holy sao-ateet! (weekend [saturday/sunday=wan sao, wan ateet])

I edited this post and included a picture of Mr. Pinyo Pataworn, the foreign relations officer who has been helping me find the necessary accomodations and connections in Khon Kaen.


My motorcycle died on me twice today, apparently I don't know how to read a gas gauge or understand that a soda bottle full of the sweet sweet nectar of freedom will only take me a short distance. Both times my red and white Suzuki puttered to a halt, I began to wonder whether I had rented a lemon. Luckily, both times helpful Thais (they seem to be everywhere) were around, all too willing to point out how stupid I was, and remedy my ignorance with free gasoline, all while having a good laugh at my expense. I seem to have that effect on people out here as I bust out clever quips in the local Isaan(Lao) dialect

(I had a solid lesson last night in Lao language skills while watching the Italy and Germany semifinals (I'm a quick language picker-upper but maybe I'm going to confuse myself by learning 2 new ones at the same time that are so similar {I also won two coffees (60 baht) from the lady outside the internet place}) to the surprise of many (who understandably assume that the color of my skin indicates ignorance of local language and culture {many of the foreign teachers I have met out here do not even make the effort}).

Give me another couple months and I could be reach fluency (I just need to catch a wave off a solid foundational understanding).

-new development-

I went into see (mr.) Pinyo yesterday, who informed me that I would be spending the weekend at an unnamed monastery with some heavy hitters. The day before that I had visited with Dr. Peerasit Kamnuasilpa(did i spell that right) and presented him with a book about Brooklyn, and met one of his associates, a woman nick-named Lek (small in Thai) who boasted of having a special friend who had once been a member of parliament who would probably be delighted to host me at his wat (monastery). Dr. Peerasit seems like a real cool, intelligent guy, and hopefully he will find more time to talk with me in the future.

The suddenness of Pinyo's invitation and the firmness with which he informed me that I was to be picked up at 7 a.m. sharp Saturday morning makes me thankful that I didn't make any promises to other people who have asked me to visit or join them on less relevant expeditions into Laos, Isaan, and Bangkok and/or in and around Khon Kaen. I will be picked up sometime on Monday by the same unnamed person that will take me there (I love the suspense of these mysteries).

This will be an excellent opportunity to build the foundation necessary to document my research on film, because, as a rule, I will not shove a camera into someone's face or carry it on my person until I have been assured of some agreement and desire of the monks or kickboxers to do so.

Also, if a member of parliament chose to join this monastery (the motivation for his ordination intrigues me as I read the newspapers daily) it must be exceptionally holy. In addition, this is a very special time of year to be hanging in and around a monastery because the monks will be preparing for Buddhist Lent, a major holiday (wan yud [day stop]) that will close businesses and schools monday and tuesday as the monks (are obliged to) begin 3 months of a higher level of abstinence.

I'll fill you in more on this holiday in the near future, and hopefully I will have time to give my initial impressions of the Sangha before the monks have a chance to speak for themselves this weekend.