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Newsletter of Princeton in Asia Summer 2007

The PiA Ripple EffectOver the last 109 years, nearly 3500 PiAers have made the terrifying and ex-hilerating leap to Asia, living and learning from Asian communities, touching the lives of their students and colleagues, and mak-ing life-long friends. Like small pebbles dropped in unknown waters, their impact has an ever-widening effect, rippling be-yond them to their communities in Asia and here at home. In this newsletter, we wanted to capture the “PiA Ripple Effect” on this side of the Pacific, and are grateful to the siblings and parents who have taken the time to share their stories with us. The Baby BrotherJack Thirolf (’06 Rach Gia, Vietnam), Kien Giang Community College

Even now that I’m out of college, I still get introduced as “the baby brother” whenever I meet someone through either of my older sisters. It can be a bit hum-bling but, thanks to my freakish height (6’6”), it usually gets a good laugh. And I definitely prefer it to the other option, “the accident.” Being the youngest cer-tainly came with its downsides (being dragged to countless field hockey games tops the list), but I know now that it also put me in an incredibly privileged position that has helped lead me to where I am to-day, teaching at a community college in the Mekong Delta.

My sister Julie, now 31, was the trailblazer in the family. She was the first female altar

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server at our church, she somehow man-aged to get eleven varsity letters in high school while also doing a million other things, and she got our parents used to the idea of their children doing crazy things in faraway places by studying abroad in col-lege and then going into the Peace Corps after graduation. Kate, now 28, followed suit in her own way, trying her hand at pro basketball in Luxembourg after leaving Princeton and then escaping from a con-sulting job in New York a few years later to go teach and run marathons in Malaysia through PiA.

I’m thankful to my sisters, not just because they set a path that’s been easy for me to follow, but because they showed me the joy you can find in challenging yourself to do something different and difficult and the satisfaction you can get from building a life of service abroad. Whether I’m banging

my head in frustration over power outages that sink my lesson plans or I’m watching the setting sun turn the peeling paint of our old concrete school an unbelievably beauti-ful shade of pink, I’m living the life I hoped I might live when I heard Julie and Kate de-scribe the challenges of their time abroad. I’ve signed on to teach another year at Kien Giang Community College because I keep uncovering the thrills and trials that I’ve al-ways heard my sisters talk about and that I’ve always wanted to find for myself.

China – Two Successive YearsIlana Wolfe (sister of Ari Wolfe, PiA China Program Director and 2nd year fellow at the Affiliated High School of South China Normal University in Guangzhou)

“You’re going where!?!” This was the question incredulously asked by my parents several times after my brother decided to accept his PiA post in Guang-zhou, China. Ari probably couldn’t have gotten farther away from home, even if he tried. The line between him and me became, “Wow, China, it’s like this whole other country!” It was a joke, but also an incredibly real reminder that Ari

was soon to be off to the land of dragons, pagodas, dynasties, and the unknown. Ini-tially, Ari’s going to China meant packing up an apartment in Boston, the prospect of huge phone bills, and two very worried parents having to deal with the stress of a child being half-way around the world.

PiAers Jack Thirolf and Emily McWilliams with Trustee Jon Wonnell and their students at Kien Giang Community College in Rach Gia, Vietnam.

Program Update

At a time when the need for tolerance and mutual understanding between cultures is acute, Princeton in Asia’s mission of fa-cilitating the exchange of ideals between cultures is as important as ever. We are committed to providing service-oriented immersion experiences for talented young people, and we continue to grow and en-hance the program’s offerings in pursuit of these transformative experiences. This past year, PiA experienced a marked increase in applicant interest in Asia and saw ris-ing demand from Asian partners requesting fellows in new corners of the world. As a result, PiA will be supporting 125 fellows and interns this year in 17 countries in Asia. New and noteworthy are PiA’s launch of fellowships in Cambodia and India.

New Programs in Cambodia and IndiaIn Cambodia, PiA has established three fel-lowships in the fields of journalism (at the Phnom Penh Post), teaching (at the Royal University of Phnom Penh), and at a wild-life preservation organization (WildAid). In addition, PiA re-established our program in India after a thirty-year hiatus with three fellowships at an environmental organiza-tion (TERI) in New Delhi, at an orphanage in New Delhi (NAZ Foundation), and a teaching post at the Kodaikanal Interna-tional School in Madurai, where Princeton President Robert Goheen ’40 studied. We were very pleased to celebrate the re-launch of the India program at PiA’a annual gath-ering of alumni at Princeton University’s Prospect House in May. President Goheen, a former US ambassador to India, was in attendance to help celebrate the landmark

occasion, as was another former US am-bassador to India, Frank G. Wisner ’61, who delivered the keynote address. Span-ning 85-years of links between Princeton and India was an inspiring send-off for the new PiA India fellows about to embark on their own India journeys.

The Princeton in Asia fellowships in India were inspired by the legwork of two Princeton seniors, Ritu Kamal and Sanhita Sen, who had a vision for fellowships in India and brought their ideas to PiA’s doorstep. The PiA Trustees embraced the notion of send-ing fellows to India as the organization had done in the mid 70s and quickly marshaled the resources to make these seniors’ vision a reality. Before we could learn to say chicken tikka masa-la properly, Program Director Leslie Medema and PiA Trustee Karen Karp had their sari’s packed and were on a plane to the land of the Bhangra beats. They conducted an extensive site visit, met with 10 organizations, established an in-country safety network and returned with inspiring stories, pictures and oppor-tunities for PiA fellows to live, serve, and learn from communities in India. Here are some excerpts from their impressions:

“When I stepped off the plane in Delhi, I was at peace and excited at the same time—the feeling you get when you are coming home after being gone a long time. It was different than the last time I was here. I spent a summer here in 2003 in the 110 de-gree heat with people that changed my life

and my waistline. Last time, I was afraid to get off the plane. This time, I took a deep breath and let India seep into my lungs and pores. The smell that defines Delhi was ever present. As my cab driver said “you can feel the smell.” I love that smell – the mix of humanity, spices, colors, yes colors, animals, refuse. It has a life force.

“I remembered immediately all that India had meant to me and all that it could of-fer for our new fellows. A place where yes-terday’s experiences pale in comparison to today’s, and every day brings a connection that deepens your understanding of the cul-ture and challenges you to learn about your own culture in the process. There are so many reasons to feel alive and invigorated here—not only because the senses are pop-ping at everything and the music pulses, but also because it’s a place that exudes in-credible depth and mystery for me, where change for the better and progress for some rubs shoulders with the abject needs of many others.

“I traveled to India with a member of the PiA Board of Trustees, Karen Karp. Karen and I experienced countless plane rides, some with unexpected stops, roads unkind to the weak stomach, incredible spices, and the sensory overload that just “is” India. To be able to experience India with Karen and her incredible memory for the places she has been, for the food, and energy for exploring and building relationships for PiA was wonderful. And if I could do it all over again (wish I could) I would hold out for the Bollywood fellowship.”—Leslie Medema ’04, PiA Program Director

For years, the leadership of PiA had discussed mov-ing back to India with the program. It always seemed right, yet it always seemed daunting. This year, the stars aligned, and I volunteered to accompany Leslie Medema, our stalwart program director on an intense eight day trip through India to interview potential host institutions and secure several posts for the first PiA fellowships in India since the 1970s. From the leafy “margs” of Delhi to the hilly plains of Tamil Nadu to the pulsating back streets of Mumbai, we met highly enthusiastic hosts who threw their arms open to the idea of PiA fellows in their organizations. I can’t think of another country in Asia where we will have such a diversity of opportunities for our talented college graduates. It’s never been a better time to reenter this country.

—Karen Karp, PiA Hong Kong ’81, PiA Trustee

Karen quickly made friends in India with a young aspiring “industrialist” she met on the trip from Tamil Nadu

to Mumbai.

Leslie Medema with staff and childrenat the NAZ orphanage in New Delhi.

Trustee Report from the Field

Dear PiAers:

In November, I had the incredible pleasure of accompanying Anastasia for part of her six-week sprint through Asia. The flavors, fragrances, colors, people, sounds, dirt, and buzz reignited Asia for me. In only two weeks, we visited Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, and Indonesia. Here are my key “takeaways” from the trip:

Transformation: Our fellows are making a difference, and our host institutions are bet-ter for it. This is true whether fellows are teaching, writing, analyzing, or traveling; or whether hosts are schools, newspapers, NGOs, governments, or businesses.

Service: Most, if not all, of our hosts want-ed more fellows. As a small organization, we cannot meet all the demand, thus we must focus on positions where we can have a maximum impact on both host and fellow. PiA must focus on making a difference.

Second Years: Staying for a second year magnifies the PiA experience on many levels. The overwhelming feedback from hosts was that a second year greatly ben-efits all involved.

Cambodia: Cambodia needs PiA and PiA needs Cambodia. A beautiful country with

a troubled past, Cambodia is desperately trying to start a new chapter in its develop-ment. PiA can make a real difference.

Network: The PiA network is an organism to treasure and the largest single asset that we have. We must help it reach its full ex-pression in support of PiA’s mission.

Leadership: We are in excellent hands with Anastasia, who superbly played the

roles of travelmeister, stormtrooper, maitre d’, scout, fundraiser, decision maker, taxi negotiator, listener, denmother, backpack-er, and roadside eatery companion—all the qualities of a stunning Executive Director! We are truly lucky.

The line is already forming for the now an-nual Trustee Pilgrimage to Asia.

—Jon Wonnell ’81, PiA Trustee

The PiA Ripple Effect (cont.)(continued from page 1)

Now that the Wolfes’ PiA experience is almost over, we are able to see Ari’s time in Guangzhou very differently. Through Ari’s blog (http://blogs.princeton.edu/pia/personal/awolfe) and our two fantas-tic trips over to China and Hong Kong, the world has been opened up to us.

Our first trip to visit Ari was one of curios-ity. We were able to see where he was liv-ing, where he worked, and how he managed in a country with a truly foreign language. We were also able to see a new part of the world. I remember sitting with wide-open eyes on the bus in Guangzhou, waiting to pass intricately decorated pagodas or drag-

ons guarding ancient palaces. Instead, we passed neon lights, banks, and the tallest skyscrapers that I had ever seen (and I’m a New Yorker!) We were amazed by the marvels in the open markets, the techno-logically advanced subway system, and the ridiculously high prices in Starbucks.

The most amazing experience for everyone though, was speaking with Ari’s students who asked us questions about religion, pol-itics, and American pop culture. Sitting on a small bridge in the middle of Hua Fu, the high school where Ari has been teaching, my family and I discussed what it is like to be a teenager in America and the stresses of life for the average Chinese high school

student. Aside from feeling like rock stars because of the smiles and applause that we received, I think that the entire family felt as if we were a part of an international com-munity, one where people wished to learn about each other and break down barriers.

Our second trip to China was much, much different. Gone were our surprises that ev-eryone stared at us on the street because of our white skin. We were no longer shocked by the difference in culture, and we even felt excitement at the prospect of seeing people we met the previous year. We were able to get a more in-depth view of Guang-zhou, perhaps because we looked at the city through different eyes, but also because Ari

PiA Trustee Jon Wonnell and the “lucky coin” toast with PiA fellows Danny Whiteand Wes Hedden and their colleagues from Can Tho University, Vietnam.

The PiA Ripple Effect (cont.)

During my time in Chiang Mai with Heath-er, I had the opportunity to sit in on a few classes she taught at Chiang Mai Univer-sity, which proved to be a truly rewarding experience. The kids really responded to Heather as a foreign teacher and showered her with enthusiasm. They were extremely eager to learn English and enjoyed them-selves thoroughly while in the classroom. As intimidating as being a foreign teacher can be, Heather was able to really connect with the students. Seeing first hand the type of work a PiAer does has made me consider international work for my future, especially in education.

Also during my stay in Thailand, Heath-er, her housemates, and I took a trip up to Chiang Rai to visit some other PiAers posted there. The estimated three hour ride (which somehow turned into seven hours along with a few bumps and bruises) was well worth it. We spent the evening eat-ing Thai cuisine and most of an afternoon exploring one of the hill tribe villages of Northern Thailand. There, we were able to play and feed some elephants (a true staple in any trip to Thailand!)

As hard as it was to believe coming from such a developed country, Heather and the

other PiA members that I met really were able to adapt to such a different lifestyle and embrace what Thailand has to offer. Upon Heather’s return to the USA, she has brought back much of the Thai cul-ture including many things I was unable to experience such as Thai kickboxing and even the fashion (although baggy fisher-man pants don’t seem to hold up as well in our culture). No Lonely Planet guidebook or emails and postcards from Heather can match the experience of going over and seeing it for myself.

A Letter from a MomThe mother of Morgan Galland (Fellow at The World Conservation Union (IUCN) in Vientiane, Laos ’06)

Dear Anastasia, I just wanted to tell you that Da-vid and I and our son Josh, visited Morgan in Laos over Christmas time. We spent over three weeks traveling, and we visited Vientiane, Luang Prabang (Laos), Hanoi, Saigon (Vietnam), Siem Reap (Cambodia), Chiang Mai, and Bangkok (Thailand). Morgan was able to travel to some of the places with us. We had the very best time. Morgan

absolutely loves her experience there, both culturally and professionally. After visit-ing, I can see why. The people she works for are just lovely. Her Laotian boss is like a mother. They do things as a group regu-larly and include their families. They do a lot of eating!!! We are so impressed with her. She is even speaking Lao. She has lots of friends from all over. She can probably visit half the world and never worry about a place to stay. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I still worry about her all the time, but in a different way than before I went to see her. I am so jealous of her ex-perience.

was more than a short-term visitor. He was a “regular” who had found his favor-ite restaurants, chatted with taxi drivers, and knew where to find anything (food or otherwise) at its cheapest price. Ari also had greater insight into a country that most Americans feel is a mystery. Now that we have had the experience of two trips to Guangzhou and two years of Ari’s insight and explanation of all things Chinese, the whole Wolfe family has had their eyes opened. We read articles in the NY Times a little differently, watch the news with a more critical eye, and feel the need to share our newfound knowledge with others. Ari may have called Guang-zhou home for two years, but in some ways the rest of the family has too. Our combined experiences will continue to have an impact on the way we live our lives and view the larger world.

Sisters in ThailandBecca Jackson (sister of PiA fellow Heather Jackon ’06 Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand)

My whirlwind trip to Thai-land was more unique and full of surprises than I ever could have imagined. Upon my arrival, I did my best to keep an open mind and embrace whatever Thailand had to offer. Having my sister (Heather Jack-son) there as a PiAer gave me the oppor-tunity to truly see how Thais live, and I quickly found that Thailand is a country in which knowing a resident was more than helpful. Between bartering for goods at the Chiang Mai night market or flagging down a tuk tuk (taxi) for a ride into the city, it was great having someone there who knew about all the unique customs and ways of living in a country so drastically different from mine.

Ari, Ilana, Bonnie, and Joel Wolfe enjoy the bestCantonese food that Guangzhou has to offer.

Retrospectives on TeachingTeddy Moynihan’06 Chiang Mai, Thailand

It has definitely been an incredible year of teaching and learning, and it has con-vinced me that I want to teach as a ca-reer in the States. Right now there is a stack of Shakespeare term papers glar-ing at me from across the office. There is really nothing that compares to the excitement of convincing students that they can decipher Shakespeare (and write great papers about it) or convinc-ing them that they might actually enjoy it once they do.

I don’t know if I told you about one of my favorite teaching moments when after class one day I had a little review session outside the English office. Af-ter about an hour of discussion and questions about the midterm, I got up to head home. After packing up my stuff, I walked by the students again and they were all outside still discussing the plays. I can’t convey my excitement when I overheard one student explain-ing to another, “...no, that’s not why Cas-sius wants to kill Caesar, look...”

A similar victory was the day I faked a sore throat to prove to the students that they did not need me to understand the play. For homework, I had asked each student to pick out a passage that they felt was par-ticularly beautiful, revealing, or important to the movement of the plot. I gestured that I had lost my voice and motioned for them to circle up and then pointed to a student and gestured “you start.”

Before long I had slipped out of the circle and perched myself in the corner, watching as my students commented on alcohol as a tool of oppression over Caliban, Prospe-ro’s motivations for testing Ferdinand, the origin of Sebastian and Antonio’s ruthless ambition—all while citing act, scene, and line from the play.

I hope I haven’t bored you, or sounded boastful, I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am to be able to do this. This has been an incredible year, a year that may have decided the next many years of my life. Thank you.

Vanessa Pralle’06 Nan, Thailand

Alex and I wrapped up our final day of teaching on Tuesday. We completely un-derestimated how much time (and how many boxes!) it would take to move out, but at last we’ve finished! Alex left yes-terday morning, and it was kind of surreal saying goodbye to her, considering we’ve been more or less attached at the hip for ten months.

I feel so cliche writing this, but these ten months in Nan have changed me in more ways than I can even describe. The sense of peacefulness is infectious, and surren-dering the control that I’ve always held onto has been a tremendous lesson. This special community has shown me true love and generosity which I hope to recip-rocate for the rest of my life. Never before have I felt such a sense of pride and be-longing somewhere, yet at the same time acknowledging that I am an outsider, so I must be mindful and respectful of Thai culture. Thank you for providing me with such an unforgettable, moving, and life-changing experience.

Keely Robinson (‘05 Prince Royal College, Chiang Mai, Thailand) with one of her kindergarten students.

Laura K.O. Smith’05 Rach Gia, Vietnam

Coming out of my time in Rach Gia, I obviously reflected a lot on what I had gotten out of it, what I had given, how others had benefited, and how others had given to me. I felt that one of my big-gest accomplishments was encouraging one of our students. He was a kid that just got by. Something about him caught my attention. He had an eagerness in his eye, a certain desire to want to get bet-ter, but no one had given him the chance. I ended up getting to know his family quite well. They cared a lot about him, but he had been told by many that he just wasn’t smart. He is also incredibly funny. By the end of the year he was one of our top students. He now goes to cof-fee shops with his friends, and they only speak English. He got a summer job as a teaching assistant for an English class of elementary school kids. I was thrilled in January to receive this email: Hi ,

I am happy because you still remember me, Just kidding. On the New Year’s I went to HCM City with Emily, Jack, and some foreign teachers from Can Tho. I hope that I can see you again. I miss you and your mom, aunt. How about you on the New Year’s? What’s new? Cheers, your Viet-namese student. So now my English is a bit better. You are a person who changed my English. Thank you too much to my lovely, friendly teacher. Things like this are totally the reason peo-ple become teachers. I love it. It’s great to think that I made a difference in someone’s life.

Kai Evenson’06 Wuhan, China I’m just finishing up my last week of teach-ing here, it’s very strange—hard to believe a) I’ve been here for a year, and b) I’m leav-ing in a week. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, and I can’t thank you guys enough for facilitating this. It’s definitely been a life changing experience, and it scares me to think about what I’d be stuck doing in the States if I’d never come.

Alumni NotesSecond Generation PiAersShanghai residents Seth Grossman (’94 China) and his wife Hong welcomed their second child, Paul Jus-tin, on November 5. To add to the excitement, Seth started a new job in January as the Communications Planning Director in China for Carat Media, helping clients devel-op effective marketing strate-gies.

R e c r u i t m e n t begins for PiA 2028 with new additions to the PiA fold. Con-gratulations to Andrew Fetter (’91 Korea) and his wife Anna on giving birth to a fourth Fetter—Joseph—on Jan-

uary 10. A Santa stork also made a December delivery to Paula Chow (PiA Trustee): a fifth grandchild, Isabella. Hilary Roxe (’97 Hong Kong and PiA Trustee) and husband Christopher welcomed Ella (pictured here).

Karen Tonneberger (’83 Hong Kong) is liv-ing in Salt Lake, nursing a sense of adventure in her four children. Her 16-year-old son will go to school in Brisbane, Australia next year, and the family hopes to stop in Hong Kong on the way to visit him in June.

Spring into SchoolFrom China to study carrels, Lizzy Hallinan (’03 China), Patrick Douglass (’03 China), Mark Turner (’06 China), Dan Mattingly (’04 China), and Jeff Colen (’05 China) have all been accepted to graduate schools in for-eign affairs, law, and film. Before hitting the econ textbooks, Lizzy will spend the summer gallivanting through Indonesia. PiA Indo fel-lows beware. In the words of Lizzy Hallinan “the Lonely Planet is a big place.”

James Young (’05 Singapore), braving an-other Colorado winter with his family, plans on applying for medical school in the fall. When not skiing, James works at a hospital.

The Adventure ContinuesAs an intern at the Institute for Peace Research and Secu-rity Policy at the University of Hamburg in Germany, Heath-er Gilmartin (’05 China), uses her China experience to research the recent North Ko-rea nuclear test.

Daniel Zook (’03 Vietnam) was in Kigali, Rwanda in July working on a distributed ener-gy project with a South African

company called Freeplay Energy. He kept a blog of his adventures at: http://danielzook.blogspot.com. After Rwanda, he will begin a full time job with Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai as a business planning manager for the consumer banking group.

Last year, Amy Wong (’96 China) returned to China to work for the Kenan Institute’s new Global Suppliers Institute. Traffic trauma (it’s gotten worse!) aside, it was fantastic to be back in China.

Post-PiA, Leslie Kwoh (’04 China) got her feet wet as a reporter at The Standard, one of two English-language newspapers in Hong Kong. She covered the full gamut of stories, from the WTO riots to Cantonese egg tarts. As she plots her next journalism move, she’s freelancing for an LA-based travel company, Let’s Travel China.

Mark Conrad (’02 China) flew the Cam-bridge coop in 2005, law degree in hand, to clerk for a ninth-circuit federal appellate judge in Seattle. He now calls San Fran home and works for a federal district judge. His wife, Joyce, a Bay Area native, is a private chef.

Laura K.O. Smith (’05 Vietnam) was recent-ly moored in Norway as part of her geology gig with CGX Energy, Inc. She befriended a Rach Gia expat in Oslo over a bowl of $13 pho! Price-gouging notwithstanding, K.O. is enjoying Norway’s winter wonderland (her new hobby: speed skating). In keeping with

her blog’s tagline—“staying in one place is difficult”—K.O. is now on the high waters aboard an oil vessel.

Michael Colangelo (’79 Japan) has translat-ed his decade of teaching experience in Japan (during which he founded a school!) into a new venture in Harlem hospitality, open-ing New York’s first English-teaching B&B in historic Sylvan Terrace (aptly named Mi-chaelny). He writes: “I hope to indulge myself in a pursuit that I love—teaching English—as I welcome people from all over the world.” Get the fruit basket ready.

Last time we saw Tom Klein (’04 Thailand) he was headed to China. He couldn’t resist a stop-over in Thailand, his old stomping grounds. In June he left Goldman Sachs to join Fremont Partners, a San Francisco–based private equity firm. He is eager to have the time to explore San Francisco and host PiA get-togethers.

Amy Kohout (’05 Laos) wrote from New Mexico about the new addition to her fam-ily: “His name is Bohpenyang (a favorite Lao word meaning no problem, it’s okay...). He will be known as “Bo” for short. He is a 5-month-old, 19 pound lab retriever mix from the Albuquerque dog pound, and he seems to be adjusting to his new life quite well. (Life is good when you have a bacon flavored bone to chew on!)”

PiA in PrintGinna Vogt (’77 Yemen) published an essay “Dancing Lessons from God” in the literary magazine Poemmemoirstory (www.pms-journal.org) about her experiences during Ra-madan of 1977 in Yemen.

Chiang Mai Rock Climbing Adventures was featured in the Jan/Feb issue of Action Asia Magazine. The cover, a story, and photos in the magazine all feature Thailand’s pre-mier rock-climbing outfit started by former PiA fellow Josh Morris (’99 Thailand). He invites you all to visit them in Chiang Mai. http://www.thailandclimbing.com

The lovely Anna and Emma, daughters of Sharon Vol-

ckhausen (PiA Trustee and Korea alum ’91).

Rana Tuttle was born on March 7 to Tom (’88 Indonesia) and his wife Mila. Big brother Kiran is thrilled to have a playmate at

home.

Jonny Haagen (’02 Shenyang, China) looks to be a life-long Beijinger making his name as a writer, nearly unforgettable

host, and now actor. He starred in a recent play titled “I Heart Beijing” described as a “rowdy sendup of life in the capital.” For more on the play, see http://www.iheartbei-

jing.com/blog. (Haagen is on the far left.)

Alum Afterthought

PiA wouldn’t run with out the generosity of its alums. Big thanks to the following for help with interviews this year.

From the east: Dan Mattingly (’04 China), Ginny (Parker) Woods (’96 Japan), Sarah Mankes (’04 Japan), Will Leahy (’02 China), Jim Secreto (’02 China), Drew Kumpf (’04 Chi-na), Sue Fou (’94 China), Lizzy Hallinan (’03 China), Matt Kawecki (’04 China), Farook Ahmed (’04 Korea), Dan Gra-bon (’04 Korea).

From the southeast: Tedders James (’04 Thailand), Kishori Kedlaya (’02 Thailand), Jess Illaszewicz (’04 Thailand, ’05 Vietnam), Mike McMahon (’04 Thailand), Jenaro Cardona-Fox (’00 Thailand), Serin Marshall (’04 Thailand), David Newhouse (’95 Indonesia), Brian Vogt (’96 Indonesia), Alisha Blechman (’04 Vietnam), Emily Stecker (’04 Malaysia), Amy Kohout (’05 Laos)—shout out for all of the office help too!, Catarina Krizancic (’92 Thailand), Jason Pearson (’92 Thai-land), Vince Faherty (’03 Singapore).

And alums who made benefit the great nation of Kazakh-stan and PiA!: Blair Blackwell (’96 Kazakhstan), Edgar Chen (’97 Kazakhstan).

From the Board of Trustees: Elise Van Oss (’77 Japan), Rich-ard Van Horne (’71 Japan), Sarah Van Boven (’99 Vietnam), Karen Karp (’81 Hong Kong), Jon Wonnell (’81 Taiwan).

From the west (or east depending on how you look at it) at our California round of interviews: Michelle Capobres (’97 China), Lesley “Hands” Williams (’91 Thailand)—thanks for the office space as well—and Lynne Rosen (’01 China, ’02 Vietnam).

From Bulldog Territory at our Yale round of interviews: Serin Marshall (’04 Thailand)—round two for her, John Muse (’02 Thailand), Mira Manickam (’02 Thailand), Katy Niner (’03 Vietnam).

And coming back for round two at the New York interviews (gluttons for punishment?): Sarah Mankes (’04 Japan), Al-isha Blechman (’04 Vietnam), Katy Niner (’03 Vietnam), and Amy Kohout (’05 Laos)—her second time out from Arizona in two weeks we might add! Huge thanks to Board member and PiA art critic Russell DaSilva (’76 Japan) for his offer of the beautiful space at Lovell’s Law Firm for these interviews.

There is another amazing group of people that have come back to spend some time with us in the PiA office and couch surf at Chez Anastasia. Keeping a foot in Asia and lending a huge helping hand over the last few months have been: Su-zanne Welles (’05 Singapore), Amy Kohout (’05 Laos), Matt Losch (’05 Thailand), Alisha Blechman (’04 Vietnam), and al-ways Jess Illaszewicz (’04 Thailand, ’05 Vietnam) for layout and design of this newsletter.

Last but never least, our alums, current fellows, friends, and Princeton professors who helped to make our May Orientation stand out: Professors Gregory and Paula Chow, Gil Rozman, Josef Silverstein, David Howell, and Robert Finn; as well as Nancy Sun, Matt Kawecki, Rory Truex, Ari Wolfe, Megan Gillman, David Newhouse, Brian Vogt, Dan Honig, Chris Yakaitis, Duke Lindsay, Dan Grabon, Dylan Fa-gan, Suzanne Welles, Vandna Mittal, Vince Faherty, Sue Foo, James Young, Megan McGowan, Lauren Karp, Dana Dreibel-bis, Teddy Moynihan, Alisha Blechman, Sarah Shapiro, Gin-ny Wilmerding, Becca Hunsicker, Frances Symes, Margaret Crotty, Jess Illaszewicz, Katy Niner, Ritu Kamal, Sanhita Sen, Andrew Turco, Janis Foo, Elena Olivi, Meredith Kleiner, Roz Espinosa, Kia Siason, Wanna Neth, Mike Figgie, Helen Ack-ley, Vijaya Fayazi, Sally Buchanan, Don Schoorman, Emilie Pooler, Trina Duke, Peter Hazelrigg, Sam Sternin, Quang Binh, Khang Nguyen, and Kate Thirolf.

As I was driving on the wrong-side-of-the-road-for-Americans in my Honda “Modelwedon’thaveintheUS” rental car, I just started laughing. Maybe it was the increasing altitude, but the fact that A) I was back in Chiang Rai, and B) I was SO GLAD to be back in Chiang Rai struck me as hilarious. If you had asked me three years ago, starting my last semester at UVA what my life would be like now, I would have likely said law school, a ton of debt, and salvation through happy hours. I agreed to take my Chiang Rai post on 24 hours notice, left three weeks to the day later, stayed 15 months and learned what feels like a lifetime’s worth of lessons in that short time.

I learned how much further a smile gets you than strong-arming anyone or rais-ing your voice even when your flight is about to leave without you and how ap-preciative people are for little signs that you are seeking to understand their point of view instead of pushing your own. I learned how little I know—about history defined as 5,000 years ago, about the world at large and in small countries spe-cifically, about everything outside of the States in general and the East Coast in particular.

I’m sure I don’t have to remind anyone of how absolutely freaked out I was once I landed here. My experience in Chiang Rai has opened more doors than I ever could have imagined in my wildest dreams—I literally just walked out of a meet-ing with a (minor) Thai prince who served as the Personal Secretary to the Prin-cess Mother and is now the CEO of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation. He was wary of my foundation because he didn’t understand our motivation for coming to visit (purely learning from their success). Yet because I was “Chiang Rai people” he has totally turned around, agreed to have a sit-down meeting with my boss, and engage in collaborative projects with us. When I walked out, his principal advisor, an American, turned to me with his jaw open and said, “WOW you really made an impression on him, gold star!”

Kristen Tracz’04 Chiang Rai, ThailandCurrently working for the Blue Moon Fund, a Virginia-based non-profit that is seeking to improve the relationship between human consumption and the natural world.

Current PiAers and alums Angela Sherwood, Sally Torbert, Kate Roll, Anastasia Vrachnos (PiA Director), Caroline Carter, and Callaghan Kennedy meet with the President of East Timor, Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos Horta, who held a dinner at

his home in honor of PiA’s presence in East Timor.

Once PiA, Always PiAAll the PiA fellows who have served in Dili, Easte Timor have remained in the country beyond their fellowships, continuing to work with the Timorese.

Princeton in AsiaMamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice83 Prospect Avenue, Room 202Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ 08544

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The next crew of PiAers have landed on Asian soil. As always, we are very grateful for and couldn’t run PiA without the gener-osity of our alumni in helping select and orient them. This year, PiA is planning alumni gatherings, a benefit, and come January we will once again beg and plead for help with interviewing and orienting our next batch of PiAers.

September 27, 2007 – Information session at YaleOctober 10, 2007 – Information session at PrincetonOctober 12, 2007 – Alumni gathering in Washington, DCOctober 15, 2007 – Information session at MiddleburyOctober 25, 2007 – Alumni gathering in BostonDecember 3, 2007 – PiA 2008-09 applications dueJanuary 12-13 & 19-20, 2008 – Interviews held on Princeton campus. Interviews for Southeast Asia and Kazakhstan are generally held on the first weekend. North and East Asia are held on the second weekend. January 25, 2008 – Interviews held at YaleFebruary 12, 2008 – PiA Benefit (Rubin Museum of Art, NYC)February 19-21, 2008 – West Coast Alumni Events and InterviewsMay 16-19, 2008 – PiA Orientation at PrincetonMay 18, 2008 – Alumni Day during OrientationMay 19, 2008 – PiA Annual Dinner for AlumniMay 31, 2008 – PiA Alumni Reception at Princeton

Meghan Morrissey (‘07 China), outgoing PiAer accepting her post on the phone with Leslie Medema (PiA Program Direc-

tor) in the one spot in Texas where she could get cell service on spring break to call.

The PiA 2007-2008 Calendar of Events

First Impressions

Many of the fellows in the PiA class of 2007 have already landed in Asia, and we would like to share some of their first impressions and emails to the home office:

“Wow wow wow wow wow. I’m here. And wow. They picked me up at the airport, we drove up through rainforest and along an electrifying coast, and then arrived at the school, where I met the fantastic group of English teachers (Thai and foreign mix), had a great super spicy lunch, moved into my very own bungalow, and I am now sitting in the office overlooking the beach. But this is incredible. I start teaching most likely on Monday (they think). So forget the stages of culture shock. This is a high I don’t plan on coming down from anytime soon.”

–Darcy BradleyRajaprajanugroh School

Phang Nga, (southern) Thailand

“Favorite highlight of the trip so far: In the Chiang Mai airport, I was try-ing to work the pay phone and failing miserably. I thought I wasn’t putting enough Baht in, so I walked up to a cleaning lady and asked her how many Baht to call someone in Chiang Mai. She, of course, didn’t speak English. I held up my coins and pointed at the phone. She walked me over to the phone, and I literally handed her every coin I had. She looked at me and asked, “number?” She put the money in and dialed and waited until he picked up before handing me the phone. It was my first experience with Thai hospital-ity, and I’ve had many more since then and I hope many more to come.”

–Kirsten RuchBandon Sriserm School, Nan, Thailand

“Yo guys. Jared and I and another farang picked up Wednesday classes at this Mid-dle school on the CMU campus. They were crazy and pretty fun. I think Jared is napping from now until next week. They chose great names like Beyonce, Andy Roddick, Pom Pom Girl, Wednesday, Nine, Liverpool, Shrek, and Fiona.”

–Ben LennertzChiang Mai UniversityChiang Mai, Thailand

“I made it to Malaysia and through a weekend-long retreat conducted entirely in Malay, which, interestingly enough, was not easier to understand jet-lagged. Ev-erything is going well here. The people here are really nice, and the food/weather are both awesome/punishing in their own way.”

–Dave FahertyUniversiti Sans Malaysia

Penang, Malaysia

“Khon Kaen is dirty and fantastic. I take the bus to work and get to see the city as a result. Yesterday I saw an elephant roam-ing the streets with a boy and a bunch of fruit on its back. Also, just to let you know that Liz Skeen is starting her Asian model-ing career. We were walking to the grocery store when a Thai man came running out of a bridal shop and asked if he could talk to us about modeling. So obviously we said yes. And now she has a photo shoot scheduled for Saturday. Meredith and I are her man-agers. More updates to come. Sawadee.”

–Annie PriesKhon Kaen UniversityKhon Kaen, Thailand

“Taiwan is a crazy crazy place. In the sub-way station I met a nice boy named Albert. He has one arm. He is collecting “1001 Inspirations.” What he’s doing is collect-ing messages from English speakers in a small notebook. He says that by the time he has 1001 messages, he should be able to speak English very well. And if not, he will gather 1001 more inspirations!!! That’s what he said. I thought it was a great idea…

Today while walking around I peeked into this large air conditioned room. There were kids wearing green neon shirts inside. Then an older woman beckoned me inside and I followed. It’s a church. This kind, older woman and I got talking a little. She teaches English at the school there. After the show she asked me where I was going. To eat lunch, I said. Do you have any rec-ommendations? Well why don’t you come to eat with me? I invite you. she said! So

I just got back from eating with her at this mall called SOGO. We ate in a Cantonese restaurant she likes. We had fish porridge, beef balls, little beef tacos, and then she ordered des-sert, but she couldn’t eat it, so I was to eat both portions. I am really full… Tomorrow I’m taking the train or a bus to Taichung, where I’ll be for the next few months. I’m taking a Chi-nese course, thank goodness, because I really need it.”

–Arthur BurkleAffiliated High School of

Tunghai UniversityTaichung, Taiwan

“Sawut dee krup!!!!!!!!!! I’m in Bangkok! So much to say, I wish you could just connect yourselves to a machine and live my past 48 hours. I must say, leaving home was a bit more of an emo-tional rollercoaster than I thought it would be. I was just thinking, how am I leaving behind a place and people that I know and love for a totally new home with totally new people?? But, obviously, that is the best part of all of this. It was weird getting off the plane and thinking that I was about to meet Cody and Ali (editor’s note: PiA alum and current fellow)...two people who I’ve anticipated so much. I AM IN LOVE WITH THEM. Today we went for lunch (delicioussssss), I’m writing this from the office, and I’m about to go out on my own to explore the city. Honestly, I am crazily overwhelmed by everything right now....but the pit in my stomach is exhilarating. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!! I can’t really explain what I’m feeling…but I have a really good feeling about it all. THANK YOU for lead-ing me to that.”

–Chris HeinrichKEEN Publishing

Bangkok, Thailand

PiA Fellows in Chiang Mai, Thailand give a shout out to PiA using their bodies. Jared Robbins (Chiang Mai University ‘07)

with the thumbs up and the unfortunate position.

Second Annual Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellowship Winners

Princeton in Asia expanded its commitment to service in Asia with the announcement of its second annual Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellowships. Created in honor of the organization’s late executive director, the 2007 Fellowships were awarded to Ann Waddell (Dadizhui, Sichuan Province, China) and Even Pay (Yunnan Province, China) for two projects that will serve grass-roots communities in China. “These talented young

women have inspiring ideas and a dedication to serving their host communities. Princeton in Asia is proud to sup-port their innovative work in Carrie’s name,” said PiA Trustee and Chairman of the Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellow-ship Committee, Kevin Cuskley.

Carrie Gordon, who died of breast cancer in 2003, encouraged and inspired the PiA fellows whom she selected to make the most out of their yearlong work ex-periences in Asia. Her pride in the accomplish-ments of “her kids’” and her unwavering belief in

the importance of young people following their passions were defining traits of Carrie’s leadership. To honor her memory, the Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellowship last year established up to $10,000 of funding for a current PiA fellow or recent alumna/alumnus who best embodies her energy, enthusiasm, and com-mitment to international understanding and public service. The inaugural Fellows fully embraced the service ethos of the Fel-lowship: Daniel White established work-study programs for university students to teach in local or-phanages in Can Tho, Vietnam; Aaron Ellerbee, inspired by his kindergarten-ers in Yakage, Japan, is completing the writing and illustration of a moving, bilingual children’s book on cross-cul-tural understanding and friendship. On the heels of their tremendous success-es, the Board of Trustees has decided to again award two grants to outstanding projects in 2007.

Even Pay (Kunming ’05)Over the course of her yearlong PiA fel-lowship with a Chinese environmental

NGO, Even Pay recognized the need for a reliable, comprehen-sive database of local nonprofits in Yunnan Province. With the support of her Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellowship, she will build a bridge between domestic Chinese NGOs and the internation-al development and media community through a wiki-format, English-language website profiling local organizations. A Car-leton College graduate fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Pay has de-veloped a true grassroots perspective on Chinese civil society: “One of the largest challenges facing domestic Chinese NGOs at present is poor communica-tion with an international com-munity that they depend on for continued funding,” Pay said. “This project will give these organizations a much more ef-ficient platform for communi-cating with the international community and bring them one step closer to a transparent and equal playing field.”

Ann Waddell (Beijing ’05)The second Carrie Gordon Trib-ute Fellowship will support the ambitious photography project of Ann Waddell. Several years ago, Waddell visited a friend in the village of Dadizhui in Sich-uan Province, an experience which left an indelible impression on her. To bear witness to the profound effects of urbaniza-tion and industrialization on those who are left behind in the countryside, Waddell will live in this village, take videos and large-scale photographs, and compile these visual narratives in a book and exhibition. “Ann’s prints are among the most as-tonishing work I’ve ever seen on rural China, and I’ve been to countless exhibitions in both the U.S. and China,” said PiA Trustee Karen Karp.

The Princeton in Asia Board of Trustees is pleased to honor Carrie’s memory and extend her legacy through the inspiring

work of these two young fellows. In the words of inaugural Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellow, Daniel White (Can Tho, Vietnam ’05), “Carrie’s impact remains tangible. Hers is a name that is still mentioned with reverence in this area of Vietnam, and her legacy is woven into the fabric of the ongoing presence of PiA here.”

For more information on the 2007 Car-rie Gordon Tribute Fellows or Princ-eton in Asia, please contact Anastasia Vrachnos at (609) 258-3657.

2007 Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellow Ann Waddell working a

camera at Panjiayuan, the antique market in Beijing.

Dadizhui village, China ©Ann Waddell

2007 Carrie Gordon Tribute Fellow Even Pay, a South Dakota native is at home in

the corn in Kunming, China where she has worked for the past two years with the Pes-

ticide Eco-Alternatives Center (PEAC).