Our waiter was a very handsome Thai man. It's funny because now I find myself looking quite carefully at Thai people of all ages. I am not trying to be rude I'm just wondering what our child will look like. What will he look like at 4, at 12, at 20 at 35 at 50? I sometimes wish I could say, "I only want to study your lovely features because maybe my child will look like you and that is precious beyond words to me." Naturally one cannot go around talking like that so I avert my eyes and try to act like a sane woman who is simply ordering the garlic shrimp with coconut rice.
It was great to hear that beautiful Thai accent being spoken. I know that many people go ga-ga for Italian or French, but for me the most beautiful language on earth will always be Thai. I love the gentle rise and fall of their tonal speech. I think even when Thai people speak English their lovely accent comes through giving our own language such a pretty twist. Maybe this is why it irritates me sooooooooo much when I hear an ignorant person refer to Asians and then make that "ching-chong-ching" speech pattern. That sound is the exact opposite of Thai harmonies. Like most racism it's just a broken idea.
A funny thing happened at dinner though. Brian, who loves his food spicy, asked the waiter if he would bring out some Nam Pla Prik. The waiter laughed and said, "You have been to Thailand. Where have you been?" When Bri told him Bangkok and Chiang Rai the waiter very snottily informed him "Chiang Rai is not really Thailand." This is a typical attitude for a certain type or class of people in Thailand. Chiang Rai is a very small, very poor city located in the far north of the country. It's proximity to the golden triangle made it the epicenter for "trouble" in Thailand for a very long time. The local culture there has also been heavily influenced by drugs, Burma and the hill tribe people (Akha, Hmong, Lao, etc...). It was funny though to hear such an entrenched opinion from so far away. I couldn't help but wonder how long it had been since this Thai ex-pat had even been home much less been to Chiang Rai? Although, I do know that it is almost impossible to believe that your own home can change while you are away.
- Rosemary
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2 comments:
I love your blog, I have added you to my blog list. I hope you don't mind. We think a lot alike.
Our daughter will be coming from that Northeastern region of Thailand that is not really claimed by other Thai people. I visited there once and felt quite at home. It felt a little like the countryside I grew up in in South Dakota, only tropical. And it's right across the border from Laos, where my best friend in high school is from. I feel a link to the Isaan people. I guess that is why I'm being called to parent a girl who might otherwise be rejected by her fellow Thai citizens.
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