Friday, January 18, 2013

Thai sty(le)


Something strange has begun to happen.  It’s a very peculiar occurrence.  The Thai way of doing things has actually started to become normal to me!  That means that I can’t believe I used to drink beer without ice and that it does in fact make so much more sense to eat dominantly with a spoon and yes, showing a little shoulder is indeed sexy.  Also, yes Thailand I couldn’t agree more that any excuse is a good excuse to do karaoke.  I’m also getting quite used to taking off my shoes before entering shops, the fact that pretty much anything you eat or drink from soup to salad to Coke is served in a bag as well as the way the workers in shops and restaurants hover over you while you decide what you want (quite an awkward experience in the beginning).  I also must admit I don’t give a second thought to the squat pots anymore or the fact that 95% of bathrooms don’t have soap.  I honestly can’t believe I’ve only been living in Thailand for a little over three months!  It feels like a year already because I have experienced so many new and different things. 
Instead of the typical American staples from 7-11, I now regularly eat noodles and pork (the spicier the better!) for breakfast.  When I first got here, I could not believe how cheap everything was.  Now that I’ve been living in Thailand for a while my perspective has begun to change.  Honestly, I’ve realized that it is all relative.  True, if you come to Thailand with American dollars and an American job back home, your money can go very far.  But when you’re making baht you have to think in baht so it changes it a bit, although the cost of living is obviously much lower than Los Angeles.  When I first got to Thailand, I thought 100 baht for a meal was ridiculously cheap which is the equivalent of about $3.30.  Now, I realize that a meal for 100 baht is actually on the expensive side when you can easily find 30 baht meals ($1) at the selection of food carts which are just as delicious as the restaurants.  It’s also nice watching your meal cooked right in front of you.
I had a thought the other day that when I leave Thailand, I will truly miss my students.  Even though they drive me insane, I’m slowly but surely falling in love with them.  It was definitely not love at first sight what with them making me want to cry or scream for the first two months, but I’ve grown to adore them (even though they still make me want to scream some days).  They’ve left imprints on my memory and my heart and even though I still know very few names (Ok I know that’s lame but gimme a break—I have 900 students!), I will remember their faces and the hilarious nonsensical moments we’ve shared for many years to come.  I will also miss wai-ing.  It feels like so much more of a respectful and heart centered greeting to me than a mere hello.  “Hello” just sounds so boring to me now!  I will miss the King’s song as a signal that it’s the end of the work day.  I will of course long for the amazing cuisine probably more than anything although variety is always nice. 
My wet bathroom has also really grown on me.  For those that have no idea what a wet bathroom is, please let me explain.  Basically it means that when you shower, the entire bathroom gets soaking wet because there is no separate shower.  The shower head and water heater are simply mounted on the wall.  Also, my toilet has a power spray hose (like an extremely hardcore bidet!).  Now at first, I was like what are Thais thinking?  This is the stupidest thing ever because it means you can’t leave the toilet paper in the bathroom and it seems like a recipe for a concussion or a broken hip.  But after living here for a few months, I’ve begun to think that wet bathrooms are nothing less than genius!  I’m starting to think Americans should take note of these for a few reasons. 
You can do so many different things while showering!  You can look in the mirror and check yourself out, which let’s be honest, who doesn’t like to do that?  You can easily brush your teeth and floss while showering.  My favorite thing about a “wet” bathroom that I just discovered is that you can clean while showering!!!  If cleaning is one of your least favorite activites as it is for me, especially bathrooms, then you should seriously consider building a wet bathroom in your house.  There you are standing in your birthday suit and instead of just washing your body, you can actually multi-task.   In between washing your hair and your toes, you can take a break with your cleaning spray and a sponge.  Honestly, who wants to separately clean the sink, shower, toilet and mirror?  I definitely don’t!
  I don’t think I’m going to stay in Thailand long term, but I’m definitely acclimating to my life here.  I don’t even hear the twenty some roosters that live in my backyard anymore…well most days anyway.  But just so you’re aware, the idea that they only crow in the morning is a damn lie.  So as I rest my head on the pillow at night to the off-key sounds of the local karaoke bar and the “burping” geckos, I often think to myself that I’m more of a chameleon than I ever would have expected.                    

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