Sawasdee Pi Mai!

In the middle of my beachside massage, I felt someone lean over my body and arms wrap around me. "Sawasdee Pi Mai!!!" my smiling masseuse from two days ago said. I recognized the Thai greeting for Happy New Year faster than I did the person saying it – let alone the reason she was hugging me so enthusiastically – that took me almost another half hour. In fact, the whole moment was so confusing that I responded in the wrong language greeting her and asking how she was in Bahasa Indonesia – which I can only attribute to the fact that I was disturbed during a massage of which I have had far more in Bali in recent years.

In my hazed moment, I reasoned that she must have really thought the my difficulty taking direction during my Friday massage combined with my at times bumbling Thai was cute and therefore made me a stand-out customer. It wasn't until I was paying later that I realized Emily and I always give tips – probably generous ones compared to a lot of the European and Russian tourists who don't typically tip at all, and that likely meant more to her than I thought.

The happy masseuse then tapped my foot to make sure I paid attention as she went over to the stereo system to share a song with me. It was Thai and entitled, Sawasdee Pi Mai in which – to my best interpretation of Thai – was about a resentful guy who broke up with his girlfriend and told the somewhat humorous story of how things fell apart along with the sarcastic wish of "Happy New Year!" The massage staff at the beachside massage-hut establishment thought it was pretty funny.

I had been let in on some cultural humor – which is a high compliment, but also requires some fake laughter as I am better at understanding the Thai sense of humor than sharing it.

If the Balinese reach to the heavens to pull the divine down to Earth – believing as one Balinese sign said, "Life is an offering" – Thais seek to bring humor to the mundane, in effect turning it into the bonds between them – something that can be shared by all.

Over the years, I have found Thai humor summed up well in the phrase, "It's funny because it's true." And those things can include regional dialects and the differences in how people of different regions talk, foreigners' strange behaviors, making fun of how one another looks, bathroom humor or even calling someone cheap or lazy. It's not high brow – but it makes light of what everyone experiences and thinks. It's the product of a culture that values playfulness and fun – a culture that believes only a few important things should be taken seriously and that our lots in life are often things to be borne with grace.

The largely landowning Balinese on average spend 30 percent of their time working and 70 percent of it involved in religion, community, art and family – which are really all one thing for them. They spend much of their waking lives making the world a sacred space. Our friends in Thailand – like most of us in the world – don't have that luxury.

You may be a poor farmer, maker of smelly fermented shrimp paste, poorly paid but hard working janitor in a large office building or a door-to-door broom and cleaning supply salesman in a provincial town (still an actual, viable profession) – but that's ok and even dignified. Moreover, why not find lightness rather than dwell in the heavy aspects of your life?

So it was that last night as Emily and I were done with our dinner date in the nearby fishing village of Bang Bao, we debated whether to take the 15 minute walk home or take a three minute songthaew taxi ride. We didn't need the ride, but as we passed the taxi station, we decided to see if any of the drivers were headed our way. With at least six drivers sitting around, we expected someone to jump at the fare. Instead, they debated who should have to take us on such a short ride as no one really wanted to get up for only 40 Baht. Feeling sympathetic, I decided to toss in an incentive and make someone's night – offering 100 Baht for a solid six minutes of work. Still they debated, so Emily and I decided to walk as we were leaning toward doing so anyway – but not before I said in Thai, "Is everyone that lazy?!" which got a good laugh. Calling someone lazy is almost always funny – especially when it's true.

And today when a rude Russian tourist was getting angry at the hard working lady who runs the amazingly delicious and popular som tam (spicy papaya salad) stand on Lonely Beach for taking too long with his order (she was working her way through a veritable lunchtime onslaught) and he cursed her out, that astounding maker of some of the best food on Ko Chang simply yelled back, "I love you too!" getting the laughter of those around her. Grace under fire with some Thai levity.

There was no shortage of levity with our family either. We decided to spend the last day of 2017 on the fantastic white sand portion of Lonely Beach with deck chairs in the shade strategically located near a great restaurant, som tam stand and massage – all of which were enjoyed. The kids swam and swam and swam in the calm waters; played in the sand; scarfed down sticky rice, chicken and roasted corn; and napped on sarongs in the sand. At one point Sennen declared that he wanted to live in the water and at another that he wanted to sleep on the beach tonight (which some partying tourists will undoubtedly end up doing).

Thailand agrees with our kids. 

Luckily they get to start 2018 here. As for New Year's Eve, we're not yet sure how it will play out. The restaurants along the beach are each hosting parties with music and entertainment. The kids are eager to watch and perhaps to dance. We'll let things unfold and go as long as it makes sense. 

But between now and the next post, we want to thank our friends and family for a wonderful 2017 and wish everyone a healthy, happy, prosperous 2018! Sawasdee Pi Mai!