Today is Wai Kru Day at my school. It is a day when students show their respect to their teachers. I don’t know if my ego is getting way too large, or if I am adjusting to the culture, but this year it didn’t feel as strange to have all my students bowing down to me with their faces to the floor.
I was deeply touched when a large group of students from last year came over to my building and presented me with flowers and asked for my blessing. It was much more meaningful than the main school-wide ceremony. That ceremony was mandatory. The smaller, more intimate exchange of blessings was something my students chose to do, they wanted to show their respect for me.
I also had a group of students present me with flowers during lunch, and another group present me with flowers after school.
It was a neat day.
The only weird thing was noticing that for the school-wide ceremony the boys in each homeroom presented their teacher with an elaborate candle. The girls presented an elaborate flower or cup of scented water.
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