Hello everyone!
My name is Kevin and I will be guiding you, alongside Jess, on this adventure through Thailand. I want to give you all a warm welcome and say how thrilled I am to be your instructor for the 2016 summer program! We have such an amazing itinerary lined up for you and I can't wait to share it with you all.
Let me tell you a bit about myself. I first came to Thailand in 2008, after finishing university, to learn about Asian culture, travel, take photos, eat curry and meet as many people as possible. In almost no time at all I was leading photography and adventure trips through Southeast Asia, could speak decent Thai, and was absolutely in love with everything. I was hooked! Since that time I've taught English in South Korea, photography in Nepal and editing for NGO's in Thailand. I published a book in 2013 called Highway 105, which was a collection of photographs and short stories of the various groups of people who had migrated to the border of Thailand and Burma.
I've led more than 50 trips through 8 countries over the years, trekked the Himalayas, encountered a wild leopard in the Kalahari desert, ate duck blood salad, and hitchhiked through the mountains of Taiwan. I'm a connoisseur of many things we practice on this trip...meditation, yoga, cooking, etc. I'm happy to practice any of these with anyone who's interested throughout the duration of the program. I've found that meditation is such a useful practice and I'm happy to share my techniques with you all :)
I can easily say that I’ve created many of my best memories in life in this gem of a country. Trekking through hill tribes, exploring waterfalls, rock climbing on limestone karsts, or wandering through jungle temples. There’s an endless amount of beauty in Thailand. I’ve done my best to experience all this with an open mind and a positive attitude. Some things still confuse me and might seem odd at times, but I strive to understand things from different perspectives. In the end, a smile and an inquisitive mind can mean all the difference in the world while traveling.
I'm sure by this point many of you are planning on what to bring over in your backpack: Clothes, toiletries, electronics, etc. Please remember that LESS=MORE! You will want to buy a lot when you get here...and you can...everywhere!! There's markets and shops and stalls around every corner! Leave your heavy bulky things at home. I've been packing for trips like these for years so please don't hesitate to shoot me an email or a message on our Facebook group if you're unsure about what to bring! I'm happy to answer any of your questions!
I hope you all have a great flight over and I really look forward to meeting and traveling with you all! See you soon!
Kevin
Happy to know more about you. My girl is traveling with you on this Thailand program 2016.