This article is a one-time continuation of the previously published limited series, Welcome Volunteers! This installment focuses on advice for integration and adjustment to site for the newly sworn-in cohort, Group 136, from Groups 133, 134 & 135, compiled by Lilly Hromadka.
Lilly Hromadka, 135 TESS
Over a year ago, in December of 2023, I read my first Sticky Rice article. Sitting in my kitchen on a sunny Texas morning, I tried not to obsess and panic over the unknowns that awaited me just a few days past the start of the new year. What grounded me was a series of articles from the cohort before me – advice on handling the medical process, our last holiday season pre-departure, getting through Pre-Service Training (PST) and maintaining motivation despite the difficulties and frustrations. Groups 133 and 134 went out of their way to welcome their nongs.
Now, there is a new group, the bright-eyed and energetic Group 136, finished with PST and already somewhat aware of the corner of the world that they will claim. Groups 133 and 134 are getting ready to fly away from the nest, leap into their next adventures, and say goodbye to this country that has sheltered them for 2 years. And we, Group 135, are the wild middle children. In the throes of service, laughing, crying, sitting quietly in the back of the room, raucously leading English camps, falling off bikes, fending off dogs, breathing deep, maybe even screaming, and oh-so-glad that while our pi’s are leaving us, we are not being left alone.
To our new nongs, we’d first like to say congratulations! You have officially been sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers (only hours before this is posted!) and in just a few, short days, you will be off to site!
We remember the myriad of emotions, the stress, anxiety, nerves, but most of all the excitement. It was hard to leave the safety of our English-speaking staff, the town that has raised generations of Peace Corps volunteers, the new friends, found family that are on this journey with us. You’re probably wondering what your site will be like, how you will be received, and who and what awaits you. The truth is hardly able to translate over a slim packet of papers. This year, we (Groups 133,134, and 135) want to offer some reassurance, and advice. I’ll give you my story, but others will chime in along the way. Every experience is so different, and yours won’t fully reflect any of ours, but I hope it can be of some comfort and support for you as you make the long (or short!) trip from Bangkok into your future.
The Placement
The sticker on the front of my folder just said the school name. There was nothing to indicate where that school was, not even as I turned my folder over and over, trying to read through the pages.
It was a tense few minutes as I waited for the last of my fellow trainees to get their packets, and then we finally ripped them open together.
Isaan. Far from the sea, far from everyone, isolated in a tiny corner of Thailand I knew nothing about. I’m not going to lie, I was disappointed at first. Despite telling myself I would be happy anywhere, there’s always a part of you that holds on to a dream. Waking up overlooking a mountain, easy weekend commutes to see your friends, watching the sunset over the beach. Now I had none of that. I had no idea what to look forward to as I read about the kindly woman and her nephew I would be living with, or the older teachers I would be supporting.
I wasn’t alone in feeling as such. But really, there are a whole spectrum of emotions in the room.
“My immediate emotion was panic, if I am being quite frank. I saw that I was the only person from my cohort in my province, and I was quite far away from other volunteers in my cohort, which immediately stressed me out.” – Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
“Very briefly disappointed, but understanding that I was going where the PC thought I was needed most.” – Chad Menear, 135 TESS
“Overwhelmed, scared, unsure, anxious, intrigued.” – Emily Hoffmeister, 135 YinD
“Very nervous and a little envious of people that got places in bigger areas, as the main thing my counterpart told me at the first meeting is that we’re rural with no 7/11 nearby. So very nervous of what that meant.” – Arleth Nelson, 135 TESS
“Indifferent – I wanted to be placed where the PC staff thought I could be most effective.” – Cadi Duncan, 134 TESS
“I was just excited because I had waited so long to come back to Thailand. I’d have been happy to go anywhere.” – Annalise Wood, 133 TESS
“I remember feeling relieved just to finally know where I would be going after the anticipation leading up to the reveal. But I also felt anxious and overwhelmed. Everyone is opening their forms at the same time and there’s inevitably comparisons happening. I think it’s important to note that not all of the information you receive when you receive your site placement is correct.” – Kiera Hurley, 135 YinD
“Baffled and anticipatory and excited and unprepared.” – Teresa Derr, 134 YinD
“I was very excited but nervous!” – Cassidy Haglund, 135 YinD
“So excited, the volunteer who was at my site pre-COVID also happened to be my mentor when I was in PST with Group 132 so I found that to be a VERY good sign.” – Kayla Kawalec, 134 PCVL
“Grateful and Excited!” – TJ Norris, 135 YinD
The last days in Don Chedi and the counterpart conference were a blur. We met the two people deemed responsible enough to fetch us back to site – for some, their counterparts, others had a supervisor and another worker from the school or office, and yet others had people completely uninvolved in the process to get them there. Intimidating to say the least. But finally the moment came. We were rushed through pictures and hugs goodbye, frantically calling and sending last minute messages and voice notes, scrambling to hold on to the last moments before we were whisked away.
I was loaded into the car with my male co-teacher, my school Director, and her husband, and drove 10 hours non-stop to the northeastern most corner of northeast Thailand. The ride was slightly awkward – we were virtual strangers and hardly spoke enough of each other’s language to maintain conversation the whole time. I remember being handed the AUX cord, and my co-teacher and I bonded over Green Day, Twenty One Pilots, and Maroon 5. They went out of their way to make me feel as comfortable as possible, even paying for my coffee and road trip snacks. All too soon, we pulled up to a dark house in the middle of the night. A woman in her pajamas came out, and within all of 5 minutes I was ushered through the house to my room, bags deposited, bathroom identified, and goodbyes called as they closed the door and left me alone to contemplate the reality of my new situation – or maybe just to go to sleep.
The Beginning
My Director was insistent on giving me a tour the first morning. When we went to the school, I met dozens of people whose names I didn’t quite catch and was stared at through doorways and fences as I was paraded around, trying to piece together their broken English and my broken Thai. Not to mention trying not to melt from the heat! At home, I learned my host mom is a busy woman. Her sister came to watch their nephew and pretend not to look at me, while even more new people paraded through the house to sit and stare while they talked to each other in rapid fire regional dialect. I was always fed, but beyond that, they didn’t quite know what to do with me, or I with them. Many of us experienced the same thing.
Advice: Take the first week day by day, it’s a big adjustment and it comes at you fast.
“The first week at site was OVERWHELMING. Everything feels foreign and every face is new. There are so many people and places to get to know. Introducing yourself over and over again can become draining, BUT there is hope.” – Alyssa Strong, 135 TESS
“The stares. No matter where I was or what I was doing, I had people stare at me. Took some time to get used to but now it’s a good opportunity to introduce myself to new people and practice my Thai.” – Colt Dreyer, 135 TESS
“Getting used to living with a new family is always awkward. And there was a dramatic drop in the number of people who I could speak English with.” – Chad Menear, 135 TESS
“The unrelenting and oppressive heat.” – Cadi Duncan, 134 TESS
“Overwhelmed with meeting people and being given information.” – Joseph Kunetz, 135 TESS
“Establishing routine.” – Emily Hoffmeister, 135 YinD
“Remembering everyone’s name.” – Michael Swerdlow, 135 YinD
“SO many new things and lack of routine.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“The hardest part for me was adjusting to living with a new host family. I had gotten so comfortable with my family during PST, who were very warm and welcoming, to then enter a family that was a bit more closed off at first. I had to find my groove with a bit more difficulty.” – Kiera Hurley, 135 YinD
And it wasn’t an instant fix, there were weeks of the same. Thailand in April is a punishing, brutal heat, and lack of activity outside of Songkran festivities. There were about 2 weeks of non-stop newness, festivals, temple outings, playing with my host brother, meeting people, and then, it all stopped. People disappeared to escape the climbing temps, and I spent days lying on the floor under fans, trying to survive an atmosphere that rendered even a 4-year-old boy listless and sleepy. And then I had to get up and teach, and the same old overwhelming crazy started again. But now I was contending with many small people, an unfamiliar education system, unclear expectations, and no resources. I was floundering, continually off balance. From those first few days, some things improved. Some didn’t.
Advice: Spend the first few months focusing on getting your bearings, settling in, and making relationships. Don’t worry about the projects and goals just yet.
“The language remains hard but has gotten much better. The schedule and clothes were figured out within the first month :)” – Teresa Derr, 134 YinD
“I started to remember people’s names quickly as I drew maps of where people worked and their position.” – Michael Swerdlow, 135 YinD
“The dialect continued to be difficult, but it varied in intensity and importance throughout my service.” – Kayla Kawalec, 134 PCVL
“My first few months of service were arguably the most difficult.” – Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
“Once school started, that helped to build structure.” – Emily Hoffmeister, 135 YinD
It was hard to manage my expectations. My co-teachers spoke much better English than I expected. But the way foreign languages are taught in schools focuses on rote memorization, and my co-teachers loved worksheets more than anything, consistently giving the students the answers because they can’t read English – and that way they could copy and color while the teachers did other work. I didn’t immediately bond with my host family, or many of the teachers at the school. I thought I would have a best friend immediately, but Thai people are timid, and to get close you have to put in the time. While in PST, 2 hours was sometimes sufficient. But here, it was more like 2 months before my community felt comfortable including me more fully.
Advice: Forgive yourself for your expectations, especially if they don’t manifest at all.
“I had asked for a host family with children or with younger parents, since my host family in Don Chedi was an older woman. I wanted to experience something different and maybe easier to integrate. However, I was placed once again with an older woman, and no younger children. But this ended up just fine! I am quite close with my host mom now and I feel very comfortable within my host family, while also feeling independent.” – Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
“The house. I was expecting to struggle with squat toilets and bucket showers, but I have a western toilet, heated shower, fairly reliable water & electric, wifi, and many other unexpected comforts and luxuries. Sorry to flex.” – Colt Dreyer, 135 TESS
“Having a supportive and understanding host family. This just didn’t work out. Although I appreciate living alone, I feel I missed out on making close “family” connections at site.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“Very little food options around, 14km to the nearest market and Lotus. Difficult to get a ride from anyone to anywhere after dark.” – Joseph Kunetz, 135 TESS
“Being able to reasonably bike places. Biking in these mountains sucks. And as stated, there is lots of drunk driving.” – Chad Menear, 135 TESS
“I thought I’d have a more involved role in the SAO, but I honestly don’t do much there. I essentially just work with the schools, and go to the SAO as a sort of working space for school projects.” – Emily Hoffmeister, 135 YinD
“I expected to be able to get out and travel when I wanted without having to ask everyone to take me to the van or train.” – Lalo Carter, 135 TESS
“I would say just getting close to a host family. My host family was another teacher at the school who is VERY busy. I mainly spent my days alone as she was at school almost every day and we did things together very rarely. She is a great person I visit with but she’s just a very busy person with little free time.” – Arleth Nelson, 135 TESS
As the months went by, I still didn’t manage to feel steady on my feet, but I was starting to be more comfortable with the distinct terror of being uncomfortable. The people around me and I got to know each other better, and my cohort served as a rock to get me through the worst of it. I cried. I disassociated. I got culturally insensitive. I took a deep breath and continued to put one foot in front of the other. I apologized. I asked better questions. We got free weekends to travel out of site, and meet in person to talk about our experiences – so similar – all facing the same fears, frustrations, worries, comforts and joys. Through those first weeks, my now ‘PC besties’ were my biggest source of support.
Advice: Lean on your support system! Cultivate one in-country, as well as maintaining that connection to home.
“My CP’s were lovely but I was mostly relying on myself. I’ve gotten a lot better at reaching out to people now, but at the beginning I was definitely trying to be more independent, which I wouldn’t recommend in a country like Thailand where people rely on each other more.” – Annalise Wood, 133 TESS
“My biggest support system for the first few weeks was my counterparts and host mom. They made sure I had food, they took me on outings around town, and they introduced me to many places I now love and frequent.” – Alyssa Strong, 135 TESS
“My friends I had made during PST (shoutout my puu-yings) and also volunteers from group 134 who were always willing to lend an ear and a helpful piece of advice.” – Kiera Hurley, 135 YinD
“I spent the first few weeks going to school every day, and was able to make friends with some younger teachers who made me feel at home.” – Joseph Kunetz, 135 TESS
“Fellow volunteers! People at home were of course supportive too but they weren’t experiencing the same reality.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“People at my SAO and host family (especially my little host sister).” – Cassidy Haglund, 135 YinD
“My host sister/family and counterparts.” – Teresa Derr, 134 YinD
“My host mom and co-teacher.” – Arleth Nelson, 135 TESS
And don’t forget about your hobbies, self-care and positive coping methods. In those first few months, I read A TON of books, started a journal (that I didn’t keep up with), responded to weekly writing prompts, and talked to people from home a lot. I no longer had a gym nearby, which was hard, and often I couldn’t muster the strength to do yoga or at home workouts in the oppressive heat. But there’s always something there that can bolster you through – you just have to find it.
Advice: Find your positive coping methods, and cultivate new ones!
“I gave myself fun things to work on. I started teaching myself the Thai alphabet and was assisted by the Primary 1 homeroom teacher and the Thai teacher at my school. I love yoga, so I practiced every day and challenged myself with new skills. I also love exploring, so I biked around a lot and explored anything that sparked my curiosity.” – Alyssa Strong, 135 TESS
“Trying to say yes to every invitation at first to get to know people and places. Have low or no expectations of everything, and you will be pleasantly surprised.” – Joseph Kunetz, 135 TESS
“Crying, calling family, listening to music, playing volleyball with my new coworkers, reading, traveling around with anyone who invited me.” – Teresa Derr, 134 YinD
“I read a lot and probably drank way too many green teas, and spent a lot of time with all the dogs I could find.” – Annalise Wood, 133 TESS
“Exercise. Exploring the community. Going to the beach. Talking to friends and family back in the USA. Other PCVs.” – Anne Ager, 134 TESS
“Feel the feels!!!! And also taking an hour a day to go on a walk.” – Cassidy Haglund, 135 YinD
“Quiet time, lots of rest, biking to clear my mind.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“Smiling and nodding and just going with the flow. People were excited to interact with us, so we decided to mirror that excitement.” – Cadi Duncan, 134 TESS
The Now
There was a lot I assumed I knew. There was a lot I had no idea I would experience, pieces and places and feelings and boundaries I didn’t realize I would confront. I didn’t know I would bravely try raw meat until I was presented with a plate. I didn’t know my co-teacher had a Dutch husband, who paved the way for understanding Westerners in my community. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to remain calm and respectful when your co-worker’s culture allows for actions that you would deem unprofessional, sometimes even blatantly rude. I didn’t realize I would cry for how little encouragement my students receive to achieve success in school, to challenge themselves, to pursue a degree and shoot for the stars, to be more than they ever thought they could be. I didn’t realize how draining it would be to take on that responsibility for all 220 of them. I wish someone had told me some of the things I didn’t know that I didn’t know. Of course, this is impossible. Now, I have nothing but affection for that clueless girl, who didn’t know any better but to be surprised.
Advice: Allow yourself to struggle and make mistakes. And don’t expect that they will only happen once.
“It is okay to create healthy boundaries! Sometimes people really emphasize that you should say ‘yes’ to everything, but it’s really okay if you don’t! I promise! You can say no sometimes, deadass. Just maybe not all the time?? Try and read each situation! I said yes and no a bunch the first few months at my site and I feel like my alone time is very respected, but I am also still invited out.” – Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
“You will be meeting a lot of people and asked to give many self-introduction speeches. Prepare a good self-introduction speech in English and in Thai because you never know what language they may want you to introduce yourself in. Also be prepared for never-ending photos. Your presence will be a big deal for a while, and you will be a key photo prop.” – Alyssa Strong, 135 TESS
“You’re not beholden to things staying the way they are at the beginning. Go with the flow at first, listen a lot, but take notes so you know what you want to change when you have the chance in the future.” – Kayla Kawalec, 134 PCVL
“You can focus on the negative anywhere at any time and make yourself miserable. Or you can acknowledge the negative but focus on the positive.” – Chad Menear, 135 TESS
“April is hot! Once you get through April, you can get through anything.” – Arleth Nelson, 135 TESS
“Honestly I think I “knew” enough–the trick is to experience and feel all the unexpected things.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
The surprises weren’t all the kind that knock you off your feet a bit. Many of them in the beginning were comforting, welcoming, exciting even! Like my Dutch Dad, Ernie, who bakes me bread and gives me more cheese and salami than I can eat. Or the 6 teachers at my school that speak fluent English, and the 5 other young adults I’ve found in the area that speak it, who were eager to befriend me. I have a stunning mountain temple only 10 minutes away. My students smother me in hugs when I walk into the room. They enthusiastically say hello when they see me out and about in the community. The ones in my village have begun to come hang out at my gate, asking for mangoes off my tree, or for a high five. And my Director introduced me to her kids, who have become like my siblings. For every Laos-speaking elder, every songtaew that doesn’t exist, every Thai person that’s cracked a beer in the driver’s seat, every embarrassing exchange asking for help or clarification; there’s the good stuff too. And the good stuff is so good, it’s good enough to make me forget about all the bad.
Advice: Take note of one positive thing that happened every day – revisit those notes on the hard days.
“I am super fortunate with my site but I’m always learning new cool things about it. It took me a full year before someone told me there was a song taew into the city (I’d asked previously but they said it stopped during covid).” – Annalise Wood, 133 TESS
“What surprised me was that I ended up having (and still have) a huge host family!! On my site placement form, it said I was living with a host mom and dad, which is true, but I also have 2 older sisters, countless aunts, uncles, and cousins who all live on the property! This was a positive surprise for me and I’m so grateful for all of them.” – Kiera Hurley, 135 YinD
“That although it is rural, I’m really lucky with 2 markets that pop up throughout the week within a few miles of each other. As well as just finding trails through exploring that I now go and run or walk on.” – Arleth Nelson, 135 TESS
“How much of a family my school is. We have only 16 staff and 150 students from Anuban to Mattayom 3, but everyone is very loving with each other, and older students look after younger ones.” – Joseph Kunetz, 135 TESS
“My site actually has almost everything I could ever need, it just takes exploring, asking around, and discovering hidden gems.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“How many dialects there were! There are approximately 5 local languages spoken within 5 km.” – Cadi Duncan, 134 TESS
“In a good way? How beautiful it was. In a bad way? The alcoholism and drunk driving.” – Chad Menear, 135 TESS
“No transportation! No tuk tuks, no songtaews, nada!” – Lalo Carter, 135 TESS
“All the food people brought me. Great bike path.” – Anne Ager, 134 TESS
“How beautiful it was.” – Cassidy Haglund, 135 YinD
So, are you ready to face your first few months at site? We hear over and over that this is “the toughest job you’ll ever love” and I had no clue how accurate it was. It’s something that they can’t prepare you for in PST. Even the words we’ve left you here only skim the surface. But through it all, know that we are your fans and teammates, cheering your name and ready to catch you if you start to fall. Your community will rally for you, and you will find a home somewhere in that corner you get to call your own. No one will love it like you do, and they will love you like no one else can.
“There is so much love to go around. Thailand is full of the most generous people I have ever met. They will love you so well. Accept the loving offerings of your community and don’t forget this is your little corner of the world that you get to love.” – Alyssa Strong, 135 TESS
“Don’t take any of this too seriously, you will never change the education system here, but you will make a few friends. Especially your fellow volunteers. Invest in your own joy and don’t give energy to all the things that scare you, frustrate you, or annoy you. They will always be there, even after you leave so focus on having fun. We enter the country having a fresh start, embrace that gift of freedom and be the person you never let yourself be back home. Oh! And don’t worry about other people’s opinions about you.” – Lalo Carter, 135 TESS
“It takes a while to adjust. Give yourself so much grace and kindness. Your community is doing what it can to make you feel comfortable, but you also have to be comfortable being alone! Use this time to get comfortable with yourself.” – Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
“This too shall pass hahaha – use this time to settle in and know that you’ll adapt to a routine soon enough. Also pay attention to people who could become friends, support, co-planners, or just a familiar face.” – Emily Hoffmeister, 135 YinD
“It will 100% get better. The only constant is change.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“PST was the hardest part and you made it through that. Now you get to do everything you worked so hard to get to!” – Colt Dreyer, 135 TESS
“Your community asked for you to be there! They will be so excited you are there and to begin working with you. Start making relationships with everyone as they want to get to know you!” – Michael Swerdlow, 135 YinD
“The nature that surrounds you is beautiful, and the people around you genuinely want you to be happy, even if you don’t understand each other.” – Chad Menear, 135 TESS
“Everything you are feeling is natural, have some grace for yourself and others. Take time each day to do something that makes you happy.” – Anne Ager, 134 TESS
“You have already accomplished more things than you imagined. You’ve got this.” – TJ Norris, 135 YinD
Be confident. Be you! You are part of a remarkable group of individuals, coming to learn from and be part of a remarkable culture. Don’t worry about trying to do all the things and busting out project after project. It wasn’t until my first week of school during the SECOND term, a solid 6 or 7 months after arriving, that I felt I actually knew somewhat what was going on. It’s only now, almost exactly 1 year later, that I truly feel like I have a routine, an understanding, a foothold in this beautiful community. Don’t give up, keep going, but take breaks when you need to. Take care of yourself first, and reach out if you need help.
The first few months are the hardest, but the view from the top is truly breathtaking.
“You get out of your community what you put into it. The more effort and consistency you put into your teaching, the more you will see your students learn and grow. The more you go outside and try new things in your community, the more people you will meet, and the more connected you will feel. Go outside, try new things, and trust the process. You never know who will become your new best friend, what will become your new favorite food, or what day will become your new favorite story to tell.” – Alyssa Strong, 135 TESS
“The only words of wisdom I can offer are to be patient with yourself and others! I was down in the dumps a good amount the first 3 months, although there are tons of highs from then too. It takes a bit to get adjusted and for others to get adjusted to you. A year in now and the work I put in to build relationships, say yes, show up is bearing its fruit.” – Kiera Hurley, 135 YinD
“There were so many agonizingly slow moments, but now 2 years have flown by. The things I was most annoyed by and confused about at the beginning have become the things I will miss most dearly leaving Thailand. My advice is to reduce your expectations and self-imposed pressure and allow yourself to be fully present for every moment.” – Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“Sometimes it just takes time to adjust. This is a huge transition, don’t underestimate that. Now I feel so at home and happy with where I am. I love my community, and they have done so much for me. I am very grateful and lucky, but it did take me a while to get here! Let yourself feel all the emotions.” – Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
“Everyone can be a counterpart. Making personal and working relationships with everyone in your community. It doesn’t just have to be your ‘assigned’ counterpart. You never know who will want to take you on a trip, do a project with you, or simply want to spend time with you.” – Michael Swerdlow, 135 YinD
“Happiness is not equivalent to fulfillment. There will be days where you don’t feel happy, but every day you will feel fulfilled just by the nature of being here. Keep your head up and remember why you signed up in the first place. Su su!” – Colt Dreyer, 135 TESS
“Eventually you’ll look around you and things will be familiar. You will start to see the smaller things. Like beautiful butterflies, plants, hard working people, generosity, smiling children, and it will feel like a warm hug.” – Emily Hoffmeister, 135 YinD
“When it comes to teaching, it can feel like an uphill battle some days really questioning if what I’m doing will make a difference, but I try to remember “the day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.”” – Arleth Nelson, 135 TESS
“The people in my community! I can’t imagine not knowing them, or not having them in my life. The relationships I’ve formed are so beautiful, and I feel at home here. You will too! Give it time.” – Cassidy Haglund, 135 YinD
“The bonds I have made with the community and kids. Hearing the kids greet me every morning in English and asking me how I am. Having people in the community wave and greet me in English.” – Anne Ager, 134 TESS
“My students 100%. Love them. And the life I have.” – Annalise Wood, 133 TESS
“The friends you will make, the students you will love, the food you will crave – everything was absolutely worth it in the end!” – Teresa Derr, 134 YinD
“Sometimes I feel down, I’m lonely or bored, and I remember that, at least, I don’t have to live in America right now. Sometimes I go days without thinking about America at all. That makes it all worth it.” – Joseph Kunetz, 135 TESS
Welcome to Thailand, Group 136 Peace Corps Volunteers!
“You can get anything delivered to you! Incredible food, wine, and spirits from around the world, top-tier coffee… any conveniences you had back home—I’m sure it can be delivered to your door. Learning how to tell your delivery driver how to get to your house is essential!
Also, always know you are being observed. Everyone will ask and understand your business. Share what you want. Remember, clean slate!
If possible, try to embody the idea that you are the expert at what you are at site to do. Even if you think, “This is hard, I can’t do this, I don’t know what I’m doing, I’ve never done this, in this culture nobody will take me seriously… etc.” it’s just imposter syndrome. Tell the important people at site, “As an expert in (this field), we could improve by doing XYZ” then think of everything else beyond that as improve. Just “yes and” everything and look it up later! People will see your ability to make change if you believe it. So experiment!
Oh! And you’ll have a lot of days off, enjoy them! Try a new hobby!” – Lalo Carter, 135 TESS
“I don’t think they will send anyone this far north again, but if you come to visit, stop by Choi Fong Tea Plantation and The Cave restaurant! Beautiful views.” – Chad Menear, 135 TESS
“If you want to try fitting in, try fitting in. If you want to stand out, stand out. But whatever you do, do it with kindness and respect for the people we serve and for yourself.” – Kayla Kawalec, 134 PCVL
“Remember, things weren’t perfect back home, they won’t be perfect here. Focus on the positives. Start each day with a positive outlook. The past is the past, you make the future!” – Anne Ager, 134 TESS
“You all are going to have completely different but amazing experiences and I’m so excited to see what you all do!! If you ever need a listening ear I’m here! :)” – Kiera Hurley, 135 YinD
“Ant traps, bug spray, towels, flash cards. Buy them before you get to site. And you’re gonna do wonderful!” – Colt Dreyer, 135 TESS
“Take care of yourself! Reach out to other volunteers, you’re not failing at your job!” – Arleth Nelson, 135 TESS
“Teach critical thinking skills!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” – Lalo Carter, 135 TESS
“Best of luck to the noobs! My door is always open! :)” – Mack Devoto, 135 YinD
Read more installments in the Welcome Volunteers! series.
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