I've heard it said that the number one reason people leave "the field" is because they can't handle the local cuisine. I'm not sure if that statistic is true, though I do know some who've made desperate attempts in the kitchen if familiar ingredients were available. Safe to say, that is NOT the case here! I challenged the students to try something new for every single meal during our stay in Thailand (aside from breakfasts, which we usually eat in our rooms), allowing for the national dish of Thailand, pawd thai, up to three times (pictured left). Pictured below is papaya salad, stir-fried morning glory in oyster sauce, red curry with chicken, and stir-fried pork and chard. I've been very proud of their experiments with the amazing variety of food available here!
Many of our Thai students don't have kitchens in their apartments. Why bother, when you can get a complete, hot meal on the street for $1? Especially when eating is a social event. In fact, the Santisuk teaching schedule allows for time before and/or after class to eat out with students. We've also had many opportunities to eat out on our weekend excursions and shopping trips. The traditional Thai style is to order a variety of dishes and to share everything, family style. Our students are able to share much more than just food during these times - some of the lessons in the English books lead to conversations that continue once classtime is over.
Karen and Krista eating at a milk stand with Krista's business correspondence students. This is one of their favorite places to take their favorite teachers!
As a parent I am happy to hear that everyone is well-fed!
ReplyDeleteCindy Fenton