Many a Peace Corps volunteer vows that someday he or she will return to the place they served. Some return immediately, having embarked on international careers that allow them to travel to their host countries frequently. Some wait decades before making the pilgrimage back to their sites: grayer, wiser, and often with spouses and children in tow. (And of course there are those that never leave!)
NPCA President Kevin Quigley (Thailand 76-79) has maintained his personal and professional ties to Thailand and recently, with the support of the NPCA board and staff, he's been working as a Fulbright Senior Specialist at Ubon University in Thailand's Northeast Region. Here's an update he sent on what he's been doing:
"For these past four weeks, I have been very lucky to be a returned Peace Corps volunteer who returned to where he served. For me this was truly a return, since I was a volunteer in Ubon during 1977-78.
As a Fulbrighter, I have been doing a series of workshops on networking for the Fulbright Association, as well as a number of universities: Khon Khaen University, Ubon Rajabat University, the National University of Laos in Vientiane and Ubon University.
In addition, I helped developed plans for the next phase of Ubon’s Mekong Regional Studies Institute, which is an inter-disciplinary institute dealing with the social and economic challenges of the Greater Mekong Sub-Region—which includes China’s Yunna Province, as well as portions of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. This new Institute places a particular focus on neighboring Laos, with which Ubon shares a common heritage of language, ethnicity and culture.
One of the highlights of my experience as a Fulbrighter has been reconnecting with a former Thai colleagues. As a stark reminder of the rapid passage of time, on my final evening in Ubon I attended a retirement party for two teachers I worked closely with three decades ago.
Recently I had the opportunity to attend a dinner in Laos organized by Thailand RPCVs Mike Driscoll and Art Crisfield. They brought together 13 RPCVs who served in six countries on three continents and who now all live in Laos, including the current U.S. ambassador in Laos -- Ravic Huso (Senegal 1977-79). That evening eating Indian food in a restaurant in Vientiane was vivid evidence of the common connections of values and experience we share regardless of when and where we served. During our dinner, we all pledged to work together to find ways to significantly expand Peace Corps so that the dream of a Peace Corps program in Laos might become a reality."
Kevin returns back to the NCPA offices next week, and we're looking forward to many more stories from his Thailand sojourn.
Recent Comments