At the pottery village, Ban Thakaok

A Foreigner in Phi Mai by Emily Dean

Travelers in America do not experience what we have as foreigners in Phimai. America is such a melting pot that it is difficult to distinguish the difference between visitors and citizens. This isn't the case in Phimai, the people here are among the friendliest in the world. Even though we stick out like a sore thumb, we have been treated like we are in our hometown. We get a lot of attention parading around town in the back of Mr. Nim's Sangtao and even when we walk just down the street. The second week here on our way to the Banyan Tree (the largest Banyan Tree in the world) we were stopped by a father with a curious daughter. Through hand motions he expressed that his daughter wanted to feel my skin, I stuck out my arm and she touched it. She still didn't know what to think of us. Earlier the week before we had scarred a young girl in the village. She cried and clung to her mother the entire length of our visit, thinking we were ghosts.
Although our appearance has startled a few young children we feel very welcomed by their parents. Some people look at us farangs (foreigners) strangely, some turn away, many laugh at us but most smile and say hello. Phimai has been a great home for the past three weeks, we hate to say sa-wad-dee kha.