Introduction
After spending a week in Bangkok by myself, I figured this week would be a breeze. Boy was I wrong. Life in Plaboo Village is drastically different from anything I’ve ever experienced. This entire week has been filled with me learning about their food, beliefs, and way of life. From learning the difference between American and Thai coffee to trying to drive a motorbike, this has been a week of learning and growth.
Day 1
Today was the day I made my way to Plaboo Village, the home of the Thai Baan Association (TBA). After navigating Bangkok’s public transportation system to the DMK airport, I boarded my flight and headed to the Roi Et airport. With a $25 plane ticket ($45 with luggage), I didn’t know what to expect, but the flight was surprisingly pleasant and the experience was worth way more than the ticket cost. When I landed at Roi Et, I felt as though I just walked onto a set from Jurassic Park: the plane didn’t taxi to the airport (we had to walk from the runway to the airport) and the airport was nothing more than a two room building with a crammed bathroom. After collecting my luggage, I was greeted by the TBA’s director, Pa Lam, and we set off on the hour journey to my new Thai home.
When I arrived in the village, introductions were underway. All the elders eagerly greeted me by tying a single knotted cotton strand around my wrist. Afterwards, they took turns saying blessings over me and wishing for me to have peace, comfort, protection, and good health. I was instructed to wear the bracelets for three days before I’m able to remove them.
I was put into a bit of a shock upon seeing my new accommodations. I was given a floor mat, mosquito net, and fan to keep in my room without air conditioning. The shower situation consists of a large bucket with a small bowl inside, and western-styled toilets have to be flushed by using the bowl of water. I decided that I just need to take some time for myself and that I’ll adjust to this new way of living before too long.
Day 2
My first full day in Plaboo consisted of a visit to two rural schools that the TBA helps support. Upon arriving at the first school, I was informed that it servers around 300 students from ages six to fifteen. I was given a tour of the campus that serves as a model for active learning and got to visit its rice fields, pig pens, and coffee plants. I was introduced to some of the students, to which I was an instant “superstar.” I then proceeded to spend the rest of my time at the school taking selfies and helping students practice their English.
The second school I visited differed from the first in that it was a small school building consisting of less than thirty students. It was here that I was able to teach a class of five to eight year olds how to say their colors in English. After the kids repeated the given color name, they tried to teach me how to say it in Thai. I must say, Thai children are much better at learning English than I am at learning Thai.
After concluding my school adventures, I was brought to the local temple to meet with a Buddhist monk. Pa Lam and I had been engaging in interfaith dialogue since my arrival and wanted to speak with the monk. After answering some of his questions and listening to him speak (via Pa Lam’s translating), he presented me with an English translation of some Buddhist chants.
Day 3
I began my day by having my first Thai motorbike experience. I hopped onto the back of a motorbike and rode to the TBA’s farm, where I received a tour of the complex. I got to see the many, many rice farms, banana and mango trees, herbs, chickens, and cows. My favorite part was getting to eat and taste the variety of traditional Thai fruits and herbal medicines. Some of the flavors were unlike any natural flavor I’ve tasted from a plant
Today was the first day in the very long saga of homemade charcoal. We had to sort through the latest batch of dried fruit and separate them into different bags depending on their size (small, medium, and large). This is done in order to better layer the charcoal kiln in order to ensure proper ventilation and burn rates.
I had my first group meeting with the staff of TBA. We’re preparing for the large group of visitors later this week and are assigning duties. Honestly, I understood very little of what was actually said, but I really appreciated being included and involved in the process.
Day 4
The charcoal process continued again today. (Really, this step needs to be completed before yesterday’s step, but we’re beginning a new batch.) We dumped wet fruit out onto the tarp and used a broom to spread them out into a thin layer. This is done in order for the Sun to evenly dry out the fruit.
The third step in the charcoal process is to load the fruit into the charcoal kiln. After loading it with the fruit, it is topped off with dried bamboo and sealed tight. There’s an inner compartment that’s open to airflow in order to heat up and char the debris. After the fire was lit, we used dirt and water to create a type of mud which was placed around the lid’s seam. This is done in order to trap the smoke inside.
I took a break from my charcoaling adventures in order to go to Maha Sarakham, the capital city of the province. We stopped at a Thai coffee shop that is operated by Pa Lam’s sister. After being introduced as an “expert barista,” I was eagerly asked to give their baristas some advice. This led to me leading a mini-course on pour-over coffee and explaining how to identity the issues within the brewing process by examining the flavors of the brew. Ultimately, this was my favorite part of the week as I loved being able to help the coffee shop achieve tastier brews and improve their technique. I was also able to purchase some coffee and equipment that I regrettably decided not to bring with me. My morning routine just got much more enjoyable.
Day 5
In the final day of charcoal saga, we had to extract the newly created charcoal from the kiln. It was pretty straightforward: you reach into the barrel, pull out all the charred bamboo, and try not to stain your hand black. After all the bamboo was separated, the charcoal was dumped onto a tarp and relocated to the shade.
The second to last step is every businesses' least favorite, but most important: quality control. We had to sort through all the charcoal and divide them based on quality. The picture looks daunting, but with five people working, it went by quickly.
The final step is to package the charcoal into their housing. The bags that hold them are made from local materials and when filled with charcoal, they serve as a form of odor control. The products are usually hung in bathrooms or cars to absorb the foul smells in the air.
Today was quite an educational day and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to see the entire process of how one of TBA’s products is made. Today was a very fulfilling and peaceful.
Day 6
Today has been the most laid back day this week. I met with Pa Lam this morning to discuss the vision, mission, and goals of TBA. My main task during my time here is to help develop a website for TBA and to advance its digital presence, specifically in the West. I wanted to make sure that I properly understood her expectations of me as well as what she wanted the website to be like. After our meeting, I had a large lunch and then spent the remainder of my day working on the website. Sometimes it’s nice to have simple days.
Day 7
I got formally assigned the three main goals I’m to works towards during my time here at TBA:
- Develop and maintain a website for the organisation
- Host weekly English lessons for the staff
- Assist in any special activities
I’m very happy with what I’ve been assigned. They’re big goals, however, I work best when I have a clear objective to work towards. Naturally, I spent the majority of my morning developing the website (get used to hearing this now; this might get a bit monotonous). It’s not within the scope of this blog, so I’ll spare you details, but I got to hone my web hosting skills and begin learning a new content management system.
After lunch, I rode with a couple of staff into Wapi Pathum to pick up a few groceries and items for an upcoming event. I got to visit a Thai supermarket, street vendors, and the Thai equivalent of Walmart. An interesting thing that I’m learning is that most major Thai stores' layouts and atmospheres are similar to their equivalents (obviously barring the language and product differences).
I had a fun afternoon treat after helping setup for the upcoming event. I was given a local coconut to try. The fresh coconut water was the perfect refresher to a very hot and exhausting day. It wasn’t much, but it was the highlight of my day.
Wrapping Up
This was a week of many twists and turns. From experiencing culture shock to trying lots of traditional and local foods, I was pulled way out of my comfort zone and was forced to adapt to new circumstances. The biggest takeaways from this week are that there are so many incredible nice and kind people in the world. Even though there are many differing cultural beliefs and practices, the majority people of people I’ve met all just want to be loved and show their love. My transition into Thai living is a bit of a challenge, but it has been made exceedingly easier by all the selfless and caring people around me. Not to sound too preachy, but just try to spread peace and love; everyone wants and needs it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few popular questions that I’ve been asked this week. If you have a question that you’d like to have answered, then feel free to either leave a comment below or send me an email at contact@thetravelgap.com and I will try my best to get back to you shortly.
How’s the food?
Being vegetarian, I was honestly concerned about my access to healthy food in Isan. Thankfully, that worry couldn’t be more irrelevant. Every meal has consisted of healthy, local produce with amazing meat substitutes like fresh eggs and soy protein. I can definitely say that I’m falling in love with Isan food as I’ve yet to have something that I haven’t liked. Whether it be because of the spicy green papaya salad or the sugary sticky rice, I think it’s safe to say that I will be coming back to America a few pounds heavier.
Are the mosquitoes as atrocious as the legends?
It’s with a heavy heart that I must confirm the infamy and resiliency of Thailand’s mosquitoes. I practically bathe in DEET, have a permethrin treated sleeping bag liner, and use my mosquito net religiously, yet with all my bites, I swear I must be single-handedly combatting Thailand’s mosquito food shortage.
How are the storms?
Honestly, the storms here might be my last favorite part of living in Plaboo. Back home, I loved to sit, watch, and listen to a roaring thunderstorm, but the storms here are vastly different. I’ve only experienced the “normal” and “typical” storms, but even these are enough to shake my little wood room and rattle my loosely shut windows. Falling asleep to these storms is far from relaxing and near impossible.
How are you navigating the language barrier?
Surprisingly, the large language barrier hasn’t been that big of an issue. It’s incredible how much you can understand just by taking a moment to just observe a situation without speaking. Often times I’m able to understand what’s being said to me through context, body language, and demeanor. If I’m still unable to understand, then most people know a few English expressions and Pa Lam is able to clarify if she’s around (she speaks at an intermediate level). If all else fails, Google Translate has saved me in a pinch.
Have you learned any Thai?
I have learned a few Thai words and phrases (like “hello,” “thank you,” and “delicious”), but not nearly as much as I’d have hoped for my first real week of immersion. I think there’s a couple of reasons as to why this could be the case. The first one is that Thai is a very difficult language for English speakers as it’s a tonal language with its own script and many unique sounds. The second reason is that I prefer to learn by reading, not listening. Of course, both of these could just be excuses for my poor language learning skills.
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