My name is Anna O’Brien and I am a Sport and Exercise Science graduate from London, England, with a specific interest in Physiotherapy (soon to be my master’s degree). I have spent seven wonderful weeks here at the Home of Charity and cannot begin to express what an amazing time I have had.
 
From the moment I was picked up in Chiang Rai, I was warmly greeted by Jirasak and some other smaller and curious, friendly faces…the children! They were so welcoming and excited which just made me even more excited just to get stuck in!

For me, Home of Charity literally has literally become my home and family for almost two months, especially as it has been in the middle of my travels so I have felt very fortunate to have somewhere I can call home. Throughout my time here, I have got to know almost each and every child individually and gotten to know their personalities (trust me, there are some real characters here who can really make you smile!) The children have always been so eager to learn and grateful for what you teach them which makes it so worth while.

My main interest was doing physiotherapy with the children which involved lots of exercises to enable their strengths, whilst identifying and improving their weaknesses. They were always willing to try new exercises to develop their abilities and would always try their best despite whether it was very hot or if they were feeling tired.

I also taught art, English, dance and drama. Our dance and drama classes would involve lots of noise as we played so many new and exciting games. I always wanted to ensure that these games would engage each and every child regardless of any disabilities as the focus was always on what they can do rather than what they can’t do. I’ll never forget the laughter and excitement from those classes as they allowed the children to be themselves, think creatively and use their imaginations! I introduced the game ‘What’s the Time Mr Wolf’ which has been an absolute favorite, causing a lot of excitement and is always a request in every session! I also introduced ‘the monkey song’ which perhaps the staff may not be too fond off as it is repeated on a daily basis “Ooh ee ooh aah ahh!” (Oops…) I’m sure future volunteers will certainly come across this one again.

I should mention also just how beautiful the area of Chiang Rai is where Home of Charity is based. It’s been such a great opportunity to explore the villages, meet some locals and experience Thai life. Whilst meeting many cows, chickens, dogs, cats and horses, I’ve been to some fantastic waterfalls, temples, markets, villages, rice fields, caves and seen some glorious storms and beautiful sunsets, all on bicycle! I also went with the children on a trip to watch Chiang Rai FC play at the stadium. I loved how excited they were and exhausted by the end of it and even weeks later I could still hear the Chiang Rai FC chants after breakfast at 7.30am!