Nippa repeatedly emphasises the importance of tranquility and a slow pace. You must be ‘locker’, which means keeping a relaxed posture. The course begins with practicing on yourself. Find a pressure point on your foot, press upwards with your thumb and then downwards, reducing the pressure. Nippa will help, but not do it for you. Despite her small stature, she has surprising strength.
Next, the same technique is used on the hands, working with a partner. Find a pressure point, press down for the count of three and slowly release. The same for the arms, legs, back, neck and head. The partners alternate massaging each other, so everyone learns the techniques. At this point the exercises are really like a Thai massage and everyone begins to enjoy it.
In between instructions there is time for laughter and confusion about the language. Everyone’s initial reserve and awkwardness disappears. Nippa has a clear sense of how to teach, as this relaxed atmosphere develops quickly.
She gives four workshops a year to students and university staff, teaching them about the massage techniques of her homeland. "In Thailand, it is customary for children to give their parents a massage at the end of a day of hard work. So I’ve been doing this since I was growing up."
She finds giving the workshops, which are offered by the VUE (Volksuniversiteit Enschede), especially fun. She does the workshops alongside her main job as a technician. The students are positive about them. "It's better than I expected. I like it very much, "said a biomedical technology student.
