Themes of Humanity

From the last few days, I have learned much about the nature of people.

People can...

...be outrageously kind.
Like Madame Chong, one of the Chinese language teachers from Malaysia who is employed at Amnuayvidhya School. A sweet and short lady who is not "plump" or "fat" or "round" -- but merely, "soft" (it is truly the perfect word to describe her), Madame Chong has always greeted me with a warm smile that makes her eyes turn into moons. She brought me red bean tapioca the other day: "something sweet for you! *smile*" she said in perfect English -- as she is tri-lingual -- and proceeded to ask me what my work schedule is like so that she could take me out for lunch. As if that weren't enough, she invited me into her humble house after school, graced me with lovely conversation, called her daughter to help me with directions I needed, and escorted me to the photo shop where she translated and waited for me to get my pics taken.

Madame Chong is a 48 year old widow with two children: a girl, 17 years old, and a boy, 15 years old. She reminds me of the aunties in my own family and I quite adore her.

...twist you in ways you once thought unimaginable.
I mean this in the most literal and figurative of senses.

Literally: I got my first Thai massage (in Thailand) today in Big C. It was a tiny little shop -- a room, really -- with only curtains for privacy (because who needs walls, walls are overrated). After an exhausting day (and first week) at school, L and I booked it to the nearest massage center after our delicious late-lunch at a nearby cafe, Jo Jo. The massage was one hour long and cost 150 baaht, which is roughly less than $5 -- no tip, either (yeup, you want to come to Thailand now, dontcha!).

If you've ever gotten a Thai massage, the following thoughts probably crossed your mind, as they did mine, during the experience:
-"WOAH, heyoooo. That there, right there? That was inappropriate."
-"Is she allowed to touch me there?" (not THERE THERE but so close to there, oh my)
-"Just keep your eyes closed to avoid the awkwardness."
-"Looks like I won't need to go to yoga class this weekend..."
-"Woosahhhhh."
-"I didn't know I would be involved in acrobatics."
-"Is this not borderline contortion right now, or am I imagining things..."
-"This would NEVER be allowed in the States."

Needless to say, there are few (but obvious) parts of my body that the lady failed to massage. My feet, toes, legs, arms, hands, back, shoulders, head, and even my face (yes, she massaged my face) are quite gratuitous right now. "Khap kun KA" ("Thank you!"), I groggily said to her after that hour of somewhat masochistic splendor.

I'm totally going back every week.

Figuratively: Because L and I are farangs, we tend to get ripped off. No one has quite confirmed this suspicion of ours, but we're positive some taxi drivers and restaurant owners have overcharged us due to our lack of Thai communication abilities. So, though we may be in the Land of Smiles, and though everyone tells us that Thais are great and all, it's not the case. Thais are people and people can be plain ridiculous at times.

Like today, when we took the bus (for the first time) back from our fantastic massage to our apartment. We had issues understanding the fare amount and ended up paying twice the amount necessary. We wouldn't have known -- the fare collector just smiled at us with a smug look on his greedy face as he collected our money with his dirty hands (they were black) -- had it not been for the two ladies who caught his face and started yelling at him in Thai. We thought they were talking smack about us because there was a lot of yelling and finger-pointing occurring, but the fare collected eventually gave us our money back (without looking at us in our eyes), as the ladies nodded their heads smartly at us. What a breezy. We would have never known.

...be so entirely...BLATANT.
Tonight, L and I went to the park that is literally a block away from our apt to work out. It's adorable, well-lit, healthily occupied, and picturesque, as it's right under the bridge over the Chao Praya. Then again, everything might have seemed cooler at this park because I went during sunset and the sky was the most beautiful pink. And there was a commercial being shot at the park (farangs, farangs!). But I digress.

After gingerly getting over the fact that my lungs would have to suffer for some cardio while in BKK and running for a good 20 min, L and I heard loud aerobics music blasting from the parking lot.

...a...CLASS, perhaps?

And it was. It was a taebo-esque aerobics class that was being taught to the public for free (we think?), so we jogged on over to the crowd of six Thais who were following the overly-energetic Thai man on a raised platform, who was wearing a cut-off gym shirt that showed off his gleaming arm muscles as he pumped his fists! And kicked his legs! And bounced! And twirled! And clapped! And said "WOOH!" too loudly into his mic over the music that probably came straight from an Equinox aerobics class. And twirled some more.

After who-knows-how-long, I started getting really annoyed with him because his moves were becoming far too complex for any of us to follow coherently and without looking foolish. He would look back at us to see if we were getting the moves (clearly we were NOT), but he'd obnoxiously laugh into his mic, then twirl some more, and make his moves more complicated. He was acting like a possible ladyboy who was purely and blatantly up there for his own pleasure and to be in the limelight.

And you all know that I totally just added this story to vent. Lol.

...inspire and thus, be idolized.
I am reading a book called Like the Flowing River, a collection of Paulo Coelho's short stories, essays, and thoughts on life, death, spirituality, and all that's in between (and that's a lot) right now. I found the book in our school's English library, as it was left behind from a previous teacher. Coelho wrote The Alchemist but I've yet to read it. However, after reading this utterly inspirational book -- one that I find so moving that I end up re-reading his sentences just to savor their simple style, gorgeously flowing prose, and most importantly, their profound messages -- I can safely say that Coelho is one of my literary idols. He's inspired me and reinforced my thoughts on life, dreaming big, and following one's heart under God's guidance.

Not-so-similarly (yet similarly), I find my current role as a teacher to fit the aforementioned roles. From this one week of teaching, I hope that I have inspired and encouraged my Thai students to speak English with increased comfort and less hesitation. The only way I've thus used to gauge whether I have done my job well is by the number of hugs, high-fives, and hand shakes students have wanted to give or get from me, which are often many (not to toot my own horn, but "toot toot" lol).

Whether I am idolized here because I am an inspiration in the classroom, or merely because of my idolatrous and fantasized image is something I must try to separate by placing emphasis on the former.

Oy vey. Enough thoughts for now. Goodnight.