Girls' Weekend in Buriram

This weekend (sorry this is being published so late). I had the chance to visit a friend who lives in the city of Buriram. She is the English teacher that was briefly mentioned in our posting on Thai hospitality. I had been keeping in contact with her by email, and when she heard that we were coming back to live in Bangkok, she invited me to come for a visit. I was unsure what the time would look like. The only other meeting I had was a visit to a child sponsorship program office associated with YWAM in the Buriram area.

Friday: I rode the most types of transit I have ever taken in one day. Motorcycle to bus to sky train to metro to long distance train to motorcycle again.

I had such a special time during this weekend. It was a rich cultural experience for me, and I got to appreciate (again) the wonderful hospitality of Thais. Mart and I spent the day Saturday sightseeing. One of her acquaintences has a driver, so we were able to borrow him for the day. It was a strange feeling for me to have a chauffer that was not a taxi driver, but he was friendly, and even pulled over when he was on his cell phone! We visited a giant buddha on a mountain near town, then some impressive Khmer ruins a bit farther from town. The weather was hot, but not unbearable. If we sat in the shade is was the perfect temperature. And to be out of the city was such a treat.

On the way home from our day's excursion our driver wanted to pop in a visit an old friend that happened to live in a village that was on our way (sort of...) Now, I have to mention the things I have learned about Thai culture up to this point. Apparently one doesn't call to set a time to visit their friends. If you do call set a time, it can be perceived that you are too busy for them to just stop by, and they must make an appointment first. On Saturday I learned that 'popping in' to visit an old friend may last up to 4 hours. From what I have said so far, you may think that I was twiddling my thumbs while the old buddies caught up. Not so. After the customary offering of cold beverages to us the guest, the old friend's wife, or sister or aunt (there were so many people involved by the end of the day, I wasn't sure who was who anymore!) proceeded to show me and Mart around the village. I think this was a typical village consisting of 2 roads, and maybe 20 houses. We visited the retired women who worked in a small cooperative weaving silk. They even had a little shed where they raised the silkworms. Then we visited another house where they were weaving grass mats. I got to try my hand at this, but I could only do it for a few minutes, because my body is not used to sitting on a plank crosslegged while reaching out in front of me.

I also got to try some new and exciting culinary delights (?!) One family in the village was nibbling on a fresh salad of ants seasoned nicely with onions and garlic. It was tasty...in terms of flavor, but I will never enjoy ant legs in my mouth.

We passed a tree with little yellow berries, and when I asked what they were, that family picked a shopping bag full for us. They are extremely sour on their own. The trick is to bite off a tiny edge, then dip the moist side in the accompanying dish of sugar, salt and chili mix.

My favorite new flavour experience was another type of soft berry that we picked ourselves. They appeared to me to be unripe, but even the whiteish ones were delicious as they were warm from the sun when we harvested them. They were sweet like maple syrup, but with the stony textures of a pear skin.

I had all these experiences with an excellent interpreter. In addition to all that, I felt like a celebrity because everyone wanted to see the foreigner. They commented on how pretty I was, what beautiful white skin I had, and asked me if my teeth and nose were real (they are)! I then would compliment their dark skin, that they seem to be trying to get rid of. Ha, I guess we do want what we don't have.

(Aside...Nivea has a skin whitening cream for sale here, I'm sure they have the opposite product in Canada...self tanner, no?)