Unquestionably, the feature piece of my week (and arguably of my entire time here in Thailand) is that I spent the weekend at a Buddhist monastery. From sleeping in a 7’x10' shack to watching over 250 monks receive their morning alms, it was truly the adventure I needed to get over last week’s dry spell. Being able to observe various Buddhist chants, practices, and lectures really helped me gain a deeper understanding of the religious beliefs of the people I’m serving, and caused me to think deeply about what it means to be a Christian, especially one interacting with different religions.
Back home I ate peanut butter by the jar, so I got especially excited when Pa Lam mentioned that we could pick some up from the store. After counting down the days until our grocery run, I eagerly ran down the aisle upon our arrival at the store and gazed in amazement at the small selection of delectable nut butters. After much consideration and deep contemplation, I opted to go with the 12oz jar of Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter. (Personally, I would’ve preferred the superior brand, Jif, but beggars can’t be choosers). Once home, I enthusiastically opened up my new bounty with a Christmas-morning-esque fervor and with the devouring swallow of a sleeve of coated crackers, I brought an end to my twenty-three day peanut butter fast.
In terms of day-to-day operations, I mostly just work on the website for the Thai Baan Association (TBA), however, I’ve gotten to the point where I have to meet with the team in order to insert the content and photos for the site. This has left me feeling a bit lost as I do not function well unless I have a clear set of goals to work towards. I also didn’t want to take advantage of the TBA’s hospitality; after all, I came here to work. I shared my concerns with Pa Lam and I’m now scheduled to teach English lessons for the staff three times a week. I’m thrilled to now have something to put my time and energy into that matters.
Anyway, that’s all the updates you get for now. Be sure to be on the lookout for the complete report that should be posted this weekend.
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