Good Daughter, Bad Daughter

In Thai culture, the youngest child looks after the parents. In Tina's case (Tina's our guide) she is the youngest of 8 children, and also the only one who has a university education. It's up to her to look after her mother but, mother and her 7 siblings are considered equal and so, whatever she gives to her mother she must also give to each of her siblings. "If I have 1000 baht, I cannot give 500 to my mother. If I do, I am a bad daughter. I must give an equal amount to each brother and sister. I also cannot keep it all for myself. I cannot let my mother go alone to the market. If I do, all my friends will call me and tell me I am a bad daughter."

In Buddhism, which is not a religioon but a philosophy of life, you must respect your parents above all else. In addition, they believe strongly in the adage to forgive and forget. This they practice daily, beginning each day anew. The hurts of yesterday are forgiven and forgotten and each day is fresh and new.

"It's better to swallow angry words than to eat them."

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