[The last renewal of this page: May 3, 2000]

== From U.S.A. to Spain in the West, and then, Thailand in the East ==


May 13, 2000

As the third forum in the "Bridge to foreign countries Series", I have decided to set up "Birdge to Thiland".

You may have understood that the flow from "Bridge to U.S.A." to "Bridge to Spain" is a "revolution" for my yonger days. Especially in the "1. Origin of Bridge to Spain" of "Bridge to Spain" forum tells you this clearly. Well then, how I got to create this new forum for Thiland? Is this another revolution?

The story begins with my current business that brought me to Asian countries for business trip often in past two yeras. From the North to the South, they are Taiwan, Hongkong, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, etc.

Everytime I had a business trip to Asian countries, I was gainning interest in the Southeast Asian world. The world spread out in Indo-china peninsula is there. As I visited Malaysia at the second time, I had a chance to enjoy a free time at the weekend. I found myself feeling so relaxed just the same as in a memory that I left in Spain 15 years ago.

Everytime I vist Indo-chaina countries, I got to love their typical spicy food. Even the cooked rice, which is a typical japanese main food, I got to love their style of cooking with thailand rice, which is more falvor and is more hard to chew rather than very soft and sticky clean japanese rice.

In 2000 (this year), in February, I had a chance to visit Thailand at the first time. I was there bridging a weekend, I could stay there for five nights, but I never expected that I would be caught and stolen my heart there.

There in Thailand, the flavor of Buddhism is covering everything and is washing peoples mind, and its polite and clean brilliance is deeply ingrained even in pronunciations and accents of their unique language. What a dazzling look and What a beautiful look when Thai ladies vow saying freshly "Sawasdee Ka!"(Good morning, aftenoon, evening) or "Koppun Ka!"(Thank you) joinning their hands in prayer!

Peoples and their cultures are so big-hearted, obedient, free from worry! The food there is just fantastic representing Southeast Asian spicy foods like Tom-Yan-Kum!

"Oh, Yah, This is the Latin Country in the Eastern world!" I got to know it reminding that I was set free myself in Spain 15 years ago, recognizing that I have a blood of Latin within myself. Warm weather is not a reason of being Latin. There is one thing important being common with these two contries, Spain and Thailand. That is a religion. While Spain is a serious Catholic country, Thailand is a serious Buddhism country. Under the discipline and the tradition of a religion, peoples mind has been washed and cleaned ahead of the same direction. They are living naturally at their ease.

What I have been always saying "Spain in the West and Thailand in the East!" ( not only for beautiful ladies!) with my own experineces and information being learned, was true!

In the morning of the dearture, getting to the Airport in taxi, going through costums, I shouted in my mind many times "No! No! I don't like to go!" As I looked back although nobody was there to send me off, I coud not stop tears were coming up.

The next stop was Hongkong, but I was deeply depressed. That was the moment I recognized that I left my heart in Thailand, after I had been leaving my heart in Spain for 15 years!

This forum is a little bit different from "Bridge to Spain", as I know just little of Thailand. However, I know that Thailand never leaves me free (Mmh? I never leave them free, must be correct!). Therefore, this forum is made for me to know more about Thailand together with people visiting here.

After I came back to Japan, number of Thai langueage textbooks that I bought are 13 now! The music CD in a CD-Walkman that I daily listen to on my way to office (2 hours to go and 2 hours to back by train) was replaced to Thai langage course CD, and never be back to the music since then. Now, I am able to write and read (pronunce) Thai characters slowly.

I hope I will be able to steep mysel in the Thai world with those who wish the same way through this forum.



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