Around the World and Back Again

Amidst all the Red Shirt Madness, I managed to escape the violence and go home for two weeks. The transpacific flight was just as long as I remembered, but finding my dad waiting for me at the arrivals gate was worth it!

I had been thinking about my homecoming for weeks. The feeling of driving Newport Coast again, crawling up Temple Hills, and turning down Alta Laguna Blvd. I had pictured our decrepit driveway, and the heard the sound of the asphalt crunching under the tires as we pulled in. I had dreamt about opening the front gate and been greeted by two whimpering puppies with sloppy kisses and cries of happiness. I had imagined the feeling of hugging my mom again. The actual experience did not disappoint.

For the first 24 hours all I wanted were big hugs, puppy snuggles, and cheese. After all those needs were satisfied, I was finally able to let myself believe that I was truly home. It was odd and surreal to walk down the hallway from my room, eat breakfast at the kitchen counter with Golda grumbling at my side, and look out the window at my mom gardening, with Sadie perched and ready with a ball in her mouth.

My second night home we had a big open house so I could see all my loved ones at once, not at all overwhelming J It felt so good to be surrounded by all the faces that I had missed for the past 5 months. And, not surprisingly, everyone wanted to hear all about my adventures and experiences. I found myself talking not about the big excursions I had been on, but rather all the small cultural things that I had become so accustomed to.

Over the next two weeks, during conversations on walks or over mexican food (yum!!!), I would bring up these little quirks about Thai culture as they occurred to me. I came to realize what a different world I had been living in.

Some of the more obvious quirks are about food, which should come as no surprise since food is a huge part of my life no matter what country I’m living in. The most distinctive difference is silverware. In Thailand, everyone eats with a spoon and a fork only. Knives do not exist. The spoon is the main vehicle for moving food from plate to mouth, the fork is there only to direct food onto the spoon. Any cutting is done with the side of the spoon. Jessica found this especially frustrating when she came to visit. Many of us had food everywhere but in our mouths the first month in Thailand. Also, almost every meal is served family style. This isn’t so odd, family style meals are practiced all over asia, and in countries around the world. However, in Thailand, food is shared one bite at a time. Each person has a plate full of rice in front of them and uses their spoon to select one mouthful of, say cashew chicken, from the main plate onto their plate. Add a little rice, eat, and repeat. The strangest thing was soup. I am all for family style, but soup one bite at a time from big bowl to mouth…. Kinda crosses boundaries. Am I right?

And don’t forget to use your straw! Drinking from bottles is considered crude. Thai women especially are considered rude if they don’t drink through a straw. Even canned beer, ew. Luckily, Beer is most often served in a glass over ice, and lots of it. At first this lead to watery disappointment, but given the heat we quickly learned that the Thais were on to something good. Now none of us can drink a beer without nam ken.

The next oddity is about appearance. Its not unusual to see Thai people with white powder all over their face, and sometimes on their clothes as well. All day long, everyone form little kids in school, to the Thai teachers, will pour baby powder into their hands and rub it all over their face and neck. Their reasons are two-fold. First, many of the powders contain cooling agents that help relief heat and perspiration, smart! Secondly, they want their skin to be as white as possible. In Thailand, white skin is seen as beautiful, pure, and ideal. However, most people, especially out in Isaan, are exposed to intense sunrays all year long. Tan skin is practically inescapable, which is why nearly every beauty product on the market contains UV blocking and/or whitening chemicals. They’re actually bleaching their skin constantly. Even the deodorant has whitening power. Because how unsexy are tan armpits!?

On that note, Thai people are very open about their opinions, especially concerning appearance. It’s not surprising when you meet a group of people for each girl to describe herself as either the pretty one, the thin one, the beautiful one, or even the fat one. Often times I’ve had students ask me if I thought that they were more beautiful than the girl sitting next to her. I always reply that they’re both beautiful, but that is not the Thai way. Even the Thai teachers will refer to specific girls as fat or ugly. It’s not meant as an insult, merely a description. With this is mind, I try to ignore the Western stigma of “fat” everytime my students mistakenly ask me if I am pregnant. Yes, I’ve been asked, and not just once. Umm mai pen rai? J

It’s hard to remember that all these little intricacies are so weird since they’ve become such an integral part of my everyday life. I know that these are the odd little details that will make me miss this wonderful country when I finally come home for good in October.

Until then, I’m back in Kalasin for another semester full of adventures, life experiences, and the unpredictable Thais.

xoxo