Friday's field trip

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

I noticed no one had started a thread for Friday's field trip so here's a place to mention things you want to. I was thinking about all the places we went yesterday and wanted to mention some things that were new for me personally.
It was really nice to go to the temple. I have several friends that are Buddist and I of course had seen temples before, but there's nothing like seeing the real thing for yourself. I was hoping I was not being disrespectful to the monks in any way. I had always thought of Buddism as a religion. It sounds like it is more of a way of life though. I really thought you could go to the temple to pray as well, but again another misconception.
Lunch was another new experience for me since I had never eaten Thai food before. It occurred to me later that they use a lot of spices that I was not used to. I remember reading somewhere that Chinese have a very low rate of prostate cancers but a very high rate of stomach cancer. Obviously this is due in part to the diet. I wonder how healthy Thai food is and what medical issues are predominant there?
Just some thoughts that were running through my head this morning.....I'm sure there will be more to come.

[Anonymous]

A close friend of mine got married at the temple about six years ago. That is the first time that I went there. As I was listening to the monk speak about the fact Buddhism is a way of life, it made a lot of sense to me because my friend truly lives her life in the manner described. I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to get a tour of the facilities and to understand more about the Buddha. I remember studying the Buddha in college in some history civilization class I took, but this experience made it more real to me.

Anytime I get eat Thai food, I am happy. I really enjoyed lunch talking with other members of the class. It was a nice chance to socialize and get to know one another.

I think the experience that I really found the most rewarding was going to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. I learned a great deal. My freshman year of college, I took a class in Art History that really changed the way I looked at the world. Hearing Professor Brown speak about several pieces of art and how they relate to the family, really brought home the idea of the importance of religion to the Asian family. I retained so much information that at dinner I found myself retelling everything I learned to my husband. He told me that he had heard that when the Buddha decided to become a spiritual leader that he sat under a tree and it hugged him. I thought that was pretty amazing.

I definitely want to incorporate some art into my curriculum. I'm not sure how to do that yet. But, I am all fired up.

[Anonymous]

The field trip was remarkable as an opportunity to share experiences as well as see a different way of life. The temple is obviously a very big part of the life of the Thai community, and not just of that part of the valley. The numbers of people involved both as monks, as visitors, the children and activities going on... it was such an inpressive organization representing a part of the greater LA community that I rarely see or come in contact with. And again, one of so many other communities that are numerous and prospering in LA.

[Anonymous]

I really enjoyed the field trip on Friday. I was impressed with the Buddhist temple and I felt fortunate that we had an opportunity to interact with the monk. However, I was a little disappointed that we spent such a short period of time with him.

The Thai restaurant was great and I am quite lucky because it is only 5 minutes from my home. I now have another excellent restaurant to add to my list.

I felt fortunate that our class had an opportunity to listen to Professor Brown discuss the different pieces of art and how they relate to Buddhist philosophy (religion).

[Anonymous]

I really enjoyed the temple. I had seen a temple before, but didn't really understand what was happening at that time. I really learned a lot from the monks explanation. I understand that Buddism is a way of life, but I still feel it is a religion.
To apeel, about the Thai food. I love Thai food. I eat at a place in Eagle Rock called 'Original Thai'. They have place mats that talk about the health benefits of the ingrediants in Thai food. Some of the herbs and spices are very good for your health.
Melody

[Anonymous]

I really enjoyed going to LACMA. It's been nice to sit and hear people give lectures, but I really liked being able to see the artwork in front of me and to hear the stories behind them. I think that the institute should definitely have Professor Brown speak again... maybe an entire seminar that focuses on families, gender, or education through art? I took art history courses in high school which really helped me in viewing art in a different way. Finding out the historical context behind the artwork made me under the artist better and I just had a greater appreciation for art.

Thanks for including LACMA in the seminar!

[Anonymous]

Like Karyn, I found myself retelling many of the facts I learned from Prof. Brown on Friday to my family and friends. I loved learning about the connection between early Indian culture and Budddhism and Hinduism. I thought that the art was beautiful and inspiring.
I thought that Prof. Brown was really knowledgeable and funny.
I also love Thai food any time I can get it!

[Anonymous]

I also enjoyed Friday's field trip. It's interesting, that with all the places I have been, I had never been to a Buddist Temple. I really wish I had this class years ago, because for more than 30 years, we had a neighbor who was from Thailand (Yes I do live on a block that is a mini-United Nations). She is now dead and her children have moved away and sold the family home to a new family(they have very young children) with cultural traditions from Mexico. But back to the story.

Our Thai neighbor was first married to an Englishman, and then to an African American. It is interesting that in each case she identified socially with the people of her husband, while still maintaining her Thai identity. This class, and visiting the Temple has made me recognize the richness she added to our community. Her sisters often came from Thailand to visit her here, and she and her husband would go to Thailand to visit with them in the family home. Her African American husband requested that he be buried in Thailand with her family. And upon his death, she took him to Thailand for burial (or maybe cremation, I'm not sure which). A few years later, she died, and was buried here. Visiting the Temple, and listening to the information in the classes, has brought back this delightful period in the life of our neighborhood.

Of course, I love Thai food. She and my mother were always cooking and exchanging dishes, so I really enjoyed the Thai restaurant. Did you know that when you go down Westwood Blvd., just before you get to Santa Monica, there is this little strip on the West side of the street, that has a Thai restaurant, a Chinese restaurant, an Indian restaurant, etc., all right next door to each other? Has anyone eaten there?

Personally, I enjoyed the Robert Brown lecture at the Museum. But I wonder whether the focus on fertility would be well received by the parents of 6th graders. Has anyone had any experience in this area?

[Anonymous]

Like many of you, I enjoyed our field trip on Friday. I also went home that day to discuss everything that I learned about Buddhism. When I am done with my school obiligations, I will start reading the Introduction to Buddhism book. I also thought Buddhism was a religion but was amazed to find out that is a way of life. I really like their philosophy. I was also disappointed because we didn't have as much time as I would like to interact with the monk. The Wat Tat Temple would be a great place to take students as a field trip--so they can experience a different way of life. I also enjoyed the Thai food. At the end of our unit on "Our Country and Its People, we have an International food day. It is a wonderful time to try foods from different countries.

[Anonymous]

How come nobody wants to point out how bad the the morning presentation was (not the monk)?

Many people have posted how interesting the LACMA lecture was and I certainly agree, but the morning lecture was as Andy Warhol would say, "fantastic". I actually came home and looked up Mrs. Baritone's degree at NYU (She does have one). I don't mean to be unkind, but I didn't expect a Proffessor (an expert) to give a presentation by reading from a 1955 Thai ethnography. If you had told me the subject and given me a day in the library to research, I could have done a better presentation. For those who think I'm unfair because they felt it was a language issue, I think you're giving her the benefit of the extreme doubt.

My comments are not ment to offend, but give record to what many of you voiced outside this forum.

Just tryin to keep things lively

[Anonymous]

On a positive note the presentation on South Asian Art was excellent!! It really changed my entire understanding of Buddhism and Hinduism (ok maybe a bit overstated). The fact the Buddhism originally was theisitic actually makes a lot of sense considering how buddhism is practiced in many countries. The worship, the offerings, the god realms- all make sense now.

Hinduism developing alongside Buddhism was also new for me. I had learned that Hinduism had developed out of Buddhism- not along side it.

All of this has really helped to give me a better framework from which to understand East Asian culture.

[Anonymous]

I have to agree with you, I was totally lost during that presentation. I guess we were all trying to be polite. 🙂
While waiting outside while everyone was in the sanctuary (I wasn't able to go in because as an Orthodox Jew, we are not supposed to be in the presence of idol worship, though I respect the monks, I did not feel comfortable being there). Anyway, as I was saying, while I was waiting I had a chance to speak with some of the monks (did you notice the ones who sat on the side right at the beginning?) They were there as part of their studies to learn to be a monk. They had missed a class and this was like a "make-up session". One monk was 25 years old and he explained that he was going through the monkhood to please his parents, and he was only doing it for one month. (I thought the minimum was three months?) He expressed that after experiencing it, he was glad that he did it. It was cute to speak to a monk who was speaking perfect English, complete with slang and all.
I must say that the field trip was quite a memorable experience. Thanks, Clay!
Miriam

[Anonymous]

You know, religions at some point, just seem to come into a full fleged train wreck. I think it is safe to say that we try to live in a pluralistic, permissive society. But when the rubber meets the road, religions come into conflict as Miriam mentioned. I am not sure if there is anything we can realistically do about it, though.
Dave

[Anonymous]

The visit to the Thai Buddist Temple was much more informative than any other visit I have made to temples (in Taiwan, China, San Francisco). I have been to temples to look at the artistry of the architecture, the Budda statues, and watch people give offerings, but I have never learned about Buddism. I don't consciously practice a religion, but I know my family traditions are influenced by Buddism and confuscian thought (as I'm learning in this seminar!). The time we had spent with the monk in the temple was well worth it. The monk was very clear and methodical about his information. Yes Tobias, I do think we were being polite during the other morning session. Hers was difficult to follow and confusing.

Belinda

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