Ok so I know the title is cheesy but deal with it. I was brought up by my parents to respect everyone, especially your parents, elders, and superiors. What they have taught me has stuck with me and I feel like I am very respectful to everyone. But… the Thai’s are on a whole other level. I don’t bow my head when I walk in front of an elder. I don’t wai (put your hands in the pray position with fingertips at your nose and slightly bow your head) the teacher every time I am handed something… especially homework. I don’t stop in the hallway to wai a passing teacher. I always correct the teacher when they make a mistake. And I have never bowed my head to a teacher’s feet out of sincere respect for that teacher.
But these are some of the things that all my students do for me. It is truly amazing how much respect they are instilled with. They are brought up to respect their elders but it doesn’t seem like it is forced upon them. It is something that seems to be accepted by all with out having to cram it into their brains like when you see old school nuns in the movies walking around with a yardstick saying “You will respect your elders! You will obey what they say! You will not question them!” It is just different here; everyone respects each other and especially their elders.
Last week was Wan Wai Kru, Teacher Respect Day. Morning classes were canceled, nothing out of the norm, and there was a ceremony for all the teachers. Every grade made two decorative offerings that were hand made, one for the boys and one for the girls.Students presented these offerings in front of a Buddha statue.
Then walked on their knees to the principle and vice principle, gave the offerings to them, bowed their head to the ground, the principle would then touch the students head (the head is a sacred part, you never touch an elders head), and then the students crawled away.
After all the offerings were made, the teachers lined up in the front. The students brought some time of flower arrangement to give to a teacher and so they came up one by one duplicating the same ceremony as with the principle but presenting the flowers to a teacher.
It was a very impressive sight and it was then that I realized just how much respect is instilled in this culture. Thailand is known as the land of smiles and it truly is, but why? I have been here for nearly 9 months now and I have yet to seeing any bullying or picking on each other! I have never seen students fighting or arguing. And I have never seen any of them crying. How is the so? How are they so friendly respectful to each other? I asked a co-teacher the other day about whether bullying was a problem here in Thailand. He didn’t understand the question and so I explained that bullying is when on student picks on another or is not nice to that student. And still… he did not understand the concept of purposely not being nice to others. Is being friendly and respectful that engrained in the people of this culture that they don’t even know of the other? On the other hand, this isn’t a utopian society and so I know it probably still goes on a little bit but it hasn’t been anything serious enough for me to pick up on yet.
My students here are all very beautiful. They know how to be kids! They are always laughing, giggling and playing. They still have their child like innocence and respect is engrained in them. I don’t want to get a head of myself here because as with all people, Thai people and culture are not perfect. There are many problems, just as in any society, that need to be addressed. Again I will not get into this right now but one of the things that this culture has gotten correct is the respect. I still consider myself to a very respectful person but what respects means to me is no the same as it means them.
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