I've learned to appreciate disorder (who knew disorder could be appreciated?), because here, out of the chaos has emerged a permeating sense of nonchalance. It's something by which the whole world could benefit. Horn-honking is to warn others that you're behind them, or about to pass them, not to show your frustration. Yelling is for communicating in large crowds, or to tell the kids to be careful. Everyone smiles. Everyone laughs. Everything is so chill.
That's not to say Thailand doesn't have issues--it has a lot of issues, but there is something to be learned from the way Thai people look at life.
I've been thinking a lot about communication, too, since basically all of my communication at home consists of one or two-word catch-phrases:
"Let's go"
"Dinner"
"You like?"
It's still amazing to me that they are having real-life conversations with each other that I can't understand. And Thai is only one language. There are hundreds of languages! But I'm catching on a little bit. I can count to ten now, I can say "Let's eat," "I don't speak Thai," and "Where are you going?"
For some reason, I keep hearing sip song everywhere I go, which means 12.
I've learned to let go of my germophobia.
How long have those eggs been sitting out? Probably forever. Who cares?
Did anybody wash their hands before digging into the bowl of rice that I am also digging into? Doubt it.
There are dead ants in this food. Protein!
I think I'm sitting in fish juice. Oh well, I'm washing these pants when I get home anyway.
Was I living at all before I lived here?
Ummm Jenna. Seriously. I know exactly what you mean. I am soooooo glad you are doing this because now we have something so huge in common that you seriously have to personally experience to know for yourself. I love reading your blog! Because I know how ridiculously impossible it is to explain what you are experiencing via blog and it's annoying to know that you are the ONLY person who really knows how you feel and you are learning and changing so much and it's just so awesome!!! So I'm glad you now have first person experience to know how I felt last summer. Everything you say is so spot on and it is so interesting and I just love love love it.
ReplyDeleteLove it Jenna! It's so cool to hear about the changes happening in your life. Traveling really opens your eyes, doesn't it?? The world has so much to offer us, if only we'd take the time to explore it. LOVE YOU!
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