Nate Morris - Thailand

Upon arrival in Bangkok, Thailand in July of 2008, I was unaware, I believe, of exactly what I was stepping into. I had left America nearly 20 hours ago, embarking on a journey that would take me halfway around the world to experience a culture I had never before known. I came to Thailand only with the knowledge of my homeland, America, and the cultural tendencies inscribed therein to draw from, with no clear understanding of any way of life beside my own. I had become accustomed to a nation where the urban, rural, and spiritual lives were all separate, all secluded from one another, while still very much alive. Here, in this new and distant land, I would soon learn that these three facets of society were not kept separate from one another, but in fact intertwined in their sacredness, their religiosity, and their significance to this place and its people.