Changes To Your Lifestyle Since Living In Thailand

[cobra]

.. have mastered the art of looking right through people as if they dont exist.

Yes, indeed, an unfortunate necessary skill due to touts and tailors,

[Lost in LOS]

having to put up with "unlimited women"

[siamamerican]

Not in Thailand now, but wil be moving soon. The biggest change will be not working. Work has been consuming most my time the last 5 years and I can't wait to pursue other interests. Not 30 anymore, but anticipate getting back into bicyling and will probably hone my computer skills. I'm a novice programmer, but really enjoy the struggles of learning how to create applications.

I hope Thailand is as exciting as it was for me 10 years ago.

[zydeco]

found this thread in a google search, so . . . although the last post is a long time ago:

Changes:

No more driving--don't want to slaughter a score of scooters

No more cheese--at least no cheese worth eating

Much more walking

Fewer carbohydrates all around, no bread, crackers, chips, but still guzzle wine

Much less TV; more work

Better quality of life

Stopped caring about what was happening in the U.S.

Do miss catching The Tudors on Showtime and Burn Notice on USA

Don't miss keeping up the car at all

Enjoying NOT owning house or property anymore--FREEDOM!

Miss good TexMex

Really, really nice to miss spring storms and tornado warnings

[samuibeachcomber]

Since moving to thailand,

Walk less, eat more healthy food,riding a scooter rather than drive a car.Totally no stress,Not working anymore,more smiles,no boredom.The best changes to life style is the "bum gun" what a great tool,and so hygenic,when ever i leave thailand for a home visit,i miss that the most.I dont think too much anymore,thais have passed that philosophy on to me and have taken it on board.Feeling young again.

[Loz]

Biggest changes?

Debt free

Don't own a home (Rent)

Don't wear a suit

Don't cook for myself (didn't do it all that often but now don't even have an oven!)

Don't Date

Have Air con instead of central heating

Have no pressure

Can't get Diet tonic water and diet dry ginger (even at Tesco!!)

Can't get REALLY good sausages. (wild boar and granny smiths from Lishmans!)

Drive MUCH Slower! Rarely break 100kph. used to be at 100mph!!

Don't socialise as much.

[sarahsbloke]

Much younger wife than I could expect (or afford)

Much more sex

No frozen food

All my food cooked for me

All the housework done for me

Almost no wheat based food or cheese

No TV

No car

Go out a lot more, eating, drinking, dancing

Seen some posts saying no automatic dishwasher, don't need it part of wife duties.

[robblok]

Work for myself instead of a boss (still in the same area of work)

Go out a lot more

Workout a lot more and better

Cook a lot more and healthier for myself (tried Thai food for a while but it just made me fat)

Go fishing a lot more

Got a few dogs

Own a big motorbike and soon a car

Feel much more relaxed and less rushed

Call my parents more then ever

See them a lot less

[Tonto21]

Shag a lot more brass

Drink more beer and JD

Kissed more LB's

Lot less ar-se itching - thanks to bum guns

Eat less pies and chocolate

smoke more cigarettes - due to keen pricing

Ha ha ha ha Whatoever!

You the man!

As sh*tfaced as I can get I have yet to lip-locked a LB, (that I know of) But I do enjoying a bit of brass rubbing on occasion.

[Pushit]

Picking my nose in public and no-one cares!

[Crossy]

Slightly of topic,

Can't get the hang of the bum gun when I'm in Thailand and the wifes moans because we don't have one at home in Scotland, tried it once and got water everyplace except where I wanted it, LOL.

It really just requires practice, preferably whilst naked so you don't get soaked by friendly fire

Does your Missus really understand the (chilly) ramifications of a bum-gun in Scotland

[kokesaat]

Reading the likes of so many posters leaves me wondering why there aren't bum guns in the US?

[ihunnieibee]

-Being pale is a good thing

-lost 25lbs the first few months of being here

-i drink more water

-i eat healthier

-bum gun <3

-i eat street food

-kute thai guys...except so many are gay......

-LB's to share makeup tips with

-i live with 9 people (my bf's whole family) instead of just living w/ my roommate back in NYC

-i'm finally going to university here..back in NYC i just worked so many hours per week it was ridiculous...and i never got a proper amount of sleep

-i take naps regularly here

BUT...

-feel bad for the family members and friends that i beg to bring me tampons ;x (i know they sell them at boots but i really don't like the ones with no applicator or those ones with the cardboard..i prefer plastic..ughh am i picky?? yes )

-hard to find a hair salon with people that understand how to highlight roots... =(

-my face breaks out more

-my makeup melts

-it's hard to find my make-up shade

-very sad about the lack of cheese and a lot of other dairy products

-missing a buncha junk food (that i don't really need anyways)

-side effects of consuming street food (a few hospital visits)

-walking a lot less than i used to in NYC

-hard to find a really good steak =(

-missing soap in bathrooms............

[sanook2me]

Junk mail....i always forget about junk mail...until i return to the UK..and then ...avalanche...

bum gun.....no smear on the rear

eat more healthy...fruit and fresh cooked food...

eat less healthy...love me deep fried foods and fish sauce.....

no fashion style...shorts and t shirts everyday.....

girls who really shouldn't but do and give you the glad eye and smile........

[Scully]

I like waking up in the morning and I can't remember waking up happy in the U.K..

Enough said.

[Archimedes]

No major differences...besides seasonal/weather related differences that is.

[OxfordWill]

In the UK I used to do pretty much everything for myself.

In south east Asia other people do pretty much everything for me.

It's wonderful.

[eek]

Teacup, why no white? My wardrobe is mostly white i think!

My lifestyle is more relaxed. Mostly mentally more than anything. Feel less pressured. Probably because i dont like how too many westerners are "in your face" about everything. Dont enjoy being drama queens (and kings), constant complainers, and those who offload their every opinion and viewpoint onto anyone who is around. Dont enjoy being around those who always want to know your business either. Would always make me feel uncomfortable. Here..there is less of it..at least from Thai people anyway. Still get westerners who act that way..but not something i have to deal with day in day out.

I like the organised chaos of life here. Cant really put my finger on it, but it fits me much better than other countries have. At least so far.

..just realised thats slightly off-topic. sorry.

[ChangMaiSausage]

Changes whilst in Thailand (I've not moved there yet)

Bun Gun the greatest invention yet

More relaxed

Eat healthier

Drink more

Smoke more

Walk more

[BookSanook]

I am a better person. More tolerant, more aware, more focused, less self-conscious.

I found a middle path.

My golf game still sucks, dam_n it!

[draggons]

More chilled out

Eat healthier, lot more fruit.

Drink less (whisky)

Bum gun

Lot less mail

Play golf again.

[zydeco]

I see that one of the biggest changes is that some people are gaining weight by eating Thai food, while others (myself included) have lost weight eating Thai--primarily because of the carbohydrates and dairy that seemed to have vanished from my diet. How are people getting fat? Who orders your meals? I know when I and my Thai gf go out to eat that I'm totally helpless at figuring out how to order. She spends what seems like 20 minutes giving the order and when things come, and then keep on coming, they are spread out all over the table like a banquet--but hardly any of it seems to be fattening. Except, of course, the rice, which I barely touch.

[David006]

I like waking up in the morning and I can't remember waking up happy in the U.K..

Enough said.

that sums it up eh!.....don't have that Sunday pm depression "f.. it f..g work tomorrow" always ruins the weekend..now every day is a weekend...

Seems the most popular thing in Thailand is the bum gun.. gotta love it.... now we use toilet paper as table napkins (doesn't everybody?).....dispensed from the inside out of course...bought this lovely teak dispenser too!!!

[bonobo]

Seems the most popular thing in Thailand is the bum gun.. gotta love it.... now we use toilet paper as table napkins (doesn't everybody?).....dispensed from the inside out of course...bought this lovely teak dispenser too!!!

Love the bum gun.  Had a problem yesterday, though. The gun trigger fell off while in use and into the toilet.  The question was, leave it there with the, well, you know what else was there, reach in and rescue it, or what?

[StreetCowboy]

I am a better person. More tolerant, more aware, more focused, less self-conscious.

I found a middle path.

My golf game still sucks, dam_n it!

I too have become more aware of my own qualities and excellence.

I have discovered I am exceptionally handsome and wealthy.

I have discovered a new social and moral peer group within which I can benchmark myself, and excel.

Luckily, I have moved on to hotter things...

A friend once told me "You can only work below your standards so long..."

SC

[robblok]

I see that one of the biggest changes is that some people are gaining weight by eating Thai food, while others (myself included) have lost weight eating Thai--primarily because of the carbohydrates and dairy that seemed to have vanished from my diet. How are people getting fat? Who orders your meals? I know when I and my Thai gf go out to eat that I'm totally helpless at figuring out how to order. She spends what seems like 20 minutes giving the order and when things come, and then keep on coming, they are spread out all over the table like a banquet--but hardly any of it seems to be fattening. Except, of course, the rice, which I barely touch.

I got fatter because of all the sugar and bad fats that were used in the Thai food. Also there was always a lot of rice served with it. Now i just cook for myself and eat a lot healthier. But it kinda depends what your diet was before you came to Thailand (mine was healthy already) and if you gain weight easy or not.

[BigWheelMan]

I can describe my changes since living here in one word: LESS.

Since the steep drop in bank exchange and interest rates, huge increases in the cost of living, I am financially not able to do half the things I could do a few years ago.

LESS social, LESS eating out, LESS booze, LESS poo ying.

But on the beneficial side, at least I’m living a much healthier lifestyle will probably live longer and have more free time with family.

Oh the pain, the pain.

[IanForbes]

Considering this old topic was resurrected after two years I'll make an attempt to answer. My life style changes dramatically when I am in Thailand as opposed to when I am living in Canada. I live two parallel lives that are completely different. In Canada I have my own home and large lot that I have to maintain. In Thailand I stay in a Thai hotel in Chiang Mai where it's cheaper to rent by the month than turn on my oil furnace in Canada.

I'm single and act pretty much like a hermit in Canada, unless I'm fishing with friends or visiting the local coffee shop where I know the staff. I am a writer, a photographer and an artist, and that occupies most of my time. I have two children and 3 grandkids who live 60 kilometers away, and whom I visit about once a week or so... unless I'm off on a month long fishing trip.

For the 5 months I spend in Thailand I'm still pretty much a hermit when I'm writing, but I have a few friends who I go for walks with. And, a good friend whom I go fishing with occasionally. I visit a few select bars where I know all the staff, and I'm there almost every evening. I never go to bars in Canada unless I'm invited out by friends. In Thailand, I have a group of lovely lady friends who visit me in the afternoon on a regular basis and it satisfies that need. There is none of that in Canada and I'm not even interested in starting any relationship... even though there have been many opportunities. I was married twice and I'm not about to make another mistake.

I'm a good cook and prepare a lot of nutricious meals in Canada. I only eat junk food occasionally. In Thailand I eat out every day, but it's usually a simple Thai meal. And, except for fruit, and sandwiches I make myself, I seldom eat more than one meal a day in a Thai cafe. The Thai cafe costs are similar in what I have to spend for food in Canada. I lose about 10 pounds when I'm in Thailand and gain it back when I'm in Canada. I'm an old fart who enjoys life to the max. I've been told I act and perform like a man much younger than I am chronologically. That's probably the result of staying physically in shape and having an active life style.

[Ulysses G.]

It is tradeoff. Thai women are really good at pretending to like me, but food was way better in San Francisco.

i never have do do any cleaning, but the hot weather gets too much sometimes.

[tracer5050]

I eat a lot less fat here in LOS ,Lose weight with out trying much