From guiding travelers on OAT’s Discover Thailand adventure to becoming the Regional General Manager of our Southeast Asia offices, I’ve worn many hats at OAT—and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. Since I joined the company in 1999, my life has changed from that of a quiet woman to a leader, from a young Trip Leader new to the American market to a high-ranking performer in the company.
In 1993, I obtained my tour guide’s license from Bangkok’s Silapakorn University, which is well known for its focus on historical arts and culture. For five years, I led tours for a Belgian-based company and then took a year-long break to study in Belgium. When I returned to Thailand in 1999, I joined Overseas Adventure Travel, which had just opened a new office in Bangkok.
For five years, I was passionate about my work as a Trip Leader—and then I decided to use my expertise in a different way when I was invited to work in the Bangkok office. I took a big risk—and fortunately, it paid off! I’ve worked very hard to add new learning and discovery experiences to our adventures—and I’ve even helped to give back to the people of Southeast Asia by recommending eight new communities in need of support from Overseas Adventure Foundation.
When I travel, I love to experience anything that’s new and different from my everyday life. In this regard, the women who travel with OAT are just like me—so I make sure that every OAT adventure in Southeast Asia is filled with the types of unique experiences that I personally enjoy when I travel. We find fun ways to get around, like elephants and bamboo rafts in Chiang Mai, rickshaws in Hanoi, remok in Cambodia, tuk tuk in Bangkok, and traditional farm trucks in Thailand’s Golden Triangle. We excite your taste buds with Thai curries and Laotian papaya salad. And we experience the colorful traditions of local music and dance.
It’s also a great pleasure to meet the people of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. These are all Buddhist countries, and the people are very respectful. Older women travelers are especially lucky, because they’re treated with the highest respect—just as we would treat our own mother or grandmother! The home-hosted experiences offer great opportunities to see how the people live and to understand the daily routine and responsibilities of running a family. I also think it’s important to see another side of the story at local schools, so if school is in session we bring you to meet Asia’s next generation. And while there are so many wonderful aspects of Southeast Asian culture to celebrate, I want travelers to hear our whole story—even if it may be controversial. So you'll learn, for example, about Thailand's struggles with AIDS education. You'll discuss the lingering effects of civil war on modern-day Cambodians. And in Vietnam, you'll talk about how the Vietnamese viewed the American army both before and after 1975.
While I loved my work as an OAT Trip Leader, I feel just as privileged today to help make every OAT adventure in Southeast Asia a truly special glimpse of the region I call home. I’d be honored to have you join us.
Learn more about OAT’s adventures in Asia.