Ramblings

Some days, I just stop and marvel at the fact that I live in Thailand. It can become as common as living in any little town in the world. It becomes normal. The times I realize it are typically when I’m sitting in the back of a sawng tao (truck with two benches AKA taxi) headed to Mae Rim or Chaing Mai. Many things I may have thought weird or abnormal are now what I have come to expect and no longer shocking in the slightest. People take pictures of you because you’re white, surprising? No, commonplace. There is an entire (head and all) slaughtered pig in the market, which is totally normal. Keeping in touch and talking to friends and family by talking to the computer is a necessity, at one time I thought the concept was strange. Amongst things becoming normal, there are still things that drive me nuts about the country and those that I will never understand no matter how long I live there. People still stare at me even though they have seen me a million times and there are only six white people in our village. (Yes, we all know each other.) The internet goes out when there is any type of weather including beautiful sunshine. The town crier thinks it’s his duty to bid you a good morning at 6:30 am on a Saturday, when you actually get to sleep in. :) These are small, materialistic things, but there are bigger issues, which I have grown accustomed and will miss when I leave Thailand for the last time. However, there are also those, which cause me to shake my head and just wonder why.

Mai Phen Rai and Jai Yen Yen are two phrases, which I have learned to embrace. I like them when applied appropriately of course. Mai Phen Rai means no problem, don’t worry about it, or never mind. It is used all the time. There are times when I think we need to hasten or be concerned about things. For the vast majority of things, westerners could take a lesson in this area of life and not worry so much. Jai Yen Yen means chill or at least that’s the way I’ve explained it to my students. It could also be translated as calm down. Again as it states in Ecclesiastes 3, there is a time and place for everything. So there is a time and place for the phrase as well, but I would love to see it practiced a little more. (Maybe on the freeways in LA.)

The way people are treated in Thailand can just make me sad. I see people that I could easily just give all of my money away to them knowing they could use it more than I. They would probably make better use of it as well. I am also amazed by the way some Thais treat their people. They show love and they care. They give to their people if they are able. They help and do it willingly.

The important things in life are something we define and say in cliché terms quite frequently. Those cliché terms are true. The important things in life are not the material possessions we own. The relationships we have are far greater than anything we could ever own.

I pray I am impacting the world around me in a positive way the way Thailand is impacting me. I hope I remember and will always be changed by my experiences in Thailand.

Love and Hugs,

Lainy J.