Peace And Smiles
My adventures as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand:The Land of Smiles
4/29/2018 2 Comments RedefineThe more time I spend as a Peace Corps Volunteer, the more I realize how much the way I think about and define things has changed. Here, I compiled a list of a few of the most important words I have needed to redefine. Bike (n.) sometimes thought to be an extension of a Peace Corps Volunteer’s body, a bike is the only form of transportation they are legally able to operate. It is key to our independence in the community and can sometimes feel more like a friend than an inanimate object. There for us since the beginning of training, a bike gets knocked down and beat up more than we do but still manages to hold together and give a volunteer the escape required to maintain sanity during service. Friend (n.) a person of any age or background who doesn’t mind your company. You may not be able to understand them on a deep level but you understand that their presence makes you feel happy and loved and you can only hope they feel the same way about your presence. A person you can count on to be excited when they see you. Family (n.) 1) a group of people, related by blood, who are willing to welcome and care for a complete stranger who may or may not be able to communicate effectively with them. They are teachers, caregivers, and support systems. Something familiar to return to. 2) a group of people, not related by blood, who are bonded by the power and emotions of a big experience. They are teachers, caregivers, and support systems. Something familiar to travel to. Home (n.) a space where a volunteer has put in extra effort in order to feel most comfortable. There may be photos on the wall, favorite books on the shelf, or a man behind a counter who knows their regular lunch order. A home can range in size- anywhere from a room to a neighborhood to a country- and a volunteer may have more than one. This is a place where a volunteer knows they can always return and feel a sense of familiarity and belonging Laundry (v.) the act of scrubbing and soaking clothes in an attempt to make them smell better. This may take at least half a day to complete and is a good time to catch up on podcasts and audio books. The relationship between a volunteer and this act may grow from deep dread to an acceptance that this is simply another weekend chore. Love (v.) the act of showing someone they are appreciated, that they belong. This can be done with random gifts of produce, a ride to work when it’s raining, long talks on a hotel balcony, letters or messages from across the world, etc. Without this act, Peace Corps service is impossible. Success (n.) a moment or event that you can look back on and find something to be proud about. (Ex. “My project was completed and I think someone may have learned something. What a success!” or “Today was not great but I still forced myself to bike around the community and say hi to my neighbor so it was a successful day!”) NOTE: this definition is constantly changing and may vary depending on the person, situation, or weather. Support System (n.) a network of people across the globe who may or may not speak your language. They want you to succeed and will go to great lengths to help you remember what you can do. This includes, but is not limited to, calling meetings to help get your ideas into the community, tagging you in relatable memes, sending letters and snacks to your office, and braving long flights or public transportation to visit you. Never more than a phone call or text message away, a support system is the backbone of a Peace Corps Volunteer’s experience; without it, 27 months would be a much more difficult length of time. Work (v.) a 24/7 lifestyle that involves being an active member of a community that does not speak your first language, biking great distances to go grocery shopping, and planning and implementing projects that may or may not go the way you planned. Also includes extended lunch breaks to the best somtam shop in the next province, random weekend morning trips to a place you’ve never heard of, and a community full of people who are always interested in your latest trip and what you ate for lunch. Peace Corps (n.) 27 of the craziest and most challenging months of a person’s life. It is not sleeping on a dirt floor and being adored by all but it is finding comfort in a simpler lifestyle and home in the people we grow close to. It is thinking on our feet and filling hours of free time; it is speaking broken language and cooking subpar food; it is pitching project after project in the hopes people will be interested in helping you and it is coming to terms with the fact that we have to fail a lot before we learn how to redefine and find success. Most days are spent trying to keep up and most nights end alone and exhausted. It is more than our Instagram feeds and our blog posts, more than our stories and highlights. Peace Corps can be appreciated by all but only fully understood by those who experience it. I imagine in another 11 months I will have different definitions for some of these words but that’s all part of the process: growing, changing, and growing some more.
2 Comments
John S
4/29/2018 06:57:12 am
Oh how you are growing and are becoming wiser!!!
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Aunt Loyola
4/29/2018 07:46:03 pm
God Bless You Kayla
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