Tina in Thailand

Have you ever heard of Makha Bucha Day? I don’t remember ever hearing about it until this past month. Let me share with you a little about what I have learned   (and all of what I am writing is just my understanding, so I apologize if I get things wrong). Makha comes from the Pali word that refers to the third lunar month. Bucha translates as “to worship,” so together it means a day in the third month for worshipping.     Makha Bucha is like an “All Saints Day” for adherents of Buddhism. It marks a miraculous event that occurred on a full-moon day in the 5 th   century BCE when 1,250 enlightened disciples of the Buddha spontaneously came to him in a bamboo grove in northern India (modern day Nepal). These disciples had been ordained by the Buddha, and thus were his spiritual descendants. The Buddha taught them a summary of Buddhism’s rules (Ovadhapatimokha), including these three principles: doing what is good, refraining from evil, and cleansing the mind. This verse...

  “Cooking and eating together is about more than just food;  it’s about   creating memories and strengthening relationships.” Unknown Dinner with Nok's Family at Wat Phra Pathommachedi What’s your favorite Thai food dish? Perhaps it’s Pad Thai, Massaman Curry, Spicy Green Papaya Salad, or Mango with Sticky Rice. These are common dishes in western Thai restaurants. People often ask me, “Is Thai food in the U.S. authentic?” and now that I’ve eaten Thai food for almost every meal over the past three weeks (I had yogurt one night for dinner and made pancakes once for breakfast), I can answer with greater confidence that the typical dishes we eat in the U.S.   approach   authenticity, but there are distinct differences. My perceptions, however, are based upon what I have eaten in Bangkok and its suburbs. Thai food in the southern, northern, and eastern parts of the country have their regional variations. But I’m going to let you decide how some of these dishes are t...

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing" Dale Carnegie "Sanuk" (สนุก) or "Fun," is a universal value in Thai culture. Beyond a sense of fun, a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction in life's activities is encompassed in the word สนุก. I am having so much fun here in Thailand - at the university, home, and after-work adventures. It's been so fun to work at Mahidol University this past week. The administrators, faculty, and staff have welcomed me ceremoniously and genuinely. I am so excited about collaboratively working with this amazingly dedicated team. Here's a little bit of information about Mahidol University: It is one of the top global universities in the world (top 1/4 of those ranked). It is the #1 global university in Thailand. It is known for its excellence in the hard sciences, especially infectious diseases and immunology, but it is also highly ranked for social sciences. They have a reputable international ...