When I first came to Thailand I was told that my two years here would be a process of becoming bi-cultural, i.e., in some sense I'd lose some of my American-ness and at the same time increase in Thai-ness. Four months later, it's interesting to look back on my time here and reflect on the ways in which I have already changed culturally. A couple examples:
- Once a week I take a taxi to pick up my team lead's kids from school and take them home. When I went to pick them up last week, the taxi driver had to be somewhere by a certain time and couldn't take us the whole way, even though he initially said he could. Despite having to switch taxis last minute and one of the kids having an emotional breakdown because she thought she'd lost her library book, I found myself more at peace, less worried, and more patient in that situation than I might have been four months ago. In general, I think it's safe to say Thais are less worried about time and efficiency as Americans.
- Another day last week I didn't get a whole lot done. It wasn't that I was being lazy or lying around doing nothing, it had just been a particularly slow day. There wasn't much going on and I was pretty tired from the busyness of the week. After Thai class and running a couple errands I went home and took a two-hour nap. We talk a lot about self care here and how important it is to function well and to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. What was strange about all this was that although I didn't accomplish much that day, it didn't bother me. As someone whose biggest frustration has been ineffiency and wasting things (like time and money) - sound American to you? - this was huge!
There are other examples I could give, like choosing to sleep on a mat instead of a bed when I visited my aunt over the holidays. Or using a peppermint inhaler, which is basically a scented stick to deal with the less-than-pleasant city smells. Or my taste buds changing, increasing my tolerance for spicy food. Amidst all these changes, some are cultural, some are environmental, and some are just practical. Regardless, they've all been a part of adjusting to life in Bangkok and learning about a culture very different from my own. Of course, I'll never be completely Thai; my skin tone alone is enough to keep that from happening. What I'm slowly coming to terms with, and learning to embrace, however, is that that is okay. As an outsider, I can provide new insight and a fresh perspective to help my Thai sisters and brothers as we talk about and work together to create change. As an insider, someone who has taken the time to assimilate, learn the language, and study the culture, I can much more easily sift through what is American and what is Thai, what is helpful and what is not. It's an interesting place to be in, being a sort of middle man, balancing between two vastly different cultures. It's what this kind of work requires, though. If we're to represent Christ well and embody His love honorably, we have to honor His children: as fellow human beings, made by God, and loved unconditionally, regardless of their cultural background.