We are Siamese, if You Please

Curry's second interview pays homage to her Siamese heritage.  She interviewed my friend Christine, whose mother hails from Thailand.  That's Christine in the photo with Curry, who involved herself in our travel planning one afternoon.

 

Curry: Hey Cuz, don't we look great in our photo?  We may not be related by blood, but we share a common Siamese heritage. Of course, today we call the old country Thailand. (And the people are Thai but we cats are still called Siamese…I don’t get it, but I digress…) Anyway, I thought you would be the best source I know to help me understand my heritage. Not to mention, you are one of the coolest humans I know. Let's begin.

Christine:  First I’d like to thank you for the interview. I’ve enjoyed reading your blog the past few weeks, it’s great to have the opportunity to hear a sophisticated and intelligent feline’s take on life!

Curry:  Aww, thanks.  So, here we go.  What is the best thing about being Thai/Siamese?

Christine:  My favorite thing about being Thai is being able to travel around Thailand with my Thai family. I feel like I get a backstage pass and get to see the “real Thailand” that most tourists don’t get to see. However, practically no one there believes that I’m half-Thai!  My features are more Anglo-Saxon, so Thais generally think I’m a “farang” (Thai word for a westerner).  It also doesn’t help that I’m not fluent in Thai.

I also like that I grew up eating Thai food every day. While my friends were eating hot dogs and pizza, I ate scrumptious penang curry and noodles!

Lastly, I like that it rings true when my sisters and I sing “we are Siamese if you please”.

Curry:  You have been to our ancestral country.  What was it like?

Christine:  Every time that I visit our motherland, I spend the majority of the time in my family’s small village in the sparsely populated Northeast region of Loei. Life is much slower there than where I live (Washington, DC).  I find that the slower pace enables me to enjoy things more; the foods, my family, and the landscapes are greatly appreciated while I’m in the village. It also makes me grateful for all that I have back home. There are many amenities that I have back home that I take for granted (warm running water, internet, cell phone service, coffee shops on every corner) that I missed while I was there.

I have traveled throughout most of Thailand. It’s truly a beautiful country. Most people that I encountered were very warm and friendly (Thailand is often referred to as the “land of smiles”). There are magnificent Buddhist temples (Thailand is more than 90% Buddhist) scattered throughout the country. And there are stunning landscapes; breathtaking mountains in the north and in the south there are some of the world’s most picturesque beaches. I have yet to visit the amazing beaches that Thailand has to offer, they are on my list for the next time that I go to Thailand!

Curry:  It sounds like an amazing country.  Do you know of any ancient Siamese traditions that have made it into the modern Thai culture?

Christine:  The wai is a traditional greeting and sign of respect that was used in both ancient Siam and modern-day Thailand. The wai is performed by pressing your palms together near your chest while slightly bowing. When greeting one another, Thais will give a wai, instead of shaking hands or hugging, while saying “sa-wat-dee” (the all-purpose Thai salutation that means “good morning”, “good evening”, “hello”, “goodbye”, etc).

Curry:  What is Thai family life like?

Christine:  In general, I find that family life in Thailand is more closely knit than here in the States. In Thailand, it is not uncommon for multiple generations to live together. For example, my grandmother lives with my aunts, cousins and my cousins’ children. It is uncommon for young adults to go to college far away from home or to not return home after finishing college.  It is also uncommon for a female to leave her family’s home until she is married. Also, as much emphasis is placed on respecting their elders, children are raised to always honor their parents and show gratitude for what they receive.  Here is a picture of my family in Thailand. 

Curry:  How do they treat cats in Thailand?  Would I be welcomed?

Christine:  I don’t recall seeing many cats while I was in Thailand. Most of my family has dogs as pets; I don’t think anyone in my family has a cat (except me). Though, as you know, some of the most beautiful and regal cat breeds originated in Thailand (i.e., Siamese and Korat). Since your ancestors are from ancient Thailand, I’m sure you’d be welcomed there!  Thailand is also the home to some really big cats, such as tigers. Unfortunately, there is controversy over the treatment of tigers at the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi and other touristy locations that exploit tigers.

Curry:  I am in awe of tigers and other big cats.  They are my idols and I don’t understand how humans could possibly mistreat them.  If my mom goes to Thailand someday, what #1 thing would you recommend for her to see or do?

Christine:  Go see the “monkey temple” in Lopburi, feed a monkey sugar cane and then come visit me and my family for a traditional Thai meal in their village in Loei.  

Curry:  What is your favorite Thai food, and do you think there are any good Thai dishes for cats? (Be careful here…you know I was named after Thai curry.)

Christine:  My most favorite Thai food is sticky rice. You take the sticky rice in your hands and roll into a ball, dip into sauce (a peanut sauce, soy sauce or fish sauce) and wrap it with lettuce. I love sticky rice with larb gai (a spicy dish with ground chicken, lime juice, mint with other spices). I also love pad see eew (wide rice noodles with egg, Chinese broccoli and sweet soy sauce). And yes, the curries are delicious; I particularly love Thai red curry. I can go on and on about Thai food, it’s so tasty!  This is a photo of my uncles enjoying a meal. 

Curry:  On another topic, I hear in the news that there is some political violence in Thailand right now, and some of my readers may not understand what is going on there.  Do you have any thoughts on the issue?

Christine:  Here's a brief explanation of what's going on in Thailand right now: for nearly two months the red shirts (Thais from poorer and rural areas mostly of the north) have been protesting in Bangkok for the resignation of the Prime Minister Abhist because they claim his government is illegitimate. The prime minister recently announced that there will be an election in November of this year (Abhisit's term was to expire at the end of 2011). The problem is, if the red shirts get their way and a red shirt aligned government is elected, the pro-Abhist yellow shirts (the group that seized Bangkok airports to protest Prime Minster Thaksin) may then take to the streets and protest in place of the red shirts. Thus, creating another cycle of protests followed by more counter protests.

Curry:  That is so sad.  I hate it when humans fight as their reasons for fighting don’t make much sense to me.  I hope things settle down soon so that more people don’t get hurt.  Speaking of humans, I find that I’m often bored by stupid people (and stupid cats).  Is that a genetic trait?  Do you also have a low tolerance for stupidity?

Christine:  I find that I’m much less annoyed if the person at least makes an effort to figure something out. But I suppose that addresses ignorance, not stupidity. I do have a low tolerance for stupidity; when a person possesses the necessary knowledge but acts in a way that contradicts logic.  I also have a very low tolerance for cultural and ethnic ignorance. I think there are environments that are breeding grounds for these types of ignorance, which is very unfortunate. There may some cases when the person just doesn’t “know better” because of his/her environment. However, I think those cases are rare since today’s technologies foster cultural awareness in even the most remote areas of our country.

Curry:  I completely agree.  Now, let’s lighten things up a bit.  For fun, I like to play mind games with my brothers.  I also like my Dr. Seuss toys and helping my mom on the computer.  What do you like to do for fun?

Christine:  It depends on how much time I have. If I have an hour or two of free time, I’ll likely read a book and drink a glass of wine. Or I’ll have dinner (and wine) with friends. If I have an entire day to spare, you’ll most likely find me out of town (drinking wine and eating). I love to escape DC whenever I have a chance. Traveling is my fondest hobby. It doesn’t really matter where I’m going; I find it rejuvenating to be in a different environment. It’s an opportunity to refresh and clear my mind so I can get back into the groove when I return to work and school. Oh, and I love wine and good food.

Curry:  I see a common theme here (wine).  No wonder you and my mom get along so well.  That, and you both love us felines.  So, tell me about your cats.

Christine:  I have two cats, Dali and Puma. Dali is named after Salvador Dali; I named her this because the colors on her face blend together (beige on one side, gray on the other) like a Dali painting. She’s a very gentle and loving cat. She’s a bit skittish at times, but she’s very affectionate. You can generally find her snuggling with me on the couch or sleeping on the foot of my bed.

Puma is Dali’s littermate. Like Dali, she is a gray/tortoise mix and adorable. She’s playful and very social. She’s a lap cat and is almost always lying either on me or near me whenever I’m home. Most mornings, the first thing I see when I awake is her fluffy face looking back at me (she sleeps on my chest while I’m sleeping). I have no complaints about that, but as your mom knows, it is hard to get going in the morning when there’s an adorable fluffy cat lying on you!  Here is a photo of Dali and Puma as kittens and a recent photo now that they are adults.

Something unique about Dali and Puma: they love to take showers. They don’t just sit on the edge of the tub like many cats do; they actually jump into the shower while the water is running. It surprised me the first time they did it, but now it’s a common occurrence and I round them up in the bathroom whenever I’m about to take a shower. 

Curry:  I fall into the category of cats who like to sit on the edge of the tub.  I can’t believe Dali and Puma like to get wet, but that’s their choice.  Please complete the statement: “Cats are better than humans because....."

Christine:  They have four legs, not two.

Curry:  That’s definitely true.  I don’t know how you humans walk on only two legs.  By the way, you are also missing a tail.  Well, thanks for your time, Cousin Christine!  It was a pleasure interviewing you for my blog. 

Christine:  Thank you, Curry! The pleasure was all mine.