Graduation Day

On Thursday, 31 March there will be a graduation day for 2015-2016 academic year. Every year there are 24 students academic year and 24 work placement students will receive CERTIFICATE when they  succeed on their learning from Wide Horizons School.

There are many students have succeed the education from Wide Horizons School, some students become teachers, some of them become coordinators and etc. If we look at the past there are over hundreds of students get benefit from Wide Horizons, so even though Wide Horizons is a small school but there are many things that we have learned from it.

In this graduation day, some students cannot come because they have no enough money and other reason is they live very far. To get graduation is not easy for each person because of they have a goal and graduation follows behind them, so this is an opportunity in their lives.




 Goodbye friends

Thank you to all of your helping
And everything that you have given me
You will be in my mind forever
To stay with together again we cannot

Because we are different places.


I will never forget wherever you are
I will be every where to meet you all
Even though you live so far from me
You still be on the ways that I walk
Nothing's can change in our remembrance.


It will not be long to meet each other again
Just ten months for us to leave Wide Horizons
I promise I will come back to Mae Sot for twice
And I hope that you all will be there and waiting for me
For unity of our one big family that we used to sing.


I have no anything for you guys to be a present
I just have only a chance to say THANKS in this time
For every time that you are next to me and give me a warm
However for the last time to conclusion of this poem
That is a special speech to say and appropriate day for you to listen
With saying Goodbye Friends after our graduation from me.

Written by: Murng ( KunHeing)

Opium and Amphetamine in Myanmar

In Myanmar in 2012 there are increase methamphetamine seizures and methamphetamine-related arrests, as well as the number of patients in drug treatment facilities.  Over 18.2 million meth pills were seized in Myanmar in 2014, a massive increase over the 5.8 million seized in 2011 but below the record haul of 23.8 million in 2009. There are 1815 people were arrested on meth pill related charges, a 15 percent increase over last year, report said. Myanmar’s increasing methamphetamine problem is cordially with a growing. Currently Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam all reported increasing people who use methamphetamine medicine in 2012. Production and trafficking of opium, opium and methamphetamine still centered on eastern Shan State. The biggest of methamphetamine pills production in Myanmar are trafficked directly to Thailand or via Laos. Most of Myanmar’s opium, at the same time, fly to China. Myanmar is one of the largest countries, in South-East Asia. It is bordered by China, the Lao people’s Democratic Republic (PRD) and Thailand in the east, and Bangladesh and India in the west. So, in Myanmar is comfortable to grow opium and export to another countries but in 1989, the military government began to bargain armistice agreements with armed ethnic opposition groups in the more faraway parts of the country. As a result, in our country (Myanmar) will increase people who use amphetamine more year by year, there will be more opium and amphetamine trafficker and there will be increase diseases so that, they control it.

Moreover, Situation Assessment on Amphetamine-Type Stimulants,[1] In April 2010, 108 kg of crystalline methamphetamine were seized at the Naungcho Township in North of Shan State, which was destined for Yangon through Mandalay. The drugs were believed to be intended for onward transportation to international markets by air. More recently, in October 2010, 62 kg of crystalline methamphetamine destined for Thailand were seized at Tachileik. Law enforcement officials indicate that seizures of crystalline methamphetamine have been mostly intended for the international market, rather than for local consumption[2]. Although there have been no clandestine laboratories reportedly seized for crystalline methamphetamine, the authorities in Myanmar as well as Thailand indicate that producing is occurring in the Golden Triangle. The majority of crystalline methamphetamine seized in the northern part of Thailand in the past 2-3 years is reportedly originating from the Golden Triangle. Thai authorities also insist that the crystalline methamphetamine produced in the Golden Triangle is of more than more high pureness. Twenty Ecstasy - not yenta major problem Ecstasy is not manufactured in Myanmar and the small numbers which are seized, are brought in from other countries, reportedly for use by members of the country’s affluent in the country elite which can pay this relatively expensive drug. The first griping of delight (MDMA) in Myanmar was recorded in 2001 with only pills seized. Most seizures occur in huge cities like Yangon and Mandalay. In 2009, law enforcement officials reported seizures of a mere ecstasy pills. No ecstasy seizures were reported from January to September 2010. Unlike methamphetamine, ecstasy seizures do not occur every year.

Furthermore, the hugest recorded seizure was 5,807 pills in 2005. Three-fold increase in methamphetamine pill seizures in Myanmar and its immediate neighborhood increasing seizures of methamphetamine pills, heroin and opium have been reported in countries neighboring Myanmar, especially in the border regions of China and Thailand. The total seizures of methamphetamine pills in China, Myanmar and Thailand in 2009 amounted to just over 93 million pills. This represents a fold increase over the total seizure 28 in those same countries of 31.9 million pills in the preceding year. Discussions at SMART Myanmar National Workshop, December 2009, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Thailand presentation, Global SMART Programme Regional Workshop, July 2009, Bangkok, Thailand. [3]Thailand presentation, Global SMART Programme Regional Workshop, July 2009, Bangkok, Thailand. 2734 Methylenedioxy methamphetamine, or one of its analogues MDA, and MDE. The regional figure refers to the data collected from Japan and the Republic of Korea, and eleven countries in East and South-East Asia where the Global SMART Programme is being implemented. These countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

There are no reliable data on drug use patterns and trends in Myanmar, as the county has never carried out a national drug use survey. Until recently, research on drug use-related issues was deemed too sensitive; however, under the new government there is more space to do so. It is clear that drug consumption patterns differ from region to region. Traditional and medicinal opium use is prevalent in the country’s main opium growing regions. However over the last decades, the country has seen a shift from smoking opium to smoking and injecting heroin, and more recently also to snorting and swallowing ATS. These trends are partly caused by the increase in heroin prices following the opium decline in the early 2000s, as injecting heroin is more cost-effective than smoking. Apart from, in 2009, China reported total seizures of more than 40 million pills. This represents an almost 6 fold increase from the 6.25 million pills seized in 2008.29 there is no confirmation of the specific origin of these pills. But the Chinese government has been reporting a sharp increase of drug trafficking into China from the Golden Triangle region by means of constantly changing drug trafficking routes and methods. Reports have pointed to transnational drug syndicates attempting to sell stored drugs, with a resulting sharp increase of drug smuggled into China. Preliminary data for 2010 indicates that the large-scale trafficking of methamphetamine pills into neighboring countries has continued in 2010. From January to September 2010, Thailand reported the seizure of over 44 million pills 31 and Lao PDR reported the seizure of more than 22 million pills, representing a total of more than 66 million pills. Given that China has not yet report seizure data to DAINAP, there is a strong likelihood that total seizures in the region for 2010 will reach or even surpass the total seizures recorded in 2009.

So, if the law is not strong it is not easy to control the people who traffick opium and amphetamine. However, for young people are very dangerous by using opium and amphetamine because it will affect their family and their village so that, this is very important for our country (Myanmar) moreover, current there are many people like to use the new thing by the country develop. After that there will be increased people who use amphetamine more year by year, there will be more opium and amphetamine trafficker and there will be increase diseases.

---

[1]  Amphetamines and Ecstasy: 2008 Global ATS Assessment, UNODC, September 2008, p.29.

[2] Discussions at SMART Myanmar National Workshop, 15 December 2009, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

[3] 8 The regional figure refers to the data collected from Japan and the Republic of Korea, and eleven countries in East and

South-East Asia where the Global SMART Programme is being implemented. These countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,

China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) about applying for Wide Horizons. If you still have unanswered questions, feel free to contact via email

Download the FAQ’s as Pdf 

1. How many students will be chosen?

24 (12 women and 12 men) from many ethnic groups

2. How many teachers are there? Are they all foreign or are some local?

1 English teacher and 1 Community Development Teacher. Both are usually foreigners, and they teach Monday-Friday. There is 1 Computer Teacher who is usually local. But all classes are taught in English only.

3. What supplies does the school provide (meals, hygiene, school supplies, etc.)?

WH provides accommodations in the WH school. There are 2 separate dormitories for males and females. WH also provides mats, mosquito nets, blankets, and fans. If you live in the Mae Sot area, you may want to bring your bed and pillow from your own organization. WH also provides budget for 3 meals a day that the students cook. WH provides all school materials needed, such as pencils, pens, notebooks, and 1 computer for every 2 students. Students are encouraged to arrange their own transportation to and from Mae Sot at the beginning and at the end of the year. WH will reimburse the travelling costs for these two trips. If students take personal travel during the year, such as for ration check-ins or visits to family, they have to pay for this themselves.

4. Do we get pocket money?

No. WH cannot provide pocket money. However, we provide all the essential things you need for their studies (see above). Many students ask their organization or a sponsor to give them a little pocket money while they study.

5. Do we have to pay school fees?

No. WH covers all of the necessities for study. You will need to have enough money to pay for a school T-shirt, hygiene materials, snacks, clothes, phone credit and other personal expenses.

6. Can we attend if we are married?

Yes, however, you should check that your spouse is supportive of you living at the WH compound away from him/her during the year. Because of the large quantity of work and social activities at WH, there is limited time to visit family members during the school year. Thus, students who are married or have children may find it difficult to balance their schoolwork and personal life.

7. Can Post-10 students with no experience join if they pass the entrance exam?

No. You need to have at least 1 year of work experience in an organization or school. If you have no work experience, but are motivated to learn and work in an organization, and are interested in Community Development, then EIP is a better program for you.

8. Will we have a chance for scholarships/further study?

No. WH aims to take students from Community Based Organizations and build their skills so they can return to work in their organizations. If you want to apply for further studies after your work placement, you can. However, we prefer that students remain in their organizations for longer so they can gain more valuable work experience and help their organizations develop more. If you are more interested in further study than community work, MHEP is a better program for you.

9. Will the certificate be recognized by the international community?

Wide Horizons is a program with an excellent reputation in the Thai-Burma border community. The program is recognized bythe Windham Institute (USA) and WH staff have furthermore submitted the WH curriculum to Tak Community College, Naresuan University (Thailand), for approval to get recognized certificates for WH students.

10. Do I have to live on the compound?

Yes. All students live on the English-speaking compound together. Group work is also a very important part of the curriculum inside and outside of class, so living on the compound ensures participation. Therefore, it is important that all students are on the compound during the week.

11. What kind of rules and regulations does the school have?

All of the rules have been chosen for good reasons, based on previous years’ experiences. Some of the rules include: No alcohol, beer, or drugs. No dating other WH students or HsaHtoo Lei students. You must carry your WH Student ID card with you everywhere you go. You must inform the WH coordinator and student leaders if you are leaving the compound for personal business.

12. How many subjects are there?

There are 3 main subjects: Community Development, English, and Advanced Computers. Within English, you learn skills for reading, writing, listening, and speaking, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary acquisition. For Community Development, you go through the project cycle in depth, learn report and proposal writing, leadership, and facilitation skills, and do practical community work in the Mae Sot migrant community. For computers, you learn Excel, InDesign, Photoshop, Video Editing, and Basic Website building, and some computer maintenance. The computer skills learned in WH are more advanced, so it’s important that you have some basic computer knowledge before attending WH. If you don’t have any computer knowledge yet, start working on it now!

13. How much homework do you have? Do you always have a lot of homework?

Homework can vary from night to night depending on the projects you are working on. Usually students spend about 2-4 hours on homework per night. If students feel like they are receiving too much homework, they always have the ability to give feedback to their teachers and teachers are usually willing to reduce homework if needed. Teachers also make sure to communicate with each other so that if one teacher needs to assign a lot of homework, the other teachers will try to reduce theirs.

14. Is it all academic, or is there a practical component?

WH uses a curriculum that focuses on experiential learning, which means that all academic learning is coupled with practical experiences. Students complete many projects in their English, Community Development, and computer classes, and do community development projects on the school compound and in the Mae Sot community.

15. What are the responsibilities outside of school?

Students have daily cooking and cleaning duties on the school compound. WH students are also expected to participate in community projects, trainings, and meetings with donors.

16. Will we have a chance to use Internet 24 hours a day?

WH has internet installed on the compound and students are regularly using it in their studies. WH also has a computer lab at nearby HsaHtoo Lei School where there are 12 computers in total (1 for 2 students to share). If you have your own laptop, we recommend that you bring it with you since we have a limited number of computers and the quality can vary. The computer room at HsaHtoo Lei also has internet. Students are required to follow the established guidelines and rules for internet and computer use.

17. How many holidays will we get?

There are 3 trimesters with a holiday at the end of each trimester. Usually there is a one-week holiday around the end of August, and a 1.5 week holiday at the end of December/beginning of January. The school year finishes at the end of March. At that point, WH, you and your CBO supervisor all discuss together to determine when you will begin your internship work.

18. When we have holidays, will we have a chance to go back and visit our families?

Students may visit their organizations and family if they are in the Mae Sot area, as long as they ask permission from the WH school coordinator. If families are farther away, students will need to discuss with the WH school coordinator and your organization, and the decision will be made on a case-by-case basis. If you leave the school for personal reasons, you will need to make your own arrangements for transport and travel documents. WH will not be responsible for your security if you are leaving Mae Sot for personal reasons.

19. Can I do my work placement in any organization I want?

The goal of WH is to develop the capacity of the organizations that students have already been working in. Therefore, students must go back to their host (or “mother”) organization for their work placement. If the host organization closes while the student is studying at WH, or if the organization is unable to give the student a job when they finish WH, then the student can look for another suitable organization to do the work placementat. Before a student leaves their host organization during a work placement, they must get a letter of permission from their supervisor explaining why the intern cannot work at their organization. The student must give this letter to WH staff. When the intern starts work at a new organization, WH staff will discuss with the student and new organization about the arrangement of the work placement, to make sure the student still follows the WH work placement policy.

20. What happens if my work placement organization moves to Burma?

WH encourages students to work with their organization in Burma, as it will provide valuable work experience for the studentduring the work placement and help to develop the capacity of organizations in Burma. However, WH staff understand that for personal or safety reasons, it may not be possible for students to move to Burma at this point. If the student wishes to stay in Thailand, they must discuss with WH staff and follow the directions noted in #19.

21. Can I get a part-time job or study while I do my work placement?

During your work placement, your first priority should be contributing meaningful work to your mother organization. If you do choose to do part-time work or study, you need to discuss with your supervisor, WH staff, and follow your organization’s policies accordingly so that you are still providing valuable work to your host organization. Students are encouraged to seek learning opportunities that are connected to their position at their host organization (ex. attending a fundraising training if you are the donor communications focal point, taking weekend Thai classes to improve communication skills with Thai colleagues, etc.).

23. What support does WH give us during our work placement?

During the work placement, students must submit a quarterly report to a WH staff member. The reports are read and the student is given feedback for how to overcome challenges. There are 3 workshops for work placementstudents per year in Mae Sot to support them with challenges they are facing. Additionally, WH staff try to visit students and their supervisors during their work placement.

24. How can WH help us in the future?

WH provides you with leadership and management skills that can be carried into many high-level job positions in the future. Many former students have later gone on to become directors or high-level managers of projects, or start their own programs.

How To Aapply?

Every year between February and May, Wide Horizons staff travel to pre-determined testing locations to recruit new students for the program. The testing consists of two written tests and an interview. The first test is an English proficiency test that tests the candidates’ reading and writing skills, as well as their grammar. The candidates that get a sufficient score on the English test, will be called in for an interview with one of the program teachers, who will assess their listening and speaking skills, while considering whether the candidates are suitable for the program. Finally, the candidates have to take a computer test to test their computer proficiency.

Entry requirements

If you can say yes to the following requirements, then you can apply to be one of next year’s students at Wide Horizons:

•   Have worked in a Community Organization for at least a year

•   Have intermediate English language skills

•   Have basic computer skills

•   Is between the ages of 20-35

The specific dates and testing sites will be announced in January on this website and on our Facebook page. To apply you simply have to bring a completed application and reference form from your organization supervisor to a testing site to take exams and interview. Before you decide to apply, please check out the frequently asked questions about the program here

You can download the update application form for 2016 here:

Download Wide Horizons Application Form 

You can download a Math practice exam here:

Download Wide Horizons Application Form 

You can also download a practice exam with answer key here (note: this is a sample exam, not the actual exam):

Download Wide Horizons Sample Entry Exam

Opium and Amphetamine in Myanmar

In Myanmar in 2012 there are increase methamphetamine seizures and methamphetamine-related arrests, as well as the number of patients in drug treatment facilities.  Over 18.2 million meth pills were seized in Myanmar in 2014, a massive increase over the 5.8 million seized in 2011 but below the record haul of 23.8 million in 2009. There are 1815 people were arrested on meth pill related charges, a 15 percent increase over last year, report said. Myanmar’s increasing methamphetamine problem is cordially with a growing. Currently Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam all reported increasing people who use methamphetamine medicine in 2012. Production and trafficking of opium, opium and methamphetamine still centered on eastern Shan State. The biggest of methamphetamine pills production in Myanmar are trafficked directly to Thailand or via Laos. Most of Myanmar’s opium, at the same time, fly to China. Myanmar is one of the largest countries, in South-East Asia. It is bordered by China, the Lao people’s Democratic Republic (PRD) and Thailand in the east, and Bangladesh and India in the west. So, in Myanmar is comfortable to grow opium and export to another countries but in 1989, the military government began to bargain armistice agreements with armed ethnic opposition groups in the more faraway parts of the country. As a result, in our country (Myanmar) will increase people who use amphetamine more year by year, there will be more opium and amphetamine trafficker and there will be increase diseases so that, they control it.

Opium today and in the future

Moreover, Situation Assessment on Amphetamine-Type Stimulants,[1] In April 2010, 108 kg of crystalline methamphetamine were seized at the Naungcho Township in North of Shan State, which was destined for Yangon through Mandalay. The drugs were believed to be intended for onward transportation to international markets by air. More recently, in October 2010, 62 kg of crystalline methamphetamine destined for Thailand were seized at Tachileik. Law enforcement officials indicate that seizures of crystalline methamphetamine have been mostly intended for the international market, rather than for local consumption[2]. Although there have been no clandestine laboratories reportedly seized for crystalline methamphetamine, the authorities in Myanmar as well as Thailand indicate that producing is occurring in the Golden Triangle. The majority of crystalline methamphetamine seized in the northern part of Thailand in the past 2-3 years is reportedly originating from the Golden Triangle. Thai authorities also insist that the crystalline methamphetamine produced in the Golden Triangle is of more than more high pureness. Twenty Ecstasy - not yenta major problem Ecstasy is not manufactured in Myanmar and the small numbers which are seized, are brought in from other countries, reportedly for use by members of the country’s affluent in the country elite which can pay this relatively expensive drug. The first griping of delight (MDMA) in Myanmar was recorded in 2001 with only pills seized. Most seizures occur in huge cities like Yangon and Mandalay. In 2009, law enforcement officials reported seizures of a mere ecstasy pills. No ecstasy seizures were reported from January to September 2010. Unlike methamphetamine, ecstasy seizures do not occur every year.

Amphetamine

Furthermore, the hugest recorded seizure was 5,807 pills in 2005. Three-fold increase in methamphetamine pill seizures in Myanmar and its immediate neighborhood increasing seizures of methamphetamine pills, heroin and opium have been reported in countries neighboring Myanmar, especially in the border regions of China and Thailand. The total seizures of methamphetamine pills in China, Myanmar and Thailand in 2009 amounted to just over 93 million pills. This represents a fold increase over the total seizure 28 in those same countries of 31.9 million pills in the preceding year. Discussions at SMART Myanmar National Workshop, December 2009, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. Thailand presentation, Global SMART Programme Regional Workshop, July 2009, Bangkok, Thailand. [3]Thailand presentation, Global SMART Programme Regional Workshop, July 2009, Bangkok, Thailand. 2734 Methylenedioxy methamphetamine, or one of its analogues MDA, and MDE. The regional figure refers to the data collected from Japan and the Republic of Korea, and eleven countries in East and South-East Asia where the Global SMART Programme is being implemented. These countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

There are no reliable data on drug use patterns and trends in Myanmar, as the county has never carried out a national drug use survey. Until recently, research on drug use-related issues was deemed too sensitive; however, under the new government there is more space to do so. It is clear that drug consumption patterns differ from region to region. Traditional and medicinal opium use is prevalent in the country’s main opium growing regions. However over the last decades, the country has seen a shift from smoking opium to smoking and injecting heroin, and more recently also to snorting and swallowing ATS. These trends are partly caused by the increase in heroin prices following the opium decline in the early 2000s, as injecting heroin is more cost-effective than smoking. Apart from, in 2009, China reported total seizures of more than 40 million pills. This represents an almost 6 fold increase from the 6.25 million pills seized in 2008.29 there is no confirmation of the specific origin of these pills. But the Chinese government has been reporting a sharp increase of drug trafficking into China from the Golden Triangle region by means of constantly changing drug trafficking routes and methods. Reports have pointed to transnational drug syndicates attempting to sell stored drugs, with a resulting sharp increase of drug smuggled into China. Preliminary data for 2010 indicates that the large-scale trafficking of methamphetamine pills into neighboring countries has continued in 2010. From January to September 2010, Thailand reported the seizure of over 44 million pills 31 and Lao PDR reported the seizure of more than 22 million pills, representing a total of more than 66 million pills. Given that China has not yet report seizure data to DAINAP, there is a strong likelihood that total seizures in the region for 2010 will reach or even surpass the total seizures recorded in 2009.

So, if the law is not strong it is not easy to control the people who traffick opium and amphetamine. However, for young people are very dangerous by using opium and amphetamine because it will affect their family and their village so that, this is very important for our country (Myanmar) moreover, current there are many people like to use the new thing by the country develop. After that there will be increased people who use amphetamine more year by year, there will be more opium and amphetamine trafficker and there will be increase diseases.

---

[1]  Amphetamines and Ecstasy: 2008 Global ATS Assessment, UNODC, September 2008, p.29.

[2] Discussions at SMART Myanmar National Workshop, 15 December 2009, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

[3] 8 The regional figure refers to the data collected from Japan and the Republic of Korea, and eleven countries in East and

South-East Asia where the Global SMART Programme is being implemented. These countries are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia,

China, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.

Student Activities

Since the program was established, experiential learning has been the cornerstone of the Wide Horizons curriculum. We try to give the students as many practical experiences as possible and to have them learning by doing, instead of just relying on what is taught in the classroom. Below are some examples of theseactivities.

Trainings

Every year the students receive a number of trainings from external trainers and experts. Past students have had trainings on a range of issues, such as conflict resolution, video shooting and editing, translation and interpretation,first aid and bicycle repairs.

One example was a week-long Sustainable Living training arranged by the Border Green Energy Team (BGET) for the Wide Horizons students in a small village on the Thai-Burma border. The theme of the training was sustainability and during the week students got first-hand experience with making and building with adobe bricks, using sustainable agricultural methods and were also introduced to the technical aspects of installing solar panels and water filters in rural communities.Another example was a gardening training given by Khom Loy, who assisted the students in establishing their own vegetable gardens on the school compound. 

 

To read more about BGET and Khom Loy, click here

Projects

Every year, the students write proposals for and implement a number of development projects at different migrant schools in the Mae Sot area. In past years, students have managedthe completion of boarding house dormitories, fences and roofs, arranged jewelry-making trainings and financial literacy trainingsand much more. These projects and trainings were arranged in cooperation with Room to Grow and Khom Loy. 

To read more about Room To Grow and Khom Loy, click here

Fundraising campaigns

Over the past couple of years, the students and teachers have started doing an increasing number of fundraising activities to supplement the program’s budget. Examples of these kinds of activities have been selling raffle tickets, making and selling WH merchandise, arranging fundraising parties and organizing online fundraising campaigns.  For several years in a row, the students and teachers have been able to raise enough funds through these activities to cover ¼ of the annual budget. Furthermore, these events and campaigns are a great experience for the students, who will be returning to organizations that are themselves often struggling in the current donor environment on the Thai-Burma border.

To read more about WH fundraising, see the success story The WH Fundraising Campaign  here 

Social exchanges

During their 10-month academic year at Wide Horizons the students have a very busy schedule. But there is also time for a bit of fun. Every trimester, the Wide Horizons staff arranges social exchanges with students from other programs in the Mae Sot Area. These social exchanges can include activities like football matches, talent shows, Halloween parties or simply cooking dinner together and playing a few games. The social exchanges help the students create a network outside of their own school and compare learning experiences with students from different programs. In the past, Wide Horizons students has for example had social exchanges with the Minmahaw Higher Education Program and the Teacher Preparation Center, both based in the Mae Sot area. Furthermore, we also have debate teams as a practice fun game with together.