How Do You Adjust Yourself Living In Thailand?

[BKK90210]

Living in another country can be really interesting. When you live away from your home country - do you miss anything by living away from your home country? Do you get homesick sometime? I don’t mean how unhappy you are, but do you find yourself thinking about those small little routines that once were part of your daily life back home?...like watching a football game on Sunday morning or whatever…

How hard is it to be learning how to accept another type of society and culture into your daily life now? Or customs and traditions different from yours? Like….learning the thai points of views, accepting their differences in opinions and values. Or do you best stick to your most important values you know back home, or change those to fit in the new society?

Do you find it really hard at the beginning? Or you just fit right in? Or you just make the most of it? Do you find the changes difficult, but necessary to go through them in order to build a new character? Do you now appreciate everything you have and realizing how lucky you are to be in Thailand?

[charlesfrith]

Living in another country can be really interesting. When you live away from your home country - do you miss anything by living away from your home country? Do you get homesick sometime? I don’t mean how unhappy you are, but do you find yourself thinking about those small little routines that once were part of your daily life back home?...like watching a football game on Sunday morning or whatever…

How hard is it to be learning how to accept another type of society and culture into your daily life now? Or customs and traditions different from yours? Like….learning the thai points of views, accepting their differences in opinions and values. Or do you best stick to your most important values you know back home, or change those to fit in the new society?

Do you find it really hard at the beginning? Or you just fit right in? Or you just make the most of it? Do you find the changes difficult, but necessary to go through them in order to build a new character? Do you now appreciate everything you have and realizing how lucky you are to be in Thailand?

I get homesick when I go home. Invariably I start shivering, money seems to haemmorage, everyone looks older, prices have gone up, the food is stodgy and I miss Thailand. So I keep visits to home at a minimum and as brief as possible.

Charles

[Phil Conners]

On very hot days I occationally catch myself missing snow.

But then I turn down the AC and it passes

[Gary A]

When I first moved over here in 1991 I missed the USA. In the first five years that I was here I painted a mind picture of how great things were back in the states. When I went back to the US I found things had changed or at least changed from what I remembered. Within two weeks I wondered why I had gone back and was already thinking of ways to get back to Thailand. What do I miss now?? Absolutely nothing. Thailand is my home now warts and all.

[richb2004]

I have only been here a short time on a permanent basis, but have been visiting for 7 – 8 years.

I am finding that I miss very simple things that I used to take for granted, such as:

1. Pavements that I can walk on without obstructions every 2 meters.

2. Being able to walk on pavements from any one place to any other.

3. Being able to enjoy driving my car.

4. Being able to drive a motor bike without needing reactions like a cat.

5. Peace and quite.

6. Intelligent TV and Radio.

7. Being able to ride a bicycle.

8. Good book shops.

9. A good selection of beer.

10. Cider.

11. Sport facilities.

12. Accessible countryside.

Things that make up for these shortfalls:

1. Close to Koh Samet and Koh Chang for weekend breaks.

2. Scuba diving at the above locations.

3. Warm weather.

4. Good food.

5. Less expense.

6. Local beaches.

7. Interesting and exotic country.

[chanchao]

Never miss anything. Indeed I miss Thailand even on a 10 day trip to Europe.

[penzman]

I never really thought I was adjusting as moving here was an amazing new life begining, discovering new ways of life, food, places, people, and politics oh boy!.

I miss spending time with my aging parents, courteous canadian drivers, The Simpsons 4 times a day, fast internet, not shoveling snow when it did.

The most difficult thing for me to accept are the constant dangerous situations and manoeuvres you'll see almost every time you drive on the roads, be it in the moo ban or on the motorway. Drives me insane

[WhizKid]

When I first came to Thailand, nearly 8 years go, I was only 14. I never thought of living here for good cuz at that time I just visit my dad on summers who used to work here. Then when I graduated High School, my parents decided to 'exile' me here living on my own (but actually with some relatives).

I didn't like it and I became rebellous. It's really hard to adjust cuz at that time (around 2001) alot of Thais could hardly speak in english. I was afraid that I'll live in a country where you can only eat Kao Pat or Kao Man Kai. But I gave it a try and it was worth it. In fact, it was the best thing happened to me.

[Patex]

When I first came to Thailand, nearly 8 years go, I was only 14. I never thought of living here for good cuz at that time I just visit my dad on summers who used to work here. Then when I graduated High School, my parents decided to 'exile' me here living on my own (but actually with some relatives).

I didn't like it and I became rebellous. It's really hard to adjust cuz at that time (around 2001) alot of Thais could hardly speak in english. I was afraid that I'll live in a country where you can only eat Kao Pat or Kao Man Kai. But I gave it a try and it was worth it. In fact, it was the best thing happened to me.

Hello WhizKid,

Welcome to Thaivisa!

Can you explain why you think/feel it was the best thing for you to come to Thailand? Did you found new friends? Learn the language? Work? What do you miss most? Just curious...

Patex

[WhizKid]

Hey there! Thanks

Well let me put it this way. I can't imagine my life if I went back to my country now. Actually, 2 years ago my relatives started to move from TH to different countries leaving me alone. My parents work in different country as well so its a bit hard. My mom didn't want me to stay but I insisted. She actually came here to personally drag me back to our home country. But I said NO and I WANTED TO STAY.

[Thaipwriter]

I get homesick when I go home. Invariably I start shivering, money seems to haemmorage, everyone looks older, prices have gone up, the food is stodgy and I miss Thailand. So I keep visits to home at a minimum and as brief as possible.

Charles

Ditto that

[Tippaporn]

Thailand is a natural fit for me so it was easy for me to integrate right off the bat. I've lived elsewhere in the world so I'm familiar with respecting other cultures, whether or not I agree with everything about them. I pick and choose the aspects I like and simply ignore the rest. Works very well for me.

I stick to my own basic values but learning Thai culture adds greatly. Jai yen yen is my favorite concept, which I've done a good job of incorporating into my life. I don't get angry very often anymore and take many more things in stride these days. I've learned to be much more appreciative, too, which brings me peace of mind and happiness.

I've traded off many of my former daily routines for new ones. It's been a refreshing experience and has since made me realize how familiarty can breed a degree of boredom. There's enough new things to see, learn and experience in Thailand that I'm set for the rest of my life. As I mentioned in another thread, I feel like a kid again, full of much wonderment.

Appreciative about being in Thailand? You bet. Everyday.