March 26, 2011

So, now that I'm at site I have so many more interesting things to write about!  I went to my first monk ordination this weekend - amazing!  In Thailand, Buddhism is a central part of life - it's really more of a lifestyle than a religion.  Most young men are monks once in their life for a period of time.  It can be for any amount of time...for 1 week or for life.  Either way, they are usually young, like 19 or 20 and it's an enormous event for the community.  The festivities began on Saturday morning with preparations.  Basically all of the women spent all day in somebody's backyard and cooked.  Thai's don't do anything without music blaring in the background, so it was a festive day and a great way for me to meet the ladies.  I have a new friend who's nickname is Yoko and she literally looks like Yoko Ono but had no idea what I was saying when I tried to tell her that!  Anywho, later in the day was the ordination that took place in somebody's home.  The house was decorated and all the older women (we call them 'Yai') were there as the monk said his chant.  The 2 boys who were being ordained wore white and gold, beautiful garments.  After the chants, the monk gave the Nayoke and all of the older women there the white strings that are given during these ceremonies.  The purpose is to wipe away all things negative and bring good luck.  Since I was the newcomer, I was given this 'prayer' and string by everybody as well!  It was quite powerful and of course I got emotional because it was such a great feeling and it made me feel a little more like a community member, rather than the new 'farang' in the hood.  Farang literally means foreigner and it's what we're called regularly.  Not only do they give you the strings, but they gave us hard boiled eggs as well, not sure of the meaning but I love me some hard boiled eggs! I unfortunately missed the party later that evening, which consisted of karaoke and dancing.  My new host sister (who is my age and is adorable!) thought the party was at the Wat.  As it turns out, the party was not there but we met with a monk and we told him why I was in Thailand.  In Thailand, the day of week that you were born is huge.  It's like their horoscopes.  The monk gave my host sister and I a good luck pin for the day of the week were born on. He then said a prayer/chant for me to wish me good luck.  Once again, I was honored to be a part of it - it was a bit more special because it was just us and it was a bit more intimate. I ended up missing the party, but it was still a significant night.

So, this morning was the best part.  Everybody (meaning the families of the 2 boys/monks which consisted of tons of people) met back at the house in the morning.  The women were dressed in beautiful traditional Thai outfits.  Chairs were placed in the back of the pick-up truck where the 2 boys and 2 elders sat with them.  Another pick-up held the huge speakers for the traditional Thai music to be played from. Everybody gathered around the pick-up with the monks in it and we all danced on our way to the Wat.  Once we were there, we danced around the Wat 3 times as that's the lucky number.  As this is all happening, the important ladies in the family throw these little wrapped up gifts into the crowds of people and everybody goes nuts trying to get as many as they can...it was actually hysterical.  I later found out that the gifts were little mento candies and coins of baht.  After we danced around 3 times somebody carries the monks from the pick-up truck and then up the stairs of the temple to the wat.  I'm not sure why they don't walk themselves, but either way that guy who carried them up deserved a few extra little wrapped up gifts!  After that, the monks stay at the temple for however long they will be monks.  These 2 boys will be monks for 10 days.  It's a very proud time for the families and the celebrations were great!

March 25, 2011

As of Monday March 21, 2011 the fabulous people of Peace Corps Thailand Group 123 are no longer your average trainee, we are officially volunteers!  The Swearing-in Ceremony was a really nice event.  It’s the 50^th Anniversary of Peace Corps so we watched a video on that and it was really touching.  Then our current Country Director (who we love!), Dr. John Williams spoke and we were later sworn-in by the new U.S. Ambassador of Thailand.  She’s not only new, but the first female U.S. Ambassador in Thailand….a very proud feat.  Both were great speakers and I, of course, was emotional during the ceremony.  Our group is full of really great people excited to do good things and I was so happy for everybody that our time has come.  Afterwards one of the other volunteers, Luke, and I made a speech in Thai that spoke on behalf of our 10 weeks of training including our teachers, PC staff, our host families, the communities we stayed in and of course the relationships we’ve built with Thai people and amongst ourselves.  I was really nervous but honored to have been asked to speak.  I believe the video of it is on facebook if you want to check it out….although you won’t be able to understand us.  The speech is also attached to this blog (in English!) if you’d like to read. 

So, as I write this I am sitting in the room that my new host family has set up for me.  I will live with a host family for 5 weeks to help me integrate into my new community.  After that, I have the option to live on my own.  As lovely as they are, I am looking forward to living on my own again.  The house I’ll be staying in is basically a 3 minute walk from the new host family, so they’ll be so close anyway.  Last night as we ate an unbelievable Esan meal, they told me they were worried about how I was going to eat living on my own.  It was cute that they couldn’t imagine that I might actually be able to cook for myself!  But I told them that I would buy vegetables every day at the market and then go to their house and cook and eat with them.  That made them happy and me as well.  Although I look forward to my own space, I do prefer to be around people.  Since I’ve been here, we have not eaten Thai food, we’ve only eaten Esan food….very specific to the region.  So, we don’t use utensils….only the hands that God gave us.  The vegetarian part of the meal consists of sticky rice, eggs, some veggies and some bugs….yes folks, I said bugs!  Bugs are common here and within 1 day I have eaten red ants, red ant eggs, fried crickets (my favorite) and a bug spread that we dip our rice in.  When I found out I’d be living in Esan I told myself that I’d eat bugs, or at least try them.  I often kill them if they are in my space, so I figured it can’t hurt to eat a few considering I’ve killed them anyway.  Either way, I really like it and I assume it’s a regular dish at my new dinner table.

The people of Don Nong Hong (my Tambon) are amazing.  My supervisor of the SAO office I’ll be working with is an adorable older man who has gone out of his way to ensure my comfort.  I stayed with his family for a night and then we travelled 12 hours together to Esan.  The whole family is quite sweet and kind.  My host family is exactly the same way and I know that I am surrounded by good people.  Language will continute to be an issue for a while....my limited Thai gets me by, but it’s really limiting for anything comfortable and not awkward to take place!  I think I’ve offended my new host family at least 6 times today!  This will certainly be the learning experience of a lifetime!

March 12, 2011

So, life in Thailand has been busy.  The trainees and I have been doing lots of traveling and have been receiving tons of information.  About 3 weeks ago we found out where we will all be placed. I'll be placed in Esan, the Provice is Nakhon Phanom which is the most north eastern region.  i'm right on the border
of laos....my village is literally right near the mekong river, so i look over the river and there's laos!  i really wanted to go to this region as it's the poorest in the country. However, I did take a 2 day trip there and it seems as though my district does well, but i assume everybody always needs help.  They asked me to be there, and word is that they would like some HIV development in the Dtambon, so hopefully that follows through.  The people that I met were all really warm and welcoming and I look forward to moving there and getting to know all of them.  I move next week (yay!).  I will stay with another host family until the end of April and then will move from there.  The house I'll be living in for the 2 years was humble but nice....it was perfect for me.  There are many of the other peace corps volunteers near me, so I will get to see my new friends fairly regularly,which i think I will need!  Our swearing - in ceremony is Monday, March 21st.  One of the other volunteers and I were asked to make a speech in Thai on behalf of our group. We were both honored and very excited.  I know I'll be nervous, but I really am happy to do this and I will let you all know how it goes.

We have met numerous resource volunteers who have been serving and I have come to terms that Peace Corp volunteers cannot save the world!  Although I have faith that I have been placed in a good community with people who want me there to help, I must remember that 2 out of the 3 goals is cultural exchange.  It will be essential for me to integrate positively into my community and be a positive representative for America and also to learn about Thailand, culutre and people and share it with my friends and family.  I am really excited for this part and largely applied to peace corps for this reason.  I do hope that a few things follow in which I can be of service, and I do have faith that that will happen. 

So, the real journey begins in 2 weeks and I'm so excited!  Training has been a positive experience overall as I've met amazing people (both Thai and American) and look forward to carry what I've learned into my offiical site.  I'll keep you all posted!  Love you and be well.