Alison Reenock, 131 TESS

Please allow me to introduce my Girl Squad here at Ban Hinlubsilamongkol School in Nong Bua Lamphu, Thailand. There are 17 teachers in total at my school, 13 of them being female, giving a new definition to the term “Girl Boss.” 

Going through training, we are taught about living in a patriarchal society where more traditional roles between male and female still exist. This notion could not be any more opposite for me at my site. 

In my community, I am fortunate enough to see women not only running the house, but also being the breadwinners for their families. I see the teachers at my school encouraging our young, female mathayom (secondary) students to further their education, go to university, travel the world, save lives, and to have ambition. 

In my school, I see a female paw-aw (director) who is willing to do everything in her power to give her students every opportunity imaginable. I see her show up, be present, get involved, and run the school with so much poise and grace. What’s more, I see the respect she is given when she walks in a room. I recognize that teachers, both male and female, acknowledge her leadership and are motivated by her presence. 

In my role as a volunteer, I see 13 women, every single day, that put new faces to the term “hype women.” These wonderful woman raise each other up on the hard days, praise each other on the good days, and continuously remind each other that they are strong and beautiful. 

Everyday, I feel so blessed to be in their presence, learn from their hard work, and see how they care for their students, showing them that they are capable of whatever they want to do. After almost 9 months at site, my service has shown me what it really means to be a “Girl Boss” in Thailand, surrounded by strong, independent, and powerful women each and every day. 

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