Surprises
Khorey Minus, 137 TESS
Man, I am so glad to finally be off the rollercoaster that was our PST. There were highs and lows; moments of high stress, but also lasting memories were made. Coming to Thailand, everything was new to me: the constant heat, the abundance of stray dogs, and having jingjoks as roommates. I appreciate PST for introducing me to the daily realities of living in Thailand. That said, PST also provided its own unique challenges.
Something that really surprised me about training was how exhausted I felt every day. In America, biking was something I loved doing. If you had told me I would have to bike 12 miles every day, I wouldn’t have even blinked. That’s because I didn’t know what it would be like in practice. It sucked. By the end of the day, a combination of the long ride, the heat, and maybe a little dehydration made me feel the most tired I’ve ever been in my life. My tiredness was probably not helped by the fact that I stayed up too late. This routine worked for me back home. Old habits die hard. Thankfully, I’m now much closer to my school at my site than I was to the Tessaban in Don Chedi.
I was also surprised by how consistently busy I was. Honestly, I feel like I had to work harder in training than I did in university. Every week, there were deadlines to meet or mandatory events to attend. I’d often spend my weekends working on lesson planning or doing language homework, which made the weekends feel too short. And then we were right back in it on Monday. The grind was taxing and arduous, but it was at least comforting knowing all the other TESS volunteers were going through the same thing.
On the flip side, my favorite thing about PST is the camaraderie it fostered between us as volunteers. Both during and outside of training, PST allowed us plenty of opportunities for bonding. Take, for example, teaching practicums. The volunteer I co-taught with is probably not someone I would have chosen myself; however, I am grateful I had the opportunity to get to know her better. With each practicum, our dynamic improved and made our teaching more effective. Leading a class by ourselves was daunting, but many of us found that getting through the tough moments together brought us closer. Some of my favorite moments from PST were hanging out at Pang Pang’s Cafe on a Friday/Saturday and unwinding after a stressful week with the other aa-saa-sa-maks.
Now that PST is over, the real journey begins. Despite being someone with no prior teaching experience, I feel ready to test my skills. I will be trading the structured chaos of the group for the quiet responsibility of my own classroom and community. While the learning curve remains steep, the challenges of the past few months have given me a foundation I didn’t know I was capable of building. I’m stepping into this next chapter not just as a volunteer, but as someone who has finally found their footing in a new home.
