Program Description | Host Family & Community | Host School | Travel | Orientations & Activities | Eligibility
Program Description
Thailand, “the land of smiles,” and the gateway to Southeast Asia, draws more visitors than any other country in the region thanks to its breathtaking natural beauty, ornate temples, robust cuisine, and ruins of ancient kingdoms. You’ll experience the engaging warmth of the Thai people who place a high value on hospitality and kindness.
As an AFSer in Thailand, you’ll live with a host family and attend a local school. You will have plenty of time to learn about this unique culture, from cooking to meditation to traditional Thai boxing. You’ll most likely have an opportunity to see different parts of the country as extended Thai families enjoy visiting each other. While you’ll learn Thai, English is also a required subject in schools, so there will be plenty of people who speak your language.
Language
Thai is the official language of Thailand and the language that will be spoken in your host community and school. All instruction, with the exception of foreign languages, is done in Thai.
You are not expected to speak Thai prior to departure but we encourage you to learn as much as possible before you leave.
While on program, you will likely be offered Thai language instruction by your host school, or a schedule of daily language lessons may be arranged by local volunteers. These may become less frequent as you gain proficiency in the language.
Host Family & Community
You may be placed in any region of Thailand, from the northern teak forests, to the central farming plains, or the southern tropical beaches. Your host family could live anywhere in the country but they are likely to reside in a regional capital or small town.
Host families in Thailand, like all AFS host families worldwide, are not paid. They open their homes to students in order to share their community and culture as well as to enrich their own family lives.
Thais
Thais are generally respectful and reserved. They are also caring, warm-hearted and sensitive, and they find it difficult to say “no.”
Extended Thai families are very close-- which will give you a chance to visit your host relatives nearby. Families enjoy spending weekends together at home, where you will experience how Thai families are bound by tradition with a long history. Families are customarily patriarchal, but both parents usually work. Caring for the children and managing the household are generally the responsibility of the mother.
Teens
Thai schools are the center of life for Thai youth, and their social lives revolve around school.
Movies and television are the most popular forms of leisure entertainment for young people. Soccer, table tennis, badminton, and volleyball are the favorite sports. Young people normally do not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes.
Families are protective. Teenagers have less independence than those in Western countries, and you should always ask permission from your host parents before going out.
Meals
Thai food is some of the world’s tastiest cuisine. You will likely eat a lot of rice, paired with curries, fish and vegetables. Spicy pepper and peanut sauces are quite common. AFS Thailand is very accommodating for vegetarians. Typical meats include pork and chicken. A wide variety of fruit is available year-round.
Many host families in Thailand can accommodate vegetarians so this is a good destination if you have dietary restrictions. Strict vegans, however, are more difficult to place so please be as flexible as possible with your diet.
Most Thai families share the evening meal together.
Host School
Thailand has many different types of schools, which are usually the center of the community. You could be placed in any one of the following schools: government, private, single-sex, co-ed, demonstration (university-linked, using new methodologies), technical, vocational, or teacher and art colleges. Most AFS participants are placed the second-to-last year of a public school.
The school you attend and the courses you take will depend on your age and interests as well as on the area hosting you. Thai schools offer a wide variety of opportunities in addition to academic courses, including cultural subjects such as Thai language, dancing, sword fighting, music, cooking, arts, history, Buddhism and meditation. There are also academic, sports and recreational clubs that meet both after school and for one period a week during school sessions. If there is not a club that interests you, you may be able to start your own!
AFS students are usually invited to join school trips, take part in English camps, community and regional events (e.g. festivals) and give presentations about their countries.
All schools require a uniform, and school rules require male students to keep their hair short.
Check out the Host School FAQ (.pdf).
Travel
You will receive a Travel Notification email about 6 weeks prior to international departure with your international flight itinerary and detailed instructions for when to arrive at the Gateway Orientation site in Los Angeles. At that point, you may arrange your domestic travel. In Los Angeles, you will join other AFS-USA participants for an overnight Gateway Orientation before you travel together to Bangkok.
International airfare is included as part of the tuition, but it is your responsibility to get from your home town to the Gateway Orientation site.
Your Arrival
You and your fellow AFSers will travel together from Los Angeles to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. After you have collected your luggage and passed through customs, you will be met by AFS staff and volunteers who will escort you to the Arrival Orientation site.
After the arrival orientation, you will meet your local AFS contact who will accompany you on your trip to the host community. Or, if you are placed near Bangkok, you may be picked up by your host family at the orientation site.
Your Return
You will return to Bangkok by bus one or two days before your international departure for an End-of-Stay Orientation. You will then travel back to Los Angeles with your fellow AFSers.
Orientations & Activities
In addition to the orientations that you will participate in domestically (the locally held Pre-Departure Orientation, the Culture Trek online orientation, and the national Gateway Orientation), you and your fellow AFSers will have several orientations while abroad.
These required orientations are intended to help you maximize your AFS experience, prevent culture shock and to gain knowledge, skills and a global understanding.
Arrival Orientation
This first orientation will take place upon your arrival in Bangkok. This will be a 3-4 day orientation that is intended to prepare you for your first weeks abroad. In addition to covering the rules and safety tips, there will be an emphasis on approaching your experience from an intercultural learning perspective. This is an international orientation so you’ll have the opportunity to meet other AFSers from around the world.
Mid-Stay Orientations
You'll have another 3-5 day orientation six to eight weeks after your arrival, this time in your local community. You will meet with AFS staff and volunteers to evaluate your first weeks and be offered guidance to make the continuing transition as smooth as possible, all while participating in fun activities, which may include elephant riding, river rafting, visiting a night bazaar and exploring the region's beautiful nature.
If you are participating in a Year Program, you will also be offered a 2 day mid-stay orientation about 5 months in to your stay. Once again, this will be a time to meet with staff and volunteers, evaluate the first part of your experience, and gain more tips to aid your cultural adjustment.
End-of-Stay Orientation
In the week before your return flight you will be invited back to Bangkok for a 2-day evaluation camp. This is your chance to reflect on your experience and to share with other AFSers. You will also prepare for the cultural readjustment that is a part of returning home.
Optional Activities
In addition to the orientations, many local chapters organize activities for students and host families throughout the year. These will vary from chapter to chapter but may include get-togethers, meditation camps, traditional Thai massage classes, or excursions to other cities or regions in Thailand. Unlike the orientations, these activities are optional and are not included in the tuition.
English camps are very popular in Thailand. They may be organized either by AFS or by your school. AFS students are invited to participate and, depending on your English skills, to be leaders. The camps are sponsored by a school, and the AFS national office arranges for AFS students to participate. You may have the opportunity to go to one or more English camps. They are a great way to make friends with Thai students.
An optional week-long exchange to another part of Thailand is another possibility, where can live with a different host family and attend a different school. This is coordinated by your local advisor and, should you choose to participate, you would pay transportation costs.
Eligibility
To participate in this program, you must:
- Be within the age range (located in the ‘read more’ drop-down) upon departure
- Have a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Be mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy in accordance with AFS Medical Evaluation Policies
- Have a U.S. passport at the time of application. Passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the program end date
- Have an open mind, willingness to be flexible, and the ability to adapt to new a culture, school, and environment
Participation Notes
Many host families in Thailand can accommodate vegetarians so this is a good destination if you have dietary restrictions. Strict vegans, however, are more difficult to place so please be as flexible as possible with your diet.
Younger High School graduates may be considered for this program if they meet eligibility requirements.
While there is no Thai language requirement, we encourage you to learn as much as possible before your departure.
