Unsurprisingly, Thai's do some things much differently than Americans. My Thai mom, Pi Moo, calls it "Thai style", and usually giggles afterwards. It is a strange thing to experience, settling down in another country with an entirely different set of cultural norms. Some people have told me (or jokingly implied) that I have overcompensated by coming to Thailand for as long as I will be here because I have never been abroad. Well, I do have a history of living on the opposite ends of extremes: study hard and do well, or skip class and bomb; drink 15 beers, or quit altogether; sentence fragments or flawless grammar. Some friends have called me a "creature of habit"(Gray), but I like to think of this "quality of extremes" as one of my many, many charming idiosyncrasies.
Now that I have been here for ten weeks, I have been able to immerse myself in a day-to-day routine where I am truly part of a community. First of all, and I know I have mentioned this in previous entries, Thai people are very shy and apprehensive around foreigners (or at least westerners). They are almost star struck, and believe me I am no star. It is kind of cool though, feeling like a celebrity if only for a few months. I think I have the act down. I play it cool. For example, when I walk to the cafeteria for a refreshing bottle of water, I always keep my eyes straight ahead as if I did not notice the onslaught of glances and chatter coming at me from all directions. Come one guys. You know I'm drinking in all the attention. Also, while I do act as if I am unaware of the students, I still give a few "hello there"'s and "how are you"'s to the students in my direct path. I'm not that full of myself.
Another difference, at least for me personally, is the transportation. I have never had to use public transportation, so maybe this is just an adjustment to living in a big city. If I want to get anywhere that is not within walking distance, I have to at least take the bus. If I want to go to the supermarket(because you know I'm constantly cooking up a feast), which is 5 miles away from my apartment at the most, I can take a bus (8 Baht) or a songtaew (5 Baht). A songtaew(I know this is not spelled correctly) is a pick up truck with two benches facing each other that can carry up to 15 passengers, approximately. Both the buses and the songtaews can get very packed. I think this is more Asian style than strictly Thai style. I have heard that in China people hang out of windows to find space on buses. There does not seem to be too many traffic laws or much of a concern for public safety here. There are no seat belts on any public transportation vehicles, but that may be more common than I realize. It still seems dangerous to me. You can hang off the end of a songtaew, literally dangling over the edge of the truck, and no one is going to tell you to get off because the the truck has reached maximum capacity. If I want to go to Siam Center in central Bangkok, where all of the mega-malls and tourist attractions are located, my trip involves three modes of transportation: songtaew to a bus stop, bus to the monorail, and monorail to the city. It can be rather hectic, and I am only talking about a distance of 20-30 miles (30-50 kilometers). I enjoy making these trips, although it can be a hassle at times. An iPod is an essential accessory for these ventures.
The first thing any foreigner will notice when they set foot in Thailand is the sweltering heat. I am not one for the heat. I have not adapted to the warm climate (I probably have and do not realize it), and I have been here for two and half months. I need A/C, and thank God that I have it in my apartment. Thai's do not have A/C in their homes, and I hardly ever see them sweat. It could be 95 F and 100 % humidity and I would still see Thai's walking around wearing jeans and dark colored shirts, some long sleeve, without a hint of concern or discomfort. Now I know all of you "science guys" are thinking of terms like endothermic and climate adaptation or whatever it is you guys think. It's probably something very scientific. But it still amazes me because the heat can really be unbearable here, even when I'm sporting an undershirt and light khaki shorts.
That is all for now. These are the first few observations I have made about Thailand, or, I should say, the ones that have had the most immediate impact on me. There is much more to say about "Thai style". Until next time, don't forget to put on your surgical mask before you leave the house.
Sawasdee krap,
Mr. Carson
Now that I have been here for ten weeks, I have been able to immerse myself in a day-to-day routine where I am truly part of a community. First of all, and I know I have mentioned this in previous entries, Thai people are very shy and apprehensive around foreigners (or at least westerners). They are almost star struck, and believe me I am no star. It is kind of cool though, feeling like a celebrity if only for a few months. I think I have the act down. I play it cool. For example, when I walk to the cafeteria for a refreshing bottle of water, I always keep my eyes straight ahead as if I did not notice the onslaught of glances and chatter coming at me from all directions. Come one guys. You know I'm drinking in all the attention. Also, while I do act as if I am unaware of the students, I still give a few "hello there"'s and "how are you"'s to the students in my direct path. I'm not that full of myself.
Another difference, at least for me personally, is the transportation. I have never had to use public transportation, so maybe this is just an adjustment to living in a big city. If I want to get anywhere that is not within walking distance, I have to at least take the bus. If I want to go to the supermarket(because you know I'm constantly cooking up a feast), which is 5 miles away from my apartment at the most, I can take a bus (8 Baht) or a songtaew (5 Baht). A songtaew(I know this is not spelled correctly) is a pick up truck with two benches facing each other that can carry up to 15 passengers, approximately. Both the buses and the songtaews can get very packed. I think this is more Asian style than strictly Thai style. I have heard that in China people hang out of windows to find space on buses. There does not seem to be too many traffic laws or much of a concern for public safety here. There are no seat belts on any public transportation vehicles, but that may be more common than I realize. It still seems dangerous to me. You can hang off the end of a songtaew, literally dangling over the edge of the truck, and no one is going to tell you to get off because the the truck has reached maximum capacity. If I want to go to Siam Center in central Bangkok, where all of the mega-malls and tourist attractions are located, my trip involves three modes of transportation: songtaew to a bus stop, bus to the monorail, and monorail to the city. It can be rather hectic, and I am only talking about a distance of 20-30 miles (30-50 kilometers). I enjoy making these trips, although it can be a hassle at times. An iPod is an essential accessory for these ventures.
The first thing any foreigner will notice when they set foot in Thailand is the sweltering heat. I am not one for the heat. I have not adapted to the warm climate (I probably have and do not realize it), and I have been here for two and half months. I need A/C, and thank God that I have it in my apartment. Thai's do not have A/C in their homes, and I hardly ever see them sweat. It could be 95 F and 100 % humidity and I would still see Thai's walking around wearing jeans and dark colored shirts, some long sleeve, without a hint of concern or discomfort. Now I know all of you "science guys" are thinking of terms like endothermic and climate adaptation or whatever it is you guys think. It's probably something very scientific. But it still amazes me because the heat can really be unbearable here, even when I'm sporting an undershirt and light khaki shorts.
That is all for now. These are the first few observations I have made about Thailand, or, I should say, the ones that have had the most immediate impact on me. There is much more to say about "Thai style". Until next time, don't forget to put on your surgical mask before you leave the house.
Sawasdee krap,
Mr. Carson
very interesting stuff.
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