The director lit the candles to symbolize the start of the ceremony. The students sang a few songs then came two by two towards the stage. They bowed before the buddha, noses to the ground, then walked towards the teachers on their knees. Upon presenting the flowers, they bowed twice in the same manner, then walked off the stage on their knees.

Towards the end of the three hour ceremony, four students came over to where I was sitting, on their knees, and presented me with flowers and the words,”i love teacher.” They bowed twice to the ground before me. I felt hot all over and I think my face turned a few different shades of red. I had never felt so uncomfortable before! I did the wai as a thank you, and wished for the moment to be over. They walked away on their knees. Lesson learned, obey the Thai people who know more than I do and trust their judgment, no matter how uncomfortable I feel and how right I think I am in using my own cultural understandings and practice.