Many questions

I thought it as so smart to get a photo of me using the elction poster for the BhumJaiThai Party. Then I found that in putting it onto my blog that I could not work out how to have it stand up and down. So there it sits to the side, looking so funny. Maybe that itself is a reflection on my life in Bangkok.

Last night, I went out with a trusted friend, an American here for 40 years, for dinner. We went to a fantastic Italian restaurant. As usual, we just talked at length about life here and life in general. I shared how I have been here for over five years and have never really connected with the Thai clergy as they so often appeared to me as arrogant and even, at times, rude. He said not to see it like that, saying that is who they are. He went on to say how Thais have such big egos and can't see what we see in them.

I was then at a meeting yesterday when a Thai priest walked in. he greeted everyone in the Thai way but seemed to overlook me. I thought that I would not just accept this. So I did the real western thing and stood up, streteched out my hand and said, "Hi, I am John". I then discovered a man who instantly relaxed and changed and I found a man who was sophisticated, pleasant and good company.

All of this reflects so typically on my life in Thailand and is saying something. As I said last night to my American friend, we so love it here as it is never dull and always fascinating, meeting such great characters - Thai and otherwise.