During our first ten weeks in Thailand – our Peace Corps training – we spent two months living with a host family. Robert and I got pretty lucky with our family – some volunteers had less positive experiences – and yesterday we went back for our last visit with them before the end of our service. It’s a bit of a hike to get to their house, so we hadn’t been for a year. Many things had changed for them, but entering their home we felt again like the 30- and 27-year-olds we were when we first arrived in Thailand. For my second personal feature, I will talk a bit about Kun Por (host father) and Kun Maa (host mother).
Kun Por, whose real name is Somnuk, was one of six children born in a Chinese-Thai family in Central Thailand. His father was a ditch-digger. Kun Maa – real name Sujitra – is also one of 6 children, but her family is 100% Thai. Her father was a teacher in the community where we did our training and was well-respected in the area. When Somnuk arrived in town about 30 years ago, they fell in love and were married. Somnuk quickly built up a reputation as a hard worker who could be trusted, and within ten years he had been elected "poo-yai bahn", or head man, of the village. It was a life term, so he still continues as poo-yai today. He is among the very small number of Thai men who do not drink alcohol, which likely contributes to his high status.
Somnuk and Sujitra have two children. Their son, Mongkonchai, earned a masters degree in computer technology in Australia, where he has been living for several years. He has a Thai fiancee who is also studying a masters in Australia, and they will return here to be married in about six months. Their daughter is Anothai, and we’ve always been a bit confused about her story. During the time that we lived in the house, she worked for Toyota in Bangkok. Now, however, she has married a local farmer, and they are living with her parents and expecting a baby in April. We think there’s a bit more to the story but have hesitated to ask.
When we moved in, the household included four others: Kun Boo, Somnuk’s elderly father who couldn’t speak much; Pi Porn, a housekeeper in her 50's; Nong Lek, Pi Porn’s teenage daugher; and Watlunyoopa, Pi Porn’s young granddaughter. Pi Porn and her family left partway through our training because a relative of hers had become ill and she went to be the caretaker. Kun Boo died a little over a year ago.
The house is far from empty, though. In addition to Anothai and her husband, Sujitra now cares for two additional family members. Her father – Kun Daa – had his legs amputated last year and moved into the house from his nearby village. Sujitra does all his cooking, bathing, and dressing. Also, Somnuk and Sujitra have adopted a young orphan from the village. Mot Dit’s father, as Sujitra explained to us, visited too many woman, contracted HIV, passed it to his wife, and died. Mot Dit’s mother died also, leaving the 12-year-old with no relatives. Adoption of strangers is not common in Thailand, and I think it speaks very highly of the generosity of our former host parents that they have taken Mot Dit into their home and are raising her and sending her to school.
Although training was rough, we were very happy in our host family’s home. The food was delicious and the conversation good. Kun Por and Kun Maa took their responsibilities for teaching us how to survive in Thailand very seriously, and were constantly concerned with our comfort and well-being. During the many times during my first year that I wanted to quit and go home, I would think of them and remember how hard they had worked to see that we had all we needed when we were in their home, and I knew I didn’t want to let them down by going home early. They are people who ask for nothing for themselves, and only try to make the lives of those they love – their parents, their children, and the others who live with them – happier and richer. I’ll always remember their goodness, and be grateful that my introduction to Thailand was largely through them.
Kun Por, whose real name is Somnuk, was one of six children born in a Chinese-Thai family in Central Thailand. His father was a ditch-digger. Kun Maa – real name Sujitra – is also one of 6 children, but her family is 100% Thai. Her father was a teacher in the community where we did our training and was well-respected in the area. When Somnuk arrived in town about 30 years ago, they fell in love and were married. Somnuk quickly built up a reputation as a hard worker who could be trusted, and within ten years he had been elected "poo-yai bahn", or head man, of the village. It was a life term, so he still continues as poo-yai today. He is among the very small number of Thai men who do not drink alcohol, which likely contributes to his high status.
Somnuk and Sujitra have two children. Their son, Mongkonchai, earned a masters degree in computer technology in Australia, where he has been living for several years. He has a Thai fiancee who is also studying a masters in Australia, and they will return here to be married in about six months. Their daughter is Anothai, and we’ve always been a bit confused about her story. During the time that we lived in the house, she worked for Toyota in Bangkok. Now, however, she has married a local farmer, and they are living with her parents and expecting a baby in April. We think there’s a bit more to the story but have hesitated to ask.
When we moved in, the household included four others: Kun Boo, Somnuk’s elderly father who couldn’t speak much; Pi Porn, a housekeeper in her 50's; Nong Lek, Pi Porn’s teenage daugher; and Watlunyoopa, Pi Porn’s young granddaughter. Pi Porn and her family left partway through our training because a relative of hers had become ill and she went to be the caretaker. Kun Boo died a little over a year ago.
The house is far from empty, though. In addition to Anothai and her husband, Sujitra now cares for two additional family members. Her father – Kun Daa – had his legs amputated last year and moved into the house from his nearby village. Sujitra does all his cooking, bathing, and dressing. Also, Somnuk and Sujitra have adopted a young orphan from the village. Mot Dit’s father, as Sujitra explained to us, visited too many woman, contracted HIV, passed it to his wife, and died. Mot Dit’s mother died also, leaving the 12-year-old with no relatives. Adoption of strangers is not common in Thailand, and I think it speaks very highly of the generosity of our former host parents that they have taken Mot Dit into their home and are raising her and sending her to school.
Although training was rough, we were very happy in our host family’s home. The food was delicious and the conversation good. Kun Por and Kun Maa took their responsibilities for teaching us how to survive in Thailand very seriously, and were constantly concerned with our comfort and well-being. During the many times during my first year that I wanted to quit and go home, I would think of them and remember how hard they had worked to see that we had all we needed when we were in their home, and I knew I didn’t want to let them down by going home early. They are people who ask for nothing for themselves, and only try to make the lives of those they love – their parents, their children, and the others who live with them – happier and richer. I’ll always remember their goodness, and be grateful that my introduction to Thailand was largely through them.
1 comment:
How nice that you had one last visit. I want to do that as well. Sounds like your family was/is really great! I'm amazed that they adopted the little girl. How cool.
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