Hello all! I’m here, in-between the waves and the island lifestyle in which I’m growing too much accustomed to in Koh Tao. All of you were spot-on in saying this particular island is worth a visit! It’s not as touristy as Phuket and Koh Samui but I’m loath to escape to the ultimate quiet bay given my prospects of landing up soon in some tiny village in the middle of nowhere to teach… will keep you up to date on my post when I find one! Job-seeking aside, although I am applying everyday, let me get you more attuned to my experience thus far…
My month has not been without the tourist trips, as much as I have tried to keep it local. So far I have seen a mummified monk, taken pictures of phallic rocks, got down on my knees in beautifully adorned temples, and raised my eyes to the giant statue of Buddha, perched on a hill taking vigil of the town below. I have bartered my way (in Thai mind you!) through the racks of beautifully handcrafted cotton clothes, wolfed exotic smelling and colourful cuisine and clicked my Canon to capture the flamboyance of the long tail boats and majestic green hills and beaches. I have even eaten a worm and two crickets - could not stomach the cockroaches - much to my friend Sunny’s disgust and awe (She ate a cricket too later that night!) – She reckons I’d do well in Fear Factor – lol!
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| "I think I'll go and eat worms..." |
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| Kakalakka! |
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| Wan, Keg and I. |
But what I want more than ever is to gain a footing into this mystical and peaceful place and learn to understand what makes these beautiful, tiny people smile and never show a bad emotion.
In Thai cultural class, we were told about ‘losing face’, something that Thai people avoid at all costs. To live up to this conviction, they smile at all costs, and believe firmly in the saying ‘Mai pben rai’ – literally meaning ‘no worries’ or nevermind’ - reminding me vividly of the Zanzibarian saying – Hakuna Matata!
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| Image of the revered Thai King |
We also learnt that we must treat Thai money, the Baht, with respect. That is to say that no scrunching up the notes and letting then loose in the bottom of your handbag! Notes are to be kept folded neatly in half in a wad in your front pockets, not back pocket as that means you sit on the money and thereby degrade its worth. When presenting the notes, the Kings image must always face upwards. The Thai people adore their King – and I must say he is a pretty awesome guy. He is totally committed to his people, taking an active initiative in helping the poor and reading letters arriving from the most remote villages and replying to them in person. Every Monday is King’s day and some schools don’t open or if they do, people can where their yellow shirts that are the royal colour.
The cultural maxim of ‘Same Same but Different’ is everywhere, printed on tourist t-shirts and evident in most conversations I’ve had when asking a Thai to explain a cultural conundrum.
Another cultural epithet is the curtailment of public displays of affection. Between the same genders, affection is welcomed, one often seeing two girls hugging each other or two men holding hands. But man – on- woman affection and visa-versa is seen to be a private affair to be had behind doors. An endearing way to greet a member of the opposite sex that one may have affinity for is to place your nose in front of their ear and give two or three gently sniffs.
Everyone is expected to take off their shoes when entering someone’s home, including a temple that is the home of Buddha and many various other deities and revered monks. Many shops and restaurants are makeshift enterprises run from a family’s home, so the same applies here. At school, teachers and kids remove their shoes when entering places of learning as a sign of respect. And as a male teacher, you are not allowed to arrive at school in shoes that reveal your toes – us females have that luxury of airing our foot appendages in the humidity. A scenario that they would explain as same same, but different! And of course, a lady’s shoulders, bosoms and knees need to be covered at all times at school. Needless to say, a teachers dress is very conservative, counterbalancing the utter respect we are given in everyday life; Kru ‘In’ they call me.
When eating your food, one must only ever use the fork to scoop food onto your spoon – never put a fork in your mouth (Try eating a salad with a spoon!) Needless to say, I haven’t ordered a salad yet, and my chopstick skills are mounting. The most devoured dish by me is the Pad Thai mooung, served with fried peanuts and crispy pork. The crunchiness of the sprouts is just to die for. I’ve had so many different dishes, but this by far is the most constantly delicious one! It can be bought as street food, in all Thai eateries and made expensively available in top-class restaurants.
My Thai is flourishing, and people think I’m a Thai teacher instead of an English teacher – lol! The more Mekhong Whiskey I imbibe, the more fluent I am!
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| Primary School - Thong Krut, Samui |
The little teaching experience I have had in the past two weeks has been exhilarating, if not absolutely physically draining! Nonetheless the kindergarten kids have claimed my heart and eagerly hang on to my every word and action. Their chorus of the words I present on the flashcards like ‘dog’, ‘cat’, ‘fish’ (pronounced ‘fit’ – they have difficulty with sh), and ‘snake’ (said ‘s_a_nake’ as they don’t understand two consonants together) is echoed eagerly and loudly. I find that their brains are like sponges at this age (3-6 yrs old). So I tut with delight at their noise. But still I grab my lower back to ease the muscle cramps and wring the sweat out of my shirt after a warmer of ‘Simon says’ or a song like ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes’!
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| There I am - in the middle! |
All in all, I’m having a ball. I am finding my voice and my way in this amazing land. I have not given you a day to day account of my travels this time. My time has seemed to blur into one incredible experience. I’ve met some lovely people, some local, others from across the globe – All with similar good tidings to offer up about their sojourn in Thailand.
