I was waiting in the bus shelter for a sorngtheau to take me into town when Joo rode past on her motorcycle. She wasn't able to give me a lift as she had a friend on pillion. Half an hour later I was walking down the street behind the market and there was Joo with her friend.

'This my sister, Nok.' she said.

Nok headed off into a shop while Joo and I chatted. 'Where are you going?' she asked.

I told her that I needed to buy a shirt and some shoes for a special night that was coming up. I was going to look around the shops near the markets first and if I couldn't find anything there I would go down to Sermthai, the department store.

'I take you.' she said.

'What about your friend?'

'She not my friend. She my sister.' Joo was emphatic. 'She OK.'

So Joo left Nok behind and helped me to buy the shirt and shoes.

The point of this little story is that Nok is not Joo's sister in the conventional sense. Thais consider anyone who is close to them to be 'family'.

I would like you to meet the family that I have adopted in Thailand, on this basis.

site © copyright John Shield 2001—2005

Top left: Graduation Day, with Nid, Bussara Yongkhumcha MScBEd, Mahasarakham, December 2004. Nid lost her real father a few years back. Last year she asked if she could call me Dad. She takes it seriously too.

Bottom left: Whenever I am in Bangkok I stay with Ead and Tong. Even when I stay several weeks they are always tolerant despite cultural differences. They never show any signs that might suggest I have overstayed my welcome. They are always generous. When I am with them I feel I am treated as family or better. They are my Thai brother and sister. (fz20)

Top right: Amy was the first Thai to call me Dad. She is currently studying for her Masters in Political Science at Chulalongkhorn University in Bangkok.

Middle right: Ton and bottom right: Tar are natural brothers who used to run the Nom Chang (Elephant's Milk) Cafe where I spent many evenings in 2003. Ton, a qualified physiotherapist, is now studying biomechanics at Chiang Mai University. Tar works as an engineer in a factory in Ayuthaya.