Thailand 1
I came to Thailand Thursday, Oct 22, 2009. I came to work in the School of Science of Mae Fah Luang University as a visiting professor.
The University is in the North of Thailand, 10 miles North of the city Chiang Rai.
Time.
Thailand is GMT+ 7 h. Missouri is GMT – 6 h. So Thailand time is 13 h earlier than Missouri time and 15 h earlier CA time.
Wai
Wai is the Thai greeting. One put his/her hands together as in the prayer and bow. The older people and people higher in their status are waied. The response is a smile and slight head nodding. The greeting is a covenant between the strong and week. The wai is a gesture of obedience. In exchange for obedience, the strongest one should take care of the weakest one. That what I read on the Internet before the trip.
When I entered in Bangkok the plane of Thai Airlines, all passengers were waied by the flight attendants. I felt very uncomfortable, imagining how I will wai my superiors at the University.
In Chang Rai airport I was met by the Dean of our School. He took me to the University and introduced me to my future colleagues. After that, he drove me to the University Guesthouse. I will live here for one week, before moving to my permanent apartment. The Dean was leaving for an International Conference the next day. He introduced me to his friend Hansa who will take care of me in his absence and will take me to the Chula University Alumni party in Chiang Rai.
I was very happy about such good treatment and waied the Dean. He waied me in response. I thought that to do a wai may be really enjoyable.
S korablya na bal.
Fr Oct 24 is a National holiday. The University is closed.
In the morning Dean's friend Hansa took me to Chiang Rai. Hansa is a professor of biochemistry. She is younger than me.
We visited three Buddhist Temples, more than beautiful. I took many photographs, some are attached.
Chula university
In the evening we went to the Alumni party in Chiang Rai. It is organized once a year for all graduates of one of the Bangkok Universities which is Thailand Harvard. They have a strong Old Boys organization. I was told that at this party were all important people of the Chiang Rai Province. The President of our University waied me and other guests. Here every one waied every one. So all my fear disappeared. I started to think about how nice is this greeting. At the party was a lot of fun, good food, a lot of dance and music and it was a karaoke concert. The President of our University performed a few English soul lyrics. He has a rich and strong voice and probably has some formal musical training. I could not imagine any of American University presidents singing at the karaoke concert.
I came to Thailand Thursday, Oct 22, 2009. I came to work in the School of Science of Mae Fah Luang University as a visiting professor.
The University is in the North of Thailand, 10 miles North of the city Chiang Rai.
Time.
Thailand is GMT+ 7 h. Missouri is GMT – 6 h. So Thailand time is 13 h earlier than Missouri time and 15 h earlier CA time.
Wai
Wai is the Thai greeting. One put his/her hands together as in the prayer and bow. The older people and people higher in their status are waied. The response is a smile and slight head nodding. The greeting is a covenant between the strong and week. The wai is a gesture of obedience. In exchange for obedience, the strongest one should take care of the weakest one. That what I read on the Internet before the trip.
When I entered in Bangkok the plane of Thai Airlines, all passengers were waied by the flight attendants. I felt very uncomfortable, imagining how I will wai my superiors at the University.
In Chang Rai airport I was met by the Dean of our School. He took me to the University and introduced me to my future colleagues. After that, he drove me to the University Guesthouse. I will live here for one week, before moving to my permanent apartment. The Dean was leaving for an International Conference the next day. He introduced me to his friend Hansa who will take care of me in his absence and will take me to the Chula University Alumni party in Chiang Rai.
I was very happy about such good treatment and waied the Dean. He waied me in response. I thought that to do a wai may be really enjoyable.
S korablya na bal.
Fr Oct 24 is a National holiday. The University is closed.
In the morning Dean's friend Hansa took me to Chiang Rai. Hansa is a professor of biochemistry. She is younger than me.
We visited three Buddhist Temples, more than beautiful. I took many photographs, some are attached.
Hansa
Hansa
Chula university
In the evening we went to the Alumni party in Chiang Rai. It is organized once a year for all graduates of one of the Bangkok Universities which is Thailand Harvard. They have a strong Old Boys organization. I was told that at this party were all important people of the Chiang Rai Province. The President of our University waied me and other guests. Here every one waied every one. So all my fear disappeared. I started to think about how nice is this greeting. At the party was a lot of fun, good food, a lot of dance and music and it was a karaoke concert. The President of our University performed a few English soul lyrics. He has a rich and strong voice and probably has some formal musical training. I could not imagine any of American University presidents singing at the karaoke concert.
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