Final week in Thailand for Ambulance Volunteers

COUNTRY: Thailand
PROGRAM: UniBreak Groups
PROJECT: Community Healthcare
WRITTEN BY: St John's Ambulance Volunteers

We have now reached our last week of our four week placement. It's unbelievable how fast time goes by when you're learning, travelling, experiencing new things and bonding with residents, NGO's, and all different, unique people from all over the world, brought together in a small town at the Thai-Burma border.

All 11 of us, have faced challenges and fears. We have achieved personal goals and have challenged ourselves to do things we have not been exposed to before. We've made new friends as well as strengthened friendships.

Throughout our time in Mae Sot, we have been exposed to a whole new world. What we've experienced is nothing like what we're all used to in Australia. We've had to adjust to the food, environment, health system, and culture to name a few.

Here are a few things we've done in the past few weeks! We've shadowed medics at Mae Tao Clinic, which is set up primarily for the Burmese refugees who sneak over to attend to their health problems. We've been rotating in different sections of the clinic - Administration, Pharmacy, Child OPD, Acupuncture, Dental, Child Recreation Centre, Surgical and Reproductive. We have all learnt or discovered something in each department. Whether it be discovering a love for kids, or uncovering a strong point in admin. We have all seen something new - a hernia operation!


We have also taught at several migrant schools, topics such as general sanitation, basic first aid, and sport & recreation. Interns have assisted us by translating and providing a different point of view.

Every Sunday, we would assist SAW's Mobile Medical Team and administer Vitamin A & de-worming tablets to children in migrant communities. These migrant communities are in the Phop Phra region, approximately 45 kilometres south of Mae Sot. Each community is named after how far away they are from Mae Sot. For example 'the 37km'. Each time we visited a community, we are reminded of how lucky we are to live in a country with the freedom of speech. Sometimes we grow accustomed to what we have and begin to take things for granted. Sometimes we complain about first world problems, when really in reality, they aren't problem.

During our time in Mae Sot, we have also visit numerous organisations such as Curriculum Project, AAPPB, Backpack Health, Karen Department of Health, & Shoklo Malaria Research Unit just to name a few. All of the organisations have one thing in common. They are all established for the benefit of the Burmese Community in Thailand.

We also had the opportunity of a lifetime to visit Umpiem Refugee Camp. Home to approximately 16,000 refugees from Burma. It is located approximately 2 hours south of Mae Sot, and is surrounded by beautiful scenery. We had the opportunity to get to know interns and organisations within the camp. One of the organisations train and teach a group of refugees basic health care, who then go door to door to spread the information. It was really interesting hearing stories from the refugees. Each had their own unique story.

In our down time, we enjoyed climbing up waterfalls, bargaining at several markets and we especially loved blowing up fireworks. How often do you get to blow up your own fireworks in Australia? Yea, never.

We'd really like to thank Antipodeans Abroad for making our experience possible.

Adilah & Jess