Culture

My favorite classes in college were Cultural Anthropology and Philosophy, both were mind-openers, mind-benders, and I got credit for it all, too. I lived in Germany for 3 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. Before we left for Thailand we spent a term in cultural training, too. Yet no book or class prepares you for the real thing. My first year in Thailand was a blur of culture shock. Then, after learning the language and setting off to work with national Thai partners, I was in for another major, even worse, bout of culture shock...as I learned how it really is here. Meaning what? Learning what people were thinking behind those beautiful smiles, learning about the daily grind of the farmer in the village, and hardest of all, what these people I wanted to get to know and love really thought of me and other westerners. It was hard, too, learning what my Thai friends were thinking about life, others, me. It is one thing to learn about another facinating culture, it is another to live and function in it. There are perceptions about being white, from America, and having more money than your neighbors that there is absolutely nothing you can do to change. There are things that your neighbors will never, ever understand about you, and that can be a bitter pill to swallow. Like what? One thing is family time, the villagers felt Kennedy spent too much time with his family, and helped his wife (me) too much. It is opposite of our American values...what man is criticised for loving his family too much? This is just one example of many...and I shed alot of tears those years. We have adjusted through the years, and where we live today is easier than the village by far. Yet there are always cultural issues that come up, even between the Northern/Southern/Eastern/Central Thais. We are trying to negotiate an Eastern/Central Thai conflict even now. And there will be issues that are on-going as long as we live in Thailand, that's just part of life here.
It sure makes for great stories!