“Sa-wat-dee, khrap” which means “Hello” in the language of Thailand. It will be my home for the next 27 months where I will be a Peace Corps volunteer. I want to start my blog with this short post about where I am going, what I’ll be doing, and who I will be working with.
Back in January 2013, I applied to the US Peace Corps. For everyone who knows me, this comes as no surprise, except to me. Believe it or not, I actually filled out an application over 30 years ago (1982) but never sent it in. What my life would have been like if I had. In 2012, I had returned to the US after spending four years in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. There I had been a volunteer English teacher at a Buddhist center. While there, I was fortunate to become good friends with a Peace Corps volunteer, Travis. He would later write one of my recommendations letters.
I had never thought much about “volunteer” work until I had a chance to do some. First, it was in France at Nalanda Monastery. That lead me to work in Mongolia. Those experiences showed me that I want to help others in any way I can. Before, I wasn’t sure what skills I had that could be helpful. But, in Mongolia, I loved teaching. After returning home, I couldn’t wait to go back – anywhere.
Needless to say, the Peace Corps application process is long. I guess that is expected of a federal government agency. I was invited to serve in Thailand as a Teacher Collaborator and Community Facilitator. This means I will be an EFL (English as a Foreign Language) Teacher trainer. And I accepted!
The Teacher Collaboration and Community Service (TCCS) project is geared to support school teachers in rural Thailand to improve and apply participatory learning methods, especially in the English classroom. The scope of the Volunteer’s work, however, is not limited to the classroom. Volunteers are encouraged to collaborate with teachers and community members to enhance the quality of life through the promotion of life skills and the development of the school community.
In a week, I will board a plane to head to our staging area, which is Washington, DC. I will meet the other people invited to serve with me in Thailand. We are called “group 126”, and we will attend a sort of orientation session. The following day, we will all board the bus and head to the airport to begin the long journey to Thailand. Once there, we will begin Pre-Service Training (PST), in a province north of Bangkok.
During PST, I will live with a host family, begin learning Thai, and learn more about what we will be doing. Once completed, I will swear in as an official Peace Corps volunteer and begin a 2-year commitment.
To be honest, I haven’t thought much about all that. I know I will do my best to learn what I need to. I still feel I am a clean slate as far as my teaching methods, even after 4 years in Mongolia. I hope my unique experience enhances what I am taught and what I can learn from my fellow trainees. And, although I know learning the language will be my biggest obstacle, I’m excited about it too. I’ve studied languages before but never felt comfortable using them. In Thailand it will be a necessity of daily living – kind of like jumping into the deep end, so to speak. Ha Ha Ha
These days leading up to my flight, I am busy shopping for what I need, saying goodbye to all my family and friends. I should be relaxing in these last moments before PST. Oh, and I’m also failing at watching what I eat, what with all the going-away dinner dates I’m getting.
I have no idea how much time I will have to update this blog during training, or what internet access I’ll have. But I will do my best to share my experiences with you when and as I am able.
