This week I experienced my first "Wan Wai Khruu" which is a very ceremonial teacher appreciation day. I knew that there was a lot of Buddhist ritual in this ceremony, so I was a little leery of attending. The ceremony began with everyone standing up and folding hands and bowing head toward the Buddha altar while saying a sort of chant. I was able to just stand and observe without participating. After that, a class representative from each grade came up front , where all the teachers were seated, with an elaborate banana leaf and flower decoration on a tray. They bowed down to the Buddhist altar 3 times, then took the flowers and "walked" on their knees in front of the teachers. They then bowed down again multiple times in front of the teachers and presented the flowers to them. The teachers in turn touched the head of the students and gave a blessing of sorts "May you be good students and study well, etc." Blessings are a huge part of ceremony in Thailand. After the class representatives came up, every student then came up front in groups with their individual flower, incense, and candle arrangements beginning with the pre-schoolers through the 9th graders. I thought I was just observing and taking pictures, but then I was asked to come up front for a time to receive flowers and give a blessing to the students. It was a very interesting ceremony and demonstrates just how much respect is given to teachers in Thailand.
This week I experienced my first "Wan Wai Khruu" which is a very ceremonial teacher appreciation day. I knew that there was a lot of Buddhist ritual in this ceremony, so I was a little leery of attending. The ceremony began with everyone standing up and folding hands and bowing head toward the Buddha altar while saying a sort of chant. I was able to just stand and observe without participating. After that, a class representative from each grade came up front , where all the teachers were seated, with an elaborate banana leaf and flower decoration on a tray. They bowed down to the Buddhist altar 3 times, then took the flowers and "walked" on their knees in front of the teachers. They then bowed down again multiple times in front of the teachers and presented the flowers to them. The teachers in turn touched the head of the students and gave a blessing of sorts "May you be good students and study well, etc." Blessings are a huge part of ceremony in Thailand. After the class representatives came up, every student then came up front in groups with their individual flower, incense, and candle arrangements beginning with the pre-schoolers through the 9th graders. I thought I was just observing and taking pictures, but then I was asked to come up front for a time to receive flowers and give a blessing to the students. It was a very interesting ceremony and demonstrates just how much respect is given to teachers in Thailand.