After swearing in, we newly minted volunteers got right down to business with the Counterpart Conference. We spent the next couple days getting to know our counterparts a little bit better, communicating our expectations of each other, getting on the same page as far as Peace Corps policy and for the TCCS volunteers figuring out what co-teaching and lesson planning together meant in real time.
On Sunday afternoon, we were sent on our way, out in to the wilds. It felt a little bit like what I imagine a momma bird pushing the baby out of the nest. And saying I’ve arranged a new home for you hundreds of kilometers from here. See you later!
So I made my way with my Paw Aw (principal) and co-teacher back to Nakhon Ratchasima. Having finally had a moment that I wasn’t required to pay attention, I promptly fell asleep in the car. I spent the night at my co-teacher’s house and moved into my homestay the next day.
I also spent Monday helping to decorate for the school’s graduation ceremony, which included filling bags with colored water, drawing a picture of a student in a cap and gown and hanging it all up for a photo area. The school schedule in Thailand has the schools ending around mid- to the end of March because March, April and May are the hot season here. And there is no way that any one would be able to do any kind of teaching or learning in the heat. So, for the end of the year, the kindergartners and the 6th graders had a graduation ceremony.
The next day, I went to the school for the ceremony. There was the traditional handing of certificates and a gift from the students to the school and lots of photos from proud families. What made this ceremony different from one in the States was the Buddhist ceremony for the 6th graders that followed. We had the same ceremony when we came to Thailand, and so it is my understanding that this ceremony is performed at any big change. As such, they invited me to participate as well.
There was a kind of sculpted offering placed in the middle that has lots of precut white strings. The religious man (he wasn’t a monk, but I don’t know what the title is) passed a string around the inner part of the circle and everyone pressed their palms together and lowered their heads as he chanted. Then he took one of the precut strings and tied it around the wrists of one of the students and said a blessing while everyone touched each other forming a web of connection to the student. After that, he did the same for me. After that, all the adults in the room tied strings around the wrists of the students and me. I also tied some strings around the students’ wrists.
It was really nice to know that all of these people were wishing me good luck and prosperity during my time here, and I think it was really neat that there is a ceremony for this as well.
