Live in Ban Nam Khem.
Teach English, play music, become part of the story.
A volunteer internship with Waves of Words — the small Thai foundation rebuilding a village, one child, one classroom, one song at a time. Thirty days to a year. You choose.
Ban Nam Khem School · Phang Nga
This internship exists because of a school.
English education, a music program, cultural exchange, creative writing, an open library, remembrance. Waves of Words is the foundation — the internship is how you join it. If you're wondering what you'd actually be part of, start here.
Read about the program →Become an intern.
We take a small number of interns each term. The work is real, the village is remote, and what you leave with is almost never what you expected.
Teach, listen, show up.
Interns co-teach English classes, lead small-group storytelling workshops, assist music rehearsals, and help run the Open Library. Evenings belong to you — most interns spend them on the beach or cooking with host families.
- 18 or older
- Conversational English
- A minimum 4-week commitment
- Comfort with rural living and basic amenities
- Any skill — music, writing, teaching, photo, video — you'd like to share
You bring yourself.
We handle the rest.
Room & board
A place to sleep. Covered meals or a food stipend. For the full duration of your stay.
Round-trip travel
Travel support to and from Thailand. Local transportation during the program is on us too.
Cultural immersion
Temples. Markets. Long-tail boats. The history of the village, guided by the people who lived it.
A story, forever
You'll help design this program. Your name, your ideas, your weird project — part of what Waves of Words becomes.
You choose the length of your stay.
Four doors in. Pick the one that fits your life. A year is our favorite — but every commitment matters.
A month in the village. Enough to meet the kids, eat the curry, and remember it forever.
A whole school term. Relationships deepen. You become part of the rhythm.
You see the kids grow. Their English, your Thai. Two languages getting braver together.
A full year — our preferred commitment. You help shape what this program becomes.
Everything else you should know.
The shape of your time with us.
- Terms
- Rolling admissions — we accept applications year-round. Pick a start date that works for your life.
- Minimum
- 4 weeks. Most interns stay 8–12. A full year is our preferred commitment.
- Schedule
- You volunteer Monday through Friday, roughly 8 AM to 3 PM, during the school term. Weekends and evenings are yours.
- Language
- All teaching is in English. Basic Thai is not required — you'll pick up plenty just by being here.
A place to rest, food to share.
- Housing
- Shared intern house in the village, or homestay with a local family. Both options are walking distance from the school.
- Meals
- Covered meals at the house or a food stipend to eat at the village's markets and family kitchens.
- Internet & amenities
- Wi-Fi, clean water, electricity, laundry. It's rural, but not rustic.
Getting here and back.
- Visa
- We provide a letter of invitation. Most interns enter on a Tourist or Education visa depending on length of stay — we'll walk you through it once accepted.
- Flights
- Round-trip travel to Thailand is covered. We coordinate airport pickup from Phuket (HKT) and transport to the village.
- Local travel
- Transport within the village and to nearby sites (weekend temples, beach outings, Khao Lak day trips) is included.
Staying well while you're with us.
- Vaccinations
- You're responsible for your own vaccinations, medications, and travel-health prep. Consult your physician or a travel-health provider before you go.
- Insurance
- International travel insurance is required. We'll share recommended providers during onboarding.
- Medical access
- A reliable clinic is a 20-minute drive. Phuket International Hospital is about an hour by car. We'll give you the full list on arrival.
- Emergency contacts
- You'll provide emergency and insurance info before travel. Our director is on call the entire time you're here.
Dear prospective intern,
We are thrilled to invite you to join the Waves of Words Program — an initiative designed to bring conversational English to life for the children of Ban Nam Khem, a small fishing village in Thailand.
This program is named in honor of the 2004 tsunami that forever changed this community — and my own life. Ban Nam Khem holds deep personal significance to me. I was near this village during the tsunami 22 years ago and have since spent much of my time here, building connections and supporting its recovery.
Over the past 12 years, I've worked with the primary school to create a thriving music program. Now, with the growing importance of English in Thailand's tourism industry, I'm excited to expand those efforts with this program — focusing on students from kindergarten through third grade.
Waves of Words is not a traditional teaching program. It emphasizes natural communication and interaction — helping students learn English in a fun, practical way through daily activities: playing games, field trips, shared meals, assisting teachers, singing songs, and creative group projects. By weaving English into the students' everyday lives, we help them build confidence and fluency in a way that feels organic and joyful.
This is more than an internship. It's a chance to immerse yourself in the life of a village shaped by resilience, hope, and community — to share in the joy and curiosity of children eager to learn, and to leave a lasting impact in a place I have come to love deeply.
If you're ready to ride the wave of change, contribute to building this program, and bring the gift of English to the children of Ban Nam Khem, please fill out the application to begin the interview process. We're excited to learn more about you and see how you can make a difference.
Tell us about you.
A few minutes. No pressure. We read every application by hand.
The fine print
This is a volunteer program, not paid employment. You participate voluntarily, and no salary or wage is provided.
You volunteer during school weekdays and represent the program with integrity, kindness, and respect for the community that hosts you.
Full terms live in the participation agreement, which we share during onboarding. Housing, meals, travel, and local transportation are covered as described above; incidentals and personal expenses are on you.
Either party may end the placement at any time for reasons of safety, health, or program fit. If we do, we'll get you home.