Small Amazing Things, pt. 3: Food, or: Sharing is Caring

Sorry that I've been away for a little while. As things have been deteriorating in the States, I've been spending more and more time reading the news, and less time writing about little ol' me.

James O'Toole was visiting this week from Khon Kaen. It was really nice to have him around, especially now, when I think I've definitely entered phase II, and I'm finding more of these small Thai things to be less Amazing, and more Annoying.

But in an attempt to buoy my spirits and beat out culture shock, I'm going to focus on the things I really love about this place.

Before I came to Thailand, people talked a lot about the food, how delicious it is, and how lucky I was to go to Thailand because I would eat so well, etc. Well, the food certainly is delicious, although it took some getting used to, but that is not what this post is about.

I really love the communal aspect of Thai food, and not just in the family dinner sense. Food here is really the stitching in the social fabric: eating is never a solo affair, and there is no social or even business event that can occur without food. If there is any food out in any circumstances, it is impolite in Thailand not to encourage others (especially your elders) to "eat up."

Today we had a small student group go climbing with CMRCA, and on our way home from the program, we stopped by the restaurant that caters our food (i.e. fries rice) to drop off their tupperware. Two uniquely Thai things happened:

There was a handpainted cardboard sign on the front door of the restaurant/guesthouse complex that simply said (in Thai) "Closed 7 Days." There was no explanation, or even a date. Just "Closed 7 Days" and a locked door. Of course, they didn't want to inconvenience us (greng jai!), so they cooked lunch for us this week anyway, and we let ourselves in.

We had all been active all day, and so Muad and Phi dug out a half-eaten omelette and a box of chicken, and we all had a little snack before handing the tupperware over to be washed. I guess our "Aunt" at the restaurant noticed we were hungry, because she emerged a few minutes later, without any warning, with a huge, steaming hot bowl of "Young Pumpkin Curry" (gaeng fucktawng awn).

We each paid for some sticky rice, shared a Coke, and enjoyed an absolutely delicious meal that was prepared by a people whose restaurant wasn't even open. It was a such an incredible gesture of kindness, and yet I bring it up more beacuse it's a good example of something completely commonplace than because it was an extraordinary act by unusually kind restaurateurs. What wonderful people live in this place.