From the Archives is an ongoing series where Sticky Rice Staff Historian Mack Devoto, takes a deep dive into the archives of Sticky Rice. We’ll travel all the way back to 1966, as well as into the more recent past, to see how life for PCVs in Thailand has both changed… and stayed the same.
Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
As we continue passing through the holiday season, through Thanksgiving to Christmas and Hanukkah to New Years and whatever other holidays you may celebrate around this time of year, it is hard not to feel a surge of homesickness. A longing for friends and family back home, for traditions that cannot be replicated in the context of rural Thailand, for familiar songs and decorations. It’s hard realizing this while also trying your best to remain present in your community, to share those very holiday traditions you miss so much. At least, this is the case for me!
I feel incredibly grateful to be in a community that cherishes my unique, foreign perspective, and wants to help me feel seen and loved during a time riddled with loneliness. For instance, on Thanksgiving day, my Counterpart and Balat helped me put together a Thanksgiving dinner with some of my co-teacher friends, one of my school directors, and the Mayor. I prepared a small array of traditional American dishes – stuffing, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin bread – and they outsourced a Turkey from a good friend of ours who owns a chicken farm (and has, thankfully, taken a liking to me enough to give us a whole turkey!).
Dinner was splendid and surreal. Watching everyone enjoy turkey – which is not a common Thai meal at all – and cautiously try my (to them) unappealing American food, made the whole holiday actually feel real.
Since everyday the weather feels the same to me … hot … I often have a hard time coming to terms with the amount of time that has passed since I have been living in Thailand, thus making the holiday season feel a bit lackluster. As a born-and-raised Midwesterner, the lack of four seasons and the overall lack of snow and cold weather to any degree has left me feeling as though I am living June and July on repeat for the entire year. Therefore, the natural conclusion is that it simply isn’t the holiday season, right? Alas, time trudges on despite my certainty that we cannot possibly be at Christmas and New Years since there’s no snow!
All this to be said, there is an odd sense of comradery in knowing that we, as volunteers, are all going through similar emotions and thought processes during this season. I feel comforted knowing that I am not the only volunteer missing the people I love back in America, despite also feeling grateful to be experiencing life in Thailand.
In fact, this is something every volunteer has faced at one time or another. In reading some articles from the archives published around the holiday season, it was a common theme to express feelings on missing one’s home and the familiarity that comes along with holiday traditions.
One article in particular that left me feeling understood and appreciated came from RPCV Matthew Fontana from cohort 126 back in 2016. Matthew wrote about his trouble navigating the isolated, rural life while missing his favorite holidays. He suggested three strategies for holiday homesickness ‘mitigation,’ which I will briefly summarize in hopes that it might provide you all with some helpful expertise.
Just ‘Pull the Plug’ on the Socials
“Pull the Plug” is Fontana’s first piece of holiday advice. Reminding volunteers that social media, while it is a useful tool to stay connected to friends and family back home, can also be an easy way to fall down the rabbit hole of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
I am someone who falls prey to this quite often. It is, of course, a self-inflicted issue, but one I very much intend to reign in over the couple of weeks of the holidays. Personally, I find that the more time I spend on social media these days, the lonelier and more distracted I feel. As much as I try to protect myself from comparing my life to those who I follow on social media, it feels almost unavoidable.
My challenge for myself – and for you all – this holiday season is to limit social media screen time and to stick to it! To remind myself that social media is often a representation of the best parts of people’s lives, including my own, and that it is good to take a break from it to remind yourself that everyone’s lives look different.
Here or at home, ‘Sharing is Caring’
Next, Matthew suggests “Sharing is Caring” during the holiday season, and how volunteers should try and bring their holiday traditions into their communities. Small things like a Christmas tree, a Menorah, some festive lights, really anything that reminds you of your holiday back home! This is a great way to remind yourself that the holidays are – in fact – happening despite the 90 degree weather.
I have a little Christmas tree in my room that I have decorated with some fun tinsel and ornaments, some festive fairy lights hung around my living room area inside my home, some cute Christmas-y decorations for my kitchen table, and (my personal favorite) a Lego Christmas advent calendar that my parents graciously brought for me when they visited back in October (which they had wrapped and told me I was not allowed to open until November 29th, obviously).
These small things around my house, with the constantly cheerful Christmas playlist playing in a low volume in the background, serve as a reminder of Christmas nearing. As a matter of fact, as I write this article, I am listening to “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, my personal favorite.
While I will not be having a white Christmas in the same way I am used to every year, I can instead look forward to sharing photos of snow with my students who have never had the chance to see it!
Finally, ‘Get Out’ and explore
Matthew’s final, and perhaps most crucial, instruction is “When in Doubt, Get Out”! A reminder that staying cooped up in your room or your house might exacerbate the holiday blues.
It’s important to have a balance of making sure that you prioritize yourself and your happiness during the holiday season, while also sharing what this time means to you, with your community. I often fall victim to the comfort of my home here, especially since I live in independent housing. I love my house so much and it’s comforting to not have to act a certain way or feel any pressure within the glorious confines of its walls.
That being said, I am challenging myself – and you all – to get out of the house and try and meet up with someone you feel comfortable around! Whether that is someone in your community, a fellow volunteer, or maybe another friend you have met along the way while living here!
Don’t forget to remember that while the holiday season can be difficult some days, you are not the only one feeling this way, you’re not alone! We are all going through similar feelings during this emotional time, and many other volunteers have gone through it as well, in the past. If you wish to read Matthew Fontana’s full article for some more in-depth advice, you can find it here. Remember to check-in on your fellow volunteers and to give yourself grace during this holiday season. As a self-proclaimed Christmas enthusiast, Happy Holidays to you all!
Sticky Rice 