By Admin1 (admin) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 11:48 pm: Edit Post |
Nikorn Saengchantr - Former APCD/Education Program
Nikorn Saengchantr - Former APCD/Education Program
Nikorn Saengchantr
(Former APCD/Education Program)
"I gain more than I give." "My site supervisor is very generous and supportive." "I like my site and my Thai co-workers." "I am not happy with my housing on campus because I have to share with other two Thai colleagues, no privacy." "My school is far from its community." "I would like to get to know more people." "Moving to rent a house off camp should enable me to do so." "Thai language is very difficult to learn etc.
The above is just only a very small part of experience expressed by Peace Corps volunteers (PCVs). I was invited to join the Peace Corps as a Regional Representative stationed in Songkhla Province on December 1, 1971. During that time, Peace Corps had four regional offices: one for the Central, one for the North located in Chiang Mai, one for the Northeast located in Khon Kaen. Each Regional Representative was responsible for providing technical and cultural support for the PCVs assigned to their regions. Over all the country, TEFL* PCVs shared the major number, approximately 80% of all the PCVs (about 200 then) in Thailand. I joined the Peace Corps while Group 35 was undergoing their pre-service training (PST). The first phase of this PST intensively focus on the Thai language and cross-cultural learning and the second phase on technical (TEFL Methods) including practice teaching in the real Thai classroom context.
During that time, very few people knew about Peace Corps. They understood that Peace Corps was a part of USOM or USIS or even CIA. The Regional Representatives had to explain and correct their misunderstanding. A few years later, due to budget reason, all regional offices were phased out. Due to the re-organization, I was removed to work in the headquarters to assume the responsibility as Associate Peace Corps Director (APCD) for Education Program.
In conclusion, my 23-year working with Peace Corps (December 1971-Januaray 1995) enabled me to grow both professionally and personally. My extensive job-related travel in every province in the country made me know my country better. It was not easy to work in-between Thai and American culture. However, I would say that I enjoyed and was lucky to have the opportunity working with the Americans, both staff and PCVs.