In Thailand, the term Sabai Sabai is very popular. It means something close to “chill” or “relaxed.” But at first, it felt to me like it meant “unorganized” or “unplanned.” Many things in Thailand are last-minute adventures, and the plan seems to be to just see how it goes. This cultural custom is very different than what I was used to back in the U.S.
Oftentimes in the U.S., people have a specific plan or schedule, and they feel pressure to do things quickly and correctly. Thailand is much more relaxed and much more forgiving in this sense. Rather than fighting the Sabai Sabai culture and trying to hold onto organization and details, I have tried to breathe and deal with the events happening in the moment, accepting that I may not know the details, the exact time, or what I am doing tomorrow, and that is okay. This custom that first caused me stress has actually taught me to relax.
As I began teaching, this difference in perspective became very apparent to me. I expected to have a clear schedule of what I would be teaching and when. Instead, the teachers I am working with in Thailand planned to figure out what class schedules as the first few days of school were in progress.
