Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Host Family - Day 1
I wrote the following over the past day. I'm now back at the hotel for training, but my internet access will not be very much in the coming weeks... I'll try to be in touch as much as I can.
Sunday, Jan 24:
Last night was my first with my new family. Yesterday all the families came to the hotel where we were staying, and we were paired up one by one with our chosen hosts. I was assigned to the tambon (county) Ban Gluai, close to the hotel where we will be meeting occassionally to train. The mother of my household, Ohm, was there to greet me. We exchanged pleasantries to the extent that my Thai language skills would allow, then went off to my home for the next 10 weeks.
I'm in a 3 person household - mother, father, and 16 year old daughter. There are also 3 dogs, which really are more like strays that the family happens to allow in their yard. The house is nicer than I would have expected. Very clean, flushing toilet and overhead shower inside, and my own room with a stand-up fan. The house is adjacent to another house, where some extended family live - and they happen to be hosting another volunteer, Brooke. I really can't understate how much of a relief it is to have her here. I can imagine how rough it is for other volunteers who have no way of understanding their hosts or being understood themselves, and can't express their feelings to anyone. Just having someone to be able to talk to is the best luxury I could've gotten.
My family / extended family has been really welcoming. There are a couple cute little kids in the extended family. I'm having some fun with them - making faces, playing peek-a-boo, and playing with a Philadelphia Eagles fiki football game I brought. Before they left to go to bed last night, the 4 year old little girl "waiy-ed" (how you greet elders - hands together, head bow) and then blew me a kiss.
The matriarch of the complex is the grandmother, whose 3 daughters live here (one of which is Ohm). I was initially a little intimidated by her. She seemed serious and stern upon first impression. But When Brooke and I were getting a tour of the outside area, Ohm showed us the outhouse with a squat toilet. I squatted down as if to show I needed to practice. The grandmother saw me from a distance and burst out laughing, pretty much breaking the ice.
The food has been incredible. We ate dinner on the floor of the living room. Brooke and I were served first, and often after that. There was fried rice with chicken, fish soup, pork with vegetables, and an omelette. The meals are all rice based. They showed us how to mix the soup in with the rice, and add some spicy fish sauce. The words I've used most since moving in are "Alloy maak" (very delicious).
This morning we went to the market. The family has a coconut farm on site, where they strip the bark to process the coconut milk and pulp to sell at the market. They made us a delicious treat that can be described as a coconut flavored mix between ice cream and water ice. The rest of the market was an experience in and of itself. Hanging pig heads, live frogs, whole squid, etc etc.
After that we went to the Chainat Bird Park. It's a very expansive and pretty place. Peacocks and ostriches roaming, all different types of birds in a huge netted area, and a small aquarium on site. The best was the fish foot bath. We took off our shoes to put our feet in a shallow tub of water, and all these little inch-long fish flocked to nibble at our legs. People apparently find it soothing - for me it was just really really ticklish.
Right now I'm inside after just helping a fellow volunteer change a flat bike tire. Realized it's really good to feel useful once in a while when you're being treated like family by complete strangers you can't even properly thank.
Sunday, Jan 24:
Last night was my first with my new family. Yesterday all the families came to the hotel where we were staying, and we were paired up one by one with our chosen hosts. I was assigned to the tambon (county) Ban Gluai, close to the hotel where we will be meeting occassionally to train. The mother of my household, Ohm, was there to greet me. We exchanged pleasantries to the extent that my Thai language skills would allow, then went off to my home for the next 10 weeks.
I'm in a 3 person household - mother, father, and 16 year old daughter. There are also 3 dogs, which really are more like strays that the family happens to allow in their yard. The house is nicer than I would have expected. Very clean, flushing toilet and overhead shower inside, and my own room with a stand-up fan. The house is adjacent to another house, where some extended family live - and they happen to be hosting another volunteer, Brooke. I really can't understate how much of a relief it is to have her here. I can imagine how rough it is for other volunteers who have no way of understanding their hosts or being understood themselves, and can't express their feelings to anyone. Just having someone to be able to talk to is the best luxury I could've gotten.
My family / extended family has been really welcoming. There are a couple cute little kids in the extended family. I'm having some fun with them - making faces, playing peek-a-boo, and playing with a Philadelphia Eagles fiki football game I brought. Before they left to go to bed last night, the 4 year old little girl "waiy-ed" (how you greet elders - hands together, head bow) and then blew me a kiss.
The matriarch of the complex is the grandmother, whose 3 daughters live here (one of which is Ohm). I was initially a little intimidated by her. She seemed serious and stern upon first impression. But When Brooke and I were getting a tour of the outside area, Ohm showed us the outhouse with a squat toilet. I squatted down as if to show I needed to practice. The grandmother saw me from a distance and burst out laughing, pretty much breaking the ice.
The food has been incredible. We ate dinner on the floor of the living room. Brooke and I were served first, and often after that. There was fried rice with chicken, fish soup, pork with vegetables, and an omelette. The meals are all rice based. They showed us how to mix the soup in with the rice, and add some spicy fish sauce. The words I've used most since moving in are "Alloy maak" (very delicious).
This morning we went to the market. The family has a coconut farm on site, where they strip the bark to process the coconut milk and pulp to sell at the market. They made us a delicious treat that can be described as a coconut flavored mix between ice cream and water ice. The rest of the market was an experience in and of itself. Hanging pig heads, live frogs, whole squid, etc etc.
After that we went to the Chainat Bird Park. It's a very expansive and pretty place. Peacocks and ostriches roaming, all different types of birds in a huge netted area, and a small aquarium on site. The best was the fish foot bath. We took off our shoes to put our feet in a shallow tub of water, and all these little inch-long fish flocked to nibble at our legs. People apparently find it soothing - for me it was just really really ticklish.
Right now I'm inside after just helping a fellow volunteer change a flat bike tire. Realized it's really good to feel useful once in a while when you're being treated like family by complete strangers you can't even properly thank.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Royal Thai Welcome
This morning we received an impressive welcome from the governor of the Chainat province. A van took all of us to the Chainat Provinvial Government Building, and we walked into a room set up as if it were hosting a UN delegation. We each had a microphone to introduce ourselves to the governor, in Thai of course. He gave a nice speech in broken English to welcome us to Chainat. Then after some photos, we were back at training. All in all pretty cool experience.
The other noteworthy event today was our afternoon bike ride. Earlier in the training I re-learned what I already knew quite well - that anything involving balance makes me look silly. I'm not the worst biker here, but definitely in the bottom 5. There are 60+ year old women volunteers who look like Tour de France riders compared to me, and I wish I were kidding.
That being said, today's bike ride was incredible. We were constantly surrounded by expansive, brilliantly green rice paddies. We also went on some back roads through the local villages. There's not much more fun than passing Thai locals, some saying "Hello" in English, and seeing their surprise and laughter when we greet them with "Sa-wat-dii khrap". At one point on the ride, we went down a dirt road where some cows were being herded. As we rode past them they started running along with us, and kept up for a good 30 seconds or so. It was one of those gratifying moments when you realize there aren't many places you could ever get an experience like this - on a bike surrounded by rice paddies with cows galloping by a few feet away. After all that, we rode a ferry back across the river to our hotel.
Tomorrow we find out our assigned villages for the next 10 weeks, and move in with our host families. It's a good thing too - a squat toilet may remind me I'm actually in the Peace Corps and not on vacation. Should be fun.
The other noteworthy event today was our afternoon bike ride. Earlier in the training I re-learned what I already knew quite well - that anything involving balance makes me look silly. I'm not the worst biker here, but definitely in the bottom 5. There are 60+ year old women volunteers who look like Tour de France riders compared to me, and I wish I were kidding.
That being said, today's bike ride was incredible. We were constantly surrounded by expansive, brilliantly green rice paddies. We also went on some back roads through the local villages. There's not much more fun than passing Thai locals, some saying "Hello" in English, and seeing their surprise and laughter when we greet them with "Sa-wat-dii khrap". At one point on the ride, we went down a dirt road where some cows were being herded. As we rode past them they started running along with us, and kept up for a good 30 seconds or so. It was one of those gratifying moments when you realize there aren't many places you could ever get an experience like this - on a bike surrounded by rice paddies with cows galloping by a few feet away. After all that, we rode a ferry back across the river to our hotel.
Tomorrow we find out our assigned villages for the next 10 weeks, and move in with our host families. It's a good thing too - a squat toilet may remind me I'm actually in the Peace Corps and not on vacation. Should be fun.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Training Day
The picture above was drawn by one of my Thai training teachers, Pacharapan. It's her vision of me before actually meeting me. All of the volunteers got their own portraits from our teachers. I'd say mine is spot on (hopefully the dog isn't part of the meal though...)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Land of Smiles...
We arrived in Bangkok around 10:30pm local time. Had been awake for close to 30 hours straight before getting a refreshing 4 hours of sleep, but feeling oddly energized. Everything has been as good as can be expected so far... but of course the real work is yet to start. Will let the pics do the talking.
#1) The whole crew at LAX
#2) The Philly contingent arrives in Thailand. Me, Zerina and Nicole
#3) Hotel in Thailand
#4) Thai English
#1) The whole crew at LAX
#2) The Philly contingent arrives in Thailand. Me, Zerina and Nicole
#3) Hotel in Thailand
#4) Thai English
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Staging - Los Angeles
It's been an eventful last couple of days, to say the least. First of all, to everyone that helped say farewell at Ray's last night, it's hard to fully express my thanks. I'll remember that night for a long, long time because of all of you.
Right now I'm in my hotel in Los Angeles after going through a 5 hour staging/orientation. We mostly went over general guidelines of what the Peace Corps expects of us, what we should expect to get out of the Peace Corps, and some common issues we may face overseas. The clear highlight of the day was getting to eat at LA's famous In and Out Burger. The Dude abides...
The flight to Bangkok leaves tomorrow morning. We will be in the air for close to 20 hours total, with an additional hour and a half layover in Tokyo. Once we land in Bangkok and collect our bags, we will hop on a 2 hour bus ride to Amphur Muang, Chainat Province (north of Bangkok). We'll stay in a hotel for the first week, then move in with our host families. We'll stay with our host families for the duration of Pre-Service Training - about 10 weeks - after which we will be assigned to our individual villages to serve the 2 year assignment.
At this point I've gotten to meet my entire class of 63 fellow volunteers. The diversity is amazing. There are recent college grads, married couples, and grandmothers, of all different backgrounds from all across the country. Pretty even mix of guys and girls. All very nice people who I'm really looking forward to spending time with over the coming weeks.
This whole thing is very surreal right now, partly due to lack of sleep I'm sure. Will try to update once I'm in Thailand, but we may not have frequent internet access during the 10 week training. All the best until then...
Right now I'm in my hotel in Los Angeles after going through a 5 hour staging/orientation. We mostly went over general guidelines of what the Peace Corps expects of us, what we should expect to get out of the Peace Corps, and some common issues we may face overseas. The clear highlight of the day was getting to eat at LA's famous In and Out Burger. The Dude abides...
The flight to Bangkok leaves tomorrow morning. We will be in the air for close to 20 hours total, with an additional hour and a half layover in Tokyo. Once we land in Bangkok and collect our bags, we will hop on a 2 hour bus ride to Amphur Muang, Chainat Province (north of Bangkok). We'll stay in a hotel for the first week, then move in with our host families. We'll stay with our host families for the duration of Pre-Service Training - about 10 weeks - after which we will be assigned to our individual villages to serve the 2 year assignment.
At this point I've gotten to meet my entire class of 63 fellow volunteers. The diversity is amazing. There are recent college grads, married couples, and grandmothers, of all different backgrounds from all across the country. Pretty even mix of guys and girls. All very nice people who I'm really looking forward to spending time with over the coming weeks.
This whole thing is very surreal right now, partly due to lack of sleep I'm sure. Will try to update once I'm in Thailand, but we may not have frequent internet access during the 10 week training. All the best until then...
Monday, January 11, 2010
Welcome!
Thank you for checking out my blog of Peace Corps service in Thailand! There is still way too much to do and not nearly enough to say, so I'll keep it short.
Right now I'm t-minus 5 days from departure. Will be flying into Los Angeles at 6am Saturday for staging/orientation, staying overnight, then leaving for Thailand on Sunday for the next 27 months. The first 3 months will be intense training, during which I will hopefully learn a word or two of Thai, and maybe some other stuff too. After that I'll be on my own for 2 years in whatever village I'm assigned. Easy enough...
Stay tuned for more. Next time you hear from me I'll be in a much warmer place.
Right now I'm t-minus 5 days from departure. Will be flying into Los Angeles at 6am Saturday for staging/orientation, staying overnight, then leaving for Thailand on Sunday for the next 27 months. The first 3 months will be intense training, during which I will hopefully learn a word or two of Thai, and maybe some other stuff too. After that I'll be on my own for 2 years in whatever village I'm assigned. Easy enough...
Stay tuned for more. Next time you hear from me I'll be in a much warmer place.
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