fascination
Autor: Renand C. e Sá Grando | Publicado: 2011-08-25T00:02:00-07:00

(Again with Google translator (from Portuguese to English) but with my little supervision correcting major mistakes)


My fascination with my new everyday life and the interminable flow of information in a short time made me lose track of what I'm doing, like a tree that grows and follows the direction of the sun without thinking about what makes her raison d'être. With the news of the arrival of the daughter of Gabriel, the attempt to absorb the reality disturbed my sleep on this early morning of Thursday, 25.

Before arriving, I tried to avoid all I could about the Thai culture on Google. Gays, lesbians and specially ladyboys and all other classifications indicated are more common than I thought in Thailand, and in this first week it called my attention more than the insects sold as snacks to students by merchants around the village that my campus is located. I have not been hungry enough to taste them, but there are constantly short talks to ladyboys in classroom, grocery stores or restaurants. They see foreigners with some fear, because our eye surely are brightening a strangeness feeling. I confront it against myself, and I do not feel good about my strange look. I'll get used to, as I'm already used to the rigidity of the mattress (fucking hard bed!).

I learned and I started to get used to the Wai. I've Identified the different types and constantly I show my respect to the other with the gesture, which makes me somehow be connected to the feeling of each and have a mutual submission, almost like a complicity of respect for anyone. There are small temples and Buddha images everywhere, from taxis to each house, of various types and sizes. Adepts (almost all Thais) decorate temples and give gifts as they want, especially with plenty of colors and flowers. While walking on campus with some recently known Thais, I asked them to take a picture with the Buddha we have in the campus. One of them, when we got there, took off his shoes, knelt in front of Buddha, made the most respectful Wai and than she ran for about four times around it. Then I realized that she was grateful to Buddha for something that had happened her, and she said I could make requests to the Buddha, since there was nothing to do with love.


I can not understand, and it brings to me a delicious anguish. Tomorrow is the day of my class of Buddhist philosophy, and I think I will travel much further to where I am. Getting into the room with the mandatory uniform in Thailand (student is a respectful activity), do the Wai for the teacher while saying Wai "Sa wat di khrap", sit and listen. The "khrap" is a suffix that is made to identify that you present yourself as a man. Curious.

I did not know and would be mandatory, but I had my first lesson in Thai. The language is a melody in my ears, soft, calm, friendly, like a sonorous massage that makes your breathing more relaxed. The teacher seems a little authoritarian, and students impressively compliant and fully respectful. I have to control my background of academic criticism challenging teachers that I got since high school and submit myself to not cause discomfort for everyone. I notice that many Thais, even in English, asked if I was constantly hungry or thirsty. Shortly after I realized that this was a common way to show concern and kindness with friends, because food is revered and respected, and everyone should be happy and satisfied here. The most fundamental needs needs to be filled.

Next weekend I will travel with members of AIESEC Thailand to the floating market, they say it's typical from here. Tomorrow (today) will go to the nightlife of Bangkok, surely finding prostitution and many tourists who sometimes take advantage of the indescribable generosity of the Thai people, which prints a smile so warm it's easy to feel at home in less than a week. It's sad.

There is a Finn, neighbor, that the cultural shock left him without sleep for about four days, a result of chronic insomnia. After facing the crazy traffic, visiting some hospitals having as communication means a sheet of paper with something in Thai to guide us, I hope he is better by now.



I can not write everything, but maybe now I will be able to sleep a little more relieved to have organized it in words and not have a mess of information on my pillow when I lie in bed and in my very hard bed.

Have a good night and a kiss on each one!