This is the last, and yet the first, installment of Snake Snake Fish Fish, an ongoing series based around Thai idioms/phrases/colloquialisms written and illustrated by soon-to-be RPCV Cloé Fortier-King but now being continued by PCV Kiera Hurley and guest contributors.
Cloé Fortier-King, 134 YinD
“But evading heartbreak is how we miss our people, our purpose.” – Suleika Jaouad
My final few weeks at site have been a long series of goodbyes; I’m attending a thousand tiny funerals for the routines and relationships I’ve nurtured these past two years. I’ve hugged my students tightly, presented gifts to my coworkers, deep cleaned my house, packed my bags, and begun the process of detaching from my life here. The feeling is surreal. It’s as if my heart is being tugged simultaneously upward and down in the cavern of my chest – stalactites of excitement for my next steps, coupled with stalagmites of sentimentality anchoring me to Thailand. I have a deep love for my life here, perhaps deeper even because it was so hard won.
Leaving this life behind feels a bit like heartbreak, but as my heart cracks open it reveals the hundreds of other hearts it now contains. There is a Thai idiom that says เอาใจเขามาใส่ใจเรา (ao-jai-khǎo-maa-sài-jai-rao), or to put their heart into our heart. I can’t imagine a better or simpler way of describing Peace Corps service. At the most basic level, regardless of our specific roles or responsibilities, we are exchanging hearts with others – our students, coworkers, host families, community members, and fellow volunteers.
As I say my goodbyes, I know I now hold delicate slivers of each of these hearts, ghostly imprints of each of my experiences. And I hope that pieces of my own heart will find resting places here, with my students, in the learning materials I’ve given away, among my fellow (now) RPCVs, and even in this column. Snake Snake Fish Fish and Sticky Rice in general have provided an outlet to celebrate my small victories of understanding, showcase hidden corners of my site, and capture moments in time before they are lost to the sea of my memories. I cherish the opportunity to share these stories through idioms in the Thai language.
And because every ending is also a beginning, SSFF articles will continue to be published under the creative guidance of Kiera from Group 135. Her heart will make a wonderful home for it.
Kiera Hurley, 135 YinD
Cloé has put her heart into Snake Snake Fish Fish bringing forth a beauty for the Thai idioms we learn about. She learned to turn the liquidity of spoken language into living words that all could read and then turning those words into pieces of art all could enjoy. My heart is with Cloé’s as she goes through the process of leaving her community. However, I know that while she may physically be leaving Thailand, the relationships will live on in the hearts of those she touched and in her own heart.
Taking over the SSFF column for Cloé means I will be putting her heart into my own heart, and therefore into anyone who reads a piece of our work. As I look forward to the next year of my service SSFF feels like a warm, soft place in my heart that I want to nurture and expand upon. The Thai language has many beautiful idioms and phrases that deserve to be elaborated on and shared with our readers. Since arriving in-country, my love for art and creating has grown tremendously as I take the time to slow down and explore new passions. I don’t quite know what idioms I’ll be coming across in this next year which means I don’t quite know what type of words I’ll be writing or drawings I’ll be creating but that’s what makes this series so exciting to me!
So, Cloé, thank you for creating a space where words and art can co-exist and thrive together.
Sticky Rice 
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