Life skills

[georgegeorgia]

What does a single man living in Asia need in "life skills"?

 

Now I have worked out a few things.

 

Minding your own business.

 

Yesterday I'm walking thru the Jomtien complex in Pattaya 

A black Mercedes Benz has blocked the road and stopped,the Thai driver is out of the car arguing with the Farang on a mb.

Both are shouting at each other .

I quickly walk past .

 

I have worked out this is not the West where people get involved either with their phone recording or other way 

Also I was in McDonald's in Pattaya last Saturday night, I observed about 4 young Aussie guys probably 19/20 yo laughing at a arab guy sitting with a ladyboy,and phone recording them,  now obviously they are immature so they don't know any better but this is not the West ,that old arab guy could of been violent maybe he knew they were immature so they were lucky so now in Asia I don't look twice at "odd" things , if a farang is walking with a ladyboy with blue hair or whatever it's none of my business ,mind ya own business!!

 

Second survival skill I learnt is never help others if you don't need to in Asia , 2 examples 

 

1/I'm in the Manila Philippines a few weeks ago, a man pushing a food  cart is trying to push it up onto the pavement,I stop and offer him help he shouts "Go !!! Get out if here !  Getting aggressive 

 

2/ I'm waiting for a taxi there is a big line up behind me ,I'm first in line in Manila again  , a young Asian girl is second in line , a taxi finally pulls up , as it pulls up she drops her suitcase on the pavement, I go to pick it up for her, as I pick it up she opens the back door of the taxi throws her other bag in and without a word grabs the suitcase and hops into the taxi completely ignoring me .

 

I then have to wait for another taxi,the Filipino guy behind me shook his head ,

 

Another thing I noticed especiallly in the Philippines is how rude people are ,so nowadays I'm not rude back just neutral, I no longer hold doors open going into shops etc I just let them slam to the person behind me,I worked out in Asia it's survival of the fittest 

 

Buses , in the Philippines especially I noticed young people don't care if your 100yo they will run to grab the seat first so I  started pushing in to the bus too this is survival otherwise you don't get a seat.

 

 

*Tipping excessive

 

I noticed no difference in giving 20 b tip or 100 b tip in most cases, they don't remember you .

No need to tip excessly ,they in most cases don't treat you any better , if you give 100 b tip to the masseur instead of 30 b do they give you any worse service next time?

Nope 

 

*Being confident,don't be a pushover*

 

I worked out living in Asia don't be a pushover, when it comes to using the services of anything,they will put it over you if they can , I stayed in a hotel last week,I spilt a little bit of coffee in the pillow case the cleaner tried to intimdate me by demanding rudely 300 b,with a aggressive tone

Not this lil black duck !!

I went to the manager who knew nothing of it and apologised to me 

 

*Getting drunk*

Very rarely I get drunk,last week I did 

I noticed they padded my bill,4 beers 750b 

I still took my change

I forget the religious saying about getting drunk but if you do your a fool.

 

 

Survival/life  skills please ,you learnt or someone coming to Asia needs to know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by georgegeorgia

[ezzra]

Oh well, what can you say.. some posts are NOT meant to be rad, but this is me...

[stoner]

sounds like you need a hug. 

[scubascuba3]

These things do happen to you.

 

I was in Windmill agogo a couple weeks ago and my bill was 900 baht rather than 90, it genuinely was an honest mistake, girls were shocked and changed it immediately.

 

In Thailand you have to be careful with money always, they will try to overcharge where possible

[georgegeorgia]

10 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

These things do happen to you.

 

I was in Windmill agogo a couple weeks ago and my bill was 900 baht rather than 90, it genuinely was an honest mistake, girls were shocked and changed it immediately.

 

In Thailand you have to be careful with money always, they will try to overcharge where possible

Well this is where you need to be one step ahead especially if you are getting into a vulnerable position by getting drunk.

They no matter how nice will use this against you and try to overcharge you 

Getting drunk can be good sometimes I guess 

But there a saying 

" A publican loves a drunk ,but NOT as his son in law !!

 

Of course you can't blame the bars especially if some annoying drunk has been mauling over girls all night babbling along like a idiot !

Pad the bill I say !!!

Edited July 21, 2022 by georgegeorgia

[Lacessit]

The  life skills I have acquired in Thailand are:

 

1/ Being able to communicate in Thai when needed.

 

2/ Expecting to be lied to.

 

3/ Expecting to be told what someone thinks I want to hear.

 

4/ Keeping calm when a Thai person does something egregiously stupid.

 

5/ Drive in Thai traffic for 10 years successfully, touch wood.

 

6/ Assemble paperwork for Immigration in perfect order, and complete.

 

 

[georgegeorgia]

Great points about learning the language!

That doesn't matter if your in the Philippines,Cambodia or Myanmar I think learning the basics can be a life survival skill .

 

*Also getting to know your area to survive*

 

How many have great knowledge of your home area?

So regardless if you live in Pattaya,Cebu, phomn Penh ,do you know where to get the best food?

Best transport,medical etc ?

Learn your own area !!!

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by georgegeorgia

[BritManToo]

39 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

Another thing I noticed especiallly in the Philippines is how rude people are

I noticed in the Philippines how polite everyone was.

[georgegeorgia]

One thing I learnt is never never lend money !

 

I recall a few years ago knowing a bar owner in Pattaya,who survived on his Aussie pension.

I got to know him over the few weeks going to his bar 

One day he said to me he needed 5k to buy stick urgently as his pension was late !

Well I was the worse person it turned out !

Fancy me asking for it back !!!

I gave up asking him 

[nikmar]

Be calm , be polite - worked for me during one or two "flashpoint" oments.

[FolkGuitar]

47 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I noticed in the Philippines how polite everyone was.

I'd be polite, too, if I lived in a place where there are teen-age armed guards carrying shotguns everywhere you look, and half the people are carrying weapons of some sort.

 

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Great points about learning the language!

That doesn't matter if your in the Philippines,Cambodia or Myanmar I think learning the basics can be a life survival skill .

 

*Also getting to know your area to survive*

 

How many have great knowledge of your home area?

So regardless if you live in Pattaya,Cebu, phomn Penh ,do you know where to get the best food?

Best transport,medical etc ?

Learn your own area !!!

 

Valid point. I wouldn't say I get the best food and services. I try to get the best value for money. I know good mechanics for my car and scooter, and where a good dentist is.

[Sparktrader]

80% of people are selfish. Assume everyone is an <deleted>.

[simon43]

Life skills in Asia?

 

- Never walk on manhole covers, never step on electric cables, never touch metal lampposts - you should live a long time!

[stoner]

2 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

and half the people are carrying weapons of some sort.

oh. so you left thailand already. 

[law ling]

How to deal with soi dogs.

 

(I'm still not on top of this.)

[zzaa09]

A truer cognitive ability would be of great assistance in life.

Appears to be in short supply....

[Hummin]

First thing I learned from a Lady Bar and still practice. 

 

Do not think to mutt

[BangkokReady]

11 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

I have worked out this is not the West where people get involved either with their phone recording or other way 

Thai people seem to film each other going crazy all the time.

 

11 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Second survival skill I learnt is never help others if you don't need to in Asia

Up to you, of course, but personally I wouldn't base my behaviour in Thailand on experiences had in The Philippines.

[Liverpool Lou]

10 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

In Thailand you have to be careful with money always, they will try to overcharge where possible

"...they will try to overcharge where possible".

B0ll0cks.  That's just a gratuitous over-generalisation.

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...they will try to overcharge where possible".

B0ll0cks.  That's just a gratuitous over-generalisation.

farang price? taxi bikes? some markets? Immigration? fake girlfriends? fake wives? etc

[BritManToo]

54 minutes ago, law ling said:

How to deal with soi dogs.

(I'm still not on top of this.)

100bht for an extendable steel baton.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i3379463246-s12497131273.html