Sanuk
There are dozens upon dozens of books that take an in depth look at Thai history and culture. I am not going to try to emulate them here. What I am going to do is tell you what you need to know to make a comfortable transition. This is part 5 of a multi-part series.
Mai Pen Rai-
If you've read about Thailand or visited here in the past, no doubt you have heard the phrase mai pen rai. It translates to 'don't worry about it' or 'it's okay' or 'it's nothing' or 'it doesn't matter'. This phrase exemplifies the way Thais view life. Nothing is worth getting too stressed about or too worked up about. Life shouldn't be taken too seriously. This is a great attitude, however at times, it can be frustrating, especially in situations where the Western mind insists that it does indeed matter. In these situations, patience is paramount.
Sanuk-
Sanuk translates to fun. And the Thais love their fun. It always strikes me that even in situations where most Americans would be hopelessly depressed, i.e. working for minimum wage for a boss they hate, the Thais are always making jokes, smiling and laughing. When you have spent years in a culture where everyone is reserved and serious unless drunk or on drugs, this is extremely uplifting. Life doesn't have to be so serious. Have fun! On the flip side, working with Thais can be frustrating because they are so involved in sanuk that some focus can be lost on the task at hand.
Sabaay-
Next to sanuk and mai pen rai, day to day life in Thailand is characterized by the desire for sabaay. Loosely translated, sabaay means 'comfortable'. And the Thais like being comfortable. For most, walking any great distance is madness. If you can drive, what is the point? The Western concept of hiking or long walks on the beach is therefore extremely difficult to understand. Why would anyone walk for fun? On the same note, if you've got some time off and not much to do, why not sleep? Who cares if it's 2pm? This desire for sabaay is interpreted by many foreigners as simple laziness. However, from the Thai perspective life should be enjoyed. Part of enjoyment is comfort and taking it easy. If you must always be doing something; if you must always have a plan; if you can't just relax, lie down and sleep; maybe you're the one who needs to reexamine his lifestyle.
Smile!-
I once found myself in a US court, hoping to resolve a business dispute. The judge was in the process of reading me a list of detailed legal points, stopping after each to ask me if I understood. On one particular point which I found completely illogical, I smiled before stating that yes, I understood. In my mind, it was not at all that the situation was humorous. It was that in order to see the case move to successful completion, I was forced to agree to something that I disagreed with. As any Thai would concur, what can one do, but smile? But in the US, this was of course perceived as me failing to take the matter at hand seriously when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
Whereas the average Westerner only smiles when he is happy, the average Thai will smile when he is happy, nervous, anxious and even angry. Why? Because quite simply, it is better to smile than to frown, isn't it? It makes for much more pleasant day to day interactions. But as the definition of the smile can vary so widely, it's important to be aware of your situation and the context of the smile. A smile from a young girl in the supermarket does not necessarily indicate love at first sight. On the contrary, it may mean that she is scared to death that a big hairy foreigner is staring at her.
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