Based on my past relationships I felt very cautious about having a relationship with another man. In fact I had not been in a relationship for 11 years. One day while i was getting a foot massage and Walt sat down next to me. While we were waiting for the masseuse, he started to talk to me. I did not understand very much of what was said, but he was a funny, playful, humorous and talked “a lot”. When he took off his socks so the masseuse could wash his feet, I saw that he wore different socks on each foot. I thought he needed someone to take care of him! I knew he was single! We talked and played for the time we were being massaged and he taught me some English words. He asked me for my phone number...There it is! Thats how it began.
He called me and we made a date to have dinner at a local restaurant. I asked him if I could bring my Aunt with me because this was the first time we went out and I didn’t want people to think poorly of me. During our time together, everyone was very quiet, because of the language differences. We all felt quite uncomfortable. At one of our dinners he brought a dictionary and this made it easier to understand each other. One day, he asked me if I had a boyfriend and i said “no”. He told me he liked me. I felt that maybe it was time for me to have a relationship once again. I told my family about Walt and I brought him to meet my parents and my family. They liked him too. I felt he was a good guy and most sincere Even though he was quite a few years older than me, he looked and acted like younger man. My family thought it was wonderful that I would have someone to care for me. He was the first “farang” in my family.
Walt asked me to go on a trip to Laos with him. My family agreed because I had been working very hard and never had traveled outside the country. This was the first time in my life that I had traveled outside of Thailand. Everyone in my family was thrilled. I was going to fly for the first time also. I had only seen planes from the ground but now i was going to be in one. It was unbelievable! We also traveled in Cambodia, Viet Nam, America and China. I experienced many different countries, cultures, and foods. Oregon and Washington very beautiful . I learned many new things in America. I learned about the American life style. We visited many of Walter’s friends . Everybody was very friendly and welcoming. I felt warmly toward them and appreciated by them. We enjoyed many dinners,conversation and good fun with them.
I like Walt’s sense of humor and his friendly manner. He is open-hearted. When I am upset “a Chinese man comes”. He does an imitation of a Chinese man that makes me laugh! He is very sincere and honest and committed wholeheartedly to the relationship. He has given me the opportunity to study English and to see more of the world. These is why I love him.
We share are love eating out. Our favorite restaurant is Ratana’s Kitchen because they serve good Thai food and I am told the “farang” food is also great.. Every year our most memorable dinners were turkey and all the trimmings at Bake and Bite in Chiang Mai. Raisin and cranberry pancake breakfasts at home have also become a tradition. We also enjoy getting Thai or oil massage together as well. We like going to the movies, walking in the park, and visiting with friends. We both love taking photographs and have included in our package some of the photos we have taken over the past 5 years of our relationship.
Rachada Kanphong
My Story
My name is Walter Munz and I first met Rachada Kanphong, my wife, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I sat next to her one day while i was having a foot massage a local Wat. She was graceful and beautiful with a very playful sense about her. I could sense her sincerity and honesty. Though she only knew a few English words when I met her I did manage to ask her for her phone number. When I called, I was a bit taken aback when she asked if she could bring her aunt. I spoke with some farang friends about this and they assured me it was the custom here to bring along family on the first few dates. I knew I was in love and wanted to gain her confidence and trust and I participated in several meetings in this fashion. In the early days it was a bit of a struggle to communicate. We kept our English -Thai dictionary close at hand through these times. Lots of playfulness and body language seemed to help as well.
As we grew in our appreciation of each other we saw the importance of verbal communication. I enrolled in a Thai class and Rachada enrolled in English classes at AUA. My affair with Thai unfortunately was not long lived as I am not gifted in learning new languages. Rachada (Ing) however seemed a natural at her English lessons and made steady progress . She completed all 16 classes at AUA and has a respectable if not completely fluent knowledge of English. She hopes to continue her English training in the USA. I was impressed with her commitment and hard work in learning this new skill.
We both have enjoyed traveling together a great deal . In addition to Southeast Asia, Ing and I traveled back to the USA for a few months one summer. Ing had a chance to meet my friends and acquaintances and to experience the country first hand. We camped, hiked, went to a hot spring, visited with friends and generally enjoyed our stay in my home country. It was so good to see how wonderfully Ing fit in to this environment. I was so pleased to see how graciously my friends accepted her authentic presence. Her English skills served her well.. They all loved her!
Of course there is always more that I could add. I believe Ing will do well in her new environment and that she will be a great source of joy and inspiration to me as my wife.
I hereby state that I was married on the 15th day of September 2011 to Rachada Kanphong in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Enclosed documents are in support of this fact.
We are very happy, excited and eager to start a life together in the USA. I am looking forward to living with my wife in Portland Oregon. I was previously self-employed there as a teacher/tutor. With the help of friends, I will return to my work there and welcome my wife’s support and caring. As proof of our continuing relationship and our common interest in photography , I am including numerous photos of our life together during the last five years.
