Wat’s Not to Like?

Like many religions or beliefs, Buddhism has a special location for worship– the temple, or wat.  Like other religions, the wat houses sacred images and/or relics.  And like other religions, the wat is a complex with schools for religious instruction, rooms for those studying, and services for the larger community. 

However, the wat has a different feel from many religious places I’ve been to.  At one wat, a couple of men were jogging around the complex, their athletic gear making an interesting contrast to the shaved heads and orange robes of the monks.  At another, people were playing basketball on a court inside the complex.  At larger wats, vendors sell even from carts to the people constantly filtering in and out.  Often, there is a place for massage at or near the wat, and one wat that I am now particularly partial to had an herbal steam sauna! 

In many ways, the wat seems to exemplify the spirit of religion–not only is it a place for monks to train and reach a higher spiritual place, but it seems to serve, more than any place in Thailand (except for, perhaps, the markets) as a place for the community.  I believe this is due to the style of worship particular to Buddhism, as well as the role of monks in Thai society.  Worship in Buddhism, at least in Thailand, is not formal.  People come to the wat whenever they like and quickly pray.  There are no long services involved, making worship completely individual.  Secondly, all Thai males become a monk at some point in their lives.  For most, the length of service is one month, others as short as a week.  Regardless of the length of time served, every male member of every household in Thailand has spent time in a wat.

Furthermore, the wat is a good choice for education.  One young monk I spoke with is studying Buddhism and English.  He chose a monastic education because of cost– it is far cheaper (1,500 Thai Bhat/semester– about $50) than other universities.  And many wats have “Monk Chats” such as the one where I met this monk– an open conversation with monks about anything, providing the tourist a personal insight into Buddhism and the monks a chance to practice their English.

The wat, and Buddhism in general, seem to be doing something right.  The openness and accessibility that I’ve seen seem to be in sharp contrast to the denial and dogma that dominate other religions.  Of course there are rules in Buddhism, but the emphasis seems to be on personal development rather than rigid adherence to rules.  In this climate of hyper-charged religious fanatics, I think we could all use a little Buddhism.

 

Living the Lingua Franca

During my previous travel, I’ve been fortunate enough to either

1) be a guest of someone living in the country and fluent in or familiar with the language; 2) been living in the country myself and been familiar with the language; or 3) been in a place where English is somewhat, if not the dominant language. 

Of course, I didn’t realize this until coming to Thailand.  In fact, I’ve always fancied myself a rather savvy traveler who could easily be taught a few words of the local language by a friend or a book.

Welcome to Thailand.  To be sure, English is widely spoken here and is what I use to communicate save a “hello” and “thank you” in Thai.  But levels of proficiency for most Thais are often basic, and launching directly into English is not the way I would like to be presenting myself.  But I do.  I’ve become that person with the unilingual m.o. that I never wanted to be.  However, short of learning Thai, this is the only alternative, and in many ways, it is not a bad one.

English is truly a global language.  From tourists communicating with local hosts, to travelers passing tips and stories amongst themselves, it is the go-to language.  All signs directed at tourists are in English and woe to the person who does not understand English food descriptions.

This ubiquitous English use reinforces either interconnectivity or isolation, depending on who you are.  Those English-speakers from non-English speaking countries are at a distinct advantage to their non-English speaking peers.  They can go almost anywhere in the world and communicate with most people they meet.  For those native English speakers who do not know another language, however, the effect is isolating and debilitating, putting the control of our communication in the hands of others. 

Furthermore, I’ve found that unilinguistic travel often confines travelers to spaces that use English– a lost opportunity for understanding other cultures in many ways from the physical venturing beyond the English zone to the cultural indicators that language provides (Russian, for example, has many different words for friend, emphasizing degree of closeness.  And in Thai, I’ve been told, the word for “no” is “not yes” giving one a sense of the Thai disposition toward negative news).

In my opinion, English as the lingua franca has immense benefits as it really opens the doors to communicating with diverse people.  However, native English speakers have a unique challenge that is easy to miss– learning another language when it is so easy not to. 

 

“Correct as usual, King Friday”

While the recent coup is the political talk outside of Thailand, in-country it seems as though the only political system that matters is the monarchy.  Thailand is home to King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is the world’s longest serving current head of state.  And people here love their king.

Today (December 5th) is his birthday and the celebrations that have been visible since I arrived on Saturday are reaching their zenith (I think.  I hope).  Everyone here is wearing a yellow shirt, which is the color associated with Monday, the day of the week on which he was born.  Bangkok’s population has increased with the busloads of people who have come from near and far to be here for his big day.   Around the city, tents are set up with tables, chairs, and buffets– free food for all, donated by the King.

When asked why people love their King so much, one woman said that he is in touch with the people and can propose solutions unencumbered by politics.  He has apparently proposed solutions for traffic problems and understands the difficulties heaped on people in the wake of the 2004 tsunami.  He is also a patron of the arts, well-traveled, and a world-class  clarinetist to boot.

While all this seems a bit like Mr. Roger’s “Land of the Make Believe,” there is a truism here.  Whether elected, appointed, or seizing power by force, people love and respect those leaders with leadership qualities– empathy, intelligence, and an appreciation for the world around them.  And as the U.S. is shows, it seems that no political system has perfected the system of producing those leaders.

Long Live the King! …