Lessons of the day:
1. Lotus flowers are only for monks, Buddhas, or people you've seriously offended. They are not a good present for the school principal.
Alyssa and I wanted to give the principal some flowers as a thank-you for the lovely weekend at her home in Kanchanaburi. Alyssa chose some flowers she thought were pretty and came to school with them the next day.
One Thai teacher told us lotuses were for monks, etc., but she said the principal wouldn't mind since we obviously didn't know. And, the principal has lived in the U.S. before, so she knows different flowers don't have ceremonial significance there.
Later in the morning, though, Sukjai and another teacher tell us (repeatedly and emphatically) that the flowers are not suitable, but that we could buy different ones at a flower shop across from the school.
2. If you wish to give the Queen of Thailand a birthday gift, your birthday card's message is subject to inspection by the head of the English Department.
Kristy's mom brought a gift for the Queen's birthday when she came in June - a crystal dish or something (Now, what the Queen of Thailand is going to do with a crystal serving dish, I'm not sure. But that's beside the point). Kristy was told that she could give it to the school principal, and the principal would get it to the Queen.
She asked Sukjai how to address the Queen and what her card should say. Then she wrote it and sealed it.
Today, she was accosted by Sukjai and Picham, who wanted to read the card. She gave them a summary of what she wrote (because it was already sealed up). They told her to buy a new card, rewrite it, and let them see it first.
3. The Thai teachers in the Prathom English Department are exceedingly high-strung...
...Which is interesting, because I thought Buddhism was about non-attachment and the elimination of desire. I'd always thought of Buddhists as very chill people.
Maybe they've forgotten the Four Noble Truths. I'm pretty sure their desires for perfection are causing suffering. I'm sure they'd love it if I suggested as much.
Showing posts with label royalty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label royalty. Show all posts
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
feliz cumpleaños
We've started using Spanish in the office to speak about things we find unpleasant. Maybe it's rude, but they're talking about us constantly in Thai. It's only fair that we have a secret language.
It sparked a lot of questions from the Thai teachers about how we know Spanish, and while waiting out in the sun at the palace today, Alyssa taught Nummon some Spanish phrases.
We glimpsed the Queen as she drove up to the building where she'd give her speech. She was in a car with tinted windows, so we didn't have a great view. Nevertheless, I was about seven yards away from her.
We got to school around 1:00 and went to the palace at 2:30. We sat on tarps outside, chatted with the Thai teachers, fanned ourselves, and ate donuts when boys came by carrying trays full of them.
We waited around in the sun, in navy skirts, long sleeved shirts, and thick, navy suit jackets until 5:00, when she arrived. Very rude of her, really, to keep her guests waiting like that.
She and a whole slew of royalty drove up in a small parade of cream-colored cars. As the first car passed, we all had to bend forward very low and wai. Then, we could look up to sneak a peek.
They went inside and we stood up and faced the building for the national anthem. At the end, the men bowed and the women curtsyed. We sat back down and she delivered her speech. It was streamed to TVs outside, and there were speakers around so everyone could hear.
The funny thing is, almost all the Thais sat around talking to each other and paying no attention to the speech for the next hour. I was glad it turned out to be casual. It was nice to be able to mill around, hunt for donuts, get some cold water, and sit in a chair under the tented area.
When her speech was winding down, everyone returned to the tarps and tucked their feet behind them, awaiting her exit. The royal family loaded into some golf carts, drove around to wave to people, and then took their cars back to the palace villa.
It was mostly an uneventful day, although it was kind of funny to see the Thai teachers in Prathom freaking out in the morning about clothes. Sukjai scrambled around looking for spare navy suit jackets and Sutima made us go the the school convenience store to buy pantyhose. As it turned out, most of the other school teachers didn't wear pantyhose at all.
It sparked a lot of questions from the Thai teachers about how we know Spanish, and while waiting out in the sun at the palace today, Alyssa taught Nummon some Spanish phrases.
We glimpsed the Queen as she drove up to the building where she'd give her speech. She was in a car with tinted windows, so we didn't have a great view. Nevertheless, I was about seven yards away from her.
We got to school around 1:00 and went to the palace at 2:30. We sat on tarps outside, chatted with the Thai teachers, fanned ourselves, and ate donuts when boys came by carrying trays full of them.
We waited around in the sun, in navy skirts, long sleeved shirts, and thick, navy suit jackets until 5:00, when she arrived. Very rude of her, really, to keep her guests waiting like that.
She and a whole slew of royalty drove up in a small parade of cream-colored cars. As the first car passed, we all had to bend forward very low and wai. Then, we could look up to sneak a peek.
They went inside and we stood up and faced the building for the national anthem. At the end, the men bowed and the women curtsyed. We sat back down and she delivered her speech. It was streamed to TVs outside, and there were speakers around so everyone could hear.
The funny thing is, almost all the Thais sat around talking to each other and paying no attention to the speech for the next hour. I was glad it turned out to be casual. It was nice to be able to mill around, hunt for donuts, get some cold water, and sit in a chair under the tented area.
When her speech was winding down, everyone returned to the tarps and tucked their feet behind them, awaiting her exit. The royal family loaded into some golf carts, drove around to wave to people, and then took their cars back to the palace villa.
It was mostly an uneventful day, although it was kind of funny to see the Thai teachers in Prathom freaking out in the morning about clothes. Sukjai scrambled around looking for spare navy suit jackets and Sutima made us go the the school convenience store to buy pantyhose. As it turned out, most of the other school teachers didn't wear pantyhose at all.
Monday, August 10, 2009
a piñata would really sweeten the deal
Wednesday is the Queen's birthday. Tomorrow she will deliver a lengthy speech at the palace to an audience of 20,000 people - an audience of which I'll be a part.
Like every other event C--- School has dealings in, this one brings its own Thai craziness.
We were told about the dress code on Thursday or Friday - right before leaving for our weekend away - so we had almost no time to go shopping for the prescribed attire.
The Queen's color is blue, so we must wear blue. And a suit.
You did bring a suit, didn't you?
No. No, we didn't.
We didn't bring suits because we were expressly instructed by Prof. Mueller not to pack suits, because (and she emphasized this point) we'd have no need for suits.
Well, you must wear a suit, if you can find one.
One girl brought her suit jacket from home anyway, and a couple of people made it to a tailor to be measured before we left on Friday.
Oh, and by the way, you mustn't wear black...
Black is the color of mourning here, making it unsuitable for a birthday...
...and no gray either.
Because gray is... what? Black's ugly cousin? So, in the event that you decide to have a suit tailor-made for this shindig, you mustn't pick out the two most versatile and wearable colors. Heaven forbid you're able to wear this outfit again for a job interview.
My second gripe is that we were told to wear pantyhose.
Did I mention this speech takes place outdoors? And will last anywhere from one to three hours? In the hottest part of the day?
Yeah. Because in a crowd of 20,000 people at 2 in the afternoon, the Queen is going to notice and/or care that some farang teachers aren't wearing suit jackets and pantyhose.
To all this stuffiness I say, "Whatever!"
Like every other event C--- School has dealings in, this one brings its own Thai craziness.
We were told about the dress code on Thursday or Friday - right before leaving for our weekend away - so we had almost no time to go shopping for the prescribed attire.
The Queen's color is blue, so we must wear blue. And a suit.
You did bring a suit, didn't you?
No. No, we didn't.
We didn't bring suits because we were expressly instructed by Prof. Mueller not to pack suits, because (and she emphasized this point) we'd have no need for suits.
Well, you must wear a suit, if you can find one.
One girl brought her suit jacket from home anyway, and a couple of people made it to a tailor to be measured before we left on Friday.
Oh, and by the way, you mustn't wear black...
Black is the color of mourning here, making it unsuitable for a birthday...
...and no gray either.
Because gray is... what? Black's ugly cousin? So, in the event that you decide to have a suit tailor-made for this shindig, you mustn't pick out the two most versatile and wearable colors. Heaven forbid you're able to wear this outfit again for a job interview.
My second gripe is that we were told to wear pantyhose.
Did I mention this speech takes place outdoors? And will last anywhere from one to three hours? In the hottest part of the day?
Yeah. Because in a crowd of 20,000 people at 2 in the afternoon, the Queen is going to notice and/or care that some farang teachers aren't wearing suit jackets and pantyhose.
To all this stuffiness I say, "Whatever!"
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