In this interview, you’ll hear from Emma Rohwer, a Peace Corps Youth Development volunteer in Thailand. Emma shares what daily life looks like, the work being done, and how service has shaped their personal and professional growth. You’ll learn about housing, cultural differences, project work, language learning, and what it’s like to live and work in a new country. This interview offers a real look into Peace Corps service and what future volunteers can expect.
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. What do you do as a Peace Corps Youth Development volunteer in Thailand?
My site is in a peri-rural village about 2.5 hours outside of Bangkok, Thailand. One of the interesting things about being a Youth in Development (YinD) volunteer is that the role is incredibly open-ended; it really becomes whatever you make of it. Some days I feel more like a fun camp counselor and some days I feel more like a teacher. I work at the five local schools in my community, one school for each day of the work week, teaching students between the ages of 9 and 15. No two days are exactly the same. Some schools are much larger than others, so my class sizes and schedules vary quite a bit.
Typical day
During a typical day, I bike to the school in the morning and teach my class, then bike over to the sub-district administrative organization (SAO), eat lunch, and spend the afternoon lesson planning, attending community activities, or working on other projects.
Teaching English
Depending on the school, I might teach one-hour classes to each grade or spend 2.5 hours with all three grade levels combined. During my first year, my lessons primarily focused on English conversation and vocabulary because that’s what my co-teachers wanted to prioritize. I incorporated youth development topics whenever I could.
Youth development topics
Now that I’ve been here for over a year and have built strong relationships with both the students and teachers, I’ve been able to expand my focus to teaching mainly youth development topics. In practice, this mostly looks like playing games and doing activities that have underlying youth development themes like confidence, critical thinking, teamwork, and self-expression.
Other cultures
One of my favorite parts is introducing my students to things that they’ve never seen or done before, especially traditions from other cultures. We’ve done piñatas, held Easter egg hunts, folded origami, and tried all kinds of activities that aren’t common in rural Thailand. Those experiences are always a hit. The downside is that I may have accidentally set expectations a little too high. At this point, I think my students assume every lesson is going to involve some elaborate surprise, and if I’m being honest… nothing can really top the piñatas.
2. Why did you decide to join the Peace Corps and serve in Thailand?
Before joining the Peace Corps, I had just graduated with my Master of Social Work (MSW) and was working in Boston. Before that, during my last semester of graduate school, I completed my practicum at an NGO in Bangkok to fulfill my field placement hours, and that experience completely changed my plans.
It was my first time ever in Asia, and I absolutely fell in love with Thailand. I loved the food, the people, and the sabai sabai way of life. By the time I returned to the U.S., I knew I wanted to go back somehow. The problem was that finding an international job as a brand-new graduate wasn’t easy, so I took a job while I figured out my next step. In all honesty, I applied to Peace Corps Thailand as my backup plan to get back to Thailand. And the timing just ended up working out perfectly.
By the time I received my medical and legal clearance, everything seemed to line up. I wasn’t particularly enjoying my job, funding for my sector of social work was at imminent risk of being pulled, and many of my friends from grad school were leaving Boston, so I decided to take the leap.
Looking back, I’m incredibly glad I did. If I had simply moved back to Bangkok, I would have had an entirely different experience. Peace Corps gave me the opportunity to live in a rural community, learn Thai, build relationships with people I never would have met otherwise, and experience a side of Thailand that most visitors never get to see. I feel incredibly lucky because it brought me back to the country I already loved, and also introduced me to a completely different Thailand.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. What is your housing like in Thailand?
When I first arrived at my permanent site, I lived with my host family for about 6 months before moving into independent housing. My situation is a little unique because my SAO has several small houses available for employees when needed, and they graciously allowed me to live in one. I’ve gotten especially lucky because thanks to a combination of community generosity and good timing, I get to live in the house completely free and with a brand new air conditioner (a necessity in this Thailand heat). Being only about two and a half hours from Bangkok also makes life a little easier since it’s not too difficult to make a trip into the city if I need to buy something I can’t find locally.
As for food, I’d say it’s about a 50/50 split between cooking and not cooking. When I cook, I buy ingredients from the local market and neighborhood shops. The rest of the time, I’ll either grab food from a local restaurant, bring something home after work, or a community member will invite me out to eat. I’m also one of the very lucky (or unlucky, according to my wallet) volunteers who has a 7-Eleven at my site. Most evenings I play volleyball with my students at the local temple, which makes it easy to stop by the 7-Eleven or a restaurant on the way home instead of cooking.
4. What moments or interactions stand out during your service?
One thing I’ve been especially grateful for during my service is how many meaningful interactions I’ve had simply because I can speak Thai. In my experience, when a local realizes a foreigner can speak Thai, their reaction is often pure excitement because it’s so unexpected. I think that any Thailand PCV will tell you they have countless stories that start with someone realizing they speak Thai and end with something completely random happening. Sometimes it’s being handed free fruit at the market. Sometimes it’s getting invited to a neighborhood karaoke party. You never really know where the conversation is going to lead.
And maybe this is more of a universal experience for PCVs, but I can really only speak for my experience in Thailand: because of this, I’m a much more confident and outgoing person here than I was in the U.S. I’m much more willing to talk with strangers; I even seek it out at times. There’s something really special about seeing someone’s face light up when they realize you can communicate with them in their own language. It turns what could have been an ordinary interaction into a genuine connection.
One of my favorite examples happened when I was traveling in Bangkok for the weekend. I called a Grab taxi, and while chatting with the driver in Thai, we realized his younger sister works at the same local government office where I work. We ended up video calling her, laughing because I had literally just said goodbye to her at work earlier that day, and now I was calling her from her brother’s phone in the middle of Bangkok. These small, unexpected moments have reminded me just how connected the world can feel when you’re willing to learn another language and have a conversation.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What challenges have you faced in your Youth Development work, and how did you respond?
Measuring success
I think it’s pretty normal for PCVs to wonder whether what we’re doing here is actually effective or not. As a Youth in Development volunteer, that feeling can be especially strong because so much of our work is difficult to measure. There are some days when my students can’t remember a single thing I taught them the week before and only want to play “the ninja game” again. Moments like that can make you question whether anything is sticking.
Unlike English Education volunteers, who might be able to point to improved test scores or stronger language skills, youth development outcomes are much more intangible. However, the moments when you do see that impact, though, are incredibly rewarding.
Being a “sister”
Another challenge was overcoming the formality of being a teacher in Thailand. In Thai culture, teachers, called Kru, are deeply respected, and students are expected to interact with them very formally. From the beginning, I knew I didn’t want that; I wanted them to see me as someone they could trust and talk to, not just another authority figure.
In Thai culture, the way you address someone carries a lot of meaning, so I intentionally asked my students to call me “Phi Emma,” meaning “Older Sister Emma,” instead of “Kru Emma,” or “Teacher Emma.” It was a small change, but I think it helped create a more relaxed environment where students felt comfortable asking questions, sharing ideas, and just being themselves. Although I’ll admit sometimes I wonder if I may have overcorrected too far in the informal direction when my students don’t listen or behave during my class, overall I wouldn’t change it.
6. What secondary projects have you worked on during your service?
English club
Outside of my regular classes, I also run a Saturday English Club at one of my schools, and it’s probably the project I’m most proud of because it wasn’t my idea, it was my students’. In January this year, several students asked if I would tutor them on the weekends. I said yes immediately.
Honestly, the fact that they even felt comfortable asking felt like a small victory. That moment really stuck with me because I think kids hear “no” from adults all the time. If one of the most valuable things I can do here is be the adult who says, “Sure, let’s try it,” then I’m happy with that role. Once they realized I was open to their ideas, they started bringing me more of them. The English Club is just one example of that.
What started as six students sitting around practicing English has gradually grown into about 25 or 30 students showing up most Saturdays… where, to be fair, some English learning definitely happens. But over time, I’ve realized that English isn’t actually the most important outcome. The biggest lesson this club has taught me is to let go of what I thought success was supposed to look like. \
At first, I wanted every Saturday to be packed with vocabulary and grammar practice. Now I see that the club has become something even more valuable: a safe third space where students can spend time together outside of school, where older students naturally mentor younger ones, where they can play games, laugh, and just be kids. And if nothing else, it’s three hours where they’re doing something other than sitting at home scrolling on their phones. I’ll take that as a win.
Advice and Support
7. What advice would you give to future Youth Development volunteers in Thailand?
Let go of expectations
If I could give one piece of advice to future Youth Development volunteers in Thailand, it would be to try to let go of the expectations you don’t even realize you’re carrying.
Coming into this experience and during PST, I had a lot of unintentional expectations. I spent a lot of time thinking about where I would be placed, how close I’d be to other volunteers, and whether I’d end up in the “right” location. However, looking back, I realize I gave those things way more importance than they deserved.
What really shapes your experience has much less to do with where your site is on a map and much more to do with the relationships you build there. Investing in your community, getting to know your students, and earning people’s trust will have a much bigger impact on your day-to-day happiness. At the end of the day, if your students are excited to see you when you walk into school, you’re doing something right.
Ask for help
Another piece of advice that took me a while to learn, because I hate asking for help, is don’t try to solve every problem on your own. If something comes up during service, tell the people you’ve built relationships with in your community. Eventually, someone will probably have an easy solution that you never would have known about on your own.
For example, when I first moved into independent housing, the air conditioning didn’t work. I was devastated; I thought I would have to spend more than one month’s living allowance to buy a new one.
So, I told everyone I knew about my broken air conditioner and how it’s so hot here, and eventually it turned out that one of my co-workers had an extra one lying around that I could use. It was such a simple solution to something that had felt like a huge problem. I’ve learned that sometimes, all you have to do is ask, and apparently in Thailand, someone usually knows someone who can help.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
8. What would you tell future volunteers to pack—or leave behind?
Looking back at the few months before I left for Thailand, I was so nervous and anxious. Everyone told me not to overpack; I read all of Peace Corps Thailand’s packing guidance, and then I completely ignored most of it. I packed way more than I needed because, honestly, it made me feel better. It’s hard to pack for two years in a country when you have no idea what your day-to-day life is actually going to look like. Now that I’ve been here for over a year, there are definitely a few things I’m especially glad I brought and a few things I wish I’d left at home.
Quick-dry
It’s a bit obvious, but the biggest win was quick-dry clothing and towels. Thailand is unbelievably hot, and as volunteers we bike almost everywhere. That means a lot of sweating and, consequently, a lot of showers. Having clothes and towels that dry quickly has been one of those small conveniences that make everyday life much easier.
Professional clothes
On the flip side, I packed far too many professional work clothes. Between school shirts, Peace Corps shirts, and community event shirts, polos have become my entire work wardrobe. That’s what everyone wears, and honestly, I prefer blending in rather than standing out even more than I already do. Most of the clothes I carefully packed from home spend their time sitting in the closet.
Hobbies
Next, it may sound silly, but I’m thankful for bringing plenty of paint-by-numbers. Both during PST and now at my site, there are periods where I have a lot of downtime. Doing paint-by-numbers has been a very calming and almost meditative way to pass time that feels productive. And once they’re finished, they make great presents for counterparts and community members.
So I guess my biggest packing advice is this: listen to the official packing list more than I did. Bring practical things that make daily life easier, but also pack at least one hobby that you genuinely enjoy.
9. How has language learning been for you in Thailand?
Before coming to Thailand, I thought learning Thai would be the hardest part of Peace Corps. I had lived in Bangkok for about six months before, and by the end I could really only say the obligatory sa-wat-dii-ka (hello) and khop-khun-ka (thank you). A language with five different tones felt impossible to learn.
Then PST completely changed my perspective. Our language teachers were incredible and made Thai feel much more approachable. I ended up picking it up way faster than I expected, although my pronunciation is definitely still a work in progress. As previously mentioned, the joy that people experience when I speak Thai with them has been enough to keep me wanting to learn and get better at Thai.
I’m even trying to learn how to read Thai. It’s challenging, but it’s also kind of like solving a puzzle. As of now, I can slowly read short and simple words, and my goal is to eventually be able to read a menu.
Social Identity
10. Did your identity lead to specific challenges or situations?
In the beginning, being a female volunteer made it quite difficult to build a life here that I actually enjoyed. Everyone at my site had the best intentions to make me comfortable and feel safe here, but being the first PCV at my site, I think they maybe didn’t realize that I felt suffocated.
One example is that they were very worried about me biking everywhere, but it’s my only form of transportation here. Oftentimes, my bike has felt like my one link to freedom. If I feel lonely or bored, at least I could bike to the coffee shop or 7-Eleven. However, they didn’t want me biking at first because my site is situated on a large highway, and they were worried about unsafe drivers. I just had to do a lot of asking for forgiveness rather than permission every time I wanted to bike somewhere, but eventually they got used to it and realized that they could trust me.
Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
11. If you share content online, how has that shaped your service?
Going into service, I wasn’t really planning on sharing content online, aside from the occasional post on Instagram. However, a few months in, I decided to create a Substack and post on a monthly basis. I realized that I felt very disconnected from friends and family back home, and it felt very overwhelming to try to stay in touch with everyone when so much was happening every day.
I felt like it would help me feel like my friends and family are here with me along the way. I also thought it would be good for me to reflect on this experience as it unfolds, and it will be good in the future when I want to read back all my posts to remember what this experience was like.
12. What final advice would you share with future volunteers?
To any future volunteers, a lot of people will tell you that the first 6 months of service are the hardest, and that “comparison is the thief of joy.” I can’t speak for other volunteers, but in my experience, both turned out to be pretty accurate.
My first 6 months were overwhelming and genuinely difficult. I constantly compared myself to other volunteers and wondered why they seemed to be having such a better time. During PST, I felt like everyone in my cohort was bonding while I had maybe one friend. Then, during my first three months at site, I struggled to adjust to everything. The way the PC Thailand calendar works, the first month at site falls during term break, so I didn’t see any of the students and I remember thinking, “what am I doing here?”
However! I can also vouch that things really did get better. At our Reconnect conference, I started forming friendships with more volunteers, and now I have a wonderful support system of people who understand exactly what this experience is like. Around the one-year mark, I finally felt settled and more confident in what I was doing. Now, with only 5 months left, I’m genuinely sad that my time here is almost over.
So I think my advice is just to be patient with yourself and trust that things can change for the better. Your experience doesn’t have to and won’t look like anyone else’s, and just because you’re struggling at first doesn’t mean you’ll feel that way for the rest of your service. The highs and lows of Peace Corps can be pretty extreme, and eventually, you’ll find yourself wishing you had more time.
Are you thinking about joining the Peace Corps? If you’re curious about service and ready for something new, apply today. Like Emma, you can live abroad, work with communities, and grow in ways you didn’t expect. Apply to the Peace Corps and take the next step.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Thailand Government.
