In order to satisfy her desire to experience other cultures, LB alumna Michaela Sands traveled to Thailand to teach for a year, and has recently returned.

In 2013, Sands earned her Masters of Science in Elementary School Education from the University of Mary Washington.

Sands found the job in Thailand through the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) program. She applied for the program in 2012, got accepted and left for Thailand, along with 19 other ETAs, on Sept. 27, 2013.

Sands applied because she said she had been infected with a “travel bug” by her college professors and classmates who had studied abroad.
“I didn’t want to tour countries,” Sands said. “I wanted to experience them.”

Before leaving for Thailand, Sands had only student-taught in first and third grade classes. When Sands arrived in Thailand she was assigned to teach English to students in kindergarten and in grades three through nine.

Sands had never been outside of the United States for more than three weeks at a time. The experience was all new to Sands. Her mother, who is an assistant in the Lake Braddock Library, and brother Jesse, a senior at LB, were sad to see her go.

“It was very different for me to teach English in a community where English isn’t spoken outside of the school grounds, to students whose parents don’t speak English,” Sands said.

In Thailand, Sands felt that daily schedules were more flexible than they are here, she said. It wasn’t uncommon for unscheduled assemblies and other events to come up with little-to-no notice.

Students in Thailand do not get to pick their classes; they are determined based on test scores. All students are required to wear uniforms and wear their hair a certain length according to their ages.

“[I had to learn] to adapt to another group of people, culture of education and curriculum,” Sands said. “No matter how frustrating it may have felt, I am extremely grateful for the experience.”

From living and teaching in Thailand, Sands has learned the value of living simply. She learned new ways to inspire kids and became good friends with the other ETAs she was with.

Living and teaching in Thailand for a year broadened her perspective on cultural exchange and education.

She learned to appreciate the little things in life, particularly smiles, and made lots of new friends, as well as memories she will never forget.

“The sound of a smile is the feeling you get when students who transferred to another school come to say goodbye and surprise you with a scarf they made,” Sands said. “The sound of a smile is the sniffles you feel when the tears start to fall and the loads of laughter coming from all your friends playing games in the boys’ room at the Krit Thai Mansion.”

Sands returned to the United States on Oct. 8.

Although it was hard to say goodbye to Thailand, Sands was excited to be reunited with her friends, family and American traditions, such as pizza, butternut squash soup, the fall season and cheese.

She is currently working as a substitute teacher for FCPS.

“The more places you call home, the harder it is to leave them,” Sands said.