Eating soup inside a home in Thailand
About this recording
Kristin Post
- Creator
- Kristin Post
- Date created
- 2001
- Duration
- 3:20
- Location
- Trang, Thailand
- File
- MP3
- License
- This recording copyright ©2001. Terms of use
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- Search LEARN NC for Buddhism, culture, eating, festivals, food, homes, language, meetings, Thai, Thailand, and Trang.
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This was recorded in Trang, Thailand, a small town near the southeastern coast.
During a ten-day Buddhist vegetarian festival, a young girl, Duan offers to take me to the temple. When I meet her at our appointed time, she takes me up the street to her house. While she changes into all white clothes (the proper attire for religious worship), I am treated to soup. Her family members watch me eat and ask questions about where I’ve traveled, if I am alone, and if I like the food.
Thai Buddhism is a mixture of influences from other countries. Theravada, the main type of Buddhism, comes from Sri Lanka. However, India and China also play major influences. The vegetarian festival is influenced by Chinese Buddhism, and is only celebrated in three towns in Thailand.
The words are difficult to distinguish. I am offered soup, and since it is hot, I am told to “bao” or blow to make it cooler. I am also offered “kan wan,” or dessert. When asked if I speak Thai, I reply “mai dai”, which means no, and then “nit noi,” a little bit.
From my journal:
On the way to Ani and Hans a girl comes out and wants to take me to the temple. This is Duan and she and I hang out for the next three days. First day I do the stations. All in white. Then go to their temple and the spirit woman gives me a bracelet, makes me drink dirty water.
