Playground Project

When I think of playgrounds, I imagine giant forts in the shapes of boats, homes, or rockets. Spending what seemed like hours and hours playing with friends while running around in cedar strips or sand. Slides that help you conquer your fear of heights and make you feel invincible.  Monkey bars that seem so easy when you were younger and leave us adults wondering, “Where did all my upper body strength go?” Swing sets where competitions of “highest swinger” were raged even if you didn’t know who the kid next to you was.

Behind all the fun and imagination, other skills were developing.  Having a safe area where kids can play with one another has social, physical, emotional, and mental benefits. Social development with other children allows students to interact with each other and build friendships with one another. Physical exercise is not only good for the children’s health but will improve their energy levels at schools. By interacting with peers, students will be able to act independently and gain self-esteem, which leads to improved emotional health. All of these areas are interchangeably important with cognitive development and improved motor skills.

So why I am taking a trip down memory lane while giving a health lesson?

Because I need your help.

The school I currently volunteer at and I are trying to build a playground. Right now, the students only have a soccer field to use during recess and after school. The goals don’t even have nets. Our mission is to get enough funding so that we can buy equipment that will suit the students’ needs and imaginations. The school will be contributing to the project as well, however, it is a poorer school in my district so we will be relying on donations for the most part. If we make our goal, we can give these students an area to exercise and develop properly and the tools to allow their imaginations to take them where they have not ventured before.

Potential site for new playground with soccer field in background.

Ways that you can help:

1.       Click and donate to the playground project https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=493-174

-  100% of funds go directly to the volunteer’s community

2.       Tell your friends and family.

- Post and share the website link on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks

- Send a mass email using your address book

3.       Doing a yard sale? Getting rid of old books or games?

-  Mail children’s games and books via USPS Medial Mail to:

Reflections

Attn: Tiane Shoemaker

250 S. Main Street

Colville, WA  99114

(These items will be mailed to my community)

- OR -

Darien Book Aid

1926 Post Road

Darien, CT  06820  USA

(These items will be sorted and donated to Peace Corps Volunteers throughout the world based on what their community needs.)

Still looking for ways to help?

My volunteer friends in Thailand and in other countries are always looking for support for their projects. You can search for potential projects based on type of project, volunteer, or host country. 


Visit http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate to begin your search or see what types of work Peace Corps Volunteers do.

Cock Fight

A few weeks ago I moved to another house. I am living with a host family again and I could still be in the honeymoon stage but things are working out better. The man works as a rubber farmer and his wife owns a small store in front of their house. They have two kids around their 20s who are going to school. I’ve known them since I first came to visit and it’s certainly a better situation than my old place.

There’s only one drawback.

This weekend, I was having a productive day. Doing laundry, talking to villagers, and just having a grand ol' time. That is until I stepped in chicken shit.  Barefoot. This has been the 57^th time it has happened and it seems to only happen right at the front door of my house. Seriously, what kind of animal takes a dump on your front porch? With my luck, I managed to live with the family that quite possibly has the most foul fowls in the district (>40). However, I do not like Thai roosters/chickens. Listed below are the reasons why:

•           Their biological clock is broken or nonexistent so they think 10:00PM - 3:00AM is the sunrise.
•           They crap everywhere.
•           They ugly.  Even their chicks. Babies of anything are never supposed to be ugly.
•           They are smug.
•           They have annoying mannerisms.
•           Some look like those little raptors from Jurassic Park. 

Just waiting for you to trip over that log...

There is a perfectly good reason why cock fighting is legal in Thailand. Some say it's for sport or gambling or entertainment. I think it's a prime excuse to wrangle up the ugly ones and watch 'em fight. What? If they're already going to go to that big coop in the sky ("free-range farm" if you so like), then why not get two or four of them together and let them get a few licks in first before they hit the fryer? They will die with dignity and valor in the battlefield. Plus, it will save you the time to tenderize or defeather 'em. I consider that a textbook case of a Win-Win situation.

I'm not going to end with a long spiel about the positive attributes of the Thai chicken and how much benefit they have or how beautiful and majestic they can be. It's just not going to happen.

The only time I like Thai chickens are when they look like this:

Next to their ol' friends B.B.Q. and Potato "Spuds" McGee
 (Thai translation: Fish Sauce and Sticky Rice)

I would love to give a shout out to two organizations that are absolutely amazing. If you are a Peace Corps Volunteer looking for an easy way to get supplies or if you are looking for an organization to give a donation towards, check out Darien Book Aid and Medwish.

Darien Book Aid is accepting books and monetary donations. Peace Corps Volunteers can request specific materials based on community-need and student comprehension and this service (including shipment to your site) is free. This was an extremely fast service and soon I had a box delivered to my school with books for every age.

MedWish is accepting volunteers, medical supplies, and monetary donations. Peace Corps Volunteers can request medical supplies and other heath station supplies. The materials are free but you will have to pay for shipping to your site. If you have a friend or family member coming to visit, they offer a Pick-Up/Mail service where you can have your visitor bring the supplies over with them which saves on international mailing costs.

Both organizations were very personable and helpful through the process. Check out their websites below for more information.

www.darienbookaid.org

www.medwish.org

January.  It’s a New Year and we PCVs (Group 123) are half way done.  Peace Corps Thailand has welcomed a new group of recruits (Group 124) and pretty soon it will be time for Group 122 to return home or go on their next adventure. I’m sure there’s a hidden metaphor in there someone about "Auld Lang Syne" and new acquaintances. However that song goes. Welcome freshman.

At the end of last year I had a couple visitors. My mom was able to take time off of work and come travel to a couple hot spots and shop. We got to travel to Phuket, Chiang Mai and even a boat ride to the Golden Triangle of Thailand, Burma and Laos. My boyfriend visited a month later and we went to KhaoYai National Park, my site at Thung Song, Ao Nang- Krabi, and Bangkok. It meant a lot to have visitors and the people in my village were excited to see variety. Seeing the same white, female farang around can get boring.

To my family and friends, I hope everyone has a fun- filled new year with adventure, meaning, and happiness. 

8 Interesting Cultural Traits in Thailand You Wish Your Country Had: Part 2

4. Using the weather as an excuse for anything and everything

I had a friend from the States recently say to me "Man, it's such a good day outside here but it must be awesome all the time in Thailand." To set the record straight: No. Granted it is generally nice but it does get very hot some days. And the hot days are often followed by heavy rains which is preferable for most. A good, sunny day also means carrying around umbrellas while riding motorcycles or standing/working in the shade so your skin doesn't turn "black." I sometimes get dragged out of the sun so my skin doesn't turn "ugly" and tan. It is now the rainy season which means that there is an abundance of precipitation. The rain comes in waves (sometimes literally) so Thais will wait for it to stop before adventuring outside to carry on with their day. On a more personal level, the Thais fear for my health. When it starts to rain they believe I will get sick which in all fairness could happen. And when they aren't worrying about my immune system they are worried I will crash my bike which, again, could happen. Coming from Washington State, it's difficult for me to understand why daily activities can be hindered from a little ran. But again, different climate = different culture. So weather it's hot or cold (see what I did there?), the climate plays into everyday living just as in other parts of the world. Now I just need to get used to holding an umbrella.

3. Having a 'Color-A-Day'

Having trouble deciding what to wear today? Do you know what day of the week it is? No problem. This makes it incredibly easy to get dressed each day because certain colors coordinate with the days of the week. Just throw on the right polo shirt and you're set. No standing in front of your dresser starting at clothes. No trying on multiple outfits to find "the one." Just look at the calendar, coordinate the color, and you day is ready to go. And if folks are really into this tradition they even do their underwear. Or so I'm told.

Sunday-Red
Monday- Yellow
Tuesday- Pink
Wednesday- Green
Thursday- Orange
Friday- Blue
Saturday- Purple


Right now I almost have my collection complete of polos for every day. I call it my personal game of "Polomon." Gotta catch 'em all!


2. Being a child lasts until you are 25(ish)

At first I thought people were treating me like a child because I'm a farang (foreigner) and new to the country. Then I found out it is because of that and also the fact that I am under 30 years old. No joke. I asked when a person is considered an adult in Thailand and the answer was 25-30 years old. This explains why I get food/money/rides offered to me constantly. If I don't eat much I get brought something else in the hopes that I will like that better. If I don't eat that, I get asked if I need to go see the doctor. There are some times when this is great but it takes me back to the awkward, teenage, rebelliousness phase of life. Choosing not to do things they way people tell me to because I want to (and can) do it differently. This is just because I'm so familiar with an independent lifestyle and Thai 'youth' are familiar with being taken care of in a close-knit community setting. Having college paid for in-full and pants with pocket money is considered the norm. Thais take care of their kin in a nice rotation of age and responsibility. Plus it's funny to see their faces when they find out I can cook for myself. And not just Top Ramen.

1.Fitting the whole family and the dog on one (1) motorbike/scooter

It's not out of the ordinary to see a motorbike crammed with people. Some volunteers have reported seeing 5 (or more) people. The most I've seen is 2 adults and 2 kids with a dog in the basket. That could be considered a family of five I guess. They looked really happy weaving through traffic with the kids acting like they learned to ride before walking; which is probably true. Being a PC volunteer, we are not allowed to drive or ride on a motorbike. If we do, we get sent home. There is a convenience factor that we miss out on when all we have is our bicycle but I understand the reason. Still, you wouldn't see a whole family making their way around town on a scooter in the States and there would probably be some child endangerment laws or something other. There are helmet laws but they find it difficult to enforce. In the smaller, rural parts I rarely see people wear them. Granted, there are few accidents at my site but with that many people on one motorbike it wouldn't take much. Wear your helmets kids. It keeps the smarts inside.

8 Interesting Cultural Traits in Thailand You Wish Your Country Had Part 1

I didn't know what to call the next list so I came up with an alternative title
"8 Interesting cultural norms in Thailand" or "8 Things I like to do here but won't be able to when I return to the States for fear of widespread social isolation from friends and family, possibly the rest of the American public." I'll let you decide which one I should go with. Also, let it be noted that these aren't exclusive to Thailand.

8. Picking your nose in public

Ok. So I've never done this here (yet) but it is on my 'To Do' list. Many volunteers were first engrossed and just plain grossed when we first noticed people doing this. One moment you are telling someone about your job as a volunteer and what you find most appealing about their culture then the next you find yourself staring at a hand that use to have 5 fingers but lost one because their index become greedy and wanted to dig for gold. (Insert corny joke about ring finger wanting a cut). Soon after discovering this was acceptable, the boys in our group felt that this was a norm that they could easily conform to. It's all about assimilation here, people. The nice thing about this norm is that it carriers over many demographics. There is no age, gender, or other basis for discrimination. It's not uncommon to see see children wiping their fingers on their clothes or seeing them give their nose a nice rub on the shirt of an unsuspecting adult; not unlike in the States. Nothing shameful stands in the way between a person and their sniffer.

7. Talking in the third person

So for this one Lacey thinks of Tarzan. Why yes! Lacey likes fruit! There are many languages out there that have used this type of grammar and it is interesting here in Thailand. Thai has many forms of the word 'I' and Lacey thinks Lacey has counted at least five different ways to say it. Lacey has also seen ways to use those different forms based on who you are talking with and the setting. With Lacey's close friends, for example, Lacey says 'Lacey' instead of the more formal 'Dii Chan' (sounds like dee-chon). Lacey thinks this is a very interesting trait of Thais but Lacey hopes Lacey can get it out of her system before she comes home. Lacey hopes that this wasn't too confusing for everyone because I (Lacey) am pretty sure I am at this point.

6. Eating constantly

Still trying to get used to this one too. Thais eat a lot and they aren't ashamed about it or reaffirming that point with me. It's not uncommon that I come to work and see the staff enjoying a nice selection of canome (again, no English word to define it but basically desserts). When I don't partake in the morning canome or (heaven forbid) I'm not hungry at lunch, I am then, very seriously, asked if I am feeling well and wish to go to the doctor. So the cliff-notes of it: Thais are serious about their food, sharing it with others, and love eating around the clock.

And this is just the midnight snack

If a Thai gives you food, it's polite to take it or tell them you're full already. And it is always nice to bring something to share for an informal meeting or get together. Food could easily be considered in the Top 5 (if not Top 3) of the "Most Important Cultural Aspects of Thailand." Which leads me to my next entry.

5. Greet people by asking "Have you eaten yet?"

Just so you know, you do say "Hello/Sa wat dii" before this greeting so it isn't as blunt as I make it sound. Plus, this is actually somewhat brilliant and way more meaningful than I once thought. I've said it already but Thais love to eat. So imagine how fun it is to go around and ask people their eating schedule and then go into detail about the foods you already ate, just ate, and will eat in the future. Or when it's just a way to break the ice. For example:

Me: "Have you eaten today yet?"
Random Thai: "Yes, I've eaten already."
Me: "What did you have?"
Random Thai: "Uhh....Rice." (Which is then followed by a look that asks "Is this foreigner serious?!?! Did she just ask me what I ate?")

I've heard a few different greetings from around the world and some of them are easy to understand the emotion behind it. The Thai greeting here is a motherly instinct but there is also time for joking. The food in the South is exceptionally spicy and I basically have the same conversation everyday.

Random Thai: "Can you eat spicy food?"
Me: "Yes" (plain, simple and straight to the point)
Random Thai: "Really?!"

At this point 1. Random Thai is wondering if the foreigner knows the word for 'yes' in Thai and answered correctly and 2. Random Thai just pulled off their glove, slapped me across the face, and challenged me to a Battle of the (Taste) Buds

Me:   "Yes, really" (Challenge accepted, Sir)

This is followed by me eating, occasionally sweating but loving the food, and the entire table trying to be sneaky about watching me eat. Nowadays, my Thai peeps will intercede for me and proudly tell others that "Yeah, our farang can eat like us! How cool is that?!" I'm not sure if I'm getting 5 plates of rice a day because I'm a foreigner and I'm not sure if they like telling others my spicy food eating ability because they have seen the amazing act first hand. But whatever the case I feel the love. Also, they think I can't cook which is maybe a plus. I think.

Talking with other present and returned volunteers, I know that my time here is going to be one roller coaster after another. But I've been riding the same roller coaster for months now. Think about when you were little and you went to an amusement park. So far, I've been on everything from the ferris wheel to tilt-a-whirl here. Hell, I've been stuck at the kiddie park with the rubber flooring to prevent any type of injury possible while everyone watches me while anticipating some sort of accident that can only be brought on by negligence.

Lately, I've been feeling like the little kid who got on the roller coaster ride. I am strapped (almost forced) into place by a metal bar in a rickety seat. Then, without warning, the carnie turns the machine on and speaks some sort of mumbled, indecipherable jargon at me which I can only assume is supposed to be about safety and other concerns. What does he want me to do? It only makes me more anxious. Then I begin the climb. Nervousness creeps up every one of the disks of my spine with every crank of the wheel; every foot gained higher off the ground in my little cart. I hold any noise from my voice in the hopes that I don't appear weak to the other riders/volunteers. As riders, we are all in the same position; the same ride. Even though we are feeling the same thing we don't talk about it. Sure we talk about how much fun we are having and how exciting the experience is. We just accept the fact that everyone on the ride is the same spot and has to last the entirety of the trip. If we didn't want to go through with it, we shouldn't have waited in the long line when others more willing could have easily taken our place. If we didn't want to go through with it, we should have gotten off or told the carnie "it isn't for me" before they put down that metal latch. That metal latch is now in place and locked over my lap. I've gone through the first part; where the cart jerks violently upwards and puts itself in line for the biggest impact/drop of the ride. This moment takes forever. The anticipation grows exponentially with each second. Each jerk, however painful, is a sign of progress and one more step closer to the goal. This climb is lasting forever. As it finally cascades over the highest incline, I am torn. I am both excited and scared for the intense change of pace. Looking out over the top of the ride, is it okay for me to initially regret my decision? Have I reached the top already? What the f**k did I just agree to? Can we put this ride in reverse? Would I be considered a wimp if I closed my eyes? I don't have enough courage to put my hands in the air so instead I clutch the cold metal bar close to me which I can only assume was grasped by those that shared the same characteristics. Oh gosh, I can feel the cart leveling off!

Right before the cart begins its steep decline, I realize that it will only get better than this and that it will all be over before I know it. But this roller coaster is different. My roller coaster is different. I've had to wait patiently and anxiously for my cart to make the first and most difficult climb. I've had to endure holding onto my screams of excitement and fear while my cart was racing at the highest drop, all the while not knowing which turns or drops where ahead of me. But the turns, climbs, and drops are not ending. I have finally gotten the strength and opened my eyes only to realize that this ride has its own design. My hold on that metal bar is still strong. Sure, I have an idea when it is going to end, but I have no idea what the ride actually looks like. I have no way to plan for the track that lays ahead for it is strictly laid out by my reactions alone. I am responsible. Once I realize this I feel calm. I still get anxious when I feel the cart jolt violently downward, yet I know that it has no choice but to either turn upward or level off. I also know that at anytime, there will be a camera to go off and take a horrible candid photo of every cart that is with me. That proves that I have to be 'on all the time." We all do. But this also makes me wonder...

Can I get medical leave for mental whiplash?