In this interview, we have the opportunity to hear from Dano Nissen. He is Peace Corps volunteer serving as a Education volunteer in Thailand. Dano’s experience and perspective shed light on the impactful work being done by PCVs around the world. As we get into the interview, we gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, rewards, and personal growth. This comes with serving in a foreign country, working with local communities, and navigating unexpected situations. Join us as we share Dano’s journey and gain insights into the transformative power of volunteering with the Peace Corps.
Table of Contents
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
- Surprises, Challenges, and Personal Growth
- Community Projects and Interactions
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. Can you tell us more about serving as an Education volunteer in Thailand?
I spent three months in training in Don Chedi, a couple hours north of Bangkok, with the entire cohort, including the Youth in Development volunteers. That time was crucial to integrate us into the country and learn how to do the job. Then, I got dropped off in a village in Isaan, where the real fun began. I teach English to grades 1-6 with two co-teachers. Classes are very game-oriented, and the school functions almost like a summer camp with the amount of outside-the-class activities.
2. What motivated you to join the Peace Corps and choose Thailand?
Serving abroad has always been a post-college goal of mine. We have this giant globe we all live on, why not explore and get to know one another? Nothing fulfills me like immersing myself in a different culture. I’ve had several friends do the Peace Corps and their testimonies convinced me that the Peace Corps was right for me. As for Thailand, I actually said I would serve anywhere. I guess I was lucky because Thailand has been a great fit.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. Tell us more about your home situation:
I live with a host family but they are relatively hands-off compared to the host family experience volunteers have at their PST location. Language is a huge barrier. While I’m confident in my Thai, my ability to converse varies from person to person, depending on their accent, use of regional dialect, and ability to speak slowly and clearly. As it happens, my host dad is particularly difficult for me to understand.
Surprises, Challenges, and Personal Growth
4. What has surprised you most about Thailand?
How relaxed it is. My service has been more of an adjustment to small-town life than necessarily to a different country. I’ve lived in the Bay Area, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles where everything is done on a tight schedule. Here, I’ve learned to be patient with everything.
I’ve been surprised by how much junk food people eat. Kids eat a disturbing amount of candy every day. Almost all of them have rotting teeth. This has been a big adjustment for me as someone who likes to eat healthy. Typically, I make my own food for breakfast and dinner and eat lunch at school.
Eating is a social event. People will eat throughout the entire day, snacking on highly processed hot dogs and instant noodles. I’m constantly being offered deep-fried or sugary food, and many will not take no for an answer.
Some advice, take care of your health. I purchased a gym on Lazada, a very convenient online retail app, and have been getting a lot of mileage out of that.
5. What challenges did you face while working with community members in Thailand?
We are told that Thai is a high-context culture. I didn’t fully understand what that meant until I spent some time here. People tend to speak indirectly, leaving you to infer what they want. This also goes for how they receive information. Often I will say something and they will take it to mean something else, assuming I am being high context.
For example, I may ask a question like “With this new schedule how long will the first-grade class be?” and my counterparts will take it as hinting that I want the class to be shorter rather than asking that outright. In fact, I want to know the answer to my question at face value and am not trying to imply anything with the question.
Learning Thai has been difficult, but learning High Context is like another language of its own.
6. How have you grown and developed during your time as a Education volunteer in Thailand?
The biggest thing has been learning to enjoy time with myself. During the day I’m very social with my co-teachers and students. But when I get back home there is truly nothing to do. And half of the weekends I stay at my site. There are no bars or major league baseball stadiums to go out to with friends and socialize with big groups of people. Sometimes a Saturday night alone with some yoga and a good book can be really nice and peaceful.
Community Projects and Interactions
7. Could you share some of the secondary projects you have been involved?
I’ve worked at several weekend camps, including helping out with a Youth in Development volunteer’s camp at his site.
8. Any memorable experiences or interactions you’ve had with community members?
In general, how much people are excited that I’m here. Everyone is eager to invite me to cultural events, while also interested in learning about my life.
Advice and Support
9. What advice would you give to someone considering serving as an Education volunteer in Thailand?
Treat this as a once-in-a-lifetime learning experience. Embrace uncomfortable situations rather than complain about them because they will teach you.
10. How has the Peace Corps staff and training helped you during your service?
The language training and continued tutoring support via Zoom while at site has been excellent. Also, the medical accommodations are very reliable.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
11. Anything that you packed or didn’t pack that you’d like to tell future volunteers?
Bring spare chargers! Electronics here are cheap and break easily. I would not trust plugging a $2 charger from 7/11 into your expensive laptop.
12. How has learning the language been?
It’s been difficult but fun! Since Thai is so fundamentally different from English, you’re not only learning a new language but a new language logic. I think differently about how language is constructed.
I would definitely recommend learning how to read. We don’t learn in PST since there is not enough time. But reading in Thai isn’t too hard to learn (it’s all phonetic!) and helps immensely with pronunciation, especially tones. I’ve improved my Thai the most by reading a children’s series called Manee Mana.
Final Thoughts
13. Any last comments or observations you’d like to pass on?
During PST try to go in with as few preconceptions as possible. Many volunteers were stressing about where they would be placed. Your success and happiness will be more dependent on a good relationship with your students, counterparts, and community than being close to a beach or fun tourist destination. Every region is distinct and great in its own way. And every site is the best site – but it’s up to you to make it so.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Thailand Government.
