Via www.insearchofsanuk.com

Hi Dwight, let’s start having you tell us a little about yourself and why you decided to start In Search of Sanuk?

Thanks Monica. To make a long story short, when I returned to Thailand in 2008, I had a group of friends who were interested in doing more to give back, but didn’t really have any opportunity. I helped them organize an event at an orphanage and the following month we had a fundraiser party. What I didn’t plan for was that since then people have come to expect me to plan and organize these types of initiatives here. I never intended to start anything. I am emphasizing that because people who meet me now assume I have a background in non profit or development work. Anyway, fast forward a little over a year later and I have my hands full with all kinds of activities. I’m working lately a lot with refugees and the homeless, but my biggest project revolves around structuring a volunteer teaching project in the slum.

Why the title ‘In Search of Sanuk’?

Sanuk is Thai for fun or enjoyment. It’s a word you can’t really avoid if you’ve spent any time in Thailand. Sanuk shapes the way Thais conceptualize life and is really one of the main factors in the laid back, but fun seeking nature of Thais.

Other than sanuk, what else are you in search for?

I’m not purely looking for sanuk here. But I did want to borrow that Thai concept and apply it to the desire to give back and reinvest in the community here. A lot of what I do is just challenging or disproving the traditional picture we have of charity. People are so bent on enjoying themselves and I wanted to borrow from some of that energy and show people that helping and having fun aren’t mutually exclusive, but are really intertwined.

When, where and how did you have the epiphany of creating this mission and starting these project?

No epiphanies. No shortcuts. No one hit me over the head with instructions on how to do good. I actually set out trying to latch on to what other people were doing. I resisted the idea that I should start my own thing. They are so many cool things happening here, that I thought I would jump on board someone else ship and just tell people about it. Well, that didn’t work at all. A few key people pushed me create something of my own, but this all happened over a period of about five months. Which should be encouraging to all of use who aren’t born geniuses. Again, I never intended to start anything.

What was your biggest challenge starting In Search of Sanuk?

Me. The fear of starting something new. The doubt and over emphasis on the things I lacked: funds, time and experience. I never recognized those as things that made me just like the rest of the planet. We tend to think we have to be exceptional to be heard, but what I have in common with most people is what sets me apart, but it took a while to begin to see that. Once I did, I began to find my voice and pickup more momentum with ISOS.

What have you learned through your experiences running In Search of Sanuk?

I have learned so much. The first thing that comes to mind is that doing good things does not make you a good person. Also, doing what you know to do is right isn’t laudable, it’s just what you should do. Recognizing those things means you have to have your heart in the right place to help people even when it’s not easy and there’s no obvious reward. It also redefined how I feel about burnout. Burnout isn’t bad. When helping people becomes exhausting, I’m thankful because it purifies my motives. Otherwise we become narcissistic about change making, clouding our ability to help and connect with others doing the same.

Via www.insearchofsanuk.com

Why did you choose Thailand? Do you plan on expanding to other parts of Southeast Asia?

Thailand chose me. I was recruited to teach hear about 4 years ago for a 10 month contract. What I didn’t know is that I would build an affinity of the people, a knack for the language, and love of the lifestyle. I went home for a year near the beginning of the recession and eventually ended up back here. This is home and now I’m only focusing on doing what I’ve committed to here well.

Where do you & your organization hope to be in 10 years?

ISOS is still young. There’s a lot that needs to happen in the next 10 months to decide if it will exist in the next 10 years. I’m talking about the challenges of creating something long term and sustainable. To even be having this discussion is as daunting as it is exciting. So I’m dealing with looking for and applying for funding, while hypothesizing about the possibility of being able to hire staff or have a real office in the future.

What is your next upcoming project? What kind of help will you be looking for? What does In Search of Sanuk currently need the most right now? School supplies? Donations? Clothes? Volunteers? Do you have extended programs for volunteering? (IE: weekly, monthly)

We just expanded our project teaching on the weekends in two Bangkok slum communities. I’m always looking for volunteers both short and long term. This is designed for people who live and work in Bangkok to have an easy way they can give back. If someone is looking for something more long term, I’d love to have a grant writer (who wouldn’t, right?), but you don’t necessarily have to do that from Bangkok.

Donations are the biggest need. I have been able to get some of the projects we’re doing with kids partially funded, but I need more funding to move toward sustaining operations here. ISOS is still very grassroots and the funds I have been using mostly come from people here who have attended parties or events we’ve thrown. Those donations, along with what people give through my website go a long way. I’ll give you a recent example. This past weekend I helped a man buy a rice cooker ($15). If you can imagine, a broken rice cooker in a Sri Lankan family of four is quite a crisis, especially for this refugee family without any rights to work in Thailand. A small donation helped this man’s family in a big way. The same man who earlier this month, confessed to me about having to pawn his wife’s jewelry to pay his family’s rent ($100).

About Dwight Turner

Dwight Turner started InSearchOfSanuk to challenge you to create your lifestyle of fun and giving. We’re igniting change in Thailand and we want to help you do the same in your community. We all have a role to play. Dream Big, Work Smart, Start Local.

You can also follow Dwight on Twitter @insearchofsanuk