THE TGS-HOST SCHOOL CONNECTION is integral to the experience of THINK Global students. Not only does pairing with a local IB school help harbor our academics and provide interaction with students from the area, but there’s a mutual benefit of exposure to events and opportunities conducted by each school.

Traidhos Three Generation provides such opportunities to witness culture, try new things, and bond with the inhabitants of Thailand. These are just a few of them.

Muay Thai boxing

Before every training, the trainer said a prayer which would protect us from injury. Thai culture seemed to me to be a very honest and loyal culture. During this time I was watching many Thai movies which showed me more of the Thai culture. Every movie I watched showed the warrior side of the Thai people who protect themselves from barbarians or other enemies. Their love and respect for their nation was very inspiring and I became very interested in Thai culture.

-Piran B. on his initial impressions of Thailand

TGS students took to the ring of a nearby Muay Thai training camp to experience Thailand’s national sport. They began by learning the eight points of contact, followed with sparring in the ring with a trainer, and finally the wai kru – the ritual homage dance at the start of a fight. It was great physical activity as well as a unique window into Thai culture. The Visiting School Program at Traidhos made this exposure possible.

Artists-in-Residence

With a setting and resources like PTIS, it’s not a surprise they have a flourishing artist-in-residence program. Interested TGS students participated in an afternoon with Australian artist Ingrid Wilson and worked under her guidance to create distorted landscapes with oil pastels.

While it’s one great practice to “draw what you see,” it’s equally valuable and fun to let the imagination translate what the eye sees into what it wants to see. Sketching first with graphite, committing with contour lines in marker, and adding vibrant oil pastels in the style of the Fauves, these learners tested a new aesthetic and mixed media to create a beautiful result. Some (like the artist of this work) were surprised with the outcome of their very first drawing ever!

Kite Festival

One such event was a Kite Festival on campus at Traidhos Three Generation (PTIS), where both student bodies enjoyed some in-flight entertainment and performed on a stage for their peers.

There were refreshments including coconut ice cream and fresh lemonade from the farm. Though this beautiful afternoon was accompanied with just a slight breeze, TGS students were still able to experience a unique tradition in Thailand and have a chance to bond with their new host school friends.

The list of great collaborative opportunities stretches on. THINK Global students still have a lot to gain from PTIS, just as TGS hopes to make the benefits mutual by bringing such experiences as Tony Wagner, Matthew Albert, and Wrists4Rights.

TGS teachers also develop ways in which their classes can integrate with the host school teachers, students, and facilities. Limits for this collaboration are solely determined by our own creativity.