Can a foreigner get into the core of Thai-ness? September 7, 2010
Posted by judegrrl in Days of our lives, From the heart of Thailand, General, News.add a comment
Found this great topic on the Bangkok Post forum. Have a read to get a glimpse into the dichotomy of the Thai-Farang relationship!
Farang cannot know!
by thompson on Thu Sep 02, 2010 11:05 am
The general Thai view is that some farangs may know a lot about Thai politics, culture, way of life and so on, but they will never be able to reach the core of Thai-ness.
In retrospect, the traditional elite have always viewed themselves as being caught in the dilemma of whether to wipe out the threatening farang culture or to welcome its modernity.
This Post Bag reader reply is worth a read:
Contrary to the premise of the article about the impossibility of farangs to comprehend Thailand (“Farang cannot know – even if they do understand,” Bangkok Post, Aug 31), Thais often have to turn to farangs living on the other side of the world to learn about their own country, as we have seen in many high-profile corruption cases as well as in the identification of other social ills, particularly in the areas of human rights and human trafficking.
Thais are often uniquely incapable of learning about their own country, being too deeply entangled in the characteristics of Thai-ness that prevent them from seeking the truth. They are hampered by superstition, the importance of image over substance and of social harmony over truth, a natural tolerance of social ills, and a willingness to smooth things over instead of addressing ugly problems head on.
Farangs are an asset to Thailand in many ways, including their objective view of Thai society that exposes obvious truths that are often invisible to Thais.
CHA-AM JAMAL
Re: Farang cannot know!
by Voice on Sat Sep 04, 2010 12:14 am
Re: Farang cannot know!
by wilko on Sun Sep 05, 2010 8:26 pm
Wall mural design March 24, 2010
Posted by judegrrl in Culture Vulture, Days of our lives, General, Girlfriends, handicraft.Tags: wall mural design
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It all started with this book given by Choops.
Somewhere along its reportoire of “doodle, scribble & play”, it gave me the idea of decorating my outdoor wall. That is, draw a wall mural…
Which looks something like this:
I put the idea out of my head for a long time as I gave myself the excuse of being busy, not being able to find chalk (!)
Still the idea of my wall stayed close to my heart.
Its vision even followed me all the way to Singapore:
Brick wall at Aloha Loyang
And so I finally found chalk some two weeks ago. And today I finally searched for inspiration on the net.
Guess what I found:
With artist in tow...
My favourite too!!! Hahaha...
10 Frequently Asked Questions (& my answers to them) November 14, 2009
Posted by judegrrl in Culture shock, Culture Vulture, Days of our lives, General, Thinking out loud.Tags: FAQ
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- How many children do you have?
- Are you pregnant yet?
- Why do you not have kids?
- How old are you?
- Who liked whom first, Vincent or Judy?
- What is your occupation?
- How long have you been in Thailand?
- How long will you be staying in Thailand?
- How much do you pay for your Thai lessons?
- How much did you pay for your mobile?
And my answers are:
1. None.
2. Not yet.
3. Not ready yet. We are giving ourselves 2 years before we start trying for one.
4. 30 (but I look 22!).
5. Depends on who you asked. According to me, Vincent but according to him, it was me.
6. Housewife. I normally stay indoors. Or in the exact Thai equivalent, I “merely exist in the house” (อยู่บ้านเฉยๆ).
7. Been here since February, approximately 9 months.
8. Depending on the situation/ God. Our work permit only allows us to stay for a year.
9. I pay 200 baht per hour and my teacher Auy is a teacher at AUA currently pursuing her Masters in Education.
10. Approximately 10,000 baht.
Breakfast at Mair Noon’s October 12, 2009
Posted by judegrrl in Eat to live, General, Mission.Tags: Khon Kaen, neighbors
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We were woken up at 0830 hours this morning by Mair Noon calling out to me. Turns out that today is another Buddha’s Day holiday and she’s off from work. And she’s whipped up a feast and wanted us to join her for the food. Bleary-eyed, I stumbled out and accepted her invitation sans Vincent (who was catching up on his beauty sleep).
Before long, the rest of the other neighbors had joined us for the meal. It was a lovely experience for me to be surrounded by these people, hearing the things that moved them and learning what they were into. Even though they were chatting in Issan, I still felt very privileged to be a part of this priceless experience. Really wished that they could know Jesus as their Lord. Please pray for my neighbors!
Mushroom soup, bplaa dip, sticky rice, steamed bamboo shoots and other misc
My lovely Mair Noon
Mini-Machine in da House October 8, 2009
Posted by judegrrl in Days of our lives, General, handicraft.Tags: sewing machine
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My teacher found out from me last week that I was sort of into handicraft. She volunteered to lend me her mini-sewing machine, which she bought from 10 years ago. Then she had been really into beading, knitting, crotcheting etc.
Since this aligns with my current handicraft project, I said yes. And received the cutest shock of my life when I saw the machine she brought along- it’s the tiniest thing ever!!!
My electric Perfect Stitch
It comes with all the essential basic parts
Buttons for stitch size, self-automation
The only problem, it's not much bigger than a tissue holder!!!
Auy also lent me a whole plethora of books, accessories..
Reliving karaoke in a new land, new language September 14, 2009
Posted by judegrrl in Days of our lives, Finding my way around, General.Tags: karaoke, Khon Kaen, learning Thai
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Venturing tentatively into Thai KTV-land
Struggling to form my Thai words against the loud blasting music
For 30 baht, you can choose 3 songs
Do you know the Barber-man…? August 23, 2009
Posted by judegrrl in Days of our lives, General.Tags: baber, haircut, Khon Kaen
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Vince getting a retro haircut in a Thai hairsalon...
Unlocking the keys to the Thai language July 14, 2009
Posted by judegrrl in General, Thinking out loud.Tags: learning Thai, Thai proficiency
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I love my Thai teacher Auy. It’s been almost 2 months since I hired her & boy, I’ve pretty much enjoyed every session we’ve had. Today Auy further aided me in my progress by teaching me the following:
- Adverbs of Frequency such as never, normally, all the time, once in a while etc
- Daily activities, Telling time
- Mid/ High class consonants leading Low/ Mid class consonants
- Tongue twister #1 (this really ripped me up!)
Somewhere in the middle of the lesson, I was inspired to ask if there were any proficiency tests for foreigners who wanted to get tested for their Thai competency. Auy said that yes, there was 1 for foreigners who want to get their work permit and it’s the equivalent of the TOEFL.
At first I thought it would take 1-2 years to get competent enough before I could sit for the test. However Auy said it was possible to take it after 6 months’ intense studies. On the other hand it is NOT an easy test as there’s lots of reading and passage comprehension catered more for the locals. So if I’m to go for this, I would have to buck up and study very hard for it 
Ring a ring of chalk April 14, 2009
Posted by judegrrl in General.Tags: chalk, insects, line
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Just use it like ordinary chalk
The ants have been really getting to me. Ever vigilant, they are onto every spot of spilled liquid or food within half a minute. Be it on the floor, the wall or any surface, nothing is ever safe from them. Not even my skin!
I’ve waged war against them several times a day. I’ve sprayed liquid detergent, stomped on them, squeezed out their breath with my scrubbing brush. But within moments, the line of troops are back. Very exasperating.
So I asked a neighbour for advice and she counseled me to get chalk. Yes, chalk. We found this brand of insect-killing chalk at Big C. And it works like magic! Just draw a line along the wall/ floor and poof, no ants!
Okay, there’s a spiritual analogy here so bear with me. You need to draw your lines to let your foes know where you stand. If not, your territory just keeps getting pushed back or challenged.
The Thais know this very well. When we first moved in, we found white thread strung all around the house and the fence, which Vince proceeded to swiftly remove. He said it was some “spiritual thing”. I wonder if the previous owner was asking for protection or a curse upon the house.
