“Awe of heart” or simply...consideration. Not a word spoken allot anymore outside of courts..

I was having a coffee at the cafe the other day and I was thinking about the culture gap with my Thai girlfriend and I recalled the link I was sent by a friend.. There is a little cultural phenomenon called Kreng Jai. I have spent the last 10 weeks methodically and patiently listening to my girlfriend explain the cultural mysteries I do not understand when we have differences. It is surprisingly simple when she answers my questions but I cannot seem to relay the clarity to acquaintances that determinedly pursue the frustratingly futile efforts to impose foreign values in a Thai culture.

"Kreng Jai, which literally means “awe of heart” but can best be translated into “consideration”, is a cause of much frustration for foreigners who live in Thailand or foreigners with Thai partners. The concept of Kreng Jai is an important one in Thai culture and has been characterized as “the essence of Thai-ness”, but what specifically this nature entails can be hard to describe.

Kreng Jai manifests itself as a general desire not to disrupt the happiness of others, even at the expense of efficiency, honesty, or one’s own interests. When guidebooks describe Thai people as being “accommodating”, they are (perhaps unconsciously) describing the effects of Kreng Jai." -Thai Family Law Center.

This has been a very self satisfying winter so far. My travel log has been expanded significantly with my trip to Burma and my values have garnered the additional dimension of intimate Asian values and a wee bit of enlightenment. Come what may...its been a blast.

I will be in touch.