Are We In A 'falang Bubble'?

[kannot]

I'm pretty similar to yourself except I don't really care what anyone else thinks in the community about me....rightly or wrongly.

I'm happy enough.

[ongchart]

'Why don't you learn Thai? It seems like you would have a much better experience living here.'

The truth is that I knew more Thai before I got married and started depending on the Thai wife, and in actual fact, I have been certified as tone deaf and can't distinguish the tones of the language.

And, I've seen soo many falangs that think they know Thai by speaking a few words that they know and then end up in a complete loss of words when the Thai assumes that they really do speak Thai. I don't pretend to speak Thai!!

If you REALLY LEARN THAI the you don't have to pretend...

[kannot]

Seems like more then a few folks live in a bubble,me also.It is not because of others you live there ,it is because of yourself and if you are comfortable there is nothing wrong with it.

It starts at a young age when all the other kids smoke but you don't because you just don't like the taste.

You are your own person and probably always have felt different from the rest and now here you have the time and the means to create your own little environment.

I finally live in the B i always wanted,big garden,a lot of animals,a few selected friends,(took years to find them) and a fantastic young lady who seems to also love the quiet life.

We do go out to the market and we meet friends at a swimming pool on Sundays.

Yes i do think it has also to do with age but i am almost happy i don't have the urge to do crazy stuff anymore.

To anyone living in a (comfortable) bubble,enjoy it to the fullest!

As a youngster I too didn't like smoking drinking or parties, I did love motorbikes though, unfortunately at this age the pressure is enormous to join in with these things.

I refused and am thankful I had it in me to not conform as a youngster especially now smoking is seen quite rightly as a bad thing.

[londoedan]

'Why don't you learn Thai? It seems like you would have a much better experience living here.'

The truth is that I knew more Thai before I got married and started depending on the Thai wife, and in actual fact, I have been certified as tone deaf and can't distinguish the tones of the language.

And, I've seen soo many falangs that think they know Thai by speaking a few words that they know and then end up in a complete loss of words when the Thai assumes that they really do speak Thai. I don't pretend to speak Thai!!

If you REALLY LEARN THAI the you don't have to pretend...

There's some interesting thoughts and comments in this thread but overall I feel the abovr is the best advice if one wants to integrate.

EM Forster nailed it about a 100 years ago: 'Only connect": a very simple phrase to life one's life by IMO.

The full quotation is: "Only connect! That was the whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer. Only connect, and the beast and the monk, robbed of the isolation that is life to either, will die."

[Phronesis]

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.

[londoedan]

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.

Thoreau

[BookMan]

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.

**ahem** ...to quote Walden, by Henry David Thoreau

*as Londoedan pointed out as I was typing

Edited April 28, 2013 by BookMan

[jbrain]

Let me give you my 2 satang worth.

I arrived here almost 2 decades ago, and as it belongs to a newbie in Pattaya I entered the nightlife and enjoyed it.

I enjoyed it so much that for the first 14 years I actually went out every night untill the wee hours, slept during the day and when I woke up I started again. Spent quite some monet as well, and you can't believe how many friends I had. Most owners of the disco's, gogo bars and after hour places knew me by name and threated me as a personal friend.

Jeez was that a time, all those friends.

Then 4-5 years ago I decided to built a house in East Pattaya. Everyone who has ever built a house here know what the issues are, and in fact where the estimate was to have it finished in about a year it took almost 3 times as long. You will understand that if you're not present at the site from from morning till night time everything will go wrong, leaving little time to enjoy the nightlife.

You would be surprised how quickly those friends drinking buddies dissapeared from my circle.In the beginning few would call, but after a few months that would also dry up like water in the sun.

Also during that time I started to realise what I missed, or actually didn't miss, every night I didn't went out and what was the difference between friends in your homecountry and friend in Pattaya orThailand for that matter.

Now that the house is finished and I have all I need, swimming pool, large garden, my Thaivisa , and a quiet life, I don't really see any need anymore to visitthe bars.

From the hundreds of friends I had a few years ago, only a few I have occasionally contact with. That means when it suits me.

Do I live in a bubble now or have I lived in a bubble during the first 14 years I came here?

[OldChinaHam]

Jaideeguy,

It does not require that one live in Thailand to benefit from the farang bubble.

For one thing, when a farang lives "in country" long enough, friends return home to their respective countries, die of illness or boredom, or just go nuts.

I have been living as a farang for longer than half my life, which is still a long time.

There is nothing wrong with the quiet and peaceful existence that you describe if you are happy with it. It is not always wise to question ones purpose on earth or the way one's life is unfolding if he or she is relatively happy already, because this amount of happiness is something many others would love to achieve but cannot.

If you enjoy your golf, then you have chosen a good place for it. Such a life as you lead would not be possible without the internet however. I have been living a farang's existence since before the advent of the desk size facsimile machine, which just began to rear its lovely head around 1980, when most of them were about the size of a small refrigerator.

Back then, just getting enough to read was a major undertaking. Phone calls were expensive, and TV was just 2 or 3 channels run and controlled by the government, and airing only in the early evenings, closing down at about 11:30 PM until the next morning in most cases.

I could bore you with the gory details but will not.

At lease I will not bore you these days now that you have better things to do given the internet and other modern conveniences.

Years ago, you would have been happy to be bored when life was boring all the time,

And I will be happy to see those nice young men

In their clean white coats

When they come to take me away.

Remember, in Thailand, although there are no mulligans, at least the climate and the food more than makes up for this deficiency.

Glide on, Brother!

[somtampet]

I do sometimes have a concern that maybe I am retreating too deep into my bubble.....almost to the point of agoraphobia, where as soon as I leave the bubble and get on the roads, i get irritated......shopping is now just a deed that has to be done and I get in and out of a mall or shop asap to return to my bubble. Agoraphobia is maybe not the correct word, as there is not much fear, just irritability and discomfort.

Have u thought of going for long walks on your own,get some fresh air,and maybe learn some basic thai too.My bubble is just acting normal and retiring like i would in uk,going out a couple of nights a week with mates,meals out with gf and stepson,a few barbies,walks in daytims as the gfworks,so for me i live a perfect life,i do what i want whem i want,withing reason

[somtampet]

Jaideeguy,

It does not require that one live in Thailand to benefit from the farang bubble.

For one thing, when a farang lives "in country" long enough, friends return home to their respective countries, die of illness or boredom, or just go nuts.

I have been living as a farang for longer than half my life, which is still a long time.

There is nothing wrong with the quiet and peaceful existence that you describe if you are happy with it. It is not always wise to question ones purpose on earth or the way one's life is unfolding if he or she is relatively happy already, because this amount of happiness is something many others would love to achieve but cannot.

If you enjoy your golf, then you have chosen a good place for it. Such a life as you lead would not be possible without the internet however. I have been living a farang's existence since before the advent of the desk size facsimile machine, which just began to rear its lovely head around 1980, when most of them were about the size of a small refrigerator.

Back then, just getting enough to read was a major undertaking. Phone calls were expensive, and TV was just 2 or 3 channels run and controlled by the government, and airing only in the early evenings, closing down at about 11:30 PM until the next morning in most cases.

I could bore you with the gory details but will not.

At lease I will not bore you these days now that you have better things to do given the internet and other modern conveniences.

Years ago, you would have been happy to be bored when life was boring all the time,

And I will be happy to see those nice young men

In their clean white coats

When they come to take me away.

Remember, in Thailand, although there are no mulligans, at least the climate and the food more than makes up for this deficiency.

Glide on, Brother!

Good post mate,

Happiness isnt just about drinking in bars

[jaideeguy]

Yea, Good post OCH. [And thanks for your input on my other post. IOU a cup of coffee or something!]

I'm amazed that this old post has been revived and I'm deeper into my bubble....this time, I blame the weather, as I melt in this damn heat and spend too many hours indoors. We have made a few outings to the highlands and that is a refreshing breakfrom the heat and traffic, but always glad to return home to 'my bubble'.

I have picked up a new hobby to keep my mind occupied and belly full of falang food........smoking bacon.

Over the years here, I've heard my fellow expats complain about being bored and my simple reply is 'if you're bored then Just do something!'.

Not sure if I mentioned in an earlier post that I've always been what I call a 'fringe person' and have lived most of my life outside the city 'big bubble' in country settings and will always continue to do so.

I look at survival [of the mind and body] here as a project of it's own...........

Edited April 28, 2013 by jaideeguy