Just a couple of observations.
1) There seems to be a lack of confidence in this country. No one believes they can do anything. When I ask kids what they want to be, "I want to be a doctor, but I don't think that I can." When I ask my host sister if teaching is her dream job, "No, I would like to be a secretary, but I can't." There's a lack of self-confidence and it's systemic. A lot of teachers aren't in their dream jobs because they're following in their parent's footsteps, often due to a lack of self esteem. Since they're not in their dream jobs, they can't inspire their students to follow their dreams. It's a vicious circle and a systemic problem.
2) Along with this lack of confidence there's a lack of belief in creativity. The education system is based on rote memorization. These kids just need to run around and color! I really believe that if they were given more license to be themselves and not conform then their self confidence would increase.
3) Poverty and wealth in Thailand is really interesting. Unlike in the West where those with more are somewhat segregated from those without (by way of "wealthy" vs. "poor" neighborhoods), in Thailand they are right next door. My host family lives in a nice little compound next door to a bunch of shacks. It's so strange to see. In one school, you have malnourished, scrawny kids and fat kids. Mind you, you have to live close to your school. It's very interesting to me the way that it works.
4) Smells in Thailand. Wow. There are so many. Taphan Hin mainly smells like decaying food (from a lack of refrigeration), motorcycle smoke (preferred means of transport), baby powder (cools and dries the skin), fried eggs, sweat, and oil. It's a very strange smell and not entirely pleasant. There seems to be a lack of a sewage system as well as a general garbage collection. There's garbage everywhere. On one hand, it's unsanitary and they should clean it up. On the other hand, at least people are aware of the garbage whereas in the US we throw things away with impunity without thinking about it.
5) Buddhism in Thailand is very different than I expected. According to my friend Zoe, who is a Buddhist and is from Burma, it's much more cultural than spiritual. There's some truth in this. So often I see monks at markets or eating out. Once I even saw them on a tour bus! Monks are apparently not supposed to do this. They are meant to live within the confines of the temple and the monastery and every morning they "beg" for good (they are fed by the community and in turn feed the poor of the community). It makes me feel strange taking photos in a temple, especially when someone is meditating. Also, men in Thailand are meant to be monks for a certain period of time in their life. It's considered an honor for the family.
*Zoe said that there are two types of monks, the ones who are culturally Buddhist and those that are spiritually Buddhist. The spiritual Buddhist monks remain within the monastery and meditate, leaving only on special occasions. The cultural Buddhist monks seem to live a more civilian life. Apparently, the community (at least in Burma) quietly disapproves of the cultural Buddhists.
Also, for general information on Buddhism, there are three schools: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Within these three schools, there are various sects. For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schools_of_Buddhism
6) There have been a lot of deaths since we got here. It seems like every week I'm invited to a funeral. Today I was invited to the cremation of the program directors grandma (the country coordinators mom). As much as I wanted to see it, I felt as though I was going for the experience and not to pay homage to this woman. In the end, I decided that those were the wrong reasons and so I went to my tutoring gig at the library instead. They tend to accept death much more so than in the West, viewing it as simply a part of life. Still, funerals are quite the affair. They last at least 3 days, with the monks chanting for those 3 days. On the final day, the body is cremated and the ashes are dealt with as the family wishes. For more information on this morbid topic: http://www.thai-blogs.com/2011/08/05/what-to-expect-if-you-are-invited-to-a-thai-funeral/
