Lost In Esarn/issan/isan

[Aujuba]

Question for people all over Esarn

Just curious how long you have been out there? It doesn't seem like the easiest place to live as a lot of the time it is hot and pretty dry. Living out there many of the farangs there probably have difficulty getting some of the things they are used to abroad. So how long have you been in the northeast?

BTW I just visit there ( Surin province ) for a week or so now and then. I can tell you when I go most of the time the sun gets to me when I ride motorcycles around because I'm pretty fair-skinned. I think it would be pretty hard for someone fair-skinned to be comfortable out there unless he had a car, air-con and avoided the sun.

[pgs]

I also 'just visit' - usually for a few weeks at a time once or twice a year for the past 7 years; visiting the Thai family (Buddah bless them) for the past 3.

I am an 'inside' person, both there & in Sydney & tend to brown/burn fairly quick. The humidity gets me more than the heat & sun.

Thai home is near Chaiyaphum, pretty much all I need (except for the occaisional decent English chat) can be found within an hour or so. I'm told I'm not the only farang in the ampur, but I could well be the one that spends the most time with the local when I am there. I generally bring a few books which are left, if read, for next time. Some of them wind up at one of the schools. Whilst I appreciate AC, I'm not a big fan of it ;-) & we don't have it at home.

Having good relatives there & a fairly strong chain of Thai friends in the area are a big help. The family apparently have 400 year links to the area, so we don't get too much trouble. Apart from the odd chicken theft (kids), I can't recall any real dramas in the village.

Religion is not my thing, but I do go to temple once per visit or once a month if it's an extended stay. I have little idea what's happening during the service, so just follow the lead. An hour or so a month is a small price & keeps the locals happy. The women usually make a point of mentioning to mum that they saw me there & are happy that I go.

When I first came wa-a-a-ay out here it was as much a novelty for me as I was to them. I guess most thought I come from a rich place, so wouldn't cope with village life too well. I was brought up in what was a country area (now a Sydney satellite - sadly), so it was no problem. Whilst it's good to have a range of shops to choose from, I'm happy enough with the local markets & getting the 'personal touch' which you don't really get shopping in BKK.

Sometimes it can get boring, but your life here will only ever be what you make of it. Grab the Mrs & a few local / local kids & make a day trip somewhere.

## edited to remove a system edit of a word I didn't know is on the naughty list. Where is this list?

Edited April 24, 2007 by pgs

[Thaddeus]

If you haven't already done so, I suggest that you read this thread http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=81918 be warned though, there are close on 300 posts.

I live about 5km from the Cambodian border, in fact, the only things between us and Cambodia are rubber trees, I'm about as 'in the sticks' as you could possibly get and I love it. Being a little bit hot is a very small price to pay for the benefit of lack of stress.

P.S. my heart has been here for nigh on 7 years, my physical being for nearly two and a half permanently, bum on this chair for around an hour, wifey has just fetched coffee number two and all is right with the world.

[jayenram]

Almost eight years ago when I moved to Surin, there were many things (farang type stuff) that were not available which meant shopping trips to Khorat or Khon Kaen on a regular basis. However, since then we have witnessed the arrival of Makro, Tesco Lotus and Big 'C'. Now the only stuff I am short of are Oxo cubes, dried peas and suet, although regular visitors from the UK usually see me right in this respect.

Regarding the heat and humidity, it took me quite a while to acclimatise and even now, particularly at this time of year, it verges on the unbearable. However, thinking of the cold and wet UK weather helps a lot.

[LoveDaBlues]

Have to laugh; not all of us in Issan live in the "boonies". If I remember correctly Issan is comprised of 19 Provinces. There are some fairly well-developed places in Issan where one can get anything.

LDB

[larvidchr]

bum on this chair for around an hour, wifey has just fetched coffee number two and all is right with the world.

How nice and positive that sounds, makes me happy to read

[ccarbaugh]

bum on this chair for around an hour, wifey has just fetched coffee number two and all is right with the world.

How nice and positive that sounds, makes me happy to read

Ahhh - 14 more months until I can be in a similar position in Buri Ram. Only "problem" is finding a place to buy "real" (ground) coffee. .... and, who will bring the coffee while wifey's off to work???

[Thaddeus]

Only "problem" is finding a place to buy "real" (ground) coffee. .... and, who will bring the coffee while wifey's off to work???

Work?

Sorry, forgot, grinding coffee is probably on the list of prohibited occupations ........ that's my excuse anyway

P.S. yes, you can get real coffee here..... I just happen to actually like 3 in 1.

[tartempion]

I lived 400m from the sea around Chumpon during 4 years before I moved to Udon town. Stayed there one year.

Built a house 40km away from Udon and live there now.

In fact I am glad I moved away from the sea: humid 6 months, winds 6 months. Had often colds and felt not that good.

Udon province is a lot better: I like the dry and warm weather. Took me some time to adapt, but I now prefer temperatures between 25C and 35C with lots of sun, above that it gets "heavy" but still better than 9 months of Norhtern European weather less than 15C.

Although Udon has Big C, Lotus and Macro still not much farang food you can find there, I do miss the delicious things I find in Europe: vegs, cheese, pastries, wine. Udon has a good selection of restaurants: american, italian, japanese, mexican besides some decent thai places. So every 5 days or so we drive to Udon.

Besides that, I love life in the boonies, far from the crazy crowd. We even don't live in the village. 1 km outside.

[Go4er]

I just completed expanding our existing home in the village of Ban Tasa Ard in Nong Khai province to include all the western creature comforts. The house is situated about two hours drive north east of Udon Thani and one and half hours drive south east of Nong Khai and just up the road from Seka. I have been there several times and yes it is hot and dry but we are retiring from Las Vegas Nevada where it is hot and dry as well. The village live style is slow and comfortable and we are really looking forward to retirement.

[Lickey]

Is boonies a yank term for living in the countryside? same as uk people would say living in the sticks,

thanks for your answers, Lickey..

[buriram1]

Is boonies a yank term for living in the countryside? same as uk people would say living in the sticks,

thanks for your answers, Lickey..

Yes They are interchangable. We use both in the states.

[Gary A]

I guess I would qualify as living in the boonies. It is about 150 kilometers to the nearest superstore. (Tesco Lotus). We have no phone lines available so it is TOT Ipstar Internet or GPRS. I'm quite happy keeping to myself and really don't miss the farang ghettos. I eat Thai food about 95 percent of the time because my wife is a great cook. I weigh less than I have in the past 15 years. My blood pressure is down and even my pulse rate has slowed. No stress is great. I have my workshop, garden and just bought a new Yanmar four wheel drive tractor to play with. My wife's house has two rai and I bought her ten rai not too far away. I intend to be a hobby farmer unless they tell me I need a work permit! LOL! We have a few turkeys and ducks and they are interesting to watch. My Golden Retriever is a great dog I really can't think of anything else I need. I even enjoy watching the many different kinds of lizards in the yard. It's certainly not a life for everyone but it suits me fine and beats being bored sitting in a bar.

[bushmill]

Question for people all over Esarn

Just curious how long you have been out there? It doesn't seem like the easiest place to live as a lot of the time it is hot and pretty dry. Living out there many of the farangs there probably have difficulty getting some of the things they are used to abroad. So how long have you been in the northeast?

BTW I just visit there ( Surin province ) for a week or so now and then. I can tell you when I go most of the time the sun gets to me when I ride motorcycles around because I'm pretty fair-skinned. I think it would be pretty hard for someone fair-skinned to be comfortable out there unless he had a car, air-con and avoided the sun.

I just can's understand all this i . e . " in the boonies " ,. Nobody is pushing you to live here and when it's so important to get ground coffee or all other western important stuff, why not chose the big cities.

I'm here now 22 years and when i need some think, there are friendswho can bring it for me from the big markets or i get it in Pattaya , Bangkok or others.

People which like to stay in Isaan shouldt first off all think about it why they will special stay here. Only because it is do much cheaper ?

[oceanrover]

Hey Lickey,

Actually I have asked the meaning of this term before since my mother use to work at a Grocery Store called "The Boondocks" and I wanted to know what it referenced actually.

From Wikipedia:

Boondocks may refer to a remote, usually brushy rural area. The expression was introduced to English by American military personnel serving in the Philippines during the early years of the 20th century. It derives from the Tagalog word bundok, meaning "mountain". It also carries the implication that it is "backward" or "unsophisticated"; hence taga-bundok "people who live in the hinterland": i.e., people who are backward or unsophisticated.

Boondocks or diminutively "the boonies" has since evolved into a more general American slang term for "the country" or any rural/wilderness location in general, regardless of topography or vegetation that is isolated and away from "the action" or the comforts and variety of urban life.

So the last bold section there sums up most of Isaan if not most of Thailand.

Just more trivia for your mental rolledex

Mike in Seattle.

[Tilapia]

I've been in Buri-Ram area for the last eight years, without leaving to my home country. Since I do farming at a commercial scale, I have never time to think about being bored or hot, one day take the the other, new challenges and problems, mostly EU rules. We have about 20 people working full-time, so enough to look after, but I like it, even when I'm stressed, high blood-pressure, not enough sleep, behind with the bills..I wouldent trade it...It's my life and I love it.

Tilapia.

[Lickey]

Hey Lickey,

Actually I have asked the meaning of this term before since my mother use to work at a Grocery Store called "The Boondocks" and I wanted to know what it referenced actually.

From Wikipedia:

Boondocks may refer to a remote, usually brushy rural area. The expression was introduced to English by American military personnel serving in the Philippines during the early years of the 20th century. It derives from the Tagalog word bundok, meaning "mountain". It also carries the implication that it is "backward" or "unsophisticated"; hence taga-bundok "people who live in the hinterland": i.e., people who are backward or unsophisticated.

Boondocks or diminutively "the boonies" has since evolved into a more general American slang term for "the country" or any rural/wilderness location in general, regardless of topography or vegetation that is isolated and away from "the action" or the comforts and variety of urban life.

So the last bold section there sums up most of Isaan if not most of Thailand.

Just more trivia for your mental rolledex

Mike in Seattle.

Thanks Burinam and Mike, I had a picture in mind from the old B&W cowboy movies of a deserted town with brush and a mini-sandstorm blowing down the street crossed with the Florida Keys, {docks} ..

Personally, im very happy to live out in the sticks {boonies} cant stand the stress and ratrace that city life brings, But even in our village in NE issan, the open air cinema, speaker vans, markets with speakers do my head in sometimes, so i go off to the wifes farm for some peace, have even built a small house there with a balcony and a hammock for a mid-afternoon 40 winks, The mossies stop us staying there at night though,

Cheers, Lickey..

[tatom]

Ive been living just outside of a small village for more than 10 years and like it very much. It was more than 9 years before I saw another farang, who was visiting in a nearby village.

I notice several threads on TV, where guys are always asking, what farangs do all day in the sticks. It seems they are considering moving here, but are afraid they will be too bored. Im sure most guys here in the boonies will agree with me that boordom is not a problem. Actually, it seems there arnt enough hours in the day! I had an idea of what I would do here, but its changed a bit. Once here, one gets into a routine and the hours just seem to fly by. I have enough projects planned to last into the next century.

I think if someone is not sure about making the move, it may not be right for him, and should probably plan on a 1 year test run before investing too much.

The question could be reversed by us. I wonder how anyone could live in the city, and what do you do all day there?

[nidge]

I lived in Bangkok for 4 1/2 years and it was great. I loved the crowds and the atmosphere, especially in places like MBK on a busy day. Before that i never imagined i could enjoy shopping.

The last 18 month i have lived in Chaiyaphum and although it's meant to be a city it's really just a big village. The way of life is totally opposite of Bangkok and for the first few months it was really boring. Now i have become so used to the way of life i could not imagine living any other way. In fact i spent a night in Bangkok last month and it was almost scary, soo busy and too much traffic. Looks like i am going to stay in Issan for good.