This past week I’ve been busy getting ready for my forthcoming trip to Thailand and that has occupied a lot of my time and taken away time from the blog duties. I’m always keeping up with the day to day of the blog though and yesterday while going through e-mails I got an interesting question from a reader that basically asked the simple question ” What is it about Thailand?”.
Seemed like a simple question until I actually thought about it some more…turns out it’s not as simple as it first seemed.
For me I think it comes down to more of a feeling than any one specific thing I can put my finger on. Sure, theres the unique culture and the exploration of a new place and it’s history. Immersing yourself in the fabric that is Thailand and trying to pull apart the individual strands of that fabric to learn more about this amazing place.
Maybe it’s a case of the grass is always greener on the other side because Thailand is so different than America and so out of the norm of my day to day activities in the West. Obviously while I’m home in America life is less about exploration and more about the daily grind of work, bills and the bureaucracy of it all.
There’s more to it than that though. It’s the feeling that this is where I should be and feeling that I’m the person I’m supposed to be when I’m there. I feel more alive when I’m in Thailand and much more like I can accomplish something much more worthy than just going through the motions of day to day life in the West. These kind of feelings are very hard to ignore even if it is a case of the grass is always greener.
I’ve heard everything from ” it’s just a phase” to ” it’s just not realistic to keep going to Thailand or even think about moving there”. Family and friends always know just what to say. Those kind of comments have just served to draw me further into Thailand and away from the vicious circle of day to day living in the west.
For now it’s just a feeling and yet another trip to Thailand but soon enough it will be leaving the shackles of what I’m supposed to be behind and starting a new adventure in Thailand. Life is not a spectator sport.
This week will probably be a little spotty on the posting front while I’m finalizing all the little details of the trip and getting packed. But starting Friday I’ll have pre-scheduled posts going up while I’m traveling to Thailand and spending my first few days in Bangkok.
I’ve told you how I feel about Thailand and I’ve shown you through this blog how I see this amazing country. From Friday on, until I get settled and start posting about my adventures, I’ll be showing you how great the Thailand blogging community is and introducing you to the bloggers and blogs that make this community more than just another niche.
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Talen,
Yeah! I know how much you want to be here and I’m SO glad that you are finally on your way!
I have the same feelings towards living in Thailand. In the West, I was always waiting for something to happen, for my life to start. In Thailand, I’m LIVING my life.
In the West, the days are mundane, same same. In Thailand, every day is an adventure, with a feeling of always being on a holiday.
I walk out the door and I’m greeted with smiles and tuk tuks and motorcycle taxis and street hawkers all with their different sounds and I start smiling too.
I’m not talking perfection so please don’t think I’m some sort of wacky grinning loon. Trust me, I’ve been known to mai bpen rai quite often. But for all its imperfections, Thailand is just right for me.
So no, it’s not a phase, not at all.
Catherines last blog post..Thai 101: Word of the Day
“I have the same feelings towards living in Thailand. In the West, I was always waiting for something to happen, for my life to start. In Thailand, I’m LIVING my life.”
You hit the nail on the head there Catherine!
Walk down a street in America and most people won’t even look at you much less smile or say hello. Walk down any street in Thailand and everyone is smiling and saying hello…and the best part it’s infectious.
My friends love travelling to Thailand. So much to do and see, people very nice.
Talen and Catherine. I feel the same. However I would like to know how it might be in say 30 years time (in my case due to age I probably won’t be around), does assimilation into a new country change you and do those western things we all hate surface in another way (Thai style)?
One thought from me on this. To long term immigrants to the UK who I know back home, assimilation becomes total and they have the same moans and groans as the native Brits.
Mikes last blog post..The Week in Review (1)
Mike, I thought about it from that point of view as well but the big difference I think is that assimilation into a Western country like America or Great Britain seems like it would be easier.
And while it could very easily wind up being that we become assimilated there is always the option to explore elsewhere.
I think being open to the idea that exploring the world or just a small part of it is much healthier than staying put and going through the motions.
One thing is for sure …western influence reaches around the world. One of the saddest sights for me when I arrived in Thailand the first time was seeing McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC and Starbucks.
‘…does assimilation into a new country change you and do those western things we all hate surface in another way (Thai style)?’
That’s a thought, but time will only tell (30 years is a long time).
If you assimulate well then it might be an issue.
I’m not the type to gravitate to a close community so it might not come up. And even when living in the West I wasn’t ‘at home’.
And as I feel more at home being on holiday, living in Thailand suits me just fine.
But as for moans and groans, I have them in Thailand but I just don’t let them become a huge issue.
Things don’t always work in the West and the same goes for Thailand and elsewhere. I know that people like to pretend that everything works better at ‘home’, but in reality, they don’t. They just break in different ways and since we are used to it, it’s all background noise.
Catherines last blog post..Thai 101: Word of the Day
Hi Talen,
It’s great that you have an interest that goes further than your backyard, millions don’t! I can see much of what you see, and believe me the grass is greener on the other side in most cases. Funny that many that see greener grass where you come from, but that’s normally related to green dollar rather than a greener lifestyle.
Have a great trip and I we’ll all look forward to your ‘diary’ as it happens.
martin in bulgarias last blog post..Live Football on Bulgarian Televison
Hi Talen,
Have just discovered your blog and a number of familiar faces commenting here too.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Thailand and I look forward to reading more from you.
My tuppence, from a twentysomething point of view, I love the pace of life, yet there are plenty of opportunities here too. I’ve been in the country for six months and have adjusted nicely to a tempo of life I want to live. The missus and I are planning to move back to London with my little one at some point, but, you never know, we might never make it back.
Jons last blog post..A week is a long time in the blogosphere
“In the West, I was always waiting for something to happen, for my life to start. In Thailand, I’m LIVING my life.”
Catherine and Talen – I am glad that I am not the only one who feels this way.
I never worry about assimilating into Thai culture though. I am a (relatively) giant white guy and when I ride a bicycle through my wife’s home town even the water buffalo stare at me.
I get looks from the water buffalo too Chuck…but I love it