From Head to Toe

I travel a lot. Obviously, this means I have to adapt to different cultures. I’d like to think I’ve gotten rather good at this. However, Thailand has presented more of a challenge than many other countries.

Most of the differences are simply amusing. They remind me of why I travel. Only in south-east Asia would you see signs telling metro passengers to give up their seats to Buddhist monks.  At times, it can be almost surreal to see warnings that forbid durian in the subways (complete with picture of the fruit and superimposed red X) right next to signs which causally say no smoking.

Other differences are more serious -- and more problematic. Thai Buddhism places importance on covering your legs.  From my outsiders perspective, having to wear long pants in 30 degree heat while up-country sometimes seems impractical. Still, I’m sure there’s a reason why traditional Buddhists believe it’s important. Members of many university groups we accompany wear short pants. The villagers do not seem offended.  Acquaintances told me that the average Thai won’t get up-set if someone breaks a taboo; especially if the offender is a westerner who is unlikely to be aware of its existence.

Still, it pays to be as culturally sensitive as one can. In my experience, Thai culture does demand strict adherence to traditional norms in certain situations. In Bangkok, no one really cares what kind of pants people ware.  Yet, on my first attempt to visit the Grand Palace I was turned way for wearing shorts. I returned the next day in proper attire. I stood in the rear of the stunning Emerald Buddha temple, not wanting to risk showing my feet to the altar while sitting. In return, a guard yelled at me in Thai.

  He may have taken issue with the physical location of my head.  This aspect of Thai culture has given me some trouble before.  On one sponsor visit, I attended a student presentation in a local school library. The visitors sit cross-legged on the floor while the students present. I’ve hated sitting on the floor ever since kindergarten. This was the second time I’d seen the presentation, and I was tired. So, I sat on a couch in the corner. My supervisor’s boss came over and physically pushed me onto the floor. A Thai-American intern later explained that this was because my head was much higher than those of the sponsors and high-ranking school administrators. This is considered disrespectful in Thailand.  I’m still trying to understand this concept.  After all, the students were standing. Their heads were higher than mine!   

The Importance of Being Happy

After one month in Thailand I’ve had some time to grow somewhat acquainted with the Thai cultural mindset. One outstanding aspect is the importance that many Thai’s place on emotions. In my experience, most Thais will not openly tell you if they are disappointed. However, if something makes them happy you will definitely know about it.

This goes beyond social pleasantries. During sponsor visits to villages, Village chiefs would often make a point of saying how happy the visit made him. This seemed be more than just “thank you for coming” or “I’m glad you could make it”. Translations ran more along the lines of “He’s glad that you came because your visit makes him very happy”. Apparently, no further justification for the visit was necessary.

I saw the same thing when I taught English at Baan Huay Sala School. The head English teacher was very concerned that our lesions “make the children happy”. Whether or not they actually learned something seemed to be a secondary consideration.

Admittedly, the English teacher could have been assuming that the children would learn. After all, the term lesson implies that learning will occur. The teacher also taught those children in the past; in Thailand, seeing is believing. Many rural Thais won’t invest in a new enterprise until they see that it works for their friends. The village chiefs may have taken it for granted that a donor would want to see the village he was sponsoring. Maybe, the sponsor’s main reason for visiting didn’t require mentioning.  

 Perhaps I've just gotten used to the Slavic world, where complaining is the order of the day. The Thai way might not be bad at all when you think about it. After all, who doesn't want to be happy, right?