Scrumdiddly-update-a-licious

Hello there cheekey monkees!

To you wise, hilarious, supportive, sarcastic, accomplished, and ambitious reader-friends: An update from LauraVille.

As many of you know, I am off to start a brand new adventure. This one takes me to Thailand, where I will be for at least 7 months, 6 of which will be spent working with a women's rights non-profit called the Mon Women's Organization (MWO), which is located on the Thai-Burma border. I am being sponsored by a fabulous, progressive, human-rights, grassroots, teach-a-man-to-fish organization called the American Jewish World Service (AJWS). They are an independent non-profit working to "alleviate poverty, hunger and disease among the people of the world regardless of race, religion or nationality." (www.ajws.org) They're incredibly active in promoting awareness and action to stop the horrors occurring in Darfur, as well as promoting women's rights globally, two subjects in which I have a great interest.

What's interesting for me in volunteering through this organization too is going abroad with the backing and name of a Jewish organization. Most of you know I feel far more culturally Jewish than deeply religious, and I am by no means the type of person who wishes to impose my religious beliefs on others (let alone a person who knows exactly what those religious beliefs are...). I do see quite a bit of benefit in being affiliated with a Jewish organization, however-- not so that I can teach the world about Abraham, Isaac, and their pals--but rather so I can be a Jew abroad and dispel the negative stereotypes much of the world has come to associate with Jews. Shockingly, a good number of friends I made in my most recent travels around Eastern Europe informed me that I was their first Jewish pal (I experienced this with both Eastern Euro locals as well as other travelers). I feel similarly about representing Jews as I do as representing Americans these days.. we aren't the most popular global citizens out there...

Back to Thailand. I'll be in a town called Sangkhlaburi, population 10,300, according to my Lonely Planet guidebook, in the Kanchanaburi province. It seems to be a small place, boasting one ATM and possibly an internet cafe...? What is fascinating about it is it's location close to the Burmese border, and the interesting mix of cultures, people, and languages that will ensue. Regardless, I am nervous for the small-town experience...

From what I know now, I will be assisting in some training of the interns in MWO's intern program. I will be specializing in project management and some English teaching. Maybe I can squeeze some theatre in there as well. There's always room for that.

My commitments as I embark on this journey are many: to respect the culture, to make meaningful and lasting friendships, to dive into learning the language, and to focus on some new documentation skills. Primarily I will be using a video camera to document my experiences, friendships, and the beauty I will inevitably encounter. I'm not sure where this camera will lead me, but I have a good feeling about it.

As for email contact, I will try my best. I do not want to take up excessive internet time at my host organization, and am not really sure what the internet rental situation is like over there. Therefore it is best to check on this (impersonal, I know) blog-o-sphere. My living situation is yet to be ironed out. Whether I will be spending time as a guest in a family house or in an apartment is yet to be determined.

In other news, I am nervous as all get out as the days count down...

Peace,
LK

ps. The trusty ol' 847-372-6484 cell will be retiring as of May 17, one day before I get on a jet-plane.