Classes Conclude

The second week of Thai Massage classes seemed to go a little smoother than the first. Not sure if it was because we now had some of the basics down or if we were still numb from the previous week. Whatever the reason, we were now equipped to return some of the new torture techniques we had learned back on our teacher. The two of us were his only students this week so two former students returned from time to time to help us practice. Our teacher, Mos, was very preoccupied with trying to sell his truck and was constantly in and out of the room with phone calls and meetings regarding the sale. He did bring in some little sticky coconut rice treats that we enjoyed during our frequent breaks.

The second week of classes repeated many of the same moves and techniques we learned in the previous week, and also explored some new and very demanding moves that required us to pull the client up on top of and over us. It’s certainly a strange concept to think that hoisting someone backwards over your knees is supposed to be therapeutic and relaxing, but apparently it helps somehow.

One of the better parts of class was getting to meet and spend time talking with people from other countries. We found it particularly interesting that those who speak English as their second language understood each other’s English better than we could. We were often left scratching our heads as their conversation would continue forward in their highly accented and broken English.

Our final day of class was to be a run through of every technique we had learned during both weeks so of course we were nervously hoping we could remember everything. With the amount of material we had to cover we were sure we would run way past our allotted time. Enter the iPhone! Luckily for us, Mos was very curious about our iPhone. We showed him how to access the games and within a few moments he was completely oblivious to us the remainder of the day. His focus on the game allowed us to slip through our final practice session, complete with shortcuts and imperfections, and we ended well ahead of schedule. Mos, happily surprised and satisfied by a job well accomplished (or so he presumed), presented us with our graduation certificates and we were free at last!

After completing the course on Friday, we were invited back to Mos’ house that evening for a BBQ with his family and a few former students. Our introduction to this Thai style BBQ was quite interesting. A fire was started in what appeared to be a small flower pot which contained a small amount of previously burned wood. The wood was actually a form of charcoal which burns long and hot. A metal apparatus that looked like a large manual citrus juicer was placed on top of the pot. It had a center dome for cooking the meat, and a surrounding trough for catching the juices to make soup. Mos’ wife placed a large bamboo mat on the ground in front of their house right on the sidewalk, and the BBQ pot was placed in the center. Raw meat and vegetables were brought out in bowls, and we sat on the bamboo mat circling the ‘hot pot’. Using chop sticks, we placed the meat and vegetables on the large ‘juicer’. The heat was intense and quickly grilled the meat and veggies. A little water was added, and in no time we had a very tasty chicken and vegetable soup. The dinner was as much a social occasion as a meal, and we ended up visiting around that hot pot for over three hours. It was a delightful experience that further promoted our cross cultural awareness.

As we biked home, we reflected on the day’s events. No matter what troubles and challenges a day may hold, an iPhone and a BBQ can make it all better.