It's Almost Official!

There has been so much going over on the past few days! I hardly know where to begin!! I'll start from today, and go backwards.... Today will be a very special and important day, I will swear-in to officially become Peace Corps Volunteers to Thailand. The ceremony will be pretty unique, fifty-one volunteers are swearing-in while thirty-seven volunteers are closing their service in Thailand. Apparently, this doesn't usually happen on the same day. After the ceremony, goodbye's will happen, and then I will be on my way to Isaan, to the place that will be home to me for the next two years. It's almost ridiculous to think, that as far as we've come, we have not yet begun!


Yesterday (Tuesday), my group (Grp 126: 2014-2016) got to meet and mingle with the group that is leaving (Grp 124: 2012-2014), and more than ever before, I'm looking forward to the next two years, my own experiences, and the stories that I will surely share for many years to come. It was so refreshing to speak with the 124's. Just when I feel that I've barely made it through training, I've been motivated to make it through the full two years, two years that begin tomorrow. I got to speak to some volunteers who served in Isaan, they basically confirmed that, although the local language is very different, I can still communicate using the Standard Thai that I've learned. In relaxed/informal settings, the local language will be spoken among the locals, but if I'm being addressed directly, the standard language will be used. I was also assured that the folks in Isaan (Con Isaan) are super friendly and hospitable; the volunteers had amazing things to say, and mostly about Con Isaan. I am ready ready ready to see for myself what it's all about. I also met some fellow AmeriCorps Alums, including two who were City Year Corps Members! That was pretty exciting. I must admit, I wasn't too thrilled when I heard about the mandatory mingle session, but I am so glad that it happened.

City Year Alums

Monday was day one of our two-day Counterpart Conference. I got to meet two of my counterparts, Pii Gai and Pii Tai - these are their nicknames which I have been confusing, but their actual names are harder to remember... I will be working with them when I get to my site, so the past two days have been about defining roles and responsibilities, clarifying expectations and other technical stuff, as well as training on how to work through cultural differences. Although we've only been working together for two days, I already have a good feeling about the next two years. They each know/speak a fair amount of English, and I know/speak a fair amount of Thai, so we've been able to communicate without any major glitches so far. The two times that we did get stuck, aa-jaans (language teachers) were nearby and were able to jump in and help to clarify/explain. Let me just say, I am going to miss the aa-jaans so very much.  But back to my my counterparts, they are super nice, super sweet, and sabaii sabaii (relaxed). They asked me if I knew anything about Isaan language; I said "Sombaii-dtii boh ka" (how are you), and they were so tickled and impressed, they egged me on to say more. I threw out the few phrases that I could remember, and we had a nice laugh about the whole thing.

My counterparts, Pii Tai and Pii Gai

On Sunday, I said goodbye to my host family. We had some heartfelt exchanges, but thankfully, there were no tears, I'm not good at tears. That morning, we had breakfast with extended family, and later on, all of the neighbors came over to help me to load all of my stuff into the pickup, and by all my stuff, I mean two suitcases, a backpack, one box, and my bike. We went to a ran-ahan (little restaurant) for lunch, we ate, shared some laughs and some memories, ate some more, and just as we were joking about how to tell Peace Corps that I should stay with them for two years, my host dad's phone rang. Peace Corps staff calling to see if everything was okay -- time flies when you're having your last meal together! Apparently, it was check in time and none of us had noticed. We went to the hotel, back to where we met eight weeks ago, we checked my stuff in, and lingered around for a bit, promising to stay in touch and that we will see each other again.

Saying goodbye to my host parents

On Saturday, we had a nice little farewell ceremony for the families in our little village. I took some time to write little individual love notes for everyone in my family (I wrote in English and aa-jaan translated to Thai) and  before the ceremony began, I gave everyone their notes along with little gifts (tshirts for my parents and American fragrances and nick nacks for everyone else). They seemed to appreciate the notes most of all, they read the notes aloud and passed them around to each other, and we all enjoyed a really nice moment. The ceremony was really nice, Thai traditional, complete with a potluck dinner. Twas nice.

My Village, Volunteers & Host Families

With my family

Reading my Thank You Speech

Communal Dinner

Friday was our last day at our training hub, so we did a nice little Thank You ceremony for the Nayok (mayor) and the staff that had been so warm towards us for the past several weeks. When I got home at the end of the day, my host dad decided to do an impromptu "take-your-daughter-to-work-day" to the rice fields. Previously, we hadn't had any one-on-one time, and it was nice to see him relaxed in his environment. We chatted for a bit and then I took a few pictures while he worked and as the sun set. It was a really nice hang out. That evening, we went to a festival and the Nayok invited the volunteers to work at the flower booth. He announced over the loudspeaker that we're down to our last few days, and invited the village members to stop by throughout the night to wish us well. 

Group Pic, Trainees and Staff

Walking through the fields

Meet and Greet at the flower booth

I got excited when I saw his AmeriCorps Logo. But he said he got it from the "free box"

That's as far back as I will go. Yesterday, my host dad (who is a man of very few words) called me to say that he misses me a lot and that the loves me. Today, I planned to call my host mom at 7:30, but she called me at 7:15 to ask me about my day and to ask me what I ate for dinner. They've been such great parents to me, and I will definitely keep in touch and visit in the future. Meanwhile, I'll be moving onward. I will have a new host family in my new community, and I hope that they're just as wonderful as my original host family.

The sun has set on my life as a trainee, now onward to becoming a volunteer!

The past couple days have been spent at the hotel, and it has been a nice little limbo. I'm making the most of the last time that I will see my fellow group members for a while, and I'm enjoying the hot showers, wi-fi in bed, and a few other conveniences. Tomorrow is a big day. I don't know what internet access will be like in my new community, but I'll be sure to check in once I figure it out. Wish me luck!