The “J part” of me has really
been tested for most of this trip because we are operating on Thai Time. Other
students have commented on the laid back nature of Thai people, and this
directly connects with it—schedules are often just a suggestion. It’s not that
Thai people are disrespectful, because they are in fact the opposite. “Mai pen
rai” loosely translates to “no worries”. This phrase supports that nature and
“go with it” attitude. But it’s a conflict with the way I operate and a change
from the typical American way. At times this has been a great frustration
(often when I’m sleep deprived…), but I have also been able to laugh it off and
accept it (especially later on in the trip).
Especially during our
clinical experiences at the beginning, Thai Time was a shock to the system. I
love arriving ten minutes early to everything and allowing for enough travel
time between places, and then sticking to a schedule. If we say we’re leaving
at 8:00am, then we leave at 8:00am. If the session is supposed to start at
10:00am, then the session starts at 10:00am. And if it’s supposed to be an hour
session, the session will end at 11:00am. Not a lot of wiggle room. This was
also stressed during my previous year of clinicals—make the most of the time
you are given, but don’t take any more time than you are given. However, many
times while here we have left late, started sessions early, started sessions
late and DEFINITELY ran over the time originally planned! This last one was the
most surprising to me. My time is important to me, and I don’t want anyone to
take time that I had reserved for something else. I operate under the
assumption that other people would like me to honor their time as well, even
here. But it was always worth it because there were many beautiful musical
moments and wonderful interactions. Thai Time, you win. It’s okay to be laid
back sometimes and let things happen—even if it means deviating from the
original plan.
Towards the end of this trip,
my view had transformed. A few days ago, we went to a Buddhist temple close to Mahidol.
We finished class at noon and were planning on leaving the university at 2:00pm
to meet with someone at the temple. Off we all went to lunch and then to take a
little nap in the clinical room before we left. At 2:00pm, our instructors were
not back yet and a few people said, “Aren’t we supposed to leave now?” At this
point Thai Time has set in pretty well, so my response was “We’re on Thai Time.
That means we’ll leave sometime after
2:00pm.” And it was true. But in the midst of waiting that extra twenty
minutes, I had a beautiful conversation with another student. I learned more
about them, listened to their passions, and connected on a new level.
Thai Time in itself has been
adventure in this trip, but like most other things, it has also been a learning
experience because different isn’t always bad. While it was frustrating at
times, the frustration came from the contrast with past experiences, not the
experiences created because of Thai
Time.
Dr.
Register gave us all an article to read
and discuss a few weeks ago about transcultural journeys with many wonderful
points and lessons, but one quote in particular stuck out to me: “[A
transcultural journey] requires, first of all, a readiness to recognize the
true, the good, and the beautiful wherever it is found.”
That is Thailand. It is
different from my own experiences, it is different from America, but it is not
bad. It is beautiful. Even Thai Time has its moments of beauty. But if you’re
not paying attention, you may miss it—we have to be ready.
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