Farewell

It was a bitter-sweet, but mostly sweet, evening leaving Ban Soem.  The community was even better leaving than it was coming.  Truly a generous, friendly, fun-loving group and I was one lucky Peace Corps Volunteer to have lived there.
From the party to a trip by van to say good-bye in Bangkok at the airport, over and aboove.

Sang was a member of my host family and spoke a fair amount of English.

Some of the students from Ban Tha school rode their motorcycles over to say hi (6th graders)

The beautiful girls from Ban Tha performed a traditional Thai dance

The staff from Ban Soem school and my felllow volunteers, Kyle and Faith

Dtom and Joom singing "Take Me to Your Heart"

Thais love to have their picture taken and this shows how much fun they have doing it

Cherished, generous friends, Thai and American

Coming Home

I’ve known for a while that life can throw all of us curves we didn’t see coming.  I am ending my Peace Corps service early because of one of those curves.  So here is my reflection on leaving Thailand.

What started me thinking about writing this reflection was looking out my kitchen window this morning and seeing things differently than I did a few months ago and receiving messages from my fellow volunteers who I also saw so differently a year ago.

Last May when I moved into this house, I would look out the window and see people walking by who were looking at me.  Usually, when I smiled and said “sa wat dii ka” I got a smile in return but sometimes they laughed at me.  My Thai language skills are not the best.   People will laugh and giggle or  they will tell me that I speak very, very well.  I don’t know why they react in a variety of ways, but I do know that I see it all differently now.  Last year I was nervous all the time.  My guard was up because it was all so new and I was trying to be ready for anything.  Now, I am pretty relaxed and look out to see people going about their daily activities and I smile easily and accept the barking dogs and loud music and motorcycles and cows and chickens and ants and toads and every once in a while a snake.  

What I realize is that I have changed.  I got to live in a totally different culture for over a year.  I have learned my strengths and weaknesses and fears and faith. 

I can now sit among Thais and not understand the conversation, but be part of the group and if there is something I need to know, they will make sure I understand.

I have formed precious friendships with volunteers who are so much younger than me.  During training last year, it could be very lonely and difficult.  I did not feel especially close to anyone and had some fears about being really, really alone in Thailand.  That would have been a disaster as I quickly found I needed to be with other Americans on a regular basis.  The group in Nong Khai has been beyond what I could have wished for.  These people have become a family and we talk about where we might meet up in the states.

Lucky for me, they all like Colorado! I have also gotten to know many other volunteers and appreciate their amazing characters and the wonderful spirits they have shared so freely.

I have tremendous respect and gratitude for the Peace Corps and especially for the staff in Thailand.  They are so good at their jobs and have been supportive, encouraging, while letting us find our own way in our various sites.

I am now comfortable traveling by bus, tuk-tuk, bike, and sometimes I just have to ask for a ride in someone’s car.  But I know I can get where I want to go and can find a way to communicate with the Thai people.  A little effort and a smile is usually all it takes to engage help from a stranger.

All the lessons that I cherish have come from experience, stepping out of my comfort zone (because I had to), saying a prayer and taking a risk.  I have been rewarded with unbelievable kindness and cherished memories.    

There are a few activities planned before I leave on March 10^th, so expect some pictures soon.

Scout Camp

Scout camp was held for 4 schools last week.  The 4^th, 5^th and 6^th graders hiked to the camp site.  The all set up tents and stowed all their belongings.  They brought camp gear and cooking gear and their bedding.  There was a course set up with about 10 activities for each group to go through.  It included walking on ropes, crawling through mud, teamwork exercises and lots of water (splashing and balloons).  The students cooked their own dinner and breakfast and we all got to sample what they made.  They did a great job and had a lot of fun.  There was a campfire at night with skits and songs.

I was very impressed with how well organized the camp was and how busy the students were kept, with some free time for just hanging out and having fun. 

The king of Thailand was in the boy scouts in America and the tradition is very strong here with weekly scout days at school and the annual camps.

Sadly, no girl scout cookies.

teamwork

crawling and ropes

school dog who walked to camp site with students, 3K and she is very pregnant.
She is the most exceptional dog I have ever known, everyone loves her and she returns the love.

scout uniforms for everyone

Hump

Just when I think I have made it over “the hump”, I find out I haven’t and don’t really know what “the hump” is.  At first I thought it was getting to site and knowing where I would do my Peace Corps Service.  Then, I thought it was once school started, then when language got easier, then with more time, then after the holidays.  All of those milestones have been significant, but I am still not “acculturated”.  

Living has gotten so, so much easier.  I can get most of what I need by myself now, what I need has changed, but that is probably part of the process.  I have friends in the village and I feel like a part of the school communities and accepted by the villagers.  Language is still a challenge, but many people know some English and I know some Thai and we can have brief, superficial conversations that feel okay.  I have a few PCV friends who I have come to love and we support each other well and consistently. 

So why now is there a feeling of being disconnected?  It seems to have come from nowhere and all of a sudden I feel like I am not making a contribution and wonder what my purpose here is.  The funny part of that is that I don’t especially want to go home right now either.  I miss home and family and friends, but I have come to really love many things here too. 

As promised by Peace Corps "Peace Corps service is the hardest job I have every loved."   

Thai Bling

I love the bling in Thailand.  Almost everything is very colorful and there is a lot that is shiny too.  I saw a lovely young woman last week with a blue/white polka dot skirt, an orange belt and a pink/white striped top and she looked great.  Probably would not work at home, but here it is delightful and always makes me smile.

One of the things I notice is the variety of hair decorations, barrettes, clips, headbands, bows the girls wear at school.  Here is a sampling.

Thai dogs

I am surprised that one of the biggest culture shocks for me as been pet dogs in Thailand.  They are almost a different species here. 

First of all dogs are free to roam anywhere, but they don’t (more on that later).  Difference 1 – No leash laws

During training one of the shots we got is for rabies.  If we are bitten, we would still need another series of shots, just not as many.  So, the chances of being bitten here are greater and the chance of a dog having rabies is greater than at home.  Difference 2 – Dogs do not get shots.

Dogs breed freely.  Last week the dog across the street was in heat.  There were dogs around that I had never seen before and constant squabbling that sounds like a death-duel.  It never is, hardly any contact, mostly lots of barking, growling and seeing who will back down.  Difference 3 – Dogs are not neutered.

Many of the dogs here have horrible skin problems, fleas and who knows what else (given the hot, humid climate).  One dog at school, has an injured eye, blind in that eye from a snake bite last year, the eye was never removed. Difference 4 – Dogs do not get vet services.

You will get chased on a bike by dogs at some point in your service here.  I have been pretty lucky, it’s only happened a few times and they never chased me far. Difference 5 – Dogs exist to protect their property and do not stray far (unless there is a female in heat).

Litters here are frequent and small and my guess is live expectancy is around 6 or 7.  Difference 6 – There is not a huge overpopulation problem.

I have observed the dogs at school and in my neighborhood.  I have to say they are fed regularly and decently – left-overs, which almost always includes meat, rice and vegetables.  They are very different from our pampered pets at home and serve a different purpose.  They do warn and protect and are somewhat companions.  They are very docile, including pit bulls and rottweilers.  Threatening with a stick is often enough to get them to back off if chased on a bike.  If the girl who lives across the street is at my house, her dog will come and let me pet her.  It she is not there, the dog totally ignores any coaxing from me for petting or food.  They will eat what I leave out, but will not take it from me. 

So when I was offered a puppy from a recent litter, it was easy to say no.  The dogs born here, belong here and are happy here.