While I’ve devoted much of this blog to sharing what I have learned about Thai culture, with my service winding down I figured I would give a short round-up of some of the recent projects I’ve either spearheaded or had the chance to be a part of, to give you a bit more insight into what being a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand entails.
In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.
One thing that I have enjoyed while in Thailand is going to as many new places as I can. I enjoy seeing the variety that the country has to offer, from beaches to mountains, rivers to jungle not to mention the various cultural differences between the regions. I may not have the language skills to speak about things in depth, but I have gotten really good at casual conversations with new acquaintances as I have tried to talk to new people in all the places I have gone.
My most recent trip took me not only to deep Isaan, already a place most tourists don’t visit, but to a little visited province even by Thais, and through small villages that are well off the sightseeing path.
more “Bpai Tiao: Biking Along the Mekong in Mukdahan”
Currently, the Miss Universe contest is happening and support for the Thai contestant is lighting up my social media. I thought you might want to check out this interview with her.
I am fascinated by dinosaurs. Even as a child, I was the dino kid in my class (every elementary class has one). That interest waned as I got older, but then was reignited with repeat viewings of the Jurassic Park movies. Then, come to find out, Thailand has had a fair number of fossil discoveries, including an entirely new species of dinosaur.
At the mention of Peace Corps, many people in the U.S. think of mud huts, no electricity, no running water and being out in the bush. Nothing could be further from my Peace Corps reality. I live in a cement row house, with electricity and running water pretty much constantly in a rural community. But that doesn’t mean that Thailand, and more specifically my village, is not in a state of development.
Thailand is well known for its silk. It’s made from silkworms’ cocoons that are turned into thread and woven into beautiful and intricate patterns. But what is this fabric used for? How is it worn? Traditional Thai clothing, and what is understood to be traditional Thai clothing, is a really interesting topic with a somewhat unsuspected history.
Thailand is famous for fabrics, specifically its silk. In the video I made showing the process of making silk from the silkworm to the loom, you can see one woman weaving a somewhat intricate pattern. Traditionally, there are some main patterns that are used in Thai fabrics.
I recently had the chance to go to the Jim Thompson Farm, where they cultivate silk worms to produce Thailand’s famous silk. It was really cool to peak into every step of the process that goes into making silk. Check out the video!
Of all the textiles that are made in Thailand, silk is far and away the most well known. The visibility and reputation of Thai silk was carefully curated by both Queen Sirikit and Jim Thompson. But how is Thai silk made? Where does it come from?
When I went back to the U.S. for the Top Bloggers’ Tour, one of the things I did was give 15 minute presentations to elementary school students about Thailand. With such a short amount of time, I decided to tell the kids about one aspect of Thailand that it is famous for: its textiles and fabrics, and so I passed around examples of different kinds of scarfs and gave them an opportunity to dress up in some of the Thai clothes that I have. There is a lot going on in the textile, fabric and fashion world here in Thailand.