Going to Isan

Sawatdee-ka tuk kon! Hello Everyone!

PST has been exceptionally exciting lately with many events coming up. It is hard to believe the end of training is very near. Even harder to believe is that we have been here six weeks already and swear-in is only 4 weeks away. Our Thai ajan often says that we have so much intensive training that we should get a Master's Degree by the end of PST. I can vouch for that.

On my video I mentioned about working on graduate school homework. I am actually a Peace Corps Master's International student and on the tail end of completing my Master's of Public Administration in International Management. Right now, I am completing directed studies in Spanish (yes, another language besides Thai) and Advanced topics in Development. Later on, I will complete a development project management portfolio that is equivocal to a thesis.

At times, I do feel like the work load is more equivalent to a Ph.D with training and language in the mix. However, the experience is really enriching and reinforcing the things I have already learned in the classroom.

Training and graduate work combined should help significantly when I arrive at site. Which, brings me to the main theme of this entry: site placement!

I must say, yesterday was the most exciting and important day of PST because it was the day we found out about where we will spend our next two years as PCV's. (Peace Corps Volunteers).

My site is located in Isan (Eastern Thailand) in a province near the Cambodian Border.

See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isan

Between yesterday and today I have been like a sponge asking and learning everything I can about my site. My family (especially my host father) has been very eager to share with me everything he knows about Isan--even offering an insight into the Thai dialect spoken there.

Here are some mentionable tid bits:

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  In my community, they speak Central Thai, Lao, Isan (a dialect of Thai and Lao), and Kamer--the language spoken in Cambodia.


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  Isan people are lovely, animated, and culturally/ community- centric.


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  The area is popular for tourism with many ancient wat's (Buddhist temples)--some dating back to the 10th century A.D. left by the ancient Kamer empire.


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  The area is dry and very hot most of the year with little rain fall.


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  In past years, parts of Isan were deemed to be some of the poorest areas of Thailand though, more recent years, many development projects and efforts have improved the status quo.


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  Local cusine could consist of various "mystery meats" including dog, cat, field mice, lizzard, and snake. I am dubious!


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  Local people subsist off of a variety of activities including (but not limited to) agricultural production, raising silk worms/ producing and selling silk, making and selling wood crafts, animal husbandry, small business enterprise, and tourism.


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  The province is located 6 to 7 hours bus ride away from Bangkok.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. I have yet to discover so much more about this area and the community in which I will live. The excitement continues with my upcoming site visit in a few days! I will try to keep as up to date as possible.