Smile. The Thai Way.

Thailand is not called the Land of Smiles for nothing.  Anywhere you go in Thailand, you interact with the Thai people and you yourself will make that same conclusion:  Thailand IS the Land of Smiles.

Like everybody else, Thai people smile when they're happy and pleased.  But unlike everybody else, Thais also smile when they're anything but happy.  Smiles don their faces when they're sad. Even they're upset or boiling mad, smiles will still flash from their face. They smile when they're frustrated.  They smile when they are embarrassed.  And they smile when they don't have a single clue as to what you are talking about.

Part of My man's work in the hospital involves dealing with the problems that international patients bring up before, during, or after their treatment/experience in the hospital.  Many a time My man would come home and tell me how this patient came storming into their office, screaming at the top of his lungs that the hospital staff did not, or does not, understand him. Of course the patient knows he is in Thailand and tried to explain what he wanted to say in English very s-l-o-w-l-y.  Of course he repeated it when the staff did not understand him the first time. The second time.  The more the patient tried to get himself understood, the angrier he got. Why???

I am bl**dy @#$% ANGRRRY!  WHYYYY is he SMILING!!!

Welcome to the Land of Smiles.  Where a smile can mean I like you.  Or I'm going to kill you!  

Foreigners have to understand that when Thai people smile, it does not necessarily mean they are happy.  In the case of these hospital staff smiling at irate patients, they are just at a loss of what to say, or what to do.  They either did not understand a single thing the patient was trying to say, or they don't know how to make themselves understood.  Many times they experience mental block.  They do not know how to communicate and express themselves in English.  Their second language, a language they so desperately try to learn.  And so they just smile.  Not to insult or offend the patient, but because they have "run out" of words in English, and they just are beside themselves, not knowing how else to resolve the problem before them.

Having been here in Thailand for more than a decade now, I understand the Thai people and their inability to express themselves in English.  But still many times, when I'm on the other side of the table, and frustratingly getting myself misunderstood, their smile still get into my nerves. I don't even have to see the smile.  On the phone, it comes across as "Yes, sir. Yes Sir!" (this I don't mind--I have long accepted that sometimes I am a Sir to Thai people).  Or "Ah, excuse me Sir..."

"Good morning. I'm calling to check on my credit card payment.  I paid the bill yesterday."

Ah, excuse me Sir...did you pay already?

"Yes, I paid online yesterday.  Will there be charges for my late payment?"

Ah, excuse me Sir...today you pay at the bank?

"No, I did not pay at the bank.  I paid---"

Ah, excuse me Sir.  The bank forward your payment to us tomorrow. Your payment come in tomorrow.

"Yes, I understand.  Do I have to---"

Ah, excuse me, excuse me.  Tomorrow I call you. Okay?

Sigh.

What do you do?  Smile?  The Thai way?  

If you can, smile.  If you can't, do what I did.  Wait. Till you can.

Smile! :D

Only You!

I knew it was coming.  I had seen a special twinkle in his eyes every time he gazes into mine.  His hugs have been getting tighter, and his kisses had been so much sweeter.  Never a day goes by without him letting me know that he wants me.  No doubt he was obviously head over heels in love with me.  

The other night, he wouldn't let anyone else come near me.  I couldn't touch anyone else except him either.  He made sure he had me safe on his side.  He was insistent in his demands, "I love only you! You love only me too, okay?"

That was enough to tell me something was boiling.  I had this feeling that something was going to pop up soon.  But I didn't expect it to come this soon.  

Just before bedtime last night, i can't even remember what exactly I was doing, he suddenly grabbed me, put his arms around my neck, and made his declaration.  Facing the mirror right over our headboard, smiling at our reflection, he embraced me and said:  "I want to marry you.  I like you!"

Then as if afraid that he hasn't made himself clear enough, he looked at his dad, tightened his arms around me, and reiterated what he said, "Daddy, I want to marry mommy!"

At first his daddy didn't know what to say.  When he recovered, he burst out laughing, and asked, "Really?!  Why do you want to marry mommy?

Matter-of-factly, our little Roo replied, "Because I like mommy so much, daddy!  I love mommy right up to the moon, and back, and back, and back, and back!"

My second proposal.  Never imagined another being could love me as much as My man does--enough to propose marriage.  My little one has understood the concept of marriage:  when you love and like someone very much, you want to marry her and be with her.  

Forever.

My man and my dear Roo, you guys have my whole heart! I love you both right up to the moon and back, and back, and back and back!