My International Incident

Well, maybe calling it "International" isn't entirely correct. You see, I didn't offend the entire nation of Thailand, just the Buddhist part of Thailand. If you know anything about Thailand however, you know that the vast majority of Thailand is in fact Buddhist, so you can see why calling the incident "International" isn't quite correct but not completely false either.

So, let me start by saying that I know nothing about he Buddhist culture, or better yet, I didn't before last week. Well, I take that back. I knew two things. One: Women cannot, under any circumstances even in incidents of drowning, touch a Saffron clad Buddhist Monk (totally true, I read a story about this). And Two: The laws of physics do not apply to Saffron clad Buddhist Monks because apparently you can pile at least seven of them in a single cab pick-up truck and it be completely safe. Yep, good bit of knowledge to have there, right???

So anyway, remember Remy? My little "problem" visitor? Well, last week my neighbor stopped over for a chat and we got on the subject of "things that induce heart attacks" and I told her about Remy and my attempt to have him killed with a big stick. As I am telling her this she begins to shake her head "no" and starts to laugh. I thought she was trying to commiserate or something and had been through the same thing and had the same feelings, but no, no she wasn't laughing and commiserating. She was laughing at my rather large faux paux, and she was about to give me a very important lesson about the Buddhist people. After I finished my story and she had ceased her laughter she says "oh honey no. They won't kill them. That's their kin!" Huh? I'm sorry, crazy lady say what???

As you can imagine the news of "killing their kin" completely threw me off.  Their kin? Really? I didn't know what to make of this info so my first thought went to schooling. My neighbor is Canadian and I thought maybe they just taught evolution differently there and Canadians thought people came from rats and not the monkeys. Well, no. Now that couldn't be it, could it? I mean evolution is a universal thing, right? Surly it is. So, as quickly as that thought came into my little brain, it left. So then what? What's this kin business about?

Well the kin business relates to the Buddhist principle/philosophy of reincarnation. Apparently they wont even kill bugs. Here I am playing hang man charades with two mild manner Buddhist in my kitchen and all they can probably think is "crazy white lady wants me to kill my grandpa!". Now mind you, they didn't actually come out and say this, but looking back, the expressions on their faces were along that line. As I am telling my ever so sweet hubby about the revelation brought on by my neighbor he too starts laughing at me. Apparently he knew all about why Buddhist wont kill rats and just "forgot" to inform me. Thanks hubby! I appreciate that!

In any event, news did not spread farther then my kitchen on my "incident" because I have not been deported or forced to give up my temporary Thai citizenship. My maid is also still working for me and the handy man doesn't seem any more indifferent towards me then normal. All seems to be forgiven! In further news, after my neighbor left, that very night my hubby decided to open the forbidden rat cabinet and discovered that Remy had been caught with the aid of my banana. The bad news surrounding this was that he discovered Remy at 10pm. However, the good news is that our landlord seems to like us and called a security guard to escort Remy off our property... Alive and in his friendly cage!

Until next time, I hope all is well!
Kristen