Westerner follows in Buddha's footsteps
Charles Adams, a 24-year-old student at North Carolina State University, accompanies monks as they make their morning alms round at Phraeng Nara community in the old Rattanakosin area. PHOTOS BY APICHART JINAKUL
US anthropology student joins monks on their morning alms round to learn about religion first-hand27/09/2010
Apinya Wipatayotin
Bangkok Post
Residents of Phraeng Nara community in the old Rattanakosin area are used to seeing temple boys carrying food for monks during their morning alms round. But a couple of weeks ago, they were taken by surprise when a young American man started doing the job.
The Westerner helps carry the food given to the monks, walks calmly after them and performs a wai when the monks bless the alms offerers.
"During the first few days, the residents looked very surprised to see me. They asked me lots of questions _ what's my name, what am I doing here and where I come from," said Charles Adams, a 24-year-old student at North Carolina State University.
His majors are culture, anthropology and religious studies, and he felt he needed real experience to better understand these subjects.
