Living A Life That Is "good Enough"

[Tokay]

I've recently come to the conclusion that my life here in Thailand can only be "good enough."

Nothing seems to work the way it should and the more I try to make it work correctly, the more it grinds me down. Instead I'm finding I have to settle for "good enough" and go on with my life.

My roof doesn't stop leaking. They fix one leak and it creates another. But at least I have a house. This I assume has to be good enough.

My internet works half the time. At least I have it half the time. Good enough.

It's very difficult to find anything of true quality here. But I should be happy I currently have the funds to buy crap, so its good enough.

The water in our house smells of rotten eggs. It doesn't bother my lady, or the neighbors who also have the same problems. I've spent a small fortune buying different devices to fix the problem, people to come and clean my tank, tried everything I can find online, but it still smells so bad I want to vomit every time I smell it. But hey, at least I have water. I guess this too is good enough.

I've adapted to paying double, being ripped off, charged extra because I'm a falang and talked about behind my back by the locals as I walk away. At least I have my health and am able to walk away and hear them talking, which should be good enough.

I've even adapted to living in a land that has no logic or common sense, jumping through hoop after hoop and fee after fee for a visa so I can work here and earn a living, being ripped off along the way at every corner. But I have a job and I should be happy with that.

Even put the time in to learn the language. I can't write it, but I can speak it pretty well and read a little. It hasn't helped my day to day life that much. The only difference is, most of them don't know this and I get to hear all the hateful things they say about us as I sit and eat my food on the side of the street, sitting at a junky plastic table that is placed directly over a sewer cap that is blowing hot sewage funk into my mouth as I eat while roaches crawl up my leg and across the table. But I have food, so I shouldn't complain.

I've found the quality of my life has gone down here. I'm settling for things that are just good enough, and not for things that make me happy. I'm unfortunately stuck here for a while longer due to work and having a difficult time this past year coping with that and settling. I feel defeated every day here.

Anyone else find themselves just settling? Are you happy with that?

[Firestarter]

You can change most of what you say if you want to.

But sounds like you need to know

if your glass is half full or half empty first.

your the only one that can answer that one.

Sorry, cant change them talking about us like they do.

that wont change, but we all talk a bit like that dont we.

Thai this, Thai that, and so on.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Firestarter

[SeanMoran]

You can change most of what you say if you want to.

The glass is empty! This nation is plagued with farang so what's the use?

I went to the same restaurant I've been going to for the past four years, on and off, including the last three nights and tonight.

I sit outside alone so I can watch the passing traffic and learn more about the Thai mentality at high speed, with a small beer Singha and a Marlboro while my order is being cooked, and there's the usual bloke and his wife with their elephant pass by as they do every night, and a van full of tourists pull up after a long drive from somewhere that I guess tourists come from, and they all disembark the van after a long run and a couple of blokes get out and walk off to watch the elephant from a vantage point alongside the restaurant where I'm doing the right thing and sitting outside alone so I can enjoy a smoke before I eat the meal I bloody-well pay for.

Next thing you know, some farang turns up in the street outside the restaurant with his offspring and a female whom we won't speak anymore about, and walks up to the restaurant complaining loudly about the cigarette smokers by the elephant, two of whom are just got off a tour minivan and standing in the street, and one of whom is me waiting for my meal at the restaurant. He referred to us as <deleted> just for that.

There are too many farang wanke_rs in Thailand. I know one way to help solve this problem, and will find that life that's "good enough" in some civilised country without so many barbarian farang to get mixed up with. Time to close the doors Thailand. You've been too kind. Thanks but no thanks. It's not what it was, and we are the cause of it. Apologies on behalf of farang.

[LennyW]

Tokay, i thought by your postings on here that you were alright and on track!! Dont let <deleted>%kwits on here grind you down.

Some of us have a lot of bad days and some dont, you are complaining about a leaky roof - when last did it rain??

Your internet works half the time, change provider!!

If your water is no good - drill your own well, not expensive!

Come on Tokay, get a grip young man, what you are describing is pre menstrual tension!!!

Get over it!!

[basjke]

Tokay, i thought by your postings on here that you were alright and on track!! Dont let <deleted>%kwits on here grind you down.

Some of us have a lot of bad days and some dont, you are complaining about a leaky roof - when last did it rain??

Your internet works half the time, change provider!!

If your water is no good - drill your own well, not expensive!

Come on Tokay, get a grip young man, what you are describing is pre menstrual tension!!!

Get over it!!

Don't want to be negative Lenny but to answer your questions to Tokay:

It rained only 5 days ago and also 2 days before that.

Change internet provider doesn't mean his internet gonna work since they are all crap.

Drilling a well not expensive?I just had one drilled a few months ago,price 95.000 Baht and couldn't find a cheaper one and I it is illegal in most locations.

[Firestarter]

You can change most of what you say if you want to.

The glass is empty! This nation is plagued with farang so what's the use?

I went to the same restaurant I've been going to for the past four years, on and off, including the last three nights and tonight.

I sit outside alone so I can watch the passing traffic and learn more about the Thai mentality at high speed, with a small beer Singha and a Marlboro while my order is being cooked, and there's the usual bloke and his wife with their elephant pass by as they do every night, and a van full of tourists pull up after a long drive from somewhere that I guess tourists come from, and they all disembark the van after a long run and a couple of blokes get out and walk off to watch the elephant from a vantage point alongside the restaurant where I'm doing the right thing and sitting outside alone so I can enjoy a smoke before I eat the meal I bloody-well pay for.

Next thing you know, some farang turns up in the street outside the restaurant with his offspring and a female whom we won't speak anymore about, and walks up to the restaurant complaining loudly about the cigarette smokers by the elephant, two of whom are just got off a tour minivan and standing in the street, and one of whom is me waiting for my meal at the restaurant. He referred to us as <deleted> just for that.

There are too many farang wanke_rs in Thailand. I know one way to help solve this problem, and will find that life that's "good enough" in some civilised country without so many barbarian farang to get mixed up with. Time to close the doors Thailand. You've been too kind. Thanks but no thanks. It's not what it was, and we are the cause of it. Apologies on behalf of farang.

Have you ever thought, how come I'm sitting alone.

3 nights a week for the last 4 years.

Anyone got a clue about this one

Edited January 19, 2010 by Firestarter

[Spoonman]

Struth Tokay, I love living out with all its niggly annoying little quirks, Having said that i moved from Australia to what my research told me was a third world country, I was pleasantly surprised the place aint really third world (ok maybe outside the bigsmoke it is but meh).

I love the fact there is no big brother watching, I can within reason pretty much do as I please, yeah I get annoyed sometimes with dealing with the locals but Ive worked fulltime since I first arrived so Iam somewhat conditioned to it now.

Everyday brings some new surprises, some good some not so good, either way I view life thru a half full glass and enjoy it whilst Iam able to, prolly helps I have access to a fully equipped machine/workshop that has every tool imaginable and as Iam hands on anything I need doing I can do myself, for personal/home stuff involving Thais, that's where my missus comes into action !!!

Life is what you make it.

Edited January 19, 2010 by Spoonman

[krading]

A bloke could try to hang himself but the cheap shoddy thai rope would probably break.

[JimmyTheMook]

I agree with the OP.

To live here as a "Farang" you have to be willing to settle for less when it comes to many things.

[Spoonman]

I agree with the OP.

To live here as a "Farang" you have to be willing to settle for less when it comes to many things.

Why do we have to settle for less ??

[SeanMoran]

I agree with the OP.

To live here as a "Farang" you have to be willing to settle for less when it comes to many things.

Why do we have to settle for less ??

Because you expected too much. Sheep don't like the heat. Lamb is imported. Slaughter then the best way you can, because they don't like the heat anyway.

\

[Spalpeen]

There are plenty of places in the world, like say Singapore or Switzerland, where everything works pretty well most of the time. But then you'll pay for it in the cost of living. If Pattaya was clean, safe, efficient and polite it wouldn't be Pattaya any more. This is a place to live if you enjoy watching life's rich tapestry, if you don't mind being just one of many kinds of foreigner who pass through.

It certainly has its faults but if the roof leaks, the net is on the blink, the TV sucks and the water stinks that's the time to mutter "Mai pen rai". Personally I divide my time between here and the idyllic rural province of Isaan, and I find that Pattaya looks a whole lot better when you've been away for a while and come back.

[SeanMoran]

There are plenty of places in the world, like say Singapore or Switzerland, where everything works pretty well most of the time. But then you'll pay for it in the cost of living. If Pattaya was clean, safe, efficient and polite it wouldn't be Pattaya any more. This is a place to live if you enjoy watching life's rich tapestry, if you don't mind being just one of many kinds of foreigner who pass through.

It certainly has its faults but if the roof leaks, the net is on the blink, the TV sucks and the water stinks that's the time to mutter "Mai pen rai". Personally I divide my time between here and the idyllic rural province of Isaan, and I find that Pattaya looks a whole lot better when you've been away for a while and come back.

Amen.

Nicely written and thank you for the reality check I much need tonight.

[Nio]

Good enough is about as good as it gets in 2010

Many of the things Tokay said we have all had to deal with

Thai quality leaves something to be desired

Thai plumbing and electrical leave allot to be desired

Houses are not built with the thought in mind you might have to repair something someday

But then again, anywhere in the world you can have leaky ceilings, frozen or busted pipes and a whole assortment of other house ailments

Good enough is good enough for me

I make the best of what I have and be thankful for that

Cannot expect much more anywhere in the world

[Jingthing]

Move house?

[Spoonman]

I agree with the OP.

To live here as a "Farang" you have to be willing to settle for less when it comes to many things.

Why do we have to settle for less ??

Because you expected too much. Sheep don't like the heat. Lamb is imported. Slaughter then the best way you can, because they don't like the heat anyway.

\

I expected too much, Did I ??

As for the sheep thing, dont really know what your angle is there.

[basjke]

Houses are not built with the thought in mind you might have to repair something someday

I think they are in fact built from the start with repair in mind as you will need repairmen from as soon as it is finished until it collapses.

[tb86]

I agree with the OP.

To live here as a "Farang" you have to be willing to settle for less when it comes to many things.

Why do we have to settle for less ??

Yeah im in 100% with you on that, if you settle for less its your own fault. Want to rip me off? we arent doing buisness anymore, its that simple. Products are crap, buy the good ones. Cant help you with the water issue, use bottle water or move, youll check that next time you buy a house. No one is gonna help you out in this world, if your not happy change what bothers you...

[SeanMoran]

I agree with the OP.

To live here as a "Farang" you have to be willing to settle for less when it comes to many things.

Why do we have to settle for less ??

Because you expected too much. Sheep don't like the heat. Lamb is imported. Slaughter then the best way you can, because they don't like the heat anyway.

\

I expected too much, Did I ??

As for the sheep thing, dont really know what your angle is there.

Chicken and pork is cheap, and beef and shrimp and fish, but lamb is hard to find in the tropics because sheep have wool and that must get hot to have to wear, so don't expect too much, and enjoy chicken and pork and beef, but not lamb, and you won't be disappointed.

[MrHammer]

Good enough comes at a much cheaper price than back home.

Yes, there are many things here which are an annoyance. So is it back home. The Europeans here probably agree that the government in their country is as much or more of a hassle. Everything we can't do, from bans on food to insane regulations on house, apartment, car, parking, health care and the list go on. I can't take the nanny state. I don't want to be a number or a statistic in the spreadsheet of a public numbercruncher.

I am happy to be nobody here. No social security number, no emails and letters from big brother/mother. The only proof I exist for the Thai government is the stamps in my passport.

I prefer the organized chaos in tropical countries.

I probably won't settle for good in Thailand, so I understand you, but if you think the west is so much better, maybe you need a quick tour back home. After a few weeks and the reverse culture shock is over, you will be longing for crazy, low quality Thailand.

[StreetCowboy]

You can make things as good as you want.

You could order all your manufactured items over the internet from foreign suppliers, or spend ages trawling for specialist shops that import high quality products (some of which will be made in Thailand for the export market).

You could move to a part of the country with a different flavour of water, and invest in a better house.

But life is too short and money too tight.

So choose how you want to spend your money and time, and accept that good enough is satisfactory and be satisfied with it.

SC

[dumbnewbie]

A bloke could try to hang himself but the cheap shoddy thai rope would probably break.

[SeanMoran]

I prefer the organized chaos in tropical countries.

GOOD ENOUGH!

Amen. Me too.

[Spoonman]

Chicken and pork is cheap, and beef and shrimp and fish, but lamb is hard to find in the tropics because sheep have wool and that must get hot to have to wear, so don't expect too much, and enjoy chicken and pork and beef, but not lamb, and you won't be disappointed.

Dunno were you shop but i have no issues buying decent beef and Lamb, infact just last night i had the most succulent Lamb chops for dinner, they were superb with some mashed potato and boiled Broccoli.

This coming weekend its BBQ time with Aussie beef and all the trimmings at me old mans place at Chanthaburi, cant wait.

[Loz]

Bobby McFerrin said it best:

Don't worry, Be happy!

[samuibeachcomber]

A couple of posters here seem down in the dumps.For me being happy here is all about being with a thai lady you enjoy being with,without that i would n't be so happy.I like the life here,day to day living there really are no rules,no big brother with endles regulation.Its cheap here,but it would n't be if everything worked like back home.I find people friendly,smiling alot unlike back home.It really does come down to "your" attitude,is the glass half full or half empty.If the locals can be happy with so little then so can we,enjoy the weather,make some friends,farang and thai and be positive.

[Crypt36]

dam_n well your post actually just improved my quality of life a little bit. Just another reason for me to stick with my small condo where everything works fine and not move out to the country side.

[rayong09]

I just paid 1200 Baht for a new house sign hand carved wood. They actually did a pretty good job and was quite amazed that the simple transaction went without its usual pallavas..

As we farangs can't do much here and there are eyes all over the place watching wherever you live, I asked a local "handy man" to put up our new sign. After he had finished and wanted paying I had a look at the sign and he had used screws that were much to big and had come through the wood and out the front so you could see the end of the screws looking at the sign.

I started to loose my cool then my partner gave me the look of "calm down ive told you enough times about that" so i paid him and I suppose I should of thought that's "good enough".

Well actually no it <deleted> ain't good enough so i did it myself and you can stick your WP where the sun don't shine!

[jdinasia]

My roof doesn't leak, my water tastes great, I mutter about people more than they mutter about me, I am treated with respect in most places I go and mild bemusement in others, my employer handles all the nit-picky paperwork, my employees handled my bike registration and insurance this year, I don't get ripped off, and I am not trapped in a place I despise!

If you hate it here then do as suggested, vote with your feet! To sit and wallow in your misery rehashing it in thread after thread instead of just booking the flight that you are planning just adds insult to injury (not to us, listening to people moan does sometimes make me feel better; but insult to your own injury!)

[F1fanatic]

There was a thread a few months ago about how we arrive here loving everything, a few years later we hate everything, and then we either move back home or stay (for whatever reason) and learn to live with it.