Visit any place in SE Asia and likely the first place you'll be taken is the temple. I've become a bit jaundiced about seeing another temple, but this was different, While I was teaching my 2nd and final class of the day, Aronsee, the teacher who's my minder stopped, in and said "when you finish we go temple for offering". "OK fine" I thought the students are bringing a gift to the temple. Remember, all Thai schools are on temple grounds.
At 11;00 all 132 students and the teachers walked across the yard to the temple for lunch. Mystified by it's meaning I finally got Aronsee at a quiet moment for an explanation. It was a thank you lunch for the school provided by neighbors and presided over by the senior monk. The monk, and the neighbors, were quite taken by my presence.
After the students had eaten and gone out to play I was directed to the main sanctuary where two chairs were set for my audience with the monk. He's 66 years old and quite taken with my age and profession. He said "Monk never retire, only die" and then he laughed. Naturally, now that it's over I think of a 1000 questions I wish I would have asked.
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| Main altar...more is better. |
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| Teacher on my right, principal to left of monk. |
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Lined up for food,
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| With the monk at the food table |
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| Principal serving students. |
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