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“What do you want to do when you graduate?” “What’s a Political Science degree good for?” “Oh so are you going to be the next Prime Minister?”
A Political Science undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria (UVic) is the foundation of building. It would be an understatement to claim that the contractors had a tough time with this property. Before they broke ground a few rodent infested thorn bushes had to be burnt with a flamethrower; explosives were used for the crumbling rock that sat a few metres beneath the dirt; if the bank had been any more careful the project would not have met funding needs; zoning loopholes were jumped through so that they could begin to break ground. The only recompense was that two towering, deeply rooted trees sat in the middle of what would soon be a backyard. This house would be built on a strong foundation.
The metaphor is to represent the challenges I have faced, at times, over the past few years. A few days after moving to Victoria in April 2020 I was knocking on the door of my friend Josh in the early hours of the morning when an argument turned violent and the police were called to my Fernwood suite. It would be a few more months before I would figure out how to live with roommates.
Despite the housing problems and other connected relational issues, I started online courses at UVic in January 2021 and struggled my way through the winter semester with one unfortunate, but deserved D on a History paper. Yet I learned to relish each failure, whether it was a mistake related to housing, relationship, or school I saw an opportunity to learn, to grow out of the skin that currently prevented my growth. In the spring of 2022 I had the most functional living situation of my life. In school my study habits improved with each semester and my grades followed suit. I completed my undergraduate coursework June 1st, 2022 and the very next day I would leave on what is sure to be and has already been life-changing adventure.
Two months before I was set to complete my undergraduate degree in Political Science from UVic I had not yet decided what I would do between the end of classes and the start of a Law program. Studying for and writing the LSAT exam would take priority, followed by applications to all of the major schools, and some sort of full-time job to fill the time, but I longed for something more.
At exactly the right moment an email entered my inbox that captured my attention: The subject line read: [Psugrad] FW: CAPI UVic student internship opportunities in Asia. A few days later I attended an information session, and I left with a new sense of purpose. South East Asia would be my home in the 6 months preceding the end of the coursework of my undergraduate degree. The Centre for Asian Pacific Initiatives (CAPI) sends interns to South East Asia most years, and the organization is coming out of a Covid-19 slumber this year. In the waking of the day, I turn my head towards the Asian sun and smile with anticipation.
Of all the locations that CAPI sends interns, one placement in particular caught my eye. Kuala Lumpar, Bangkok, Tokyo and Jakarta all rang a bell, but who are the Karenni? And what is the Karenni State? Throughout my degree and personal studies courses I have learned only some about South East Asia, and even less about the particulars of non-national ethnic groups like the Karenni. My knowledge on this part of the world was limited: I had a grasp on the basic geography of the region and I knew the names of a limited number Thai dishes (Pad Thai, Thai green curry…). All of my friends and family members who had visited Thailand spoke of a gorgeous country, but for the most part the kingdom formerly called Siam was a blank slate in my mind.
Thailand is unique in that it is the only nation in the region that was not colonized by European powers in the rise of global trade and empire. The monarchy worked closely with colonial governments believing that the tenants of trade and scientific development were consistent with Thai culture. In theory this means that, to this day, Western powers have a shallow reach into the cookie jar that is Thailand. Thai people and the lasting monarchy take a fair amount of national pride in the fact that they are better able to maintain their culture than some other countries who faced colonization. In the centuries preceding the first arrival of the Dutch East India Company in South East Asia global interconnection has only accelerated with numerous negative impacts on ecological health and human health.
The father of two half-Thai children and a former oil engineering negotiator that I met at a Bangkok market , a few hours after I collected my bag from the carousel in Bangkok, told me that he thinks that the lack of Western influence is stagnating the economic development of Thailand. For business purposes many Thai speak a few simple english phrases, but only a few people are able to engage in dynamic conversation – the types of conversation that allow for the deepening of business relationships. Trust-building opportunities between locals and foreigners is restricted by communication. Based on my observations I would suspect that an avoidance to insert the english langauge is an intentional choice.
Thailand is caught at a crossroads- does the nation move through the 21st century with a strong grip on their roots? or does the nation fully embrace globalization and the global capital experiment? Many countries in the global South have struggled to adjust to the burdens of Modernity. Thailand, on the other hand has chosen a path that promotes measured growth. This choice decreases the chance of economic, political and social instability – all of which could lead to a degradation of the Thai identity. King Maha Vajralongkorn rules with a steady hand as Thailand blossoms into the second quarter of the 21st century. Back at the crossroads, Thailand choses the centre path less travelled.
When I sat down at the CAPI interview table for this position, my heart raced only slightly. “You’ve trained for this moment all of your life; this is the culmination of all that you have studied for”. As the words flowed it felt as if the answers came from a place far beyond my conscious being. The ancestors spoke through me – the preparation for this moment began far before I was a twinkle in any body’s eye.
Thanks be to those very same ancestors because a few days later I was told that I would be flying out to Northwest Thailand to work in the Karenni Social Development Centre. I put the final touches on my coursework, packed my bags and boarded a plane to the country so-called the nation of smiles. This past Tuesday I arrived at what will be my quarters for the next 6 months. If I had the words to describe what I have experienced in the last week or so, I’d write them. Instead, as I settle, so too will my thoughts. Stay tuned.
For more information about the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Foundation, the Centre for Asian Pacific Initiatives, or to begin your research on the Karenni Social Development Institute follow the respective links:
Becoming Superhuman 
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