My name is Luisa Aprile, I’m 22 years old and I’m an Italian physiotherapist.

I graduated in November 2013 and, before looking for a job in Italy, I decided to spend a bit of my time to do some voluntary work with children.
I’ve been at the “Home of Charity” in the Camillian Social Center of Chiang Rai for two months, from December 2013 until the beginning of February 2014; here I’ve worked as a physiotherapist with children with disabilities.

A few days more and I will have to leave, but I wish I could stay longer. Two months have passed too quickly.
I remember the first evening at the Camillian Social Center where, tired and disoriented after the journey, I was invited at a Christmas play interpreted by the children of the center… I immediately felt better! Since the first day I have been surrounded by smiling children!

The children and the staff immediately welcomed me and made me feel at home.
In these two months I have tried to give the best of me, but I think I have received more than I gave. I’ve learned a lot from the children of the Home of Charity. They have always been very motivated to do the exercises.
I will never forget the gratitude shown by the children for every little thing, a “thank you” that we rarely hear at home.
I was amazed by the generosity of the people here, who are used to giving you without asking anything in return.

My accommodation was very nice. I lived with three members of the staff; we had our own ensuite bedrooms, a common kitchen with a fridge, a toaster and a water cooker and a common living room with a television and a lot of DVDs. We spent some evenings together there. I couldn’t speak Thai and they spoke just a little English, but however we often understood each other. They were always very nice and friendly with me.

Our work day started at 8 o’clock a. m. till 3 o’clock p. m. and then we spent the rest of the day playing with the children and or just staying together.
Besides the work, we had a lot of free time to visit the neighbourhood. At the weekend we often went to Chiang Rai by bus, which you can take on the main road. The center is surrounded by beautiful rice paddies, so peaceful, the ideal landscape for cycling by the bicycles offered by the center.

Thanks to Brother Gianni for welcoming me at the center and for giving me the opportunity to visit the villages from which the children come. There I found a completely different reality from that of the center. Most of the villages, situated in the mountains, are far from the town and from all the other services, like schools or hospitals. The roads to reach them are scarcely accessible and winding. But all the people of the villages are always friendly and happy to welcome new visitors. With him, I went also to visit the White Temple and The Golden Triangle, the meeting point between Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
Thanks to Kittisak for bringing me to visit Doi Tung and the Mae Fah Luang Garden. I spent a very nice day between hundreds of different kinds of flowers.
Thanks to Sister Cecilia and Jirasak for the hospitality they offered to me and for their kindness. They are always ready to help in anything.

Thanks to the fantastic cook, I really liked every kind of food, and to all the staff for making me feel at home.
Thanks to the other volunteers for the good time spent together. I learned a lot from them.

A special thank to all the children of the Camillian Social Center, for their smiles and their affection. I will never forget the wonderful time spent together, as I will never forget you. You will be forever in my heart.

I really wish other therapists could live this experience. Here you will find a lot of work and the opportunity to learn new things, but above all to receive affection and gratitude.

Luisa Aprile
22 years old from Italy
Physiotherapist
Volunteered: 11 December 2013– 8 February 2014
aprile.luisa91@gmail.com