First Week in Thailand

After about 24 hours in transit (in airports and on airplanes), I made it from Honolulu to Bangkok on Wednesday. Sleeping for three hours and then waking for three hours through the long flights helped me to avoid serious jetlag. 

Thursday morning I met my Thai tutor, Narisa. She has been helping me the past year to speak more like Thai people and less "like the Bible." An English equivalent would be that my speech is like the King James Version rather than the New International Version. She gave me a few presents, one of which was a bunch of leaves from her garden that is supposed to help grandmothers look like young ladies again (it had a name to that effect). 

View from the 8th floor of Salaya One Residences

The apartment I am living in is nice - three separate rooms divided by glass doors. The amazing thing is there is a mini-split AC unit in the living room and one in the bedroom! This is so different from when I lived here 40 years ago when it was extremely rare to have a home (or car, church, or other building) with air conditioning. The apartment is about 375 square feet, which means I am practicing living a minimalist life. 

Friday was my first work day at the Institute. They gave me a tour of the building and of the Mahidol campus, and introduced me to the staff in a couple of different meetings. They took me to their outdoor market on campus and invited me to eat insects. I decided that because I am here to experience the culture to its fullest, I accepted the invitation. I ate bamboo worms and butterfly chrysalis (not knowing in advance what I was eating). Each was salty and flavorful. It wasn't as scary as you might think! Click here to see the video. 

Preparing insects for consumption

The institute director, Dr. Adisak, invited me to play on their volleyball team, so I joined the team so I can get to know my colleagues better and to stay physically active. We had practice and played a game against nursing students and had a great time. I hadn't played volleyball in decades! 

On Saturday I got to watch the Institute's first Children's Activity Day. The institute sees a great need to help children get away from a sedentary lifestyle sitting on their phones or consuming other media, so this day was dedicated to helping them engage with peers, be physically active, and learn to express their emotions better. I was told by a colleague that the Thai culture is such that expressing emotions -- especially negative emotions -- is not practiced. Holding in emotions leads to emotional and/or behavioral difficulties which the institute is trying to prevent. 

Thai children identify their emotions at the institute

I joined my colleague, Nok, and her family for a visit to the largest standing Buddha in the world in a beautifully manicured and peaceful park in Phutthamonton. We had lunch along a picturesque river, I went kayaking with her son, Khun, and his friend, Bom, and we went shopping at the temple market. What a delightful day I spent with Nok's family!

Tina, Nok, Khun, and Bom visiting the World Center of Buddhism

On Sunday I went to the Bangkok English Ward held at the chapel on the temple grounds. It was so delightful to be with Saints from around the world who shared their strong testimonies of the Lord Jesus Christ and His power to comfort, heal, and save. 

In Utah it takes me 4 minutes to get to church. Today from my apartment to the chapel it took 40 minutes by taxi. My return took almost 2 hours: 30 minutes by skytrain, 35 minutes by bus, 30 minutes walking, and about 20 minutes in-between. It is a huge commitment -- not just in time, but also a lifestyle commitment -- to be a Christian and a Latter-day Saint here in Thailand. 

Tina, Khun, and Bom kayaking in Bang Chang

        

Lillian (from China) and Tina at the LDS Bangkok Temple