Wai Khru Ceremony

The Wai Khru ceremony is done to pay respect to teachers at the beginning of the school year. All of the students present cones they have made from bannana leaves and filled with flowers to the teachers with a kneel and a wai.
To wai you place your hands together in prayer position and hold your hands so that your thumb or fingertips depending on the type of wai are at the level of your nose and you bow your head.
In Thai culture there is an elaborate system of different wais depending on your status. In the case of the Wai Khru ceremony the deepest respect wai is used. In Thailand, ajarns- or teachers hold a very high place in terms of respect, just below monks. Even someone of a very high position would still wai their elementary teacher with utmost respect if they were to see them. I'm seated here with my new friend Cate. We had to dress in traditional Thai garb. In the morning I had a Thai top on too- but luckily I spilt tea down the front and had to change - I felt a little too much like I worked at Epcot center.