Training Pictures

Here are some pictures from my training. They were taken by Mon, the girl I am standing with in the first picture, and some of the other girls in the class. They are all masseuses that came to learn self defense.

The women here in Thailand are all taught to be docile homemakers, to a point that most of them really don't have much of an individual personality. All the girls are the same, they are very nice, sweet, and unfortunately weak, and not just physically weak. Their culture teaches them to be this way, and coming from a place where women are becoming or have become independent, autonomous, and equal to men, it is rather disappointing for me to see this. I find that Thai people in an effort to show respect towards women use traditions that unfortunately reinforce stereotypes of women being weaker and docile. The interesting part is that the Thai men here treat me, a foreigner, as even weaker than Thai women. Apparently they think that Thai women are stronger and better than other women, and Thai men are stronger and better than other men. I can understand having pride in one's country and people, but I don't like being treated like a pathetic little runt, and I think treating foreigners in this way shows disrespect to other countries, and people, and is rather counterproductive. Pride is great, as long as you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater...

Anyways, there is my rant for the day. Some parts of Thai culture I like, but this has really been bugging me lately. Training is still a lot of fun, I just have to keep proving myself over and over again. Evan says he sees them changing and noticing my effort, but I don't notice them changing their actions because of it. No matter what I do here, in their eyes I will never be as good as any of the men. Fortunatley I train close to other foreign men, who aren't usually so demeaning.