Life in Thailand was very different than my life in the United States. When I first arrived in Chiang Mai, a lot of the new things that I saw seemed confusing, but when I learned about the reasons behind these differences, it made a lot of sense! In this journal entry, I'll tell you about Thai customs related to clothing, pets and eating!
Thailand has a tropical climate, which means it stays hot all year. Even though it stays very warm in Thailand, to fit in here, you have to wear clothes that cover your knees and shoulders at most times. In the U.S., when it is hot outside, I will often wear shorts and a tank top to keep me cool, so I was confused about the dressing standard in Thailand until I learned more about Thai culture. In American culture, the clothes that you wear are an expression of yourself. Your clothes tell about who you are as a person. In Thai culture, the clothes that you wear show how you respect other people, especially people older than you. With this mindset, it makes sense that in Thailand, people wear longer clothing, as it it shows they respect one another! After I learned this, I enjoyed wearing pants even when it was very hot because it meant that I was respecting Thai people and culture.
Another thing that was confusing for me in Thailand was the way people interacted with pets.
