Chiang Mai, Thailand

Why I chose to go to Thailand: I am fascinated by sustainability, and I was interested in the program’s experiential method of teaching/learning. I also wanted to go to Southeast Asia, because it was a region of the world I knew little about.

What I identified as the greatest challenges facing me as I began my study abroad program: Becoming familiar enough with the language, the culture, and the people so that I have a sense of belonging. I don’t want to be an outsider by the time I leave.

My ICRP: Internship with the Upland Holistic Development Project. UHDP is a small non-profit organization working with various hill tribes in Northern Thailand on a range of issues to promote stability and sustainability in communities in the area. Issues they work on include, citizenship, sustainable farming on mountain soils, and the development of agro-forestry as a source of supplemental income. My main project while working for UHDP was conducting a survey of corn and bean growing in six villages near Chiang Dao and writing a report on the results of the survey. I traveled with two ethnic Lisu men from Burma who were studying and working at UHDP; because we could speak Lisu, Lahu, Kachin, Thai, Burmese, and English, which made it possible to work with people from a variety of ethnicities in this very diverse area. The rest of my time has been spent at UHDP, preparing soil samples, taking plant samples for identification, and helping troubleshoot in the office. I also help thresh beans when I've got the time. I am becoming aware of just how complicated and difficult development work can be. It is difficult to balance long-term sustainability issues against immediate economic need. This region is amazingly diverse and the people here face a very complex array of pressures.

See contact page to arrange a speaking engagement.

Read excerpts from my letters home.