My Peace Corps service in Lampang



Lampang RPCVs - Share a story about your Peace Corps service in Thailand.

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By Neil W. Jones (187.131.38.158) on Monday, July 13, 2009 - 4:13 pm: Edit Post

I served in Thailand from 1964 to 1968. I worked in Malaria Eradication and my home was in Lampang on Srichum Road near Wat Srichum. I worked in both Lampang and Chiengrai Provences and spent most of my time up country traveling from one village to another checking on the work that was being done. That included checking the spraying practices, the dispensal of medication when necessary, the taking of blood samples to send to the programs labs to determine if the person had malaria and what kind. The travelling in the many rural areas was a wonderful way to meet so many people. Most were very accepting and very friendly and always offered us water and food where ever we went. I of course usually accepted and to this day I eat Thai food and drink Thai tea whenever possible.
I also worked in the area of Thailand between Bangkok and Cambodia. It was similar with its people and I spent months working in an area where the American military was building a road north to Korat. They were good to us and let us stay in their camp and so we could work out of there while in the same area. Our workers liked to see the movies that they had outdoors in the evenings sitting on logs or on the ground.
I feel that the Peace Corps has done more to make friends not only for themselves but for our country as well. Working in areas of the world that most Americans can never even dream of and making friends is a wonderful and very fullfilling experience. I think if we had more Peace Corps workers making friends throughout the "real world" we would much more able to unite the world and eventually find peace.
I think that I have learned from my service,and travel before and after to many foreign countries, that we are all much more alike than most Americans believe. Meeting the people who live in entirely different ways than we do does not make them any less human beings and most are wonderful to know. If we can help them then I believe our help will return to us and what I said before we may find peace and all be able to live together equally.