Learning Thai

One of the realities of living here in Thailand as a foreigner (especially a foreigner with young children) is that we stand out - and we're often the objects of attention. We're constantly being watched and so we're very conscious of the importance of always acting friendly and composed. That's not necessarily bad, but it can be tiring!

Our "foreigness" stood out to me yesterday in two different settings. One was while we were riding a bus (pictured above) and I was struck by how much Claire stood out on the bus full of Thai people. (We don't usually have her sit with strange men, but the bus was full!)

I also thought about our status as strangers and aliens during a communion service at a church we attended in Bangkok. We were worshipping with people from all over the world and that multi-ethnic environment made the taking of communion even more meaningful. It was a wonderful representation of the body of Christ and a good reminder to me of my true citizenship.

We'll try to update again soon with some more details about our day-to-day activities. Thanks for your interest and your prayer support

-Tom