4. Using the weather as an excuse for anything and everything
I had a friend from the States recently say to me "Man, it's such a good day outside here but it must be awesome all the time in Thailand." To set the record straight: No. Granted it is generally nice but it does get very hot some days. And the hot days are often followed by heavy rains which is preferable for most. A good, sunny day also means carrying around umbrellas while riding motorcycles or standing/working in the shade so your skin doesn't turn "black." I sometimes get dragged out of the sun so my skin doesn't turn "ugly" and tan. It is now the rainy season which means that there is an abundance of precipitation. The rain comes in waves (sometimes literally) so Thais will wait for it to stop before adventuring outside to carry on with their day. On a more personal level, the Thais fear for my health. When it starts to rain they believe I will get sick which in all fairness could happen. And when they aren't worrying about my immune system they are worried I will crash my bike which, again, could happen. Coming from Washington State, it's difficult for me to understand why daily activities can be hindered from a little ran. But again, different climate = different culture. So weather it's hot or cold (see what I did there?), the climate plays into everyday living just as in other parts of the world. Now I just need to get used to holding an umbrella.
3. Having a 'Color-A-Day'
Having trouble deciding what to wear today? Do you know what day of the week it is? No problem. This makes it incredibly easy to get dressed each day because certain colors coordinate with the days of the week. Just throw on the right polo shirt and you're set. No standing in front of your dresser starting at clothes. No trying on multiple outfits to find "the one." Just look at the calendar, coordinate the color, and you day is ready to go. And if folks are really into this tradition they even do their underwear. Or so I'm told.
Sunday-Red
Monday- Yellow
Tuesday- Pink
Wednesday- Green
Thursday- Orange
Friday- Blue
Saturday- Purple
Right now I almost have my collection complete of polos for every day. I call it my personal game of "Polomon." Gotta catch 'em all!
2. Being a child lasts until you are 25(ish)
Having trouble deciding what to wear today? Do you know what day of the week it is? No problem. This makes it incredibly easy to get dressed each day because certain colors coordinate with the days of the week. Just throw on the right polo shirt and you're set. No standing in front of your dresser starting at clothes. No trying on multiple outfits to find "the one." Just look at the calendar, coordinate the color, and you day is ready to go. And if folks are really into this tradition they even do their underwear. Or so I'm told.
Sunday-Red
Monday- Yellow
Tuesday- Pink
Wednesday- Green
Thursday- Orange
Friday- Blue
Saturday- Purple
Right now I almost have my collection complete of polos for every day. I call it my personal game of "Polomon." Gotta catch 'em all!
2. Being a child lasts until you are 25(ish)
At first I thought people were treating me like a child because I'm a farang (foreigner) and new to the country. Then I found out it is because of that and also the fact that I am under 30 years old. No joke. I asked when a person is considered an adult in Thailand and the answer was 25-30 years old. This explains why I get food/money/rides offered to me constantly. If I don't eat much I get brought something else in the hopes that I will like that better. If I don't eat that, I get asked if I need to go see the doctor. There are some times when this is great but it takes me back to the awkward, teenage, rebelliousness phase of life. Choosing not to do things they way people tell me to because I want to (and can) do it differently. This is just because I'm so familiar with an independent lifestyle and Thai 'youth' are familiar with being taken care of in a close-knit community setting. Having college paid for in-full and pants with pocket money is considered the norm. Thais take care of their kin in a nice rotation of age and responsibility. Plus it's funny to see their faces when they find out I can cook for myself. And not just Top Ramen.
1.Fitting the whole family and the dog on one (1) motorbike/scooter
It's not out of the ordinary to see a motorbike crammed with people. Some volunteers have reported seeing 5 (or more) people. The most I've seen is 2 adults and 2 kids with a dog in the basket. That could be considered a family of five I guess. They looked really happy weaving through traffic with the kids acting like they learned to ride before walking; which is probably true. Being a PC volunteer, we are not allowed to drive or ride on a motorbike. If we do, we get sent home. There is a convenience factor that we miss out on when all we have is our bicycle but I understand the reason. Still, you wouldn't see a whole family making their way around town on a scooter in the States and there would probably be some child endangerment laws or something other. There are helmet laws but they find it difficult to enforce. In the smaller, rural parts I rarely see people wear them. Granted, there are few accidents at my site but with that many people on one motorbike it wouldn't take much. Wear your helmets kids. It keeps the smarts inside.
It's not out of the ordinary to see a motorbike crammed with people. Some volunteers have reported seeing 5 (or more) people. The most I've seen is 2 adults and 2 kids with a dog in the basket. That could be considered a family of five I guess. They looked really happy weaving through traffic with the kids acting like they learned to ride before walking; which is probably true. Being a PC volunteer, we are not allowed to drive or ride on a motorbike. If we do, we get sent home. There is a convenience factor that we miss out on when all we have is our bicycle but I understand the reason. Still, you wouldn't see a whole family making their way around town on a scooter in the States and there would probably be some child endangerment laws or something other. There are helmet laws but they find it difficult to enforce. In the smaller, rural parts I rarely see people wear them. Granted, there are few accidents at my site but with that many people on one motorbike it wouldn't take much. Wear your helmets kids. It keeps the smarts inside.
