The house I live in has a kitchen, but it hasn’t been used for months. There is dust and dirt covering everything, from the floors up to the refrigerator. One day, I even saw a frog leaping across the countertop! I generally don’t want to cook where frogs live, so I eat out for every meal.
I often see the same people working at my favorite restaurants. Some of these people know my food order as soon as they see my face. When I walk in, one restaurant owner asks, “Grapao gai kai dao, chai mai?” (This is Thai for, “basil chicken with a fried egg, right?”). I smile because he’s right. That’s exactly what I want to order. Being remembered and recognized in a foreign city makes me feel like a valued member of the community, which makes Khon Kaen feel more like home. Certain things I do, like making friends, make this happen more quickly, but not being able to speak Thai fluently can make it quite difficult to make friends.
To me, the definition of a community member is someone who contributes positively, or gives something back, to her or his community. Right now, I contribute the money that I earn as a teacher to local businesses when I buy fruit, snacks and noodles from restaurants. I also contribute to the school’s community as an English teacher.
