E
nglish is the official second language of
Thailand; all elementary and many secondary
teachers must teach English. Alas, however,
few teachers in the rural areas have more than
a cursory knowledge of the language, and most
have major difficulties with pronunciation. These
were the key problems that my husband and I encountered
when we landed in Thailand in 2005
for our first teaching project sponsored by Rotary
International. As a member of the Boise Southwest
Rotary Club, I had applied for a Volunteer
Service Grant that paid for travel and living expenses
while my husband and I provided humanitarian
services in a developing country.
We felt like royalty when we were greeted
by the teachers and Rotarians from Udon Thani
Province in northeastern Thailand. Being showered
with flowers and gifts, we smiled for local
television cameras and marveled at the charming
Thai people surrounding us.