We get a lot of volunteers from very different backgrounds and different expectations of the program.  So the written comments they leave us after they've completed the program vary quite a bit.  But the number one most difficult task faced by volunteers comes on the final day when they have to say goodbye to the students. 

A volunteer from a placement school in Kanchanaburi told us she broke down when an 8 year old girl named Belle (shown below left) burst into tears and wrapped her small arms around the teacher's legs begging her not to leave.  Shown to the right of Belle is another young student from another placement school near Ayutthya being consoled by a volunteer (a second year medical student) on his last day of teaching. 

The warmth and affection that can develop between a Thai student and a volunteer teacher in a very short time is one of the most amazing things according to our teachers.  Most of them were nervous about their first day of teaching.  But it turned out to be the last day of teaching that was the most difficult.