1) I think that the theme of "Meeting Muang Muang" is that every stranger we meet when traveling has complex personalities and back-stories that we would never know if we didn't stop to engage with them. Because the author was friendly with Muang Muang, he gained access to an eye-opening look at the other man's life, which was so fascinatingly unlike his own. Not only did he make a friend, but he gained a new perspective on how some people live life.
2) One bit of language throughout the story that really struck me was the way that the author used dialogue to really bring Muang Muang to life. I thought including so much dialogue really made Muang Muang seem like a real person. Another part of the writing that I thought was well done was how the author used his internal monologue to propel the story, for example, "Ah, I thought, here comes the setup. Once I'm in his house, far from the centre of a city I don't know, he will drop a drug in my tea or pull out a knife or even bring in a few accomplices." The author's voice and attitude contrasted dramatically with Muang Muang's and it helped to point out the differences between them.
I totally agree that the story is about the beauty of meeting someone new - who is often unexpectedly fascinating. I like that you said that if Iyer didn't engage, he wouldn't have had nearly as rewarding an experience. Even though we learn very little information of Iyer's own life - it is clear that they come from different worlds. Your quote was actually one of the ones I enjoyed a lot. I think that so often people are discouraged from traveling and engaging with the locals because of the risks, and while Iyer acknowledges that they exist, it is clear that by the end he is no longer worried (or looking for the "catch"). I paid little attention to the differences in Muang-Muang and Iyer's voices until I read your post, but now see clearly how they show the differences in their background.
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