My partner and I pause in the doorway of a second grade classroom at Ban Nong Khaem Border Patrol Police School, near the Thailand-Myanmar border. The school has 93 students from four ethnic Hill Tribe groups in northern Thailand: Lisu, Shan (Tai Yai from Shan State), Chinese Yunnanese and Lahu.
The girls sport modest knee-length dresses in hues of blue, purple, pink and red, covering their shoulders. The boys wear white-collared shirts and chiffon shorts that drape around their legs. I thought I was there as a quiet observer, but Tony, our tour guide, had other ideas. “You’re going to teach them English,” he says. Initially apprehensive, it was the highlight of our two-week trip. This short stint in northern Thailand reflected a global trend toward ethical travel. When I got home, I wanted to learn more.