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Christmas day arrived here and it started out not unlike most others. I woke up earlier than usual and took a walk with my neighbor down to the local outdoor market. There's a little open air food stand there run by a really nice older Thai lady. She's always smiling and always remembers what we usually order. The best thing is that her entire menu is all the same price. A full plate of Thai food will run you 20 Baht, and is the U.S. equivalent of about 60 cents. The water and ice are free, but she'll charge you an extra 10 Baht if you want a cup of coffee.
Upon returning to the apartment building, later in the morning, we were greeted by the landlady and ushered into the main lobby downstairs. I was shocked to find a full banquet set and all my neighbors from the building. I was quickly informed by another friend that they were serving Christmas dinner and that it was free! Knowing that the building is owned and run by a devout Muslim family made it a little hard to wrap my head around the event. I guess it just goes to show how understanding they are of all the different nationalities that live in their building. Plate selections were a Thai/Japanese Noodle dish and good old spaghetti of all things. I opted for the spaghetti and promptly dug in. The sauce was a bit unusual, but I certainly wasn't complaining. I ate more food than I usually eat in a week, and promptly needed a nap. Arriving home, I flicked on the TV and was greeted by none other than "The Grinch". The songs on the old cartoon version were all still in English, but the dialogue had all been re-dubbed in Thai.
As the day turned into night, I opened up the windows and heard the unexpected. Somewhere across town there was a brass band playing "Jingle Bells". My apartment is on the third floor, so sounds tend to drift in from all over. This was definitely one of the more unusual ones for this city anyway. I went to work when the time came and despite the occasional "Happy Christmas" from a few Brits, it was just a night like any other.
After work, I got a call from a Thai friend of mine who wanted to talk. I gladly accepted especially since he was offering to pick me up and give me a ride home. A backseat ride on a motorbike can be a blessing and a curse all at the same time. On one hand you don't have to walk, but on the other you risk life and limb at the mercy of the traffic. Luckily, I made it home, and had an interesting conversation with my friend. He's actually a Christian who converted from Buddhism. Strangely enough, his lifestyle is still more Buddhist philosophy but still conforms to the Christian religion. The first Buddha pre-dates Christ by a few centuries, but they both taught similar principles. I guess it turns into a "chicken before the egg" question. The same goes for Islam, but I have yet to fully chase down that rabbit hole. All I can say is that from my landlords to the market people the Muslims have been some of the kindest and nicest people I have ever met. I can talk for hours about this stuff, but quite frankly I already have and my internet time is limited.
I'll leave you with my main thought for the day. The primary things that I have learned about Buddhism in recent months can be summed up in in two statements.
Nothing is worth being
Nothing is worth having
It's a selfless philosophy void of ego and worldly things, and has goals that only the most enlightend of individuals can ever achieve. Living here in poverty has changed my mind in many different ways and forced me to become a better person through the challenges. My mind has been opened to so many things despite the hardships of staying here.
As the song goes "Peace on Earth Goodwill Toward Men". For once in my life, I truly understand that concept, and thanks to a Christian Buddhist. The world is a big place, and until you venture out of your "safety zone" you have never truly lived.
Peace out, from the other side of the planet.
Upon returning to the apartment building, later in the morning, we were greeted by the landlady and ushered into the main lobby downstairs. I was shocked to find a full banquet set and all my neighbors from the building. I was quickly informed by another friend that they were serving Christmas dinner and that it was free! Knowing that the building is owned and run by a devout Muslim family made it a little hard to wrap my head around the event. I guess it just goes to show how understanding they are of all the different nationalities that live in their building. Plate selections were a Thai/Japanese Noodle dish and good old spaghetti of all things. I opted for the spaghetti and promptly dug in. The sauce was a bit unusual, but I certainly wasn't complaining. I ate more food than I usually eat in a week, and promptly needed a nap. Arriving home, I flicked on the TV and was greeted by none other than "The Grinch". The songs on the old cartoon version were all still in English, but the dialogue had all been re-dubbed in Thai.
As the day turned into night, I opened up the windows and heard the unexpected. Somewhere across town there was a brass band playing "Jingle Bells". My apartment is on the third floor, so sounds tend to drift in from all over. This was definitely one of the more unusual ones for this city anyway. I went to work when the time came and despite the occasional "Happy Christmas" from a few Brits, it was just a night like any other.
After work, I got a call from a Thai friend of mine who wanted to talk. I gladly accepted especially since he was offering to pick me up and give me a ride home. A backseat ride on a motorbike can be a blessing and a curse all at the same time. On one hand you don't have to walk, but on the other you risk life and limb at the mercy of the traffic. Luckily, I made it home, and had an interesting conversation with my friend. He's actually a Christian who converted from Buddhism. Strangely enough, his lifestyle is still more Buddhist philosophy but still conforms to the Christian religion. The first Buddha pre-dates Christ by a few centuries, but they both taught similar principles. I guess it turns into a "chicken before the egg" question. The same goes for Islam, but I have yet to fully chase down that rabbit hole. All I can say is that from my landlords to the market people the Muslims have been some of the kindest and nicest people I have ever met. I can talk for hours about this stuff, but quite frankly I already have and my internet time is limited.
I'll leave you with my main thought for the day. The primary things that I have learned about Buddhism in recent months can be summed up in in two statements.
Nothing is worth being
Nothing is worth having
It's a selfless philosophy void of ego and worldly things, and has goals that only the most enlightend of individuals can ever achieve. Living here in poverty has changed my mind in many different ways and forced me to become a better person through the challenges. My mind has been opened to so many things despite the hardships of staying here.
As the song goes "Peace on Earth Goodwill Toward Men". For once in my life, I truly understand that concept, and thanks to a Christian Buddhist. The world is a big place, and until you venture out of your "safety zone" you have never truly lived.
Peace out, from the other side of the planet.
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