Thailand AA RoundUp

[Yellowtail]

Anyone else going? I have not been since the covid debacle, but I just registered so hopefully we'll see you there! 

Thailand AA Round Up

[ding]

We're heading down today. Last year was uplifting to the point of exhilarating. 

 

+another day!

[impulse]

Late to the party, but just wanted to express my appreciation for the info.

 

I went to a couple of Thai roundups pre-Covid and thoroughly enjoyed them.

 

I wish they had more events each year to get together with other recovering folk.  Great to have an alternative to the usual expat bar scene.

 

 

[Yellowtail]

24 minutes ago, impulse said:

Late to the party, but just wanted to express my appreciation for the info.

 

I went to a couple of Thai roundups pre-Covid and thoroughly enjoyed them.

 

I wish they had more events each year to get together with other recovering folk.  Great to have an alternative to the usual expat bar scene.

 

 

Quite a number of meetings every day. 

[StandardIssue]

On 4/11/2024 at 11:47 AM, impulse said:

Late to the party, but just wanted to express my appreciation for the info.

 

I went to a couple of Thai roundups pre-Covid and thoroughly enjoyed them.

 

I wish they had more events each year to get together with other recovering folk.  Great to have an alternative to the usual expat bar scene.

 

 

 

It'd been great if all I had to do to recover from alcoholism is go to meetings, roundups and conventions but those are just AA social events. Hell of a lot easier than doing all the steps. In actuality I found in order to recover from alcoholism the most important thing to do was initially steps 1-9 with a sponsor who had studied the AA Big Book and Twelve and Twelve and then do steps 10 and 11 as is directed in the literature daily. I must also sponsor other alcoholics looking for recovery as often has time allows (step 12). Meetings and fellowship never gave me the recovery I have had the last 31 years. I think it's important for anyone new to AA to understand meetings and fellowship do not give recovery from alcoholism. Doing the 12 steps does.

Edited April 18 by StandardIssue

[impulse]

9 minutes ago, StandardIssue said:

I think it's important for anyone new to AA to understand meetings and fellowship do not give recovery from alcoholism. Doing the 12 steps does.

 

Not disagreeing, we all travel our own path and there's a lot of ways to do it right. 

 

That's what we discuss at meetings- the 12 steps and how we did them.  What it was like, what happened, and what it's like now.  A big part of "what happened" is working the steps, the struggles we had and how we got past them.  Some people can work the steps right out of the book, but some (like me) do better listening to others at meetings.

 

Bottom line, it's not just about not drinking.  It's about being happy about not drinking.  Meetings is where I learned how to do that, and to work the steps.

And for me, a huge part of early recovery was having an alternative to the bars just for spending time.  That meant a lot of meetings, meetings before the meetings, and meetings after the meetings.  "Meetings before" were generally dinner, and the "meetings after" were generally pie and coffee.  We also had sports teams, camping groups, biking groups, movie groups, (almost) monthly citywide or statewide get togethers, and weekend retreats (similar to the Pattaya Roundup).   That's where I got to see people actually living the principles we talk about in the meetings.  Warts and all, because there's always life getting in the way when a bunch of people get together.

 

 

[StandardIssue]

41 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

Not disagreeing, we all travel our own path and there's a lot of ways to do it right. 

 

That's what we discuss at meetings- the 12 steps and how we did them.  What it was like, what happened, and what it's like now.  A big part of "what happened" is working the steps, the struggles we had and how we got past them.  Some people can work the steps right out of the book, but some (like me) do better listening to others at meetings.

 

Bottom line, it's not just about not drinking.  It's about being happy about not drinking.  Meetings is where I learned how to do that, and to work the steps.

And for me, a huge part of early recovery was having an alternative to the bars just for spending time.  That meant a lot of meetings, meetings before the meetings, and meetings after the meetings.  "Meetings before" were generally dinner, and the "meetings after" were generally pie and coffee.  We also had sports teams, camping groups, biking groups, movie groups, (almost) monthly citywide or statewide get togethers, and weekend retreats (similar to the Pattaya Roundup).   That's where I got to see people actually living the principles we talk about in the meetings.  Warts and all, because there's always life getting in the way when a bunch of people get together.

 

 

 

I'm not knocking meetings. My point is that they are not required. Personally I found I had to travel the AA path that is laid out in the AA Book. Rarely have we found a person fail who has thoroughly followed OUR path. the people who wrote the Big Book wrote that in Chapter 5. Their path is the 12 steps. I don't mean to be argumentative but it is not a good idea to tell new comers that everyone has their own path to recovery in AA. There is only one path and that is to do the 12 steps if someone wants recovery the AA way.

 

Most people can't stay in meetings 16 hours a day. Doing the 12 steps gave me a way to live sober the other 15 hours a day. I am 31 years sober. I go to meetings maybe 4 times a week, sponsor 2 men and most of my social life is outside of AA. When I go to meetings it better not be for my satisfaction. It should be for me to serve God ... by helping others get to be recovered by sharing what the steps are, how I did them and the result of becoming recovered. Just like people who wrote the AA book 80 years ago who "recovered from a seemingly hopeless stay of mind and body" Forward to the First Edition. 

Edited April 18 by StandardIssue