My Volunteer Experience
Reflection by Filippa Gesinski:
Mae Sot, Thailand
Reflecting on my volunteering experience, I realize how profoundly it has shaped my perspective—not just on privilege, but on responsibility. Having access to education, healthcare, and basic resources should not be seen as luck, but as a right that everyone deserves. And yet, the reality for so many is starkly different.
Our volunteering started in Koh Yao Yai, where we met the incredible Li Mei. Together with her we inspected and repaired water filters in several schools, which ensured that children had access to clean drinking water, something I had honestly before taken for granted.
After a few days, the four of us made our way up to Mae Sot. At university, we briefly studied the conflict in Myanmar, but no lecture could have prepared me for witnessing its consequences up close. Since the 2021 military coup, Myanmar has been in turmoil, with ongoing violence, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee. Mae Sot has become a refuge for many Burmese migrants, yet their presence in Thailand is precarious. Lacking legal recognition, many live in extreme uncertainty, without access to healthcare or formal education. Despite this, migrant schools have sprung up to educate Burmese children, though they operate with scarce resources and little government support. Simple things like whiteboard markers, paper, and pens—things we often overlook—were treasured resources in these schools.
We taught English to grades 1–9 in New Wave and Morning Glory, but in reality, I learned just as much from the students as they did from me. Their resilience was humbling—many of them had fled violence, lost family members, or faced daily struggles that are unimaginable for most of us. And yet, they showed up with an incredible eagerness to learn!
On our last morning at New Wave School, I watched the students begin their day with their usual routine of prayers and sports. I remember thinking that despite their circumstances, they radiated happiness and energy… and I couldn’t help but compare this to students back home, who often completely lack gratitude for the education they receive. While these children embraced learning with gratitude, many students back home see attending classes as a burden rather than a privilege. Complaints about heavy coursework felt almost absurd in contrast to those who could only dream of sitting in a lecture hall. This harsh inequality didn’t just make me sad—it made me angry.
Twice, we visited Heavenly Home to deliver donations—both from Imagine Thailand and funds we had personally raised. No article, report, or documentary can truly prepare you for the emotions of witnessing these living conditions firsthand. It is one thing to read about injustice; it is another to stand in the middle of it. It makes you realize, in the most profound way, just how unfair this world can be. And yet, amid this hardship, there are people like Lily and Htan Zin—a couple who took in these children and raised them as their own. I didn’t get the chance to meet Htan, but Lily left a deep impression on me. She struck me as an incredibly strong woman. Some people choose to look away from suffering, but others, like Lily, dedicate their lives to alleviating it.
Returning to Barcelona, I felt disoriented, questioning my routine, role and purpose. I even called my parents, telling them I wanted to go back immediately to Mae Sot to continue helping. At that moment, studying felt secondary to the more urgent need for change. However, after taking time to reflect, I now better understand that education is not just a personal privilege—it is a tool for advocacy. Those of us who have access to education have a responsibility to speak up for those who cannot. We must use our voices to fight for those trapped in unjust circumstances due to political and social conflicts.
I had difficulties writing this reflection because words cannot fully capture what I felt throughout this journey. This experience was a mix of confusion, curiosity, sadness and joy. This experience also taught me that while it’s impossible to help everyone at once, collective action can drive meaningful change. The ones that have volunteered will understand this feeling of helplessness, but this exact feeling serves as a constant reminder to do more every single day.
If you ever get the chance to volunteer, do it. It’s a chance to support those who don’t have the same opportunities, and to learn from people whose resilience and ability to remain positive, despite challenges, is truly inspiring. Once you do, you can’t unsee it—and you won’t want to.
I am deeply grateful to Imagine Thailand for this experience—one that was both inspiring and truly moving. A huge thank you to Zachary Wylie for welcoming us, and especially to Li Mei who guided us through the entire journey, taught us about water filtration, the conflicts in the region and opened her home and world to us. Li Mei will always leave a lasting impact on me—she has shown me the immense strength and determination of a truly remarkable woman.