i should explain a few things about Thailand.
I don't know what happened to make it this way, but there are stray dogs everywhere. Someone suggested that people don't spay or neuter their animals because so many people here are Buddhist and they don't believe in hurting or killing life. That was also the explanation for why there are so many mosquitoes. It is true that monks won't kill mosquitoes and just shoo them away. But the majority of people kill the mosquitoes and there are a million trillion gagillion to kill because all the standing water in the rice fields here. So the dog problem doesn't make sense, either. These stray dogs are everywhere. some are nice enough and just watch you pass by while others are not so nice and chase after you. We definately got rabies shots when we got here. it's actually a bit funny when we all come in with our dog stories at school and laugh at who got chased by the dogs today and who sprayed the dogs with their water bottles. How big of a stick do you have to carry when you pass by his house?
Another thing to explain about Thai culture is that people comment on your looks ALL the time! It isn't considered bad to openly call someone fat or impolite to tell someone they have gained weight or lost weight or have a zit on their face or their hair looks bad or their clothes are pretty or they need to go bathe. It's just a way of life here to be hearing about weight and looks all the time. In my host family I live with a 5 year old girl who is a bit chubby and they must tell her she is fat at least 10 times a day. She just laughs and everyone just laughs. It's not really bad or negative or offensive, it just is the way things are. As a foreigner swimming in this fish bowl you are definately going to hear what people think about you. And as a foreigner you have to learn not to take things personally and just be alright with whatever people say.
So there I was hanging out with my host family and the conversation came around to what I eat in America. i said I eat a lot of salad in America and hardly ever eat rice. I said how I used to run 10 kilometers a day and now i don't run at all and I feel like I'm getting fat. I wonder if that was the spark for the fire that everyone agreed whole heartedly with me. They said when I came to Thailand I was "suay suay" (beautiful) and now I'm "uan uan" (fat). I laughed really hard as they were telling me this. i haven't gained any weight at all, but now they're all telling me that I'm fat but when I came I was really skinny. Everyone agreed. i mean, maybe I have gained weight, but honestly, I dont' think so. but i had been wanting to start running again, but those damn dogs are everywhere. But I decided to take the plunge and start running in the morning.
I woke up at a killer 6am and went out in the country to run. i live out in the country anyway so I was really just running by my house. i was running when suddenly out of the bush came running three dogs with slobber running down their fangs and a gleam of sinister determination in their eye. You know you have those moments when you feel like those primordial instincts kick in and you're just amazed at what you have done to ward off danger and preserve your life. This was one of those moments when I totally screamed like a girl instead. I had my hands to my face, my leg behind me and my voice was that high pitched piercing cry of a girl. Well the dogs were probably as surprised by my reaction as I was because they stopped dead in their tracks and just stared at me as I stared at them wondering what just happened to any amount of fearlessness or courage that ever existed inside me. I suppose I would be embarrassed if anyone else was around. Luckily no one was around and it probably woulnd't matter anyway because they'd just think, oh, it's the 'farang' (foreigner) and laugh no matter what I did. So I kept on running and laughed out loud as I passed by wide open acres of rice fields, banana trees, and papaya trees. The country here really is beautiful and despite the dogs i'm really happy to be here.
I don't know what happened to make it this way, but there are stray dogs everywhere. Someone suggested that people don't spay or neuter their animals because so many people here are Buddhist and they don't believe in hurting or killing life. That was also the explanation for why there are so many mosquitoes. It is true that monks won't kill mosquitoes and just shoo them away. But the majority of people kill the mosquitoes and there are a million trillion gagillion to kill because all the standing water in the rice fields here. So the dog problem doesn't make sense, either. These stray dogs are everywhere. some are nice enough and just watch you pass by while others are not so nice and chase after you. We definately got rabies shots when we got here. it's actually a bit funny when we all come in with our dog stories at school and laugh at who got chased by the dogs today and who sprayed the dogs with their water bottles. How big of a stick do you have to carry when you pass by his house?
Another thing to explain about Thai culture is that people comment on your looks ALL the time! It isn't considered bad to openly call someone fat or impolite to tell someone they have gained weight or lost weight or have a zit on their face or their hair looks bad or their clothes are pretty or they need to go bathe. It's just a way of life here to be hearing about weight and looks all the time. In my host family I live with a 5 year old girl who is a bit chubby and they must tell her she is fat at least 10 times a day. She just laughs and everyone just laughs. It's not really bad or negative or offensive, it just is the way things are. As a foreigner swimming in this fish bowl you are definately going to hear what people think about you. And as a foreigner you have to learn not to take things personally and just be alright with whatever people say.
So there I was hanging out with my host family and the conversation came around to what I eat in America. i said I eat a lot of salad in America and hardly ever eat rice. I said how I used to run 10 kilometers a day and now i don't run at all and I feel like I'm getting fat. I wonder if that was the spark for the fire that everyone agreed whole heartedly with me. They said when I came to Thailand I was "suay suay" (beautiful) and now I'm "uan uan" (fat). I laughed really hard as they were telling me this. i haven't gained any weight at all, but now they're all telling me that I'm fat but when I came I was really skinny. Everyone agreed. i mean, maybe I have gained weight, but honestly, I dont' think so. but i had been wanting to start running again, but those damn dogs are everywhere. But I decided to take the plunge and start running in the morning.
I woke up at a killer 6am and went out in the country to run. i live out in the country anyway so I was really just running by my house. i was running when suddenly out of the bush came running three dogs with slobber running down their fangs and a gleam of sinister determination in their eye. You know you have those moments when you feel like those primordial instincts kick in and you're just amazed at what you have done to ward off danger and preserve your life. This was one of those moments when I totally screamed like a girl instead. I had my hands to my face, my leg behind me and my voice was that high pitched piercing cry of a girl. Well the dogs were probably as surprised by my reaction as I was because they stopped dead in their tracks and just stared at me as I stared at them wondering what just happened to any amount of fearlessness or courage that ever existed inside me. I suppose I would be embarrassed if anyone else was around. Luckily no one was around and it probably woulnd't matter anyway because they'd just think, oh, it's the 'farang' (foreigner) and laugh no matter what I did. So I kept on running and laughed out loud as I passed by wide open acres of rice fields, banana trees, and papaya trees. The country here really is beautiful and despite the dogs i'm really happy to be here.
This made me laugh. A lot. I'll have to thank Arletta for telling me that you had a blog. It sounds like you are having fun! Of course since I'm such a nerd, all I can think of is all of the cool fish that are lurking out there in the rice paddies.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHA! omg... loove this! I have to thank Arletta too! (love that girl)
ReplyDeleteI'm so sure I already commented on this when I first read this. I loved this post, Laura.
ReplyDeleteAre there fish in the rice patties? that would be weird.
Remember when I scared you when you were coming out of the bathroom and you screamed rally loud? That was really funny, too.
ReplyDelete