Just kidding! But in all seriousness, I hope you all have a great 4th of July and get to celebrate in your own way, hopefully by sharing American culture with some friends- Thai or volunteers! On that note, we’re going to share about CULTURE EXCHANGE this month. Culture exchange is a huge part of Peace Corps, both the 2nd and 3rd goals focus on this. Whether you are doing a food exchange (shout out to 126 Stephen who shared this on Facebook this past week) or exchanging ideas, it’s important to remember, culture exchange is a huge reason why we’re here.
Many of us experienced a wide range of emotions from home the past few weeks, with the Supreme Court rulings and the tragic shootings in Charleston. Some of you may have shared these news stories with your Thai community, or they may have asked you about it. Some have changed their profile pictures to rainbows or have opened up to volunteers. And some have questioned America’s peace and culture, asking the complicated questions, that leave us all shaking our heads.

Our hope is that you take some time to reflect on what you are learning here in Thailand as well as what you are able to share about America.

127 Pete has had great success with his “Speak English with a foreigner,” so give him a shout out!

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And if you’re struggling with processing everything (and even if you’re not), we hope that you are especially kind to yourself. Reach out and talk to a fellow volunteer, friends and family from home, or a friend here. Take some time to go for a bike ride, run, walk, or whatever gets you moving. Breathe in a yoga practice or mediate for a little bit.

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