I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 2013 to 2015. I worked as a Primary Teacher Trainer and lived in Isaan, the rural northeast of the country. In these posts, you’ll find information relating to Peace Corps and things related to the program and agency, as well as official Peace Corps work from my time in Thailand. For Thailand specific information, check out the Thailand category.
Thailand seems to constantly have music playing. One of the really popular songs right now is called ผมรักเมืองไทย (pom rak mueng thai), which mean “I Love Thailand.” This is not the official music video for this song, but it very much encapsulates Thailand – he ends up dancing in front of a 7-11. Check it out!
Thailand has lots of special days, often with observations done at the schools. There are a number of Buddhist holidays. There’s Thai Language Day. There’s Science Day. There’ Wai Kruu Day. And this month there’s Children’s Day and Teacher Day.
I’m terrible at journaling. I usually only do it when I’m having a really difficult time and so I rarely have any recording of when I’m feeling really good. But, I bought a Moleskine planner that has lines for each day, not a lot, but enough to write a short paragraph, and set the goal for myself to write at least one sentence or something to sum up each day. I’m proud to say that I was able to do it for the whole last year, and so I looked back over what I wrote as I reflected on my last year in Thailand. I wanted to share some of them here with you, to share with you what a year in Thailand feels like at the end of each day.
I am currently working with a group of students to prepare a performance for the Thai Youth Theatre Festival. This year, the Festival will bring together 150 students from all across the country to learn about the performing arts. In order to make this a reality, we need your help. Check out this video and please donate today.
Update! We reaching our funding needs and the Festival was a great success.
Ten years ago, some Peace Corps Thailand volunteers in tandem with some British volunteers recognized the benefit of learning and confidence building through the performing arts. They worked with their Thai counterparts and students to adapt a Shakespearean play to be performed in their local communities. After the success of the local performances, they came together for the Bangkok Shakespeare Festival. That initial festival was such a success that they decided to make it an annual event and the Thai Youth Theatre Project was founded.
Nearly a month ago, Thailand’s government dissolved as a response to ongoing protests in Bangkok. The crown issued a decree for new elections to be held.
The election date has been set for February 2 and registration for the election has taken place. The Democrat Party, which is in support of the protests calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and an appointment of a “people’s council”, has vowed to boycott the elections. The Democrat Party has not won an election since 1992 and the common analysis is that Yingluck’s Puea Thai Party will win in the new election, as it has won every election since 2001.
Recently some of my fellow Peace Corps volunteers held the first Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) Camp in Thailand. GLOW started with some Peace Corps volunteers in Romania, where they saw that there was a specific need for girls to be encouraged and supported. Since then, it has spread like wildfire throughout Peace Corps countries. Check out this video of what the young girls did!
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.
I am fortunate enough to be serving in Peace Corps in a country that has several locations that consistently find their way onto lists with names like “Top Places to Visit Before You Die” or “Best Beach Getaways.” This means that my holiday travels are often jam packed with everyone going to the same place, which tips the scale on the stress factor.
A year ago I was sitting in my parents’ house, feeling like I was standing on the precipice to a canyon, though I was surrounded in fog. I had no idea of the topography of the canyon. All I knew was that I was going to jump.
I was scared. I was nervous. I was a little sad. I was very excited.
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.
Recently I went to help out friend and fellow volunteer Michael with an event for the bike club in his community. We all biked to the nearby national park and then did a variety of activities with the students there that focus on developing team building and leadership skills. It was truly a blast for both the visiting volunteers and the kids. Check it out!