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 li...