The seating area at the kitchen doubles as a space for daily meetings, and can also be used to relax and chill outside these times. There is a playing field, and a bamboo pavilion by the pond.
We encourage the volunteers to set up evening entertainment themselves: watch movies, run quizzes, play games, etc. It passes the time, and promotes a good working relationship.
Down time, especially in the evenings can lead to boredom, so bring things to do - a popular request is for new volunteers to bring board games or suchlike.
If you want to get into town on a weekend: a) check if anyone else is going in and can give you a lift; b) from about 0630 - 0800 there will probably be the regular songtaews that are taking the locals from the village going into town. They are cheap (about 30 baht); c) If you want to go later, you will have to ring for a songtaew to pick you up. It is best to ask someone in the office to do that for you on Friday before the weekend. Coming back is easy, You can get songtaews from the bus station (they run from about 9am-3pm), or if later, you can hire a songtaew or tuk-tuk (price depends on your negotiating qualities but expect to pay around 450-500 baht).
There are many local sights to see which are not part of our volunteer packages, but we will be happy to help you decide where to go. Some things are free, and some you will have to pay for. We want you to enjoy your weekend, in safety and respecting local culture, as much as your working week.
Shopping
You can buy handicrafts from the local eBannok project, or sometimes in the villages when you go on homestay. Chiang Rai is a large town, and most things you need will be available somewhere.
Learning
While at Mirror please ask about learning to cook, or learn about Thai culture or music or whatever you are interested in. Some people may like to teach you.