Thai Hello

Besides smiling most people greet you with a graceful wai, the Thai gesture of both greeting and respect in which the palms are held together as if in prayer, and the fingertips are brought up level with the nose and they say, "Sawadee Ka" to females and "Sawadee Krap" to males, it is a form of greeting like hello, good morning. Apparently the higher you hold your hands the more respect that is being shown. To the king you would place your palms as high as possible. Mark was told by his predecessor that he should never be the first to offer the wai at work and wai only in return and should hold his palms at his chest level. It is a nice tradition of humbling oneself to another. In a days time I might here "Sawadee Ka" 30 times or so in the hotel. I have also learned how to say, thank you-Kob khun ka and good bye is Lakon. The Thai alphabet has 44 letters with 15 vowel sounds. Thai is a tonal language with five different tones. I read that it is difficult for foreigners or farangs because of all the tonal differences for example suea with a rising tone, suea with a low tone and suea with a falling tone mean tiger, a mat and clothes respectively. It's hard for this TX girl with just a 'twangy' tone!! I hope that the Thai people can appreciate I'm trying. I wanted to post this funny picture outside of McDonalds of Rondald Wai-ing, it made me laugh. I'm also posting a picture (I have no pride!) of the momentous occasion of my first Thai facial. Three ladies from the school invited me out for lunch last week and a facial. The ladies were from FL,MS and one lady had arrived two weeks ago from Michigan. I felt very pampered and kinda guilty (especially when my homeschool friends read this!) to be enjoying such a frivolous thing-to anyone that actually makes the trip over I will treat you to a 60 minute facial just no talking during it, it's all about the relaxing!!