What's Up

Well the seven month mark of my Peace Corps service has come and gone and we are quickly entering fall in Thailand! This really means nothing like it does in the States, it is still just as hot as ever with rain everyday. Apparently the cool season will start in late October or early November and I can't wait! The heat really does take a toll on me, believe it or not. This may have to do with the fact that I only have a bicycle to get around with. BUT, I have been getting around! No, no not like that, in a work/professional sort of way. I was out of town for two weekends for required Peace Corps meetings, both of which were productive and fun. It's always good to see other volunteers, but I have found the longer I am here the more I feel like my village is my home and find myself missing it while away. I think my host parents feel the same way and they are always excited when I get home from travels. This is nice. 

Last Thursday morning I left with my Thai tutor and friend, who is a teacher and two students to attend a youth entrepeneur conference about 6 hours away. This was especially exciting because it was sure to be productive but also fun for my group. My students, both 15, had never really left our province before and this was to be their first time to stay in a hotel! I also shared their first visit to the zoo on the way to the conference. It was so special to share this eye-opening opportunity with them. At the conference we learned the basics of constructing and writing a business plan and successfully wrote one in which the students at their school will make and sell EM. EM is an effective microorganism organic fertilizer which is taking off in Thailand these days and is fairly easy to make. If our business plan is approved we will get a small amount of money from USAID to start our business. Regardless of whether we get the money or even start the business, this conference was a success. The students are very bright and really got into the project. 

This Wednesday night I am departing with two more students and a teacher for the annual Peace Corps Youth conference. In this conference we will focus on personal development and of course play tons of games. It is supposed to be one of the best Peace Corps sponsored events. This is also exciting, because as before these two students have never traveled. We will take an overnight bus to Bangkok where we will visit the Peace Corps office in the morning before boarding another bus to the site of the conference. I can't wait!

In other news, things at site are going well and I have found the motivation to begin writing several project plans with the hopes of presenting them to the office in time for next year's budget distribution. I have also been in touch with the nurses and the PHA group recently (PHA stands for People Having AIDS). We want to do an AIDS education project in each of the villages in my area (20 villages) and I have been approved to take two patients to a business skills conference at the end of September. In this conference we will hopefully learn to improve their existing income generation business of raising cows. Both patients are nervous about traveling and studying business as neither went to school past 6th grade. As with the other conferences I believe there will be benefits no matter how small. I am making a huge statement to these women by taking them to such an important event and helping them travel, as PHA are still discriminated against in the area. 

I am off to teach this afternoon, something I have grown to enjoy. The kids are shy and not really motivated to learn English but it's still fun. It keeps me busy and involved in community life. 

So all in all work is good and life is great. 

Hope it is for all of you...more updates to come after the conference!