1-17-11

First day riding to the hub which is the main area we gather. It is at a school. It wasn’t too long (maybe 5 – 7 miles, but the traffic is worrisome and it is dusty and smoggy.  I have a constant sore throat.  We compared notes on home stay. PCTs have very diverse housing from pretty western (including internet and hot water) to more traditional Thai (squat toilets, bucket showers, Thai eating etiquette). All the PCTs are asked what Americans would consider personal questions, the most common is age. Thai society is very communal and hierarchical. Age and social standing are the 2 primary factors. How you wai (bow), the order in which you eat, your household chores, eye contact are all determined by where you land on the Thai continuum.