Welcome Group 137!
A new year and a new cohort bring new beginnings! With a year under their belt, a few Group 136 writers (plus one former Group 106 writer and our PCVL!) give sound advice to the incoming cohort.
Holly Lingenfelter, 136 YinD
Welcome to Peace Corps Thailand! Where the culture is rich, the food is incredible, and your stomach will need a brief orientation period. I can think of no other better way to welcome you all by sharing this Sticky Rice article from 1996. As the Historian of Sticky Rice, I love diving into the wild world of the archives and seeing what all those who came before us had to say. And this RPCV had a lot to say about farts…
“FARTS”
Written by Gawain Philip Mainwaring, Group 106 (1995-1997)
I’ve experienced a number of changes in my bodily functions since coming to Thailand. This is to be expected with the weather, food and all. The one “normalcy” I miss the most, is breaking wind. There’s an old Chinese saying that every man like[s] the smell of his own farts. (Men not women because women’s farts, as everybody knows, don’t smell.) I won’t admit to liking the smell of my own farts in writing, however I will confess I do like the occasional thrump. Whether it’s auditory, olfactory, or the deep rumpling vibration, something about the act is pleasurable.
Farting in Thailand is a dangerous act, what with food poisoning and all, one can never be really sure if one will grime their pants or not. It’s always in the back of the mind preventing sudden outbursts of creativity. I consider it restricted free expression. There’s that fear that everyone will hear such an explosion, and you’re left wondering whether [it’s] better to crab walk to the bathroom, stay where you are, or run. No one wants to be left in such a situation, and so potential earth-shaking masterpieces are timidly squeezed out past a sphincter that has become the focal point of all your worldly powers of concentration. The grins that usually accompany a blast have become replaced with pursed lips and cocked heads in deep listening mode. This is a problem [that] needs to be addressed.
I recently had a long chat with a Mr. J. Burbble, the mover and shaker at F.A.R.T. (Foundation for the Advancement of Rectal Thunder). This international organization is responsible for combating much of the negative press that you’ve been hearing about flatulence. Mr. Burbble commented on the recent beating of an American in China who let loose a particularly foul blast in a crowded elevator. “You just hate to hear about these sort of things. It’s just what the public doesn’t need to hear, and of course, the media is blowing it all out of proportion,” said Mr. Burbble, admitting that membership has suffered since the incident. He is considering changing the name of the group to help boost membership to ‘Farts Are Rarely Toxic’. “We’re just trying to get the good word out that farting is a natural and pleasurable function.” Not everyone agrees with Mr. Burbble. There’s a bill now in Congress that aims to further limit the rights of farters by making it illegal to fart in an elevator. It even goes as far as to call for installation of detection systems similar to those found in public swimming pools to prevent urinating. A purple gas will act as a tracer leaving a detectable trail for authorities to follow perpetrators to their desks. Hopefully this bill won’t get passed before I hit that first Mexican dinner State-side. I’ll be back to my old thrumpy self, and I’ll be sure to visit all of you. In the meantime, here’s a top ten list compiled with Mr. Burbble’s help for those who are still too afraid to fart in public.
Top 10 Best Ways To Pass Gas in Thailand.
10. After someone else commits an audible.
9. When there’s a baby or old person in the room
8. In a crowd
7. On the back of a motorcycle wearing a PC approved helmet*
6. On a tuk-tuk
5. Lean against a wall, spread those cheeks and let it go
4. In a chair leaning to one side
3. Try and stick one on the leg of a smelly backpacker in Bonglampoo
2. When stinky Balah is being served. This rotted fish actually smells like a stale fart squeezed out of a cadaver.
1. Whenever the hell you feel like it. Let it rip.
*Sticky Rice Staff would like to add that current volunteers and 137 trainees should not follow the guidance of Mr. Burbble’s seventh way to pass gas in Thailand due to Peace Corps transportation method restrictions.
Gawain Philip Mainwaring, Group 106
Kayla Kawalec, 134, PCVL
A lot of advice has been written to trainees in the past. Sticky Rice is basically an entire collection of volunteer stories and experiences that you can fill your brain with before you fly to Thailand, so I’ll try to just give you the advice I still remind myself every day.
Despite all the advice, wisdom, and encouragement you receive, it’s still going to be hard. This is part of the experience. Instead of trying to do it all right and hack the hard times, stay in the present and do your best.
Be kind always. To others and yourself. Mete out all the advice you’ve gotten little by little over the next two years. Take sips of inspiring quotes and articles and calls with fellow and past volunteers, family members, and friends when you need it.
Don’t take yourself too seriously, it’s about the kids after all — not you, and they just want you to show up.
You’re going to do great, we’re proud of you 😌
Jess Smith, 136 YinD
You were meant to be here. Months —maybe years of planning brought you to this moment in time. Your new home! Welcome to Thailand, where a smile becomes your resting face and spicy food is your new comfort.
It’s scary, but you’re allowed to be scared. It’s scary, but aren’t all the best things a little scary? You’ve stepped off the plane, maybe you’re in Thailand for the first time —I was. Maybe you studied abroad here, vacationed here, or have family here, if so welcome back! Now, you all live here and your adventure is just beginning!
Five things I know now, at one year in, that I wish I knew when I first arrived:
- Give yourself grace. If anyone could do this, everyone would! Languages are hard, you’ll get better with time. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.
- You will make friends! With the people in your cohort and the locals at your site. Relationships take time, put in effort and you will have relationships that last a lifetime.
- A positive mindset fosters positive results. If you come into this with the mindset that everything has a silver lining, everything does! Some days it is hard to stay positive, but the great thing about this experience is that every day is so totally different. What happened today, good or bad, won’t matter next week. Laugh at yourself! And know that you always have support.
- Everyone wants you to succeed! Group 136 volunteers all support you! You can reach out to literally anyone about anything. The staff wants you to succeed. Your counterparts and your community want you to succeed.
- Just show up! You may not be able to change the world in two years, but you can certainly change someone’s world.
So, welcome to Thailand group 137, your new home for the next two years! Be excited, try your best, and enjoy this new chapter!
Good luck and all the best,
Jess
Tucker Strauch 136 YinD
While serving in the Peace Corps, it’s easy to focus on what one doesn’t have. That may seem counterintuitive, given that every one of us has chosen to volunteer ourselves to serve under-resourced communities in Thailand; however, we are conditioned to want the best for ourselves in any situation. It may be your site placement or your living situation. It may be your relationship with your counterpart or your host family. It may be a feeling that you aren’t needed —or even wanted. It may be a combination of feelings that result in the introspective question, “What is really my purpose here at all?” You will encounter some of these challenges, and at some point you will ask yourself some variation of that question. That’s okay. Sometimes, you just need a day or two. What has surprised me the few times that I have asked myself that question throughout my service so far, is how I have found purpose in the most minuscule moments.
When you find yourself getting caught up in the drawbacks of one aspect of service or questioning your own value, it is crucial not to underestimate the power of small wins. For me, those small wins have been found mostly with my students. Seeing a kid light up when I arrive at school in the morning, as if my only purpose in life is to give him a high-five. Seeing a few students take a small leap of faith in the classroom and then watching the combination of pride, relief, and joy wash over their faces as they land safely on the other side. Feeling the curiosity and wonder of a student when I sit down, answer a hundred questions a minute, and provide the positive adult attention that is lacking in many of their lives. It is in these moments that all of my problems and frustrations disappear, and my purpose as a PCV in Thailand sharpens into focus. When you find yourself in rougher waters and questioning your value at site, be sure to also reflect on the positives of your situation and the small moments that go so much further than you could possibly realize.
Gretchen Evans, 136 YinD
Group 137,
Welcome to the Land of Smiles! Not to get too sorority girl on you, but we are SO glad you’re finally (or almost) here! Every training session, language lesson, and cultural mishap at the Don Chedi marketplace will lead to your swearing-in and official induction as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Trust me, the moment you integrate and finally connect with your community, all of these things will be worth it. The students and your community are patiently waiting for your arrival, so get excited – I know we are!
Wishing you good luck and lots of future Chang parties at Pang Pang’s,
G
What’s waiting for you in Don Chedi (the annual Don Chedi Festival)!
Tal Carmel, 136 YinD
Dear 137,
Roses are red,
Violets are blue.
Release your expectations,
They’ll delude you.
You’ll laugh
And you’ll cry,
You’ll be frustrated,
But try.
You’ll have your up,
And your down.
But you’ll still stick around.
Don’t be hard on yourself,
if the language isn’t there,
You’ll figure it all out,
So long as you care.
The days will be long,
The weeks will fly by,
And next thing you know,
It’ll be time to say goodbye.
So enjoy the moments,
Give in to the crazy,
But whatever you do,
Don’t get too lazy!
The kids will be your joy,
They’ll be your madness too,
So vent to your friends,
And you’ll make it through.
You’ve already done the hardest part,
You’re here!
So sit back, “relax”,
Before, it’s next year.
We’ve all been where you are, nervous, excited, scared, apprehensive. Everything feels like a mystery. Lean into the anticipation and unknown, allow yourself to simply flow with everything and you’ll make it through before you know it!
Good luck, we’re all rooting for you.
Sticky Rice 