By Darragh Doiron

The News staff writer

GROVES — Turkmenistan is about to get a dose of Southeast Texas in the form of a Collin Thibodeaux Peace Corps mission.

In September, he’ll head to the country — bordering Afghanistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan — to teach English as a second language.

Because the Karakum Desert covers so much of the country, he’s heard natives may be interested in Thibodeaux’s Texas waterways and landscapes. He’s already packing pictures to share.

“I’ll probably end up missing the water,” Thibodeaux, 22, said.

Though he’s geared up to try new foods, he said he’s also packing his Tabasco and Tony Cachere’s seasoning.

A buddy’s mother suggested the Peace Corps and Thibodeaux decided to serve time before possibly setting up a private psychology practice in Chicago. He said he fell for that region after visiting his half sister, Krysten, there.

When well-meaning observers caution him that Chicago is too cold, he tallies that Texas is too hot.

Thibodeaux is the son of Rickey and Becky Thibodeaux of Groves. Port Arthur News readers may recall anecdotes of Collin’s youth, as told through the column his father wrote for the paper.

Thibodeaux graduated from Port Neches-Groves High School in 2004 and just graduated from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville with a bachelor of science degree in psychology.

Thibodeaux said his determination to join the Peace Corps became evident as he dealt with files of paperwork to be approved. There were three rounds of processing with about 40 pages worth of questions, then an interview at the regional Dallas office.

“It’s not an easy application,” he said.

His Peace Corps service time is 27 months, putting him back in American in December of 2010.

“It seems unbelievable. It’ll go fast. College went by like nothing,” he said.