Explaining Thailand Experiences Etc

[siamsam]

When you guys n' gals have to brave the traumatic experience of a return to farangland, and friends/family/collegues ask you - "What's it like over there then?". Do you find it difficult to answer? It's like when you see a great movie alone and you try to explain it afterward. Of course the less people who know about Los the better. But it's a shame, quite sad even when you think of what these folks are missing out on. I've even had people say that Thailand/asia even has never really "appealed" to them. Ok, if this is coming from veteran globe-trotters that's fair enough, but I've personally come across this remark by people who have never gone further from that cold, old rock in the Atlantic (uk), than package holidays to Spain,or the really adventuress - Greece.

Being in my twenties, I haven't enough life experience to aquire the wisdom of dealing with this particular obstacle, But the people on this forum who are furthur down lifes path and are therfore wiser, might be able to shed some light on how you deal with this.

[Totster]

You can explain the experience till you're blue in the face.. the only way anyone will ever truely know what it is like, is to experience it for themselves...

totster

[Insight]

I've seriously given up trying to explain life out here to any friends back in the UK. Most stories of mine sound too far-fetched and fanciful for them to grasp concept with, yet would easily be accepted by the majority of users on this forum. Whenever anybody asks me what life is like, nowadays I simply say, “Come over and find out!”

Then, most the time, I have to silently groan at the response “No way, it’s too far for me!”…

By the way, I'm also in my twenties, so I'll also be looking out for any advice on this one...

[Boon Mee]

Don't bother...some things absolutely do not translate...

[DJ Pat]

Explaining to those who know absolutely sod all about the far east, I just tell em superficial stuff that they might relate to, like pubs and eating green curries.

[Santini]

Explaining to those who know absolutely sod all about the far east, I just tell em superficial stuff that they might relate to, like pubs and eating green curries.

Blimey Pat.... They will think its just like Benidorm

[DJ Pat]

But I was asked last Christmas...:

"Pat you're living in malaysia now right?"

"No, Bangkok"

"Can you speak Taiwanese?"

"No, it's Thailand"

"Oh right, so when you going back to Singapore?"

[Totster]

"Can you speak Taiwanese?"

I've had that one before....

i've also had... where abouts in China is that then...?

totster

[Santini]

But I was asked last Christmas...:

"Pat you're living in malaysia now right?"

"No, Bangkok"

"Can you speak Taiwanese?"

"No, it's Thailand"

"Oh right, so when you going back to Singapore?"

It a shame...

I know a lot of friends in the UK that couldnt name the Capital of the USA. Or Australia. They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking anything other than Spanish

[Axel]

I agree, don't tell too much.

"It's OK, Bangkok is a big city but hot" will do.

I lost friends in the past, (Lived in Tokyo) when I said "Very very expensive."

"Yeah, here too, don't brag too much. Down at the shop have to pay now 10 cents if you need a shopping bag".

Or normal question: "Did you go for holiday already?"

Me: 'Yes, stopped in Bali for a few days and on the way back go to Nepal'.

"So? We go to Mallorca, not everybody is so rich!"

Even today, I will never say Bali, Den Pasar does the trick, sounds like hard work

[Ijustwannateach]

A few anecdotes are usually enough to give a dash of flavor, which is all those who ask are usually interested in. Most people couldn't care less about other countries (explains why they never go there!). A small, select "best of" photo album can also help (and is usually faster and more interesting to the "back homers" than the explanations themselves!)

"Steven"

[Spee]

"What's it like over there then?". Do you find it difficult to answer?

Some of the hardest things to explain are how things work in the Thai culture. For example, with my fiancee' being the oldest daughter/child, she is responsible for many things. Trying to explain the extent of this responsibility and the mental anguish that it sometimes causes her is difficult.

Other things like the food, the city experiences and the village experiences are similarly difficult, even with pictures.

The reactions are also varied. Some friends and family have said they want to come visit for the wedding. When I say, we'll have fun, we'll go ride the elephants, and stuff like that, some people have responded with "cool" and others don't say much of anything but get this squirrelly look on their faces.

There is a saying that Harley-Davidson motorcycle owners like to use when describing the hard core biker culture.

"For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible."

I don't know if this is exactly the same for trying to explain the Thai experience, but it's probably close.

[IamMaiC]

But I was asked last Christmas...:

"Pat you're living in malaysia now right?"

"No, Bangkok"

"Can you speak Taiwanese?"

"No, it's Thailand"

"Oh right, so when you going back to Singapore?"

I get that some times in the states

Are you chinese?? No

Japanese?? No

Korean?? No

well where do u come from?? Thailand

ohhhhh your taiwanese!!!!

never fails maybe once every three, four months i get someone to ask me this

[Gazza]

There is a saying that Harley-Davidson motorcycle owners like to use when describing the hard core biker culture.

"For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible."

I used to be on a few Harley forums and the saying has become shortened.

"If I tried to explain, you wouldn't understand".

I used to show people back home photos of Thai customs, temples, girlfriends, scenery, photos taken in neighboring countries etc. They showed me photos of the hotels that they stayed at in Spain or of their tour guide.

I'd tell of my experiences in SE Asia to folks back home and they'd try to better them by recounting of how they were waiting for one number for a full line in a game of bingo in Blackpool. Or about the landlady of a guesthouse in Rhyl that gave them an extra sausage in the morning.

So I stopped trying to explain knowing that they just wouldn't understand.

[Axel]

Or about the landlady of a guesthouse in Rhyl that gave them an extra sausage in the morning.

Shouldn't it be the other way round?

[Harry Palmer]

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking anything other than Spanish

the natives of Portugal speak Portuguese not Spanish... so do approx. 200 million ppl. worldwide according to current estimates...

i do hope that you aren't one of those ex-pats with an important job in the los

[igotworms]

My friends and family seem completely disinterested in Los and my life here. Kind of sad I think. But, I don't push it. If they genuinely ask, I will give info. But I have yet to get legitimate interest about Thailand from anyone. I don't know what to think about it, other than disappointment.

[Boon Mee]

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking anything other than Spanish 

the natives of Portugal speak Portuguese not Spanish... so do approx. 200 million ppl. worldwide according to current estimates...

i do hope that you aren't one of those ex-pats with an important job in the los

Perhaps he's just considering Portuguese as a dialect of Spanish - which it essentially is...

[pluto_manibo]

QUOTE (Santini @ Sat 2004-10-02, 17:50:19)

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking anything other than Spanish   

the natives of Portugal speak Portuguese not Spanish... so do approx. 200 million ppl. worldwide according to current estimates...

i do hope that you aren't one of those ex-pats with an important job in the los 

Perhaps he's just considering Portuguese as a dialect of Spanish - which it essentially is... 

I think he was being sarcastic there.....

[Axel]

QUOTE (Santini @ Sat 2004-10-02, 17:50:19)

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking anything other than Spanish   

I think he was being sarcastic there.....

I agree, but it got lost.

Perhaps should have said:

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking something other than Spanish

[britmaveric]

Well Portuguese is more of a dialect to Spanish- however you ever want to wind up a Portuguese person just ask the question....

Isn't Portugal part of Spain???

[Padkapow Guy]

For years I have been telling my neighbor about Thailand and he never seem to interested, but in 2000 he finally went over with us and has been going evry year since. He calls it candyland. I remember after his first couple of days in los he said to me I had no idea that any place like this every exsisted. The amazement on his face was priceless. He was like a deer in the headlights .

[kitty]

Hmm ive only been to Thailand once for 3 months but my family arent interested in it, nor are a few other people..they say "Asia's never interested me"

Then there's the other friends who are engorged in your story and want to know every detail as they have always wanted to go.

I dont understand how someone can not like Thailand...

in fact out of everyone i know who's been they all love it and return religiously.

[daveh]

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking anything other than Spanish 

the natives of Portugal speak Portuguese not Spanish... so do approx. 200 million ppl. worldwide according to current estimates...

i do hope that you aren't one of those ex-pats with an important job in the los

What are you talking about? I think you, and others, misread his statement. From his statement, he knows full well that natives of Portugal don't speak Spanish, but OTHERS would be shocked if Portuguese spoke something other than Spanish. Meaning many people don't relize that Portuguese have their own language.

A more common misconception is that Brazilians speak Spanish.

[tuky]

No one believes me, so I just don't bother.

Also they would think I was some kind of pervert if I told them some of the stories from some of the places I have been.

Besides I can never get a word in with my mates talking about who won the pool comp at the pub on thursday night, the same pool comp at the same pub on the same night that they were all talking about 10 years ago when I left Aust.

The world is so much bigger than the few kilometres between their houses, work and the pub, it is such a shame that these guys don't know it.

[bluebeard]

I too have had zero success in interesting my friends and family in Thailand. My father's been here and likes it (for cultural reasons of course). I tell my brother what an excellent time he'd have here finally getting laid, going to the beach, islands, etc and he just replies, "oh really?" My sister asked if I speak "Taiwan." Most people carry on conversation-wise with me as if I still lived in the same town, ate the same food, and lived my life in the same way.

For all the crap Thai people are given for being geographically challenged it's nothing compared to so-called "educated" Westerners' geographical ignorance. Of all the people I know in the West only 6 people have ever been to Asia (and those are the ones with passports!).

[Santini]

the natives of Portugal speak Portuguese not Spanish... so do approx. 200 million ppl. worldwide according to current estimates...

i do hope that you aren't one of those ex-pats with an important job in the los

I give up

HP, how do you describe your Thai experiance to those back home? I mean, its all BG's and GOGO's isnt it?

[Santini]

QUOTE (Santini @ Sat 2004-10-02, 17:50:19)

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking anything other than Spanish   

I think he was being sarcastic there.....

I agree, but it got lost.

Perhaps should have said:

They would be shocked to find the natives of Portugal speaking something other than Spanish

My original sentence was just fine thanks

[gisele]

The first time I went back home, I was so excited to tell everyone about my adventures in Asia but I was disappointed at their reactions or lack there of.

My stuff was not so interesting compared to my cousin Paul's adventures at remodeling his house (and still is more than 5 years later)

I have therefore given up on sharing my adventures with the people back home.

They just want to know if I am happy.

Which I am.

[britmaveric]

Well I was never amored with Asia until I made my 1st business trip to Tokyo/BKK. It's hard to explain paradise to those who haven't been there- they simply don't believe you. I been telling my parents for years to visit Thailand, and finally they made the effort and visited Phuket. They loved it and want to go back.