Part Of A Family?

This was only day 2 at the Muay Thai training center (96 Pi-Neung) but I already feel part of a family. The people today offered me food as Thais will do, I got Waied numerous times on arrival. I just felt really comfortable. The head man of the facility Khune Po (Dti -60) talked to me for over 1 hour. I did not understand everything he said but he told me about his life and and the history of the gym. They house 18 young boxers, many of whom do not have a mother or father, no drinking or smoking is allowed and they get a free room and meal. Khune Po told me he used to be a boxer when younger and had a successful career that included 4 years in the USA. He set up the training center to help young children and to make merit (tum boon, making merit in Theravada Buddhism is very important).

It was great to be sitting with these people today, I had my film changing tent out on the table and changed my 4x5 holders as they ate and laughed and told stories next to me, it was fun even thou I only understood a small percentage of what was said.

I was also asked if I want to come to the match one of the boxers Bon (20) is having Monday night at a large Bangkok stadium. I would have to buy an admission ticket but Khune Po gave me his phone number etc that I could use to help me pay a cheaper rate. Not sure exactly how all of this will play out but I plan to go to the gym on Monday and then see how it all develops, the natch is scheduled for 630pm. I hope I can go see it after watching how hard Bon trained. Today he did light work, wore a plastic suit (to drop weight?) and got an oil massage from a trainer. Bon was a bit stand offish to me at first (yesterday) but today he was a bit more open, and even posed for some head and shoulder shots.

I hope to return to the gym in November and give out prints, I hope they turn out well.