayudhya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok.


Global Village builds — Thailand

Thailand is one of the first GV destinations.

Since 1999 Habitat for Humanity Thailand

(HFHT) has hosted more than 100 GV teams

including youth and adult teams, church teams,

corporate teams and JET (Japan Exchange and

Teaching) teams from Japan, Singapore, China,

Hong Kong, Korea, Europe, Australia, New

Zealand and the U.S.A.

The first affiliate of Thailand to host Global

Village teams was Udon Thani, the first HFHT

affiliate. Following that, we began to get more

and more teams coming to Thailand. The next

affiliate that hosted GV teams was Chiangmai,

Lampang which hosted their first GV team in

November 2002 and Nakhon Ratchasrima

(Korat), hosted its first GV team in June 2003

and first builder team to Khao Lak Site in the

south of Thailand in March 2005

Hosting Capacity: Presently, HFHT has 7 HRCs

or regional offices which are located throughout

the country, HRC-North, South, Central and

Northeast.

Hosing Months: Teams are hosted year- round

Team Size : The minimum team size is 15

people; while the maximum team size that can

be hosted at all affiliates is 25 people.


Habitat Homeowner ProfilePATCHARIN FAMILY

For many years, Patcharin and her children lived in her mother’s tiny house with 18 other family

members in Pathumthani province near Bangkok. In 2015, Patcharin partnered with Habitat for

Humanity Thailand to build a new house. Living in a secure home, she was able to start a drinking

water distribution business with some savings.

She has also partnered with a community-based group to source locally made cosmetic products

which she sells in the weekly Sunday market. Her sons Ammarin and Atsavin, now have space to

study, to play and to sleep well. “This house means a lot to me,” she says, “It has given my family

the stability that we needed. It has enabled me to become independent and has given me

confidence to explore new opportunities.”


About The Projects

AYYUTTHAYA

HFHT has been present in Chiang Mai for years.

The city/region welcomes ten to twenty volunteer

teams every year. Chiang Mai is well known as

Thailand's cultural capital not only for its beautifully

preserved city centre but also for its strong creative

and arts society and the presence of a large student

population. It's culture is different from the rest of

the country since it was the seat of the Lanna

Kingdom which only became a part of the Kingdom

of Siam in the late nineteen hundreds.

Not far North from Bangkok, in the middle of

Thailand's central plains lies Ayutthaya. After being

sacked by the Burmese the capital of Siam was

relocated to Bangkok where it remains today.

Ayutthaya has been well preserved and the ancient

remains of the city are visited by swarms of tourists

every year. Next to tourism the local economy

consists mainly of agriculture with rice being the

most important crop. Since it is located in the central

plains of Thailand floods happen yearly during the

rainy season, sometimes with destructive results.

CHIANG MA

KANCHANABURI

Kanchanaburi is a region located in the west of

Thailand, topping the Isthmus of Kra and

bordering Myanmar Outside of Thailand it is

mainly known for the death railway built by

Japanese prisoners of war during the Second

World War; resulting in a host of museums,

monuments and graveyards commemorating the

events that took place. Although agriculture is

quite big, most people don't own land and work

for larger farms. This daywork doesn't provide a

stable income as farmers depend on the weather

to farm and thus hire workers.


About The Projects

KRABI

Many houses are built out of improper and

temporary materials facing rough elements,

especially during rainy season. Houses are also

old, being passed on throughout generations with

little renovation. Together with overcrowding, this

leads to unsafe and unsuitable living conditions.

Houses and business in this area were also greatly

affected by the 2004 Tsunami, of which the effects

are still lingering today, leaving some people still

struggling to get their lives back on track.

.

Krabi is known for its beautiful beaches and stunning

lime stone cliffs. High-end resorts are spread

throughout the province, nonetheless, living

conditions for most locals are less than agreeable.

Many people live in old houses constructed out of

temporary materials. It won't come as a surprise

then that those houses, exposed to the coastal

elements, are anything but safe. Due to poverty, a

lot of people, have to live with their family, often

creating cramped, overcrowded and unhygienic

living conditions. Krabi's inhabitants worked in

agriculture. In recent years tourism has become an

important source of income.

.

PHANG NGA

PATHUM THANIAbout an hour and a half driving from Bangkok

lies Pathum Thani. Although the city is close to

Bangkok it is surrounded by rice fields. Next to

rice farming, manufacturing and low level

administrative jobs make up for most of the local

economy. Poor building materials often lead to

unsafe housing conditions. And since the area is

part of Thailand's central plains, floods easily

destroy many houses during rainy season. On top

of that many homes are overcrowded. All of these

factors obviously lead to unsuitable living

conditions.


About The Projects

Rayong is a famous province for tourists as it

has a lot of exciting activities; with more than

100 kilometre-long coastline. There are beautiful

beaches and scenic waterfalls amid natural

surroundings. Rayong is also rich in sea-life

resources and considered a major agricultural

and industrial province. Boasting indispensable

sea-life resources, Rayong is one of the

country’s major agricultural and industrial

provinces. On the other hand, the province has

maintained its traditions and customs in the daily

lifestyles of the locals.

Phuket is one of the southern provinces of

Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the

country's largest island, and another 32 smaller

islands off its coast. The island is famous for its

beaches and many tourists traveling to Thailand

arrive in Phuket. The island was badly hit by the

2004 tsunami and most of the tourist

infrastructure has been restored. Yet many poor

households didn't have the means to rebuild and

are still suffering from the consequences of the

disaster. Apart from that many of the same

symptoms around the country occur. Large

families living in small houses, houses are either

old and decrepit or constructed out of temporary

materials, creating cramped, unsafe and

unstable living conditions..

PHUKET

RAYONG


What Will You Build?

8

Day 1 Day 5

WHAT WILL YOU BUILD? - A CONCRETE HOUSE

Made from concrete hollow blocks, 1-storey. Roof structure is made of steel bars with tiles

used for roof. The size is 42 SQ.M.

BUILDING TASKS

1. Moving the earth and filling the ground beam

2. Mixing cement and cementing the floor

3. Mixing cement and laying bricks as walls

4. Digging a hole for septic tanks

PROGRESS

Volunteers will start off each house from the beginning (day 1 photo) and will finish every

wall on day 5.


Airport Travel – By LocationAyutthaya -

• Habitat staff will be at either Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang

International Airport in Bangkok with a Habitat sign. Then volunteers will travel by vans to

the hotel in Ayutthaya (1 – 1 hour and 30 mins drive).

Kanchananburi -

• Habitat Staff will be at either Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang


Kanchanaburi (3 hours drive) **VOLUNTEERS SHOULD ARRIVE BANGKOK NOT LATER

THAN 2 P.M. TOGETHER BEFORE TRAVELING TO KANCHANABURI

Krabi -

• Habitat Staff will be at Krabi International Airport with a Habitat sign to pick teams up. 1.

Volunteers can fly directly from abroad to Krabi International Airport 2. Volunteers can fly to

Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok first

then take a domestic flight from either airport to Krabi (1 hour & 20 mins flight)

Phang Nga -

• Habitat Staff will be at Phuket International Airport with a Habitat sign to pick teams up.

Volunteers then will travel by vans to Phang Nga ( 1 hour drive) 1. Teams can fly directly

from abroad to Phuket International Airport 2. Teams can fly to Suvarnabhumi International

Airport or Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok first then take a domestic flight from

either airport to Phuket (1 hour & 20 mins flight).

Phuket -

• Habitat Staff will be at Phuket International Airport with a Habitat sign to pick teams up. 1.

Volunteers can fly directly from abroad to Phuket International Airport 2. Volunteers can fly

to Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang International Airport in Bangkok first

then take a domestic flight from either airport to Phuket (1 hour & 20 mins flight).

Rayong -

• Habitat Staff will be at either Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang


Rayong (3 hours drive) **VOLUNTEERS SHOULD ARRIVE BANGKOK NOT LATER THAN

2 P.M. TOGETHER BEFORE TRAVELING TO RAYONG

Chiang Mai -

• Habitat Staff will be at Chiang Mai International Airport with a Habitat sign to pick teams up.

1. Volunteers can fly directly from abroad to Chiang Mai International Airport 2. Volunteers

can fly to Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang International Airport in

Bangkok first then take a domestic flight from either airport to Chiang Mai (1 hour flight).

Pathum Thani -

• Habitat staff will be at either Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Mueang

International Airport in Bangkok with a Habitat sign.

9


About The Trip – Before You Leave

IMMUNIZATIONS AND HEALTH

REMINDERS For your personal health safety, please

contact your doctor or local travel clinic to find

out which immunizations you will need to get

for travel to Thailand. This could vary

depending on factors such as your health and

immunization history. Some immunizations

might need to be administered a certain

number of weeks before departure, so you'll

want to make sure you’re on top of this. Here

is a link to the CDC website where you can

find additional information on what is

recommended:

PASSPORTS AND VISASYour team leader will provide you with

passport and visa information.

PACKING SUGGESTIONS

Thailand is a conservative and predominantly

Buddhist country. Volunteers need to respect

to local people, customs and culture to avoid

causing offence. This includes wearing

conservative clothing, particularly for women,

both while at the worksite and during our time

off.

General guidelines:

• Long pants are recommended as being

more respectful off-site and safer at the

worksite, for both men and women.

• For women especially, clothing should be

loose-fitting. Wear skirts and pants that

reach below the knees.

• If visiting a pagoda, it is recommended that

men and women wear long pants (for

women, a long skirt is also acceptable).

• Everyone should avoid sleeveless tops at

all times and wear shirts that cover the

shoulder. No shirts exposing the midriff

please

Specifically for the worksite:

• We highly recommend quick-dry sport-type

shirts instead of cotton shirts. They are

easy to wash in your sink at night, dry fast

and wick away the sweat better than

cotton.

• For sun protection and to save your arms

from cuts and scratches, we suggest light,

long-sleeved shirts

• Please also have a carry bag that can get

dirty to bring what you want to have with

you on the worksite.


About The Trip – Upon Arrival

NAVIGATING THE AIRPORTOnce you’ve cleared customs and

immigration and have retrieved your luggage,

head to the exit. There you will be met by a

representative of Habitat, who will escort you

to the hotel and help you check in. It’s often

helpful if you wear your Global Village t-shirt

at the airport on arrival so that it is easy to

recognize you.

IF YOU ARE ARRIVING BEFORE THE

SCHEDULED ARRIVAL DATE

Habitat can help arrange the hotel shuttle to

meet you at the airport, if you plan to stay

your extra days at the team hotel. Another

option is to take a taxi, which can be arranged

at booths at the airport.

AIRPORT SAFETYThe airport can be a little chaotic, so please

be sure to keep close guard of your personal

belongings at all times. You should be

careful with your bags and do not allow

people to touch or carry them unless directed

by Habitat staff. Avoid accepting help with

your bags unless you are prepared to pay a

tip.

DELAYED OR CANCELLED

FLIGHTSIf for some reason your flight is delayed,

cancelled or you have other travel mishaps,

you will need to contact Habitat by phone

right away at the numbers listed on the

Emergency Contact information sheet that will

be provided to you by your Team Leader.

You are provided with several emergency

numbers – keep trying them in the order they

appear on the sheet, until you are able to

reach someone. Remember to carry the

emergency contact information with you (not

in your checked luggage) while traveling.

LOST LUGGAGEIf your luggage is missing, be sure to inform

the Habitat representative meeting you at the

airport. Also talk to your airline agent

representative at the airport if possible. It’s a

good idea when travelling to keep a few days’

worth of clothes and other necessities in your

carry on in case your luggage if it’s lost.


About The Trip – General Info

LODGINGHFHT will reserve the most decent and

suitable accommodation for volunteers but

special requirements are possible to be

arranged.

MEALSWe will provide lunch at site each day. It is a

Thai-styled lunch with all you can eat. Food

options will be according to volunteers’

dietary requests. Snacks, drinking water,

energy drinks and soft drinks will be provided

at site all day.

TRANSPORTATIONVolunteers will transport from the hotel to the

build site with vans (up to 10 pax/van). Every

van has AC and safety belts.

COMMUNICATIONInternet access will be available at the hotel

and other places nearby where we are

staying. Please be prepared for very slow

speed and frequent interrupted connections.

If you plan on using your cell phone to call

home while you are traveling, be sure that

you have a good calling plan for international

calls. Otherwise it can be shockingly

expensive. A better alternative if you have a

GSM unlocked phone, is to purchase a local

SIM card and airtime credit to call or text the

United States. To purchase a SIM card,

foreigners need to have photocopies of their

passport photo page and Phillipines visa

page, as well as one passport photo. SIM

cards are 3G mobile data enabled and

standard SIM and micro SIM cards are

available.


Thailand’s Culture

LANGUAGEThe official language of Thailand is Thai, a

Siamese language closely related to Lao,

Shan in Burma, and numerous smaller

languages of southern China and northern

Vietnam. It is the principal language of

education and government and is spoken

throughout the country. The standard is based

on the dialect of Bangkok, and it is written in

the Thai alphabet, an abugida that evolved

from the Khmer script.

Several other Tai languages exist: Southern

Thai is spoken in the southern provinces, and

Lanna is spoken in the provinces that were

formerly part of the independent kingdom of

Lanna.

Thailand is also host to several minority

languages. The largest minority language is

Lao, a dialect of Isan spoken in the

northeastern provinces. The region in where it

is traditionally spoken was historically part of

the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang.

In the far south, Yawi, a dialect of Malay, is the

primary language of the Malay Muslims.

Varieties of Chinese are also spoken by the

large Thai Chinese population, with the

Teochew dialect being best represented.

HISTORYThailand, formerly known as Siam, is situated

in Southeast Asia. It covers an area of roughly

514,000 km² with Myanmar and Laos

occupying the area beyond its Northern

border, Cambodia to the East and Malaysia to

the South. It is estimated that the population

of Thailand is approximately 63 million people

of which 75 percent is ethnically Thai and 14

percent originating from China. Thailand is

also often referred to as the Kingdom of

Thailand since it is a constitutional monarchy.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of the

House of Chakri, has reigned since 1946

making him the longest-serving monarch in

the world. The king also acts as the head of

state, the head of the armed forces, and the

upholder of the main religion in Thailand,

Buddhism.

RELIGIONThe main religion in Thailand is Theravada

Buddhism which is practiced by nearly 95

percent of Thai people. Those remaining are

either Muslims, Christians or other faiths.

FOODThai cooking places emphasis on lightly

prepared dishes with strong aromatic

components and a spicy edge. It is known for

its complex interplay of at least three and up

to four or five fundamental taste senses in

each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet,

salty, bitter, and spicy. Unlike many other

cuisines, Thai cooking rejects simplicity and is

about "the juggling of disparate elements to

create a harmonious finish".


Sample Cultural Experiences*

WAT PHRA THAT DOI SUTHEP TEMPLE

• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a Theravada wat in Chiang

Mai Province, Thailand. The temple is often referred to as

"Doi Suthep" although this is actually the name of the

mountain where it's located. It is a sacred site to many

Thai people. The temple is 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) from the

city of Chiang Mai. From the temple, impressive views of

Chiang Mai can be seen. The temple is said to have been

founded in 1383 when the first stupa was built. Over time,

the temple has expanded, and been made to look more

extravagant with many more holy shrines added.

DOI INTHANON NATIONAL PARK

• Doi Inthanon National Park, nicknamed "the roof of

Thailand", is in the Thanon Thong Chai Range, Chom

Thong District, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. It

includes Doi Inthanon, the country's highest mountain. It

includes Karen and Meo Hmong villages of about 4,500

people. Within its borders are a number of waterfalls: Mae

Klang Falls, Wachiratan Falls, Siriphum Falls, and Mae Ya

Falls.

LONG NECK KAREN TRIBE VILLAGE

• Most people know of the Karen people from television

documentaries, magazines and encyclopedias as the

"long-neck" or "giraffe" tribe. But the women who wear

these brass rings on their neck belong to a sub-group of

the Karen known as the Padaung. There are other sub-

groups who do not and never have practiced this custom.

THAI COOKING CLASS

• You will be able to find the best Thai chefs n the world to

teach you the intricacies of Thai cooking. For hundreds of

years Thai cooking wisdom has been passed down from

generation to generation. People continue this custom by

offering Thai cooking classes to carry on the Thai

homemade culinary tradition while, nonetheless,

enhancing the art of living and well-being.*Cultural experiences will depend on hosting location within the country.


Cultural TipsBeing aware of differences in our culture to yours

will help you avoid unfortunate situations of

unintentional offence, and make your stay in

Thailand even more enjoyable. Here are a few

cultural tips for you to keep in mind:

• THE MONARCHY - The king and the royal

family are much loved by the people of

Thailand. Criticism or any negative comments

regarding the royal family is not only

considered offensive and inappropriate, it is

against the law.

• GREETINGS - Thais do not shake hands;

they “wai” – a gesture made by placing your

hands together in front of your face as if in

prayer and bowing slightly. Generally, you

should not wai to a child, and a younger

person should wai an older person first.

• RELIGION - Buddha images are sacred,

whatever size or condition. Some

photographs of images or statues are

forbidden. Always dress “politely” when

entering a temple or religious shrine. Shorts,

tops that show bare arms and open-toed

sandals are considered inappropriate. In most

temples, you must remove your shoes before

entering, and you may have to rent sarongs

and strips of material to cover yourself up

before being permitted to enter.

• THE HEAD AND FEET - Thais regard the

head as the highest part of the body, i.e., the

temple. Touching someone’s head is

considered offensive and inappropriate.

Conversely, the foot is the lowest part of the

body. It is inappropriate to point your feet

toward someone when sitting down.


Basic Thai Phrases

16

No English Burmese

GREETINGS

1 Hello/goodbye Sawasdee Ka (Female)/Krap (Male)

2 Thank you Kob Khun Ka (Female)/Krap (Male)

3 Thank you very much Kob Khun Mak

4 It’s nothing Mai Pen Rai

5 Sorry/Excuse me Khaw Tod Ka (Female)/Krap (Male)

6 See you later Pop Gun Mai

USEFUL PHRASES

8 How’s it going? Pen Ngai Bang

9 How are you Sa-bai dee mai How are you Sa-bai dee mai

10 Fine/Well Sa-bai dee

11 I am well Sa-bai dee

12 Glad to know you Yin dee tea dai roo juk

13 I’m glad to see you again Dee jai ti pop khun eek

14 Can you help me? Chuay pom(male)/chan (female) die mai

15 What is your name? Khun chue ar-rai

16 My name is… Pom/chan chue…

17 I understand Khao Jai Ka (female)/Krap (male)

18 Congratulations Yin dee duay

19 What’s this Ni kue are rai

20 Where is the…? …You tea nai

21 Bathroom Hong nam

22 Post office Prai-sa-nee

23 This way Thang ni

24 Can you reduce this price? Can you reduce this price? Lod dai mai

25 I’m lost Pom/chan long tang

26 I’m Tired Pom/chan noo-ay

27 I’m not well Pom/chan mai sabuy


Safety On The Work Site

• No alcohol or drugs are permitted on site at

any time. Volunteers who need prescription

drugs (inhalers, etc.) should make sure

they have a sufficient supply on site.

• Wear sun screen of a suitable factor and

reapply it throughout the day.

• Wear appropriate clothing for the tasks

involved.

• Drink plenty of water — at least 2 liters a

day, even more when it is hot.

• Wear your hard hat at all times on site,

except in designated break areas.

• Proper gloves can protect your hands

from:

Cuts when carrying sharp-edged

materials and equipment.

Skin irritation from cement, paint, lime

wash and other chemicals.

Getting a corn while working with the

tools for long time.

• Wear ear protection when:

Any equipment is being used nearby

that may cause damage to your ears.

Heavy machinery is working nearby

you for prolonged time.

• Wear a face mask when:

You understand the mask type and its

designation.

Using chemicals, painting lime wash,

mixing cement.

Scraping old paints and sanding the

items to smooth.

• Wear eye protection when:

You or someone nearby is using a

hammer, chisel or planer.

You or somebody next to you is using

any type of power tool.

Using lime wash or chemicals or

mixing or pouring cement.

• Wear proper footwear at all times:

Open-toed shoes are forbidden on the

site.

Footwear must be covered and hard-

soled.

Steel-toed safety boots must be worn

in demolition works.

• When lifting an item:

Know your capacity and weight limits.

Ask your site supervisor.

Keep legs slightly apart, bend the

knees, keep the back straight.

Grab by both hands, and lift with the

legs, not the back.


Gift Giving PolicyFrom the perspective of Habitat’s partner families and communities who are often in great need,

foreigners are assumed to be wealthy. Although they are asked not to make such requests, at

some point during our stay, you may be approached by the home owners or local laborers or

others in the community with requests for material contributions (clothing, money, gifts, etc). Or

you yourself, after witnessing the great needs in the community, might be compelled to give gifts.

But, it is very important that everyone realize the unintended consequences that giving gifts can

have, and to strictly adhere to Habitat’s gift giving policy.

While well intended, gift giving can run counter to the purposes of the Habitat’s goal of

empowering families and communities, and compromises Habitat’s goal of instilling a sense of

responsibility and motivation from the family to make house payments. It is common that gifts

can create a dependence on others to provide assistance, while the Habitat model focuses on

breaking the dependence.

Giving gifts may also lead not only to conflicts within Habitat’s development activities and

relationships with their local partners, but to embarrassment and sometimes resentment. It could

create a situation where others in the community become upset because they feel left out. A

team can come and go from a community without realizing the major problems they have left for

Habitat to fix.

But we do understand that relationships will be made. In order to ensure consistency in what

volunteer teams do give, we must ask that everyone please strictly adhere to the following

guidelines:

• Do not give gifts individually. Each team should collect and compile all gift items from team

members. With the help of the local Habitat staff, we can then decide how best to share the

gifts with the community. This sends a clear message that all the families in the community

are valued. Gifts will be given out at the end of the build or at the farewell celebration. Some

ideas of what you might bring include: books for the community center, sports balls,

playground equipment, extra work gloves, tools, etc.

• It is okay to bring toys to the worksite such as toys. In fact, it’s a great way to fill

downtime, playing with the children that will likely be nearby. But these items must be taken

back with you at the end of each day. They can be donated and distributed at the end of the

build.

• Leaving behind clothing and work boots is always appreciated. Clothing should be in

good condition. Please have the clothes cleaned or include a small donation to pay for the

laundering of any donated clothing. Donated clothing is distributed by the local host program

to those most in need.

• Never offer to give money, especially to make a mortgage payment.

18


Global Village volunteers’ experiences

“It was AMAZING!!! It was my first ever global village trip,

and while I had minor skepticism going in, my expectations

were mostly very high. Everything about this trip exceeded

my expectations. The planning, coordination, information

and execution allowed me to feel comfortable and

confident about traveling to a new area and all of the

people on the team were of like mind and ambition and the

camaraderie was incredible. The organization was well

done, and I truly felt that the community was happy and

welcoming to have us there and appreciated the

contribution we were able to provide. 1,000 thumbs up!”

—Danica C.

Habitat Global Village volunteer 2017

“GV is a fantastic way to see different cultures and meet

new people-both the local people and other volunteers on

the team. And GV also provides a way for travelers to

enhance their travel experience with community and

humanitarian service which makes our world a better

place to live. The work projects are well organized, the trip

leaders have been fantastic and the local Habitat leaders

are talented and great to work with. A GV trip also

includes local cultural activities which add to the trip's

"fun" experience, and it promotes team cohesion as well.

A GV trip is a valuable, effective and enlightening travel

opportunity for those who want to put a bit more into as

well as get a bit more out of their world travels.”

—Mark. J

Habitat Global Village volunteer 2017

makes a differenceevery hand

thailand - holly's habitat site · repairing, rehabilitating and rebuilding houses. in 2011,...

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