Q&A Series: On Missing Thailand

[Photo Credit: Paolo B on Flickr] 

Well this is day two of the Q&A series! I'm so excited to get to share some more insight into life here and answer some questions that you all have. Keep them coming! My e-mail is clairececil11@gmail.com.

Question: What do you think you will miss the most after you leave? (aside from the people)

Is it lame to say the food? Seriously though. Thai food is the best food in the world and I've lived here for long enough to supposedly have tired of it. I don't think my mouth will ever not water when I think about papaya salad and sticky rice. Or BSC food court chicken fried rice. Or fresh cut mango...the list goes on. And on.

This question is tough because I keep on thinking of who I will miss (e.g. LifePoint church, BSC guesthouse residents, the Thai staff at the BSC, etc) and things related to living in Thailand with other ex-pats/"farangs"--it's instant community. I've heard that's what it's like for deaf people. Wherever they go, they see another person signing and they can instantly strike up (sign up?) a conversation. In Thailand (less so in Bangkok), if you hear another English speaking person, you can chat/commiserate/share with them because they understand your struggles.

Additionally, I think I will miss the platform that I have at the BSC. I talked to my Thai friend Taam last night about my concern over correcting one of my older students who to be polite says "yes, sir" to me (to clarify, a female teacher) every time he responds to something I say to him. Taam said, however, that in Thai culture even if you are much younger than your student, you as a teacher are in a separate category and can therefore correct an older person without risking them "losing face" (being humiliated) and never coming back to your class. I really like teaching adults. They are respectful, fun, and eager to learn and practice English. Now I'm back to talking about who I will miss. Oh well.

I have so much freedom in my classroom that sometimes it's scary how much freedom I have. Aside from making sure I teach what's in the book, I can teach whatever God has laid on my heart. I'm excited about my last week of classes because I'm planning on showing my students a video that illustrates the gospel and then going through a hand-out that has a Thai/English gospel presentation. 

I would love for you to pray that God opens the door for questions and gives me the wisdom to answer those questions.