Summer Break

When the Songkran celebrations (Thai New Year) were over I had about a month left until school resumed for another year.  That month was mostly full of various activities away from site – a regional consolidation event, a weekend beach getaway with many other PCVs, helping out at another BTF (Brighter Thailand Foundation) camp and a quick island bpai tiao.  

The regional consolidation event was a gathering of volunteers by region to practice and discuss the details of our 'Emergency Action Plan', a plan in place for when natural or political disasters occur in our country of service.  Thailand has been experiencing some political unrest since November of last year, so the possibility of us having to consolidate or possibly evacuate the country in the event of a crisis is something that's been on all of our minds recently.

Group discussions on consolidation topics: what we do in an emergency

Next up was a weekend gathering of PCVs throughout Thailand in Hua Hin, a beach-side town a few hours from Bangkok and the home of the King's summer palace.  One of my fellow volunteers organized things and rented a house for us to use for the weekend that was so nice and amenity-filled it made me think I was back in America - real couches (not just wooden benches), cable tv (in English), air conditioning, a modern kitchen (inside, with sinks and a real oven and a dishwasher even!), and a pool just outside in the backyard.  The weekend was organized in an effort to spend more time with the new group of volunteers and get to know them as they were just a month into their service at site.  All in all it was a successful weekend, complete with pool time, beach time, small group activities and a Cinco de Mayo Mexican fiesta (with homemade tacos and margaritas made by yours truly - I'll always be a bartender).

Beach time at Hua Hin

Teamwork: making tortillas 

Fun and games

 After the weekend in Hua Hin I was headed to Trat, the eastern-most coastal province in Thailand to help with another BTF (Brighter Thailand Foundation) camp.  I'd previously helped with one of these camps in Nong Khai (the northernmost province in northeastern Thailand) and was looking forward to doing another one.  It's a leadership camp aimed at developing personal and leadership skills with a group of about 15 matayom (high school) students over a period of 6 days, the last 3 days of which give them the opportunity to practice their leadership skills with a group of bratom (elementary) students.  Each camp has Thai and Global ambassadors that come to help - Thai university students and usually a small group of PCVs.  The camp was successful and fun and a good reminder of why I enjoy working with Thai youth. 

My group for the week

Counselors

Group picture on the last day

The camp was 6 days of non-stop activities from wake-up until bedtime, so needless to say we were ready for a few relaxing days before heading back to site.  We hopped on a short ferry to Koh Chang, a large, nearby island for a few days of not doing much besides lounging, swimming, eating, or getting massages.  I'd been to Koh Chang almost exactly a year ago, on my first big trip out of site for the first time, and it was nice to be back and be able to reflect on how much has happened and changed in a year.
 

I can never get enough of the island sunsets

Watching showers from the ferry on the way back to the mainland

Eventually it was time to head back to site - the new school year was beginning in a few days and I was eager to get started on the second and last year of my Peace Corps service.

A sign in one of the many buses I took: No boob grabbing, no farting, and no dancing on the toilet