Fun

I think this trip will be best remembered for the laughter.

No question there were learnings and challenges and moments of dealing with bugs (frenzied writhing ones that fell into your food at the outdoor restaurant!).  There was the heat and humidity (although not as bad as other visits).  There were strange moments when the cultural clash bumped against Western sensibilities, and language still to be learned made for confusion and the need for much 'gring-jai'.

There was the work of teaching flute lessons and morning and evening devotions and putting together a Canadian Thanksgiving service, and preaching at the prison.

There was the concern for Yupa's Mom who suffered a mild stroke while we were there, and the meaningful time of worship and prayer we had at her house, just to gather around her and show our support and love.

But mostly it was fun.  Just fun, and funny.  A lot of the time.  Fake poo and wrong-way climbs up escalators (see previous post for details :).  Badly translated menus that invited you to try 'crap stick', and which provided Suradet and Yupa with just as much hilarity.  Games that included powder on the face and a classic well timed response from Fruk.  Gestures that would be considered highly offensive to farangs, but when made by a diminutive Thai child in a completely different context for a completely different reason, and you just have to laugh out loud.  The extra layer of humour that comes when a gentle Thai translator attempts sarcasm.   Wading ankel deep through the flash flood in the pouring rain - I mean really pouring - back to the car with three of us - Yupa, Esther and me - under a towel that's quickly getting saturated, and laughing like fools.  And - speaking of fools - spontaneous dance parties that get videoed and posted on Facebook.

So much fun. 

They say you're making real inroads into a culture when you can successfully tell a joke.  I would take that one step further and say that you're actually becoming family when hilarious stories are created in the context of togetherness. 

I will take the warm of that fun with me into many months ahead.  Gratefully.