Here are more specific details that you need to know:
1. FUN-d- raising Begins Now!
I would like to ask all of you to help make this project a huge success, by doing as much fund raising as you possibly can! Perhaps you can organize a raffle, sell some classes, do a show in your home town, make an email to all your friends and relatives begging them to donate – whatever feels like it might work! Perhaps a BLACK TIE RED NOSE New Years Cabaret?
We count on **all of us ** working on this together in order to have enough funds to buy the toys, tools and art supplies we need! In raising money please remember to be respectful and careful, account properly for any money coming in, it is crucial we keep our good reputation in this regard! If you are uncertain if an idea is suitable, run it by me first, otherwise, GO FOR IT!
We can set a group goal of $15,000 That’s one thousand dollars each, and a half a year to put it together! Do you think between us all we can get there? I think WE CAN! Each team member will be expected and encouraged to participate in fund raising activities of some sort!
If you can enlist the support of a toy company, or face paint supplier, or other related group. That is also fabulous! You need to arrange it yourself, and have the goods either shipped, or be ready to carry them to Thailand yourself. We will offer them thanks on all our web site and media, and give them pictures and video after if they wish. I have a copy of a fund raising intro letter in English that you may use if you can think of a place you would like to contact.
And remember, our website has a PayPal donation button!
Things we need to fund raise for:
- money
- circus toys
- tools for building toys
- fruit/food for the places we visit
- art supplies
- face paints
- clown noses
- costumes
- friendship bracelets
We also raise money pay for our fuel, dipping station supplies, generator costs, meals and transport for some of the schools or orphanages while we are there, and any supplies we use in the workshops.
2. PRE PROJECT BEACH SHOWS Jan 15th-25th
We will have the opportunity to do fund raising freestyle shows on the beaches of Had Rin, Had Tien, Had Yuan, ( Ko Phan Gan) and Samui island. Some of the locals join in too, and we sometimes auction of lessons, or donated healing sessions, smiles, whatever! The beach area is beautiful and relaxing, and it gives us a chance to get to know each other a bit before the project too. We can work at hotels and resorts, which can provide you with good contacts for later paid work also.
For these shows we can be as sexy as we want in content and clothes, because they are for tourists, so bust it out! Our project shows are completely different as they are geared towards kids.
For the first time, we will be gathering a special team of performers just for these fund raising shows. You can chose to join this team, only for the fund raising performances. So, if you have very little time, or don’t feel comfortable teaching kids, you can still be an important part of SPARK!
3. PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOPS PREPARATION: Two performance pieces, with music and costuming.
No more than 4 mins each routine. Keep in mind both the age the shows are geared for- kids! and the local cultural restrictions– no sexiness, no exposure.
**Clowning, humour, uniqueness would be great for at least one piece, the other could be more serious or dramatic. Typically we will have a stereo, but there may be occasions where you have to perform without music, or with live improvisation. The performances can be improvised as long as you are confidant you can pull it off well!**
4. MUSIC Please make sure you have what music you like to work with on you in a variety of formats – MP3, cd, and/or flashdrive. Choose music with broad appeal, for kids too! Who plays instruments? Who can bring one with them, or get one in thailand to use?
5. FINANCES/ACCOMMODATION/TRANSPORTATION You will need to pay for transportation and accommodation in advance of the project, upon registration approval. The deadline for payment will be in October, 2010. I will give you the exact total when we have the team confirmed, but here is an approximation:
EXPECTED COSTS:
Accommodation – 300 baht per day
Transportation- 200 baht per day
Additional expenses for refugee camps- 3000 baht
Travel from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and Chiang Mai to MaeSot- by bus, total of 2500 baht for both trips, return)
Total approx: 18,000 baht for 25 days
In US dollars that is: $556-$600(You will be responsible for your own food budget. Expect to spend 100-400 baht a day.)
I am setting up a place for us to stay in Mae Sot where we will be dormed as a group. I am trying to find a place near, but not in the town. You may be sharing a room with a few people, and perhaps even a bed sometimes, and sharing bathrooms. I will find a place that has hot water, and power etc, general basic amenities, including lots of outdoor space for us to play and practice!
For the duration of the project I will need you all to stay at the place we set up—no exceptions. It gets far to complicated to have everyone staying in different guesthouses. I will do my best to find a place that meets everyone’s needs, but keep in mind it will not likely be your specific ideal choice. We have to accommodate many factors as a group! Occasionally we will be in camps and orphanages where we will have to make do with next to nothing as far as comfort goes!
*We rent trucks with a driver to get around, and they are Thai style, meaning we are all packed in the back like sardines, with all our gear on top! The priority for their use is to the schools etc, but we can also use them to go for dinner or on a tour sometimes when time allows.
*Some people like to have a motorbike, which are available for rent. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS! Spark team members will not be renting or using motorcycles while volunteering on the project–the hospitals are filled with tourists who thought it would be fine… You can hire one with a driver if you wish for short trips.
You also see Thai people on the roof of trucks quite often. We will not be doing this, as it is dangerous!
*Bicycles are also available for rent, and can be a lot of fun for seeing the town!
5. FOOD
Someone in the group will be designated to help organize one lunch meal a day that will be taken buffet style as a group. Breakfast and dinner will usually be done individually, or we make coordinate a group order, but sometimes with limited choices and little time… The food in the area is DELICIOUS and super cheap too. An average meal is around 60-100 baht.
*IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL FOOD REQUIREMENTS OR ALLERGIES PLEASE MAKE SURE I KNOW.
In Thailand you need to purchase drinking water, and it is very hot, so have a water bottle with you that can be refilled. Most people can manage food budgets of a few hundred baht a day easily, without including alcohol. If you need to go super cheap, you can get market food for even less.
6. SAFETY/HEALTH– thought the border is unstable, we are generally totally SAFE in the places we go! You will NOT be in danger. Even in the refugee camps things are reasonably safe. You will however, encounter some *unsanitary* conditions. There may not be running water, and we may be coming in contact with a lot of smelly germ carrying kids! :p So bring along whatever you need to stay healthy: electrolytes,vitamins, herbs, a basic first aid kit, travel pillow, ankle brace, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, bug repellent, etc.
Whatever you think you may need! Travel medical insurance is always a good idea.
**It is a good ideal to have a belt pouch to keep tissue, wet wipes, and hand sanitizer on you at all times. And a good water bottle for your use.
DO ANY OF YOU HAVE FIRST AID TRAINING? if you do, please let me know . IF YOU HAVE A HEALTH ISSUE – LET ME KNOW!
7. SECURITY/THEFT is not usually a big concern, but everyone will be responsible for their own belongings. BE AWARE. We usually will have some place to lock away valuables when needed. The only thefts we have had in the past is when someone left a whole lot of money out on a table in a bag– and that was in Bangkok, which is more risky, and once where a person who was supposed to watch over a bag simply did not do so in a crowded environment… Theft should not be an issue if you pay attention to how you keep things! We often have several computers, cameras, sound systems etc, with no problems so far.
People have often forgotten and lost belongings though! The work we do is busy and chaotic, and you will often be tired and distracted. It is best to stay organized to avoid losing your property!
8. RENEWING TRAVEL VISA”S
Mae Sot is right on the Burmese border. It is easy to do a walk across the border day trip to renew a visa from where we stay. It cost about 500 baht.
**Be sure to check carefully what your visa requirements are for Thailand, and to allow sufficient time and funds to work with that.
9. COMMUNICATION/EMAIL – YOU WILL NEED TO HAVE A CELL PHONE. In Thailand you can get a cell phone for about 1000 Thai baht, and pay-as-you-go cards. This is advised, so each of you have a way we can reach you, as well as something that has the time and an alarm!
Every few days you will have time to go to a computer internet cafe to catch up on emails etc, and make calls etc. PLEASE MAKE SURE I HAVE YOUR EMAIL AND contact numbers.
10. CULTURE Thailand, Burma, and the Hill Tribes each have unique cultures. We need to be respectful of this. Dress appropriately: covering breasts, wearing a bra, clean clothes that are not ripped etc. I will ask you to change if your attire is not suitable! In these cultures one does not speak loudly, argue, point with hands or feet, or act aggressively. SMILE even when frustrated! It helps all transactions. Bargaining is done for most purchases, but gently, not pushing too hard. Meals are often shared, buffet style. We will have opportunity to see some beautiful cultural performances and costumes, and just spend time in the community, exploring markets, galleries etc etc. It is a beautiful fascinating area!
**Please remember, we do not represent, judge, or spread any ideas around politics, or religion at all, ever!! **
11. REFUGEE CAMPS There are over a quarter of a million people in refugee camps on the Thai borders. It is a very sad and difficult situation. The camps are run by the military, and supported by international NGO’s like World Education, the UN, Red Cross, etc. These can be quite challenging to get authorization to go into. I WILL NEED A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT TO DO SO. Please submit it with your application for this project.
12. FUN!!!
We are all about bringing joy, activity, fun amusements, bringing something special and outrageously interesting to creatively charge up the kids! We need to keep our own energy up to do this, and work smoothly as a group, sharing the fun, work and responsibilities. Our work is actually quite structured. When we are all together we will divide up into mini projects and jobs for each of us! There are times when you will need to be able to accept direction from the team leader and organizing team even when you can not see why they are asking it of you—trust they know what is going on, and what needs to happen! We can not function with a whole lot of egos in the way of what we do.
Please be prepared to be a positive contributor to the team at all times!
The project is fun, but intense, and there is not a lot of private time or down time during the actual run of theproject. It can be very exhausting and emotional to be working with street kids, orphans, refugees, traumatized children, in harsh environments. It is also exhilarating,because they are so happy, responsive and excited! It is an emotional and physical roller coaster for most. Very bonding experience for you and the people you work with.We come out feeling like a family!
You will need to make sure you get enough sleep, and take good care of yourself. I request that there is no drinking of alcohol during the workdays or the evenings before we work—it will only be acceptable on days off! We will have some fun outings planned as a group, and opportunities to visit local landmarks, shopping, museums, and yes, bars!
13. CODE OF CONDUCT Spark is a team full of heart. You are volunteering, but the requirements will be the same as a paid position. You will be required to be professional, respectful, reliable, punctual,positive, productive, calm, considerate, compassionate, communicative and committed. You will need to be willing to adapt quickly to constantly changing plans and situations, while maintaining a smile and helping others do so! We always need to keep our purpose in mind- we are there to bring happiness to children who live under terrible conditions. We need your skills as a teacher and a performer, but more than anything, we need you to be a source of joy for the kids!
Any questions? Please let me know!
