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Asian University Students’ Community Service Teaching Project
Happy learners.
Individual attention helps the
learning process.
Extra help is always
appreciated.
I think I know the answer…
A young student concentrates
on her lesson.
What is your name?
Asian U students have fun in
the classroom.
Kirya teaches the excited
kids.
Outdoor games liven up the
learning - and teaching - process.
Some of the student-teachers
pose for posterity.
Teaching and learning.
Over the last six weeks, a group of students and staff
from Asian University have been visiting a local primary school to help the
pupils and teachers with their English lessons. This is an annual community
service project and benefits everyone.
The Asian U Students have a chance to try their hands at teaching, the
children have a different group of teachers and everyone has a chance to get
to know one another and have some fun.
The children at the Huay Yai primary School enjoyed their classes with their
visiting teachers. The university students learnt a little about teaching.
Every great journey starts with just one step
Paul Strachan
As world leaders acknowledge that its time to start raising awareness
about the environment, with huge musical concerts being organised in
America, it’s comforting to know that everyday people are starting to
take responsibility for the planet.
 Children
at the Fountain of Life set about cleaning up the environment around the
center.
Last week the children from the Fountain of Life listened attentively to
two monks who came in to tell them about how they can make a small
contribution to the environment by participating in a clean up, but this
time it wasn’t a beach clean. The focus was to start at the area
immediately around the Fountain of Life.
So the children got ready for the clean up as volunteers from the centre
gave them gloves and hats made from newspaper for those who wanted them.
The kids set about cleaning up the street, foraging for litter, picking
up cigarette packets, paper, plastic and ironically an old broom.
The Fountain of Life believes that poverty is the enemy of these
children and education is the best weapon with which to fight it. The
clean up was yet another example of how through education and practice
we can all do our bit for the community.
Local environmentalist Gerry Rasmus and Steve Martin were on hand to
spur the kids on and these guys firmly believe that a difference can be
made.
 Learning
at a young age to keep the environment clean will eventually reap big
rewards.
Steve Martin has been volunteering at the centre for some time now and
he had developed a series of slides that use images to hit home the
message regarding the proper of disposing of rubbish and identifying
what can and cannot be recycled.
These slides have now been translated into Thai and adorn the walls
within the center as a constant reminder to the children. Steve hopes to
get other schools in the area involved, as the rewards of course could
be great.
Gerry gave up his usual ‘Wastersizing’ on the beach to come up and help
the children; he also came armed with 50 gifts which the monk rewarded
to the children who answered his questions on recycling.
This is an enormous task; however, perhaps through education we can all
make a difference.
On this occasion the kids chose to clean up the area around the center
with the belief that hey have to start somewhere and where better to
start than on our own doorstep.
One of the center’s volunteers is leaving soon and a replacement is
desperately needed. If you have some free time and would like to help
out give Sister Joan a call 038361720 or email: [email protected]
So, combining Buddhism, kids from the slums, the Fountain of Life and a
couple of like minded farangs the street around the center are looking a
whole lot cleaner … for now at least.
Pattaya Mail and PMTV will be covering forthcoming clean ups in and
around Pattaya. If you would like to get involved or organise your own
one, send me and email and Pattaya Mail and PMTV will be on hand to
highlight your efforts - email: [email protected]
Asian University student works as
interpreter at Education Fair in Bangkok
Susan Joyce
Lucksavee (Zai), one of Asian University’s fourth year BA students, has
recently been working as an interpreter at the Inter-Continental Hotel
in Bangkok. The work was part of her Persuasive Oral Discourse course
and afterwards she prepared a report on some of her experiences.
 Lucksavee
(Zai), one of Asian University’s fourth year BA students, has recently
been working as an interpreter at the Inter-Continental Hotel in
Bangkok.
Zai was working for the British Council during their recent
International Education Fair in Bangkok. She was assigned to assist on
the stand of Abertay University (Dundee, Scotland).
“I was offered a part time contract as an interpreter at the education
fair. In order to prepare myself for the job, I studied the prospectus
of Abertay University like a text book. The university is famous in
biotechnology, computer games and MBA in economics. My main duties were
interpreting from Thai to English and English to Thai. Interpreting is
not difficult, but the most difficult thing is to be an active listener.
I had to pretend to listen actively for what they want; for instance one
visitor would like to study further in biotechnology, he talked so far
about his background and work experience. During the exhibition I found
out that most visitors were teenagers and students and they are able to
speak English well, but for those who want to study for Doctoral degree,
they are older so their English is not that good as the younger.
Sometimes they speak like they speak in Thai, and it was difficult for
the exhibitor to get the message so I could help a lot.
“My second duty was explaining the university to the visitors. The most
typical question was, ‘Is this university the same as the University of
Dundee?’ At this point I had to say ‘no’, but I had to use my persuasive
skills to convince them the Abertay University is also an excellent
place to study.
“Being an interpreter, I have practiced people skills including always
smiling, talking when necessary, dressing well and properly, having a
good personality, being sincere, polite, respectful, punctual,
responsible, cheerful, active, extrovert, open mind, friendly, and the
most important thing, seeking first to understand then be understood. I
have learnt the way the international and professional organizations
like the British Council works. I found out that the British Council is
very organized and its working system is excellent. I believe that it is
because of good communication and leader.
“I have lots of new friends from various faculties and universities and
I found out that our university is perceived in very different ways.
Some know Asian University from Dr Vip, some know about our English
Summer Camp. Some think that our university is an excellent
international university. However, some think that it is so far away. I
took this chance to build a positive image of our university. I used my
experience as a Bangkokian to tell our unique benefits which firstly are
international standard taken from Imperial College. Our university also
has a warm and friendly culture, and we can find fresh air and beautiful
view where we couldn’t find anywhere else.”
Zai is due to graduate this year and then hopes to go on to either study
Master degree abroad in the United Kingdom or work in an international
organization.
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