This week has been full of education. From my experiential learning with monks to trying to teach English to children, I’ve been learning nonstop.
The Ariya Center
After the conclusion of last week’s Buddhist ceremony in the local jungle temple, Pa Lam enthusiastically informed me that I was invited by a panel of high ranking monks to join her in a five-day stay at a Buddhist monastery called the Ariya Center. After much consideration and a brief dealing with a minor illness, I agreed to tag along for an amended two days, one night stay.
Upon pulling into the complex, I was greeted by rolling hills, towering Buddha statues, and many, many monks. We quickly parked the car and hurried to the mediation hall in order to attend a thirty minute session of Buddhist chanting, which smoothly transitioned into a two hour dharma (teachings of the Buddha) lesson. Although I failed to understand the majority of what was being said, a very kind nun wrote down an English transition for me. After the night of religious piety came to a close, I was finally able to unpack my belongings into a tiny 7’x10’ shack. After receiving directions to the nearest bathroom, I was informed that a vow of silence is encouraged after dark. I acknowledged the rule and promptly went to bed (or as I should say, “went to my mat”).
I was awoken at 4am in order to join the monks in their morning prayer and meditation session. Once the sun had risen, the lay people gather in a line in order to present alms to the Luang Pho, the head monk and founder of the monastery. Once the rite was complete, over 250 monks gathered in a single-file line and marched around the Buddha statue in order to receive their morning alms. Following breakfast, more chants, prayers, and dharma talks ensued. Afterwards, I was given a tour of the complex and was able to see the gardens, workshops, and gorgeous landscapes. I concluded my stay with lunch and then went on my way.
Getting to live the weekend as a Buddhist monk and being able to observe their religious rites and practices was extremely eye-opening. Their humility, devotion, and asceticism is admirable and I feel as though I was able to synthesize this experience with my textbook leanings of Buddhism. Being fully immersed in another religious community gave me much food for thought, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to have a hands-on learning experience with Buddhism. On another note, I also really enjoyed spending the weekend with my Thai family and getting to experience an integral part of their life. I feel as though we’ve grown closer and am happy to have made this progress.
Teaching English
I was beginning to feel as though I wasn’t contributing enough around here, so I talked with Pa Lam and she arranged for me to give formalized (ish) English lessons. My first lesson was to a group of five adults and three teenagers. Their levels varied from absolute beginner to fairly proficient (however, the majority were in the former category). I figured this was a good group to start with; after all, they know about as much about English as I know about teaching.
Luckily, I made sure to do some thorough research and lesson planning the night before, so I had a clear idea about how I wanted to proceed with the class. I started by greeting them with “hello” and then transitioned into introductions. I made sure to implement a mix of lectures, speaking repetition, and conversational practice. By the end of the class, everyone say and understand basic greetings as well as how to introduce themselves and others.
My next class was a bit different from the first. It was a class made up entirely of children. I did the same lesson as the adults (albeit a different format) and was even able to cover some basic phrases such as “I’m from Thailand. Where are you from?” and “How are you?” The comprehension wasn’t as a solid as the greetings and names, but it’s progress nonetheless.
If you know me fairly well, then you will know that I’m not know for my patience and fondness of children. However, that being said, I really enjoyed interacting with all my students (it feels so weird to say that), both young and old. I’m starting to build some rapport with the kids and everyone seems to enjoying my lessons. Since I’m enjoying teaching, my class sizes are growing everyday, and I want to do this right, I’ve enrolled in an accredited TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) course. I’m not concerned with getting my certification, but I do want to make sure that I’m not wasting my students' time.
Learning Thai
Wrapping up this week’s trifecta of learning, I’ve gotten serious about learning Thai. Pa Lam’s niece, Poy, and Pi Oil’s niece, Grape, have both graciously agreed to help me study. They got me a box of study cards for the Thai alphabet and boy am I going to need it. (The Thai language has 44 consonants, 32 vowel forms, and 5 different tones.) It’s been quite the struggle, but I’m currently able to recognize and pronounce twelve letters, introduce myself and provide a (very) brief background, and use some common everyday expressions (like “I’m hungry/full,” “I like …,” and “I have…"). It’s an extremely slow process and I’ve come to terms with the fact that I will likely not even reach an elementary level of proficiency, but everyday I learn something new, and that’s what I call progress.
My Weekly Reflection
I think this was just the week I needed to get me back into the swing of things. Being unplugged and fully immersed in another religion for the weekend allowed me to reflect upon my spirituality and set the rest of the week’s plans in motion. I decided that I wanted to contribute more to the community here, so I took a leap of faith and started giving English lessons. This was something that would’ve been unfathomable even just four months ago, but I’ve already come to enjoy this experience and am finding joy in teaching others. Learning Thai was also put on the back burner, but after being unable to truly communicate with the monks, I decide that I really needed to put in the effort. I know it’s a cliché thing to say, but I really feel as if I’ve grown a lot this week.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question that you’d like to have answered, then feel free to either leave a comment below or send me an email at contact@thetravelgap.com and I will try my best to get back to you shortly.
Are you still feeling okay?
I’ve completely returned to my normal healthy state. The bumps are now completely gone and my
marks have all started to fade. My energy and productivity levels have been as high as they always
are. I think it’s safe to say that I’m completely well.
How’s the peanut butter treating you?
PB is now the first thing I eat in the morning and often the last thing I eat before bed. It’s a staple of my afternoon snacks. I’ve donned my chef’s hat and have been experimenting dipping Thai foods into it. In case you were worried about my supply, we went to the store and I stocked up on a larger jar.
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