Kingdom of Thailand

Thailand's beaches

Bangklok, Thailand

Emerald Temple - Bangklok, Thailand

                                                       

Contemporary Buddhism Temple in Thailand

Happy Fourth of July at Amelia Park

Project about Poverty Reduction in Thailand 2011

References

1.          Seven success stories from northeastern Thailand (English version) - Part 1. (2011, May 21). Retrieved from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGXW4XrtDlg&feature=player_embedded

2.          Seven success stories from northeastern Thailand (English version) - Part 2. (2011, May 21). Retrieved from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jFz0b26hOzI

Movie: Farewell, My Concubine

1.     What are the values that are admired?

The values that I admired are friendship, loyalty, obedience, and discipline.

2.     How to people interact with one another?

People interact with respect most of the time, at least with the famous actors and people of the government. But they also interact very differently towards actors, women, prostitutes and children.

3.     How is the culture similar or different from mine?

It is very different. They taught children how to do opera with hard punishments, violence and discrimination. They didn’t have a good guidance about how to survive once they were unable to work as actors or the new life style once the war was over, but they learned that friendship was strong.   

4.     What did you learn about the culture from watching the movie?

They tried to protect their opera, their art, and their friendship even when a woman tried to interpose between them. They had to assume many consequences because of the political problems of the country.

5.     Would you like to visit the country or meet people from the country?

Explain your answer. Yes, because I liked Asian culture and I would like to learn a little more about their customs, their history, art and traditions.

References

Farewell to my concubine trailer. (2009, October 20). Retrieved from Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC-_SLiRnJE&feature=player_embedded

 

Extra Credit Movie: The King and I

1. What are the values that are admired?

The values that I admired are loyalty to the king, friendship, love, and respect.

2. How to people interact with one another?

There are two different interactions in the movie. The first one is between an American woman with the king; she talked to him with honesty, and he tried to understand her. The second interaction is between the Thai people with the King; Thai people had to bow in front of the king all the time, they showed him respect, and they never talked without the king’s permission.

3. How is the culture similar or different from mine?

The movie shows two different cultures, both different from mine. It shows the American and Thailand culture, but there is one principal aspect that makes a big difference; the movie is from 1944. The differences are: they had a king, all the people had to bow to him in order to express respect to him; they only talked if the king allowed it. Thai people treated their king as their highness and no one could say “no” to him. Americans were more independent, honest, they respect each other but they did not have to bow the same way. Nowadays people do not bow to each other and they can say anything. Another difference is that the women in Thai were treated as a inferior human beings, more like a trading good to their king, but it is different now because women are considered almost as equal as men (at least in paper). Also Thai people believed in slavery, which is now against human rights.

4. What did you learn about the culture from watching the movie?

I learned that people have changed their mind about war, government, slaves, women, respect. They had beautiful clothing, beautiful music, but they were close-minded. People didn’t have as many opportunities to learn, to be free as we have in America nowadays. One important thing that I learned from the movie was that children respect their parents’ opinion, specially their father’s.

5. Would you like to visit the country or meet people from the country? Explain your answer

Yes. I would like to visit their country or meet people from there because I would like to learn more about their culture. I like their architecture, their clothing, their music and their food. I think Thailand is a beautiful place to visit.

Reference

"The King and I" - Etc., etc., etc., . (2009, November 22). Retrieved from youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j-t7uVdID3s

Extra Credit: Lowe Art Museum

           The Lowe ArtMuseum is a place with a big variety of art. They have galleries from different cultures and countries. They gave us a really good tour in which we had an opportunity to admire the Japanese art since its beginning. I think Japanese art is mostly divided in four parts: the ancient art, theEdo and Meiji period, and the modern art. Their art has many differences between each other and it also shows a big part of the Japanese culture. For example; at the beginning their art was mostly sculpture in wood and paint, andafter that the artist used it to stamp his/her design in a paper, they calledthis kind of art: Woodblock prints. They also used some kind of art in theirclothing to show how rich was a person; they had in their obi or belt somethingcalled Netsuke (a figure made from a variety of materials).  Between the Edo and Meiji period there were big advances in art, such as the use of color in their pictures and paintings; for example, they colored their pictures manually to incorporate color in them. I really liked the screens or “Byobu” that Japanese people used in the Edo period to separate their rooms instead of walls. Also they have a variety of porcelain objects highly decorated called “Kutani Ware." During the Meiji period, they started painting more about high class prostitutes or Geishas, warand high class society.  It was reallyinteresting to learn about the Japanese art through all the art pieces thatthis museum has.
References
Introspection and Awakening: Japanese Art of the Edoand Meiji Periods. (2012, July). University of Miami Lowe Art Museum.Miami, Florida.

Fushu Daiko Group and Vietnamese Food

There was an interesting event in the college this week, where I had the opportunity to meet a Japanese music group and a taste of Vietnamese food. The Fushu Daiko is a group which represents a Japanese art called "Japanese Taiko Drumming", but through the years they have developed their own version of this art and call it “American Taiko.” They played different songs to show us their music. The first song they played was dedicated to the memory of a man who helped to create this group, who passed away in June 27th, 2007. This music is very energetic, carrying emotional and spiritual tones, transforming it through the years making it more current. This is a very synchronized and organized group, and the way and timing they chose to play their instruments achieve perfect harmony. One of the members of this group is actually Japanese. She feels that being part of this group brings her closer to her culture.

We also had the opportunity to taste Vietnamese food. I found it to taste pretty much like any other Asian food except for the way the dishes were plating. I had some vegetables, chicken and fried rice, which were particularly delicious. The vegetables were cooked in an especial sauce that gave them n unique flavor. The fried rice and chicken were mixed with other ingredients, not as spicy as most of Asian food is, but yummy, nonetheless. I think the activity was a very interesting way for add experience a little bit of the Asian culture, particularly at it relate to Japan and Vietnam.  

Fushu Daiko. 2012. <http://www.fushudaiko.com/fushu-friends#!__fushu-friends/japanese-taiko-drumming>.

Thailand, an Exciting Country of Asia

Thailand is an exciting country not only because of its culture, but also because of its religion, customs, marriage, and funerals. The culture of Thailand has been influencing by other countries and immigrants from India, China and Cambodia. Thailand religion is mostly Buddhism, but it has minorities of Christians, Muslims and other Thai religions. Thai Buddhism is known as Theravada Buddhist. Thai people applied their religion in cosmology and astrology. They believe in spirits, so they own miniature houses in their own house or public places where the spirits can live. They also have to offer food and drinks to these spirits to make them happy. If the spirits are not happy, they can live the house and create chaos. Most of the Thai customs has been modified through the last years, but there are some of them that are still in the top of their values. One of the most common customs is the one used to show greeting or farewell; people made a “wai” and move a little their head with a smile. Another significantly custom is the minimum or uncommon demonstration of affection in public. For example, friends can hold their hands; instead a couple of lovers cannot do it. Thai people also believe that foot are the dirtiest part of the body and the head is the most respectful part of the body, that explain why it is rude to point any person or religion symbol with the foot, or move the foot above of some else’s head, especially if the other person is a monk or has a higher social status.  Thai people believe that is life should be fun, so they avoid conflict, anger and any kind of disagreements. Visitors have to help to keep harmony and avoid making a Thai person to lose his/her face. Any disgust should be handled smiling and talking without blaming another person. Thai people strongly believe in respect for the elderly people, parents, teachers and their ancestor. The monks have prohibited any contact with women, and women have to help them to avoid any incidental contact. Women can make offerings but they have to put them in the monk foot. The monk could give a blessing to women with a stick, but they can no touch women in any way. They have two different kind of marriage, between Buddhist and between Muslims. Between Buddhists, they have two ceremonies, the first one it is in a temple; they recite prayers, offer food, gift and cash to the monks. After all this ceremony, the principal monk gives blessing and offering advice to the couple. The second one it is the traditional with the families. Between Muslims, they offer a ceremony in two rooms, one for women and one for men. Both kind of marriage (Buddhism and Muslims) shared something call “dowry”, it means that the groom has to give the bride’s family certain amount of money to compensate them and demonstrate his financial status for his future wife. Funerals take a week, and the corpse is usually cremated after the monk’s ceremony is given to avoid the dead come back as a bad spirit.  Thai culture is very interesting in the way they assume their religion and all their customs about funerals and relationships.

Reference
Culture of Thailand. (2012, June 21). Retrieved from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Thailand