Culture Shock Redux

Last May when son Anthony returned to the US with his Thai bride Pat, I posed here a Question for Readers: Culture Shock.

Fifteen months later, with classes and practice, Pat’s English is greatly improved and she is so acclimatized that she now goes out in shorts sometimes when I, a native Seattleite, consider the weather too cool. Of course, she has shapely legs to show off, while mine are skinny with fading hair.

Since his return to the US, Anthony has been closely studying what our country has become and he has been reflecting on what that means for him. He has decided not to pursue a career working for corporate enterprise, but instead to obtain certification to teach science at the high school level.

This month son Chris has been visiting from Thailand, with his wife Nat, who despite any formal English training, does quite good at communicating. Coming to visit America for the first time in August eased the weather shock for Nat. She has been enjoying making comparisons of our area with Thailand. While Pat comes from southern Thailand around Bangkok, Nat’s roots are in the more mountainous north. In fact, she points out she is not actually Thai, but 1/4 Chinese and 3/4 Lanna. The Lanna people have a long and proud heritage for many centuries before being absorbed by Thailand. Nat and Chris live in Bangkok, but her heart is still in the highlands. She very much enjoyed our hike at Sunrise on Mount Rainier. Her late mother was a fruit farmer and Nat has enjoyed our “exotic” fruit here, picking blueberries in our back yard and apples at a friend’s house.

With Anna visiting from Vermont and Jonathan resident here, this is the first time the four children have been together since Jon got married four years ago. And now we have been blessed with two grandchildren and two more daughters-in-law joining Jon’s wife, Tanzi.

I have offered this quick family visit note partly as an explanation, or excuse, for not posting much here during August. Nat and Chris will be leaving for Thailand tomorrow evening. The month went so fast and there is lots more we would like to have done during their time here, but we all agree the visit has been fun and exciting for everyone.