I took a little break there for a trip home. I had a couple weeks off from school, so I opted for a short jaunt to the States. It was nice there, and I was really surprised how friendly people were ("Hi how are you? Welcome back to America!" said Paul my happy Washington D.C. customs agent :-)). That was a welcome plus, leaving the 'land of smiles' for a place not always known for its friendliness.
It was actually a really nice trip! I was happy for the vacation, and it was great to see my family and friends. I really am lucky to have them in my life, and know that there are really great things about home and America!
I will take time to write about some things from home here in the coming week or so, but I really wanted to write about my trip back to Thailand. You know how I was saying how nice people were stateside; maybe it's me but I dont feel that again in Thailand. Is it me?
I really started to notice it in Japan. I had a layover in the Tokyo airport (which as an aside is home to a most fashionable and attractive crowd of travelers; I really enjoyed watching the styles and people that were parading through the terminal :-). I was hoping there'd be more robots though.... anyway), and that's where I first noticed it.
The Thai people waiting for the flight to Bangkok were loud. They spoke in the upper decibel range of everyday conversation, and they paid little attention to lines or local custom. I remember sitting there, and listening to a Thai party of 6 or 7 talk about the merits of the merchandise they purchased in Tokyo.
"This suitcase is beautiful; people will really like looking at it," one girl in her twenties yelped.
Another guy argued with her regarding the questionable nature of the color scheme.
Still others in the party were talking loudly and standing directly in front of the airline counter as people were attempting to speak with the gate agent.
I let my eyes wander from that scene and my head, as is often the case :-P, turned to food. I was a little tired and decided that a good bowl of soup would be calming before the 6 hour trip. In the airport, they have the moving, horizontal escalators (people movers) that ship people from gate to gate.
I went for a ride on this people mover standing to one side behind another group of Thai people.
They were also speaking loudly of fashion, and standing so as to block other people without a thought to travelers trying to make their flight.
One tallish Chinese man was attempting to part the sea of Thai, speaking softly and asking them to please move to one side.
It was kind of funny because the Chinese guy wasn't assertive enough, and the Thai continued on about the proper length of a scarf.
I was standing there smiling with my head down. I always hear how the Chinese are too loud and impolite.
I had to keep smiling as I ate my soup and watched as the stream of Thai faces grew to a sea of bright colors, gigantic scarves, and abnormally large sunglasses in the dark airport.
Time eventually came for take off, and the Thai people on the flight either refused or did not understand the announcement regarding a line (queue for the anglos :-)), and just kind of stood around as the most disorganized boarding process I have ever seen commenced.
I sat there with my lukewarm miso soup and watched with a wider smile as the Japanese tried to corral their multi-cultural steer into a semblance of organization.
Prospective passengers were moving in circles, some kind of veered off, and some just stood in place confused where they should be. Ticketing agents started calling out frantically, and some started off around the terminal, walking around randomly and around bathrooms with big signs that advertised "BANGKOK. LEAVING NOW. LAST CALL."
I had to laugh, wondering how the Japanese stayed patient for the daily comedy of this flight. I started to laugh harder as I sat there watching everyone. Large hair, explosive dresses, strange leg-ins, old jeans, and Elton John sunglasses. Part of the humor was based in empathy, thinking about a daily flight of passengers bound for Meung Thai (Thailand). Part of it might also have been riding in planes for twenty hours already, and feeling kind of special/strange/crazy :-). I also really liked their fashion, those scarves were just the right length ;-).
It was a good trip I must say even if I'm not a United Airlines fan. Those flight attendants need more hugs or something. I just tried to be nice to them; I can imagine how difficult it is keeping an airline toilet clean....
Anyway, we touched down in the 'Land of Smiles' :-P about seven hours later (it took awhile to get everyone on the plane), and were met by the buses that tend to pick people up these days. I'm not quite sure why the planes can't pull in to gates, but it seems like every flight I'm on usually concludes with a bus trip to the BKK terminal.
Basically, the plane lands and taxis to an area where passengers must climb down a flight of stairs to the tarmac. Then, all weary travelers must climb into a bus which brings everyone to the main terminal.
We ended up taxi-ing a little bit to the stop and by the time we got to our designated unloading area, all the Thai people (and the first class passengers) were rushing to the first bus waiting. I watched half asleep as everyone piled in there, leaving the rest of the foreign passengers on the plane to take the second bus.
Well we had some elderly people on this flight from my home country, and some of them aren't as spry as their Thai counterparts, who had already jumped onto the first bus. I think the Thai elderly are generally more athletic than American people my grandma's age. You really have to move sometimes to make it on Thai public transportation. Try riding the un-airconditioned green Mercedes buses from the 1970's sometime; they're a trip.
Yeah, so what you think happened, happened. A nice American 65-year-old grandma took a fall climbing into the bus. A bunch of us helped her up, steadying her as the doors closed, packing us altogether without a place to sit. We started lumbering in our limo packed to the brim, fellow Americanos, sticking together literally and figuratively (interestingly) for a pretty uncomfortable ten-minute ride to the terminal. Together, yes we can.
When we got there, everyone was helping the older people off, and I asked a Thai guy (in Thai) to give the grandma a 'wheelchair.' (I didn't know that word in Thai though) (Does anybody know what it is?)
Anyway, "What flight were you on?" he asked back in Thai.
Initially I didn't understand his question, and said back to him that she (pointing to the lady) needed a wheel chair.
Again, he asked me what flight she was on in English this time.
I still didn't understand his question, and just kind of looked at him quizzically.
"If she no call for wheelchair, no wheelchair." he instructed.
Ok, I said, and went over to a wall with a wheelchair and brought it to the lady. He stared at me with a particularly seething, angry look.
I looked back at him with a similarly disrespectful glance, and everyone made their way to immigration.
I walked with fire and anger in my heart to see that immigration officer.
Really, that kind of stuff gets me going. It's one thing to be oblivious, and another to be completely inconsiderate and uncaring. I just really get upset about that.
The immigration officer was, as always, equally disenfranchised with Thailand and his job, barely glancing at me as he stamped my passport incessantly, thinking about the plum job in downtown that passed him by.... He could have been thinking about his wife, or maybe how to make more money, maybe about that new Rot fai fa (Skytrain) movie. Regardless, he paid no attention, and seemed extremely unhappy. Are all of them paid to do that? Do they receive some special training?
So yeah, I've been back a couple days, and will start work pretty soon. I'm wondering though, am I becoming like other foreigners?
So many times I've read about people that have stayed here for some time and started to realize that they have a problem with the Thai.
Is that me? Am I a statistic? A believer? A bitter wannabe?
People say that Thailand is a friendly place. I am interested in this. Do the people that live here believe that? Do you believe it?
If it is this grand utopia of happiness, why do Thai people want to move abroad? Why do some prefer foreigners, and/or never take romantic interest in Thai people? What makes it difficult for them to get visas to western countries?
These are all questions I'd like foreigners and Thai to answer. The responses would make me happy.
Of course, I could be too sensitive. The kinds of things I'm talking about surely happen in America, England, China, Argentina, Zimbabwe, and Papua New Guinea. I think they do, at least. Maybe the real problem I have is the image (or illusion?) that the Thai attempt to create --- that somehow their world and their society smiles more, is happier...
I'm not quite sure that's accurate. Again, I can't speak for other people. I just know that I feel this way. Why is that?
I can tell you this: I am pretty sure that it's happier for some people more than others. Actually, that's a fact.... and a whole other blog post :-).
Ok so I realize this isn't a really very positive and uplifting post :-). I could work a little harder to see the good things, and focus less on the negative. I recognize that... but sometimes I guess I need an outlet, somewhere to put this stuff....
Are Thai people selfish or am I?
That's where the blog comes in I guess. I won't make it a habit to bog myself (or you) down with the things that aren't so positive. I think I need to stay even and objective though, and part of that is giving the negative along with the good things that happen here.
Yes, there is good here.
What do you think?