This is Khun Amara, she's building cleaning staff for half of our floor. In Thailand it's not considered good form to show too much respect for the help, after all, they are low status people and especially in the university environment lots of us are very high status.
So I have learned, whenever there are people around I just say to Amara, "sawat'dee, c'ap" and smile; but if I'm alone when she comes in I give her a wai. I told her, I'm American and I respect you for the work that you do. We are both people with jobs and families, we both deserve respect.
Do people in America really feel like that or is it just me? Or was it just when I was younger? Now money seems to talk, and bullshit sure walks.
2 comments:
Well, I'm so glad I came to read again today. Just finished having 7 teeth pullled this a.m.; a bit uncomfortable, and figured I could use some good reading and music.
Got the music going; now the reading - and what a great entry since I so very much wish more people would give this kind of credit and recognition that is so deserved.
I'd slap up the picture of the A.C. guy who saved us 'last year' - a man who was wiped out in the Katrina mess; relocated to our small town when no work was available. A man - a hero in his own right; his family still relocated outside of the area in which they were hit...he's hundreds of miles here - sending money 'back'....
The guy who changed our tired in the middle of the desert when we simply couldn't handle it alone; he saw my husband's 'sticker' that read 'retired Marine'...a young recruit himself, not only did he change the tire; share his bottled water, but saluted my guy when he waved good-bye.
Our security guard who stands hours at a time; who protects this place we live 'in' (even though I dislike gated communities); while we were gone away, he checked our doors - made sure things were in order, and we love giving him monthly 'gifts' for he and his new baby daughter (the least we can do).
If I were to keep writing of those people we respect and simply appreciate so much, what they do to make our life more pleasant; safe, and convenient, I'd end up creating a 'blog' right here (smile).
I hope you'll pop more faces like these from time-to-time; it should provoke each of us to 'remember'; we don't live in this world alone, we don't achieve anything alone, and just like that 'famed writer/poet' you spoke about, if simple people didn't 'buy his books', his source of income would either dry up, or he'd be forced to seek another avenue of revenue; or even a new profession.
I've sent your blog link to a few friends of mine that I also think will benefit from your insightful words; the brevity by which you convey a 'big thought' - and remain a refreshing source of information. Diane
That's a great comment to read on May Day, Diane, thanks a lot.
I feel very lucky to be not too smart or too stupid; I can get along with everybody from the sweeper to the president of the university.
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