Week 1 – A Community to Call Home
Tracing Roots has started. We are 15 volunteers from France, Haiti, Italy, Spain, Greece, and Turkey who have set off on this 45-day adventure at Makhampom Art Space in Chiang Dao – the City of Stars.
We got to know each other and embraced the space through team-building activities, an intercultural night, dialogue theatre, and daily reflections. We tasted Thai food, learned some Thai words, discovered traditional Thai dance, and explored local social and cultural norms. Our very first glimpse of Thailand, both within and around us.
What surprised us most was visiting a Buddhist temple in the middle of the forest. We learned about Dhamma teachings while connecting with the nature around us. We ended the day at the local hot springs, where both our bodies and souls were refreshed.
This week was full of excitement and emotions. We learned the importance of rest and community. At Makhampom, everyone is part of a living, functioning body—we just need to find our role.
In the coming weeks, we will learn more about decolonization, inequality, minority rights, and gender through hands-on work in Pan Dang Nok village, supporting the renovation of the Women’s Empowerment Centre.
A huge thank you to Makhampom Art Space for welcoming us so warmly and taking such good care of us, making the start of this journey smooth and meaningful.
Would you like to be part of our community?
Tracing Roots is a Humanitarian Aid volunteering project supported by the European Solidarity Corps and co-funded by the European Union.
A collaboration between Makhampom Art Space, Wheeling2Help, Oriel, and Roes Cooperativa.
