Volunteering

For some people, travel is only about seeing buildings, museums, shopping, maybe eating different food. And that's just fine. I've been the same for many years. I'm quite reserved, so meeting new people seems rather intimidating.
Yet when I first came to Asia, two and a half years ago, I had a totally different experience with people. Being a very tall blonde, I felt like a fairground attraction in the beginning, because people would walk up to me to take pictures with me, or secretly take pictures of me. Not surprisingly, I was a bit uncomfortable. But then I realised, I'm doing the same to them. I like to take their pictures, in their natural environment. The life on the streets in China or Vietnam was totally fascinating.
I knew, I had no chance to get to know more about them, if I continue to travel with an organised group.
However, I didn't feel comfortable enough to travel on my own. And then somehow, it occurred to me. I could work as a volunteer, get to know the people a bit better and maybe travel a bit around the place where I'd volunteer.
There are so many opportunities, it's next to impossible to choose. Of course, you want to find something, you feel fit to do. I didn't really feel brave enough to work with (HIV) orphans, or strong enough to carry out some construction work. What else was left? I don't even know how I stumbled upon "teaching English". But would that be a viable option, since English is not my mother tongue?
Luckily, if you're willing to work as a volunteer, people will welcome you, even if you're not a native speaker. So after some more searching I ended up in Thailand. Chiang Mai, to be more precise.
Chiang Mai, or as I call it, the city of temples.
And in the temples live my students, novice Buddhist monks. The chance to teach them and talk to them brought me here and it's been the best "travel" experience so far.