I read in the past an article in the Thai Airways magazine about the "qualities" of the people who adapt easily in a foreign country:

-Open mind (an obvious one)

- A good sense of humor, i.e. do not take things too seriously

-...

I'm afraid I do not remember the rest.

What do you think?

Does it apply to Thailand?

I pretty much think it applies even more for foreigners living in Thailand.

But, well,...

- curiousity

- a willingness to suspend judgement

Cat:

I may have seen the same article but just didn't take it seriously. No need to let these things make you blue.

Making a go of it.

After over ten years living and working in Thailand I have met people who did well and people who did very badly, most to be honest get by OK.

Of the people that make a go of it, ALL live very normal lives while in Thailand. They work hard and take part in the local community. They carry their lives and responsibilities to Thailand and live much as they would at home.

They ALL have purpose in their lives and almost all plan to leave after a spell of perhaps 2 or three years, though they may not actually leave.

Of the people who do badly that I have met, they have almost all run away from either resposibilities or problems, they non of them admit it.

I see it as quite simply this: If there is something that you have left behind and did not sort out, then these things will follow you to Thailand - you can't eave them behind.

If you want a happy life in Thailand, bring a happy life with you.

Iron Stomach??

You have to be adaptable.

You have to be able to craft your situation.

You have to be able to suppress rash ,stupid decisions.

You have to be able to filter out all the bulls**t and maintain focus on your goals.

Some people may disagree with this, but a seriously surreal amount of cash can also give you more options, and options provide lifestyle agility and security !

For some reason or another, the foreigners here that snipe at Thailand and Thai's don't seem to do too well. Funny that !

All the above plus:

Be very carefull crossing streets and riding motorbikes.

Always wear your galosh!

Drink lots of water.

Dont wander around drunk at 3:00 am. (please mug me!)

Eat at street vendors with the locals. ummm grilled squid!

Be nice.

Learn some of the language.

I agree with Guesthouse.

As a dutchman I lived in Germany,France,Indonesia,and Belgium.During the last 27 years I visited Thailand every year for 3 till 6 weeks holidays.

Since I live in Indonesia now for the last 5 years,these Thailand visits became more frequently.

Basically your personal (family) life must be in order. Married or batchelor doesn't matter.

Avoid financial problems,don't even start with them.This is already troublesom if you live in your home country but is double trouble if you are abroad.

In my case, with the 100% support of my family it would not have been possible.

And of course there's golf Dutch.

For some reason or another, the foreigners here that snipe at Thailand and Thai's don't seem to do too well. Funny that !

Which reminds me of another "how to live" trait :

be proactive rather than reactive !!

Very interesting thread, Bluecat,

I think the ability to adapt to Thailand depends on where you are located and how long you plan to stay.

Probably the most important trait a person needs to adapt is a willingness to learn about the country and it's customs and language if they're planning to stay for any length of time.

As for my own experience adapting to Thailand, it was relatively easy due to the fact I live in a small village 35 kms from Korat.

Perhaps it would have been more difficult if i lived in a big city.

One things for sure though, if I hadn't taken the time to know a little about LOS before I came, adapting would have been more difficult.

After 25 years of working and living abroad my first rule is:

'Never to set your expectations too high.'

That way you're more often than not pleasantly surprised rather than disappointed. That rule also applies to returning to your country of origin after a long stint away

If you want to adapt and live happily in Thailand you probably should start to learn and understand about Thai culture and the Thai way of living

Maybe you could start here:

http://www.track-of-the-tiger.com/html/thai_character.html

Iron Stomach??

Iron stomach indeed. I've spent the last few days reconstructing the Attack on Pearl Harbor in various toilets around the island (Phuket).

Along with:

-an open & tolerant mind regarding foreign culture, customs and public toilets

-a sharp mind and sense of rational judgement (foreign environments & situations can be misinterpreted & misleading....gravitating towards dire consequences)

-a supportive family back home

-a supportive network of friends in current locale

-a sense of wonder and curiosity

-an education, whether formal or informal

-self confidence and coping mechanisms

-a sociable personality

-a minimum amount of addictions

-an acute sense of anticipation and developed defensive driving skills

-devote more time for having new experiences and less time reliving old memories

And most of all....a love of life...

with the aid of a few beers and an empty beach at dusk.

As ductchman said...arriving with affairs inorder and a happy heart is a good start. Things just dont dissapear when you arrive here. Things are different - accept it and learn.

Learn to appreciate the way they do things and you'll be fine.

I think every person going to a foreign country and culture should understand the 4 or 5 stages of “Culture Shock” everyone goes through:

Stage 1: ARRIVAL … You may experience a kind of euphoria: everything is new and exciting. You want to learn everything and meet many people, all of whom seem so kind and polite

Stage 2: SURVIVAL …Small daily problems are very frustrating, and you get upset and even hostile with the host nationals for being “unreasonable”. Lack of language ability causes some problems. You compare the host culture unfavorably with your own culture

Stage 3: LEARNING: You begin to explore and understand the host culture and you have a sense of humor about problems. Your tension level goes down

Stage 4: ACCEPTANCE: You begin to accept the host culture and see both positive and negative aspects of it. You have stopped comparing it with your own culture. You feel much more comfortable

Stage 5: RE-ENTRY (in case you return home): You return to your home country and experience re-entry shock as you try to readjust to your own culture

Iron Stomach??

Flame retardant underware.

I think every person going to a foreign country and culture should understand the 4 or 5 stages of “Culture Shock” everyone goes through:

Stage 1: ARRIVAL … You may experience a kind of euphoria: everything is new and exciting. You want to learn everything and meet many people, all of whom seem so kind and polite

Stage 2: SURVIVAL …Small daily problems are very frustrating, and you get upset and even hostile with the host nationals for being “unreasonable”. Lack of language ability causes some problems. You compare the host culture unfavorably with your own culture

Stage 3: LEARNING: You begin to explore and understand the host culture and you have a sense of humor about problems. Your tension level goes down

Stage 4: ACCEPTANCE: You begin to accept the host culture and see both positive and negative aspects of it. You have stopped comparing it with your own culture. You feel much more comfortable

Stage 5: RE-ENTRY (in case you return home): You return to your home country and experience re-entry shock as you try to readjust to your own culture

I agree, Snapshot.

More or less.

I guess it varies form one person to another but how long do you think each stage last?

You return to your home country and experience re-entry shock as you try to readjust to your own culture

You mean things like driving with your headlights on at night and stopping at red traffic lights?

Choose your circle of friends wisely, there are loads of silly silly foriegners here in Thailand that are nothing short of embarrising.