I have met so many amazing people here, and I now know that Thai people are some the kindest, most welcoming people I have ever met. I get the feeling that this happens all around the world. It doesn’t matter where you go; for the most part, people will be friendly if you try to learn about their cultures.
I also think it is easier to understand more about your own country when you spend a bit of time away from it. It is natural to think about your own country as “normal,” and other countries as "abnormal." But so many people consider Thailand home, which means that Thailand is their “normal,” and American culture is “abnormal.” For example, in the United States, we drive on the right side of the road. In Thailand, cars drive on the left side. Instead of saying something like, “That’s wrong,” I try to think about a Thai person’s point of view. If my Thai friend Thun saw a car on the right side of the road, he would be surprised, because it’s not what he is used to. Neither side is wrong; they are just different.
Being in Thailand has taught me that there are countless differences between the two cultures of Thailand and America. Even so, I am still able to make friends and survive by doing my best to learn about the culture, and not think things are “wrong,” even when they are foreign to me. Even though I don’t speak Thai and I can’t read most of the signs on the road, I am trying to learn as much as I can, which makes people more willing to help me make my way around this city.
