WALKING WITH THE EXCLUDED
By Zach Martorana, Communications Officer, Jesuit Mission Australia
As one of six siblings growing up in Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, Samit Cho Patridi, 28, never imagined he would become a teacher. At school, he struggled to explain lesson-related concepts or ideas to friends and thought, “Oh my gosh, why is it so hard for me to explain a simple thing to others? So I decided that when I grew up, I would become a flight attendant or get a job at an airport.”
The spirit of adventure inspired him, rather than the pursuit of learning. But everything changed when one of his favourite high school teachers encouraged him to volunteer at Xavier Learning Community (XLC), a Jesuit-run institution supported by Australian donors and focused on educating marginalised young people from hill tribe communities.
“I said yes to that suggestion. My former teacher was part of XLC at that time, so maybe she saw it as an opportunity for me. She invited me to experience teaching here, and her suggestion eventually made all the difference to me. Sometimes when I reflect on this journey, I tell myself that maybe this part of my life is just like a calling that I never expected. I never thought of becoming a teacher at all. I hated the idea, to be honest. But finally, here I am. I ended up teaching here and I love it.
“I came here as a volunteer teacher and at that point I fell in love with teaching, completely against my own expectations. That’s why it has become my passion. I love being at XLC. The best thing about being a teacher here is the students. I place all my priorities, as well as my happiness, onto the students themselves. Without them, I don’t think I would understand that what I’m doing here is something right. They are my first priority. My happiness and commitment come from them and my sense of purpose. It’s their growth that tells me I’m doing something right.”
Quite apart from recognising his own sense of commitment, that first volunteer experience set him on a new path as well. Recognising his potential, the Jesuits offered Samit a scholarship to pursue a Master’s in teaching in Indonesia, a course that he completed in 2021.
Photographs courtesy Jesuit Mission Australia.
Today, he continues his journey with a PhD in English for Professional Development, equipping himself to guide and uplift his students even further. He knows, because of his own experiences, that his students can expect challenges. “I struggled a lot. When I was doing my Bachelor’s course, I didn’t have the confidence that I now try and instil in them. Back then, I tried to look for any opportunities to speak English. I even practised my English in front of the mirror, to understand and evaluate how I spoke, just by watching my reflection.
“The funny thing is that when I was in high school, I really loved playing sport, especially soccer. But another of my teachers, who taught me English, forced me to join an English (educational) club. Every day I would have to memorise 40 new words. But that helped me a lot, and I’m so grateful for the impetus that the English teacher gave me.
“Because of these experiences and hurdles in my own life, I tell my students, ‘One day when you become like me, you will be grateful for what you have received.’ And another thing that I always teach my students is to be grateful. I remind them that one day they too will be able to give back in some way. Perhaps they will go back to their respective villages and help the people who are in need.”
Samit is deeply aware of the barriers his students face: “For many ethnic minority students, society often sees them as having low status. But with education, they gain a true sense of belonging. They become proud of themselves, regardless of their ethnicity or discrimination.”
Now, his graduates are flourishing — as hotel managers, ecotourism leaders, and some are even working in Australia. Among their number are even some flight attendants, which is a somewhat ironic reflection of Samit’s own initial desire. For him, their success is proof of education’s power. “My greatest hope is to see them become agents of change, using their learning not only to build their own lives, but to strengthen their communities with gratitude and compassion.”
Samit’s journey is a reminder that when someone is inspired to teach with passion, they can transform countless lives.
