OCONTO, WI – An Oconto native is preparing for another international journey as Ashton Thiele gets ready to begin his second Peace Corps assignment this summer. Thiele will leave June 5th for Mongolia, where he will spend the next two years teaching English while continuing his work in international service and cultural exchange.
Thiele says his fascination with other countries and cultures started at a very young age and eventually grew into a lifelong goal of joining the Peace Corps.
“I’ve always kind of been obsessed with countries,” Thiele said. “When I was little, my mom would take me to culture fairs and things like that, and it was just amazing to me.”
Thiele says he first learned about the Peace Corps at a cultural event in Milwaukee when he was around 11 years old. He says the idea of living in another country, integrating into a local community, and teaching overseas immediately stood out to him.
“They were telling me I’d live in a village, be part of a community, and really experience real life there,” Thiele said. “That sounded awesome because it was everything I wanted to do.”
A graduate of UW-Madison, Thiele studied political science, international studies, and Russian language while focusing heavily on Eastern European and Central Asian studies. He says those academic experiences, along with study abroad opportunities in places like Armenia, helped shape his interest in Mongolia.
“Mongolia is very post-Soviet, and a lot of my degree focused on those types of countries,” Thiele said. “It’s kind of like my degree in practice.”
While overseas, Thiele says his role will focus on more than just teaching English. He hopes to become part of the community and help provide opportunities for young students through language education and cultural exchange.
“English is one of the most important languages the world uses,” Thiele said. “I want to provide a skill that’s useful and hopefully help these students move forward.”
Thiele says he hopes people in the communities he serves remember him as someone who made a positive impact.
“I don’t think of myself as someone coming in to save people,” Thiele said. “I just want to be someone they can trust and someone who can help.”
Before leaving for Mongolia, Thiele says he plans to spend as much time as possible with family and friends in Oconto. He says although the move overseas is a major step, he believes the experience could help shape the rest of his future.
“I think this will probably be one of the most important experiences of my life,” Thiele said. “It’s going to help me figure out what I want to do moving forward.”
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