Courtney's View #6: Rock the Lonely Planet Book Often

To bury oneself in the raptures of a travel book... To dream and make muses of foreign lands, and take comfort in the fact that somewhere, many-wheres vary more than even a box of Bertie Bots(Am I allowed to say another candy than "chocolates", Forest Gump?). 

The grass is always greener or more interesting or something. Drudgery is evadable especially on the mark of roaring plane engines. But isn't a unsatisfied person an unsatisfied traveler, too? When you get to the other pasture, it's novelty enhances that vibrancy for a time. Once the glamour of the unfamiliar madness subsides, things become harder. Life becomes solely unfamiliar madness and the glamour part flourishes only as a 2x2 fib on Instagram. For me, this has been where a real personal challenge and exploration can begin!

Six months into my trip, the dissonant dance of being a Farang has become quotidian. I lapse in and out of appreciation of my time in Thailand. But ingratitude is a Star Wars monster trying to drag me into it's sandy lair. I'm looking for Han Solo's blaster to obliterate the thing and trigger some real life open-mindedness. These are the metaphors you can justify putting when you know only your mom is reading. Hi Mom!

What is open-mindedness really? Merriam-Webster says it is willingness to "consider different ideas or opinions." Farnamstreet blog extrapolates: "The first group approaches life with an open mind — an eagerness to learn and a willingness to be wrong. The second group digs their heels in at the first sign of disagreement and would rather die than be wrong."

The other week, I watched students faint by the handful during a school event that required them to stand heavily costumed under the hot Thai sun for the better part of 3 hours. I watched from a shaded, elaborately ribboned tent, as the teachers in charge dragged the unconscious kids into the shade and set a Coke by their heads for when they came to. The situation exasperated me. I just left because I didn't want to be apart of what I viewed as frivolity at the expense of student health.

That's when I started contemplating the meaning of open-mindedness. I felt close-minded for hating that event. In other instances in my life, I have felt close-minded for standing up for myself. But I think it is such a good thing to be a consistent, authentic person. I realized that the true difference between open-mindedness and close-mindedness lies in how well you consider something, not in how well you accept something. Furthermore, there is a huge difference between standing in your truth and being close-minded.

One tool that has helped me to consciously improve the openness of my mind is research! My confusion and ignorance had begun to create a pessimism-breeding fog. I realized that if I wanted to move forward in this teaching experience, I had to gain a deeper understanding of my surroundings beyond knowing the traditional foods. And just get over myself. Anyway, rock that Lonely Planet book that CIEE gave you! Reading it while you're in the thick of Thailand sheds so much light and gives a comforting to-the-point commentary. Re-visiting the information as you're surrounded by it makes everything hop off the page as it dovetails with your own experience. It explains so much of the country's inner-workings. Researching has allowed me to simply observe and identify and understand. My people watching game is on fire because of it. I highly recommend the "Understand Thailand" section in the back of Lonely Planet Thailand guide.

Among the fun things you will find:

- No, you're students aren't being mean when they laugh every single class as you butcher their name, they're helping you save face.

- Yes, that kid is named "Phone" after an actual phone.

- No, the students aren't showing zilch initiative because they suck, it's because they're specifically taught to not be assertive in the presence of a Poo Yai (an elder).

- That dump truck is painted crazy awesome to ward of bad luck!

- Thai men can enter a temple (take up robe and bowl) for as short as a week to gain the high respect afforded monks.

If any Farang teacher is reading, what do you think about open-mindedness and maintaining authentic self as a foreign guest?