Do you live in LOS? Does your family back home judge you....

[ghworker2010]

After visiting LOS for holidays in the past 10 yrs I decided to put my stuff into a storage container, pay my taxes and bills and move from the West to the East. Its my 2nd year of living in Thailand and I love it.

Recently I had to return to the mother country for a brief visit to sort out many things. Naturally I had to see the relatives and I found them to be a bit of a wind up. It was the indirect jokes / comments about my life in Thailand that made me think to myself ...do I have much in common with these people anymore.

What are your experiences with your own family back home? I think as one grows older you grow apart from your brothers and sisters. Do you think they make judgements about you living in Thailand...

[mrtoad]

I couldn't care less what people think back home. Most of them sit around moaning about the same things year on year, and saying how lucky you are to be out workin in a place like Thailand .the majority haven't got the <deleted> to get out of the comfort zone, and those that want to nudge and wink aren't part of my social network anyhow. My family are very supportive of me working here, and my friends often visit. There will always be detractors but you must do things for yourself. Good luck.

[NeverSure]

Actually, I get raft just for visiting a couple of times a year for 2 or 3 months. I don't think it's about moving, per se.

And no, I don't care what they think and I won't listen to them talk about it. They have learned that if they bring it up I simply get up and drive away.

[kennedy]

Not family, only the flat earth society that wrap themselves in the flag. Pathetic, ignorant people that I don't have to deal with.

[pigeonjake]

i got ,,,

10 out of 10

i wouldnt give a <deleted> what people think, it my life and ill live it how i want to live it,

same goes for them, if they want to sit in england freezing in a winter, up to them,

jake

[smooth expat]

Probably some jealousy.

I'm enjoying my life here and I don't have to worry about the 9 to 5 crap anymore. I'm sure they know about my sex life by now. Who cares.

[soi41]

Ten years ago I took my wife to visit my old country. Very well recieved by most of the family, who had cooked lovely Thai food and were really welcoming to the wife.

Next day I called my mother, who lives a few miles from the rest of the family, telling her, we were planning to visit. And her answer: "You are welcome, but no need to bring your socalled wife"

Haven't spoken to her since!

And I am still married to my "socalled wife" !

[iancnx]

No, I don't think I am judged at all. Family visit me annually, my elderly mum absolutely dotes over my Thai wife (and now newborn son).

It could be because I don't have a wide social network, I am quite choosy in that respect, so I guess only those closest and who know me well are in a position to be judgemental.

[pattayadingo]

My son - and the only actual family I have left - tells me, 'Have fun, Dad.'

He is open minded

Good friends have no problem either.

Those who snipe? Stuff them, it is not their life.

[chrisinth]

Many years ago while talking to the family the subject about achievements came up. I had one brother as a plant manager for a major tyre producer in UK, one brother as a chartered accountant and my sister was a financial manager in a large hospital in Belfast. I was an able seaman in the Royal Navy (at the time).

Who was the happiest, or felt they had achieved more between the four of us? Everyone is different, simple fact. I went home last year, first time in 12 years, and all 3 of them are doing the same jobs, 9 - 5 every day, continually stressed out, married, but happy with their lives. I live and work in Thailand, work longer hours, normally not stressed out, married, but happy with my life also................... Same, same but different!

Wherever you decide to live in this world should have no effect on what people / family think in this day and age....................

If it does affect the way people think in a negative way, ignore & move on, we're big boys & girls now.

[i claudius]

My family have all either stayed here with us or ,lived with my Thai wife and son back in the UK they all get on with her great ,only once have i been told by a westerner that my wife only married me for a passport ,that was 20 years ago ,he is now divorced and living alone back in the UK in a bedsit ,so all in all i think i am envied rather than judged .mind you a few of my mates back home are convinced i get a bit on the side now and again ,even though i don't .

[robblok]

Only positive comments but then again I build a business here and have a great life. Things might have been different if I was a barfly living hand to mouth. Wherever you build your future is irrelevant as long as you build it well and are not lazy or drinking it away.

Actually got more then a few jealous comments from friends, and a few wanting to do the same.

[seajae]

mate, I dont care what anyone else thinks, if we live our own lives based on what others think it would be pretty piss poor. I am here because I love the country and love my wife, screw what anyone else think. I havent associated with my brothers and sisters for years, they are not apart of my life, as they say, you can pick your relations but cant pick your family. Sure they will always be a part of my life but they are not in anyway a part of what I choose to do with my life, that concerns me and my immediate family only.

[asupeartea]

Not family, only the flat earth society that wrap themselves in the flag. Pathetic, ignorant people that I don't have to deal with.

Hey Kennedy, Thanks for putting a name to the folk like "that". It's perfect -- The Flat Earth Society.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[asupeartea]

In Thailand now, but when I went back to the States in 2000 after about 10 years in Japan, two of my sisters told me to "settle down and get a real job." I guess being a perfessr in a furrin county don't count.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[OldSalty]

I could not care less what they think about me and where I live. I lived and worked in Europe, the US, South America and Australia and now I am retired in Thailand with a Philippina.

[Markaew]

I think it's a lot of "out of sight, out of mind". You aren't in their world anymore and they/you cannot relate anymore. When I came here I was relieved to get away from the complaining and they do nothing about their situation.

Not my problem if I can fix my situation and they are stuck in theirs.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Markaew

[kikoman]

I care very much what my children back home thinks about me. Before I left I sat them down and explained to them my plans to live in South America but I was going to a visit to Thailand first, After arriving in Thailand I never went back home.

My children told me dad you dedicated the first part of your life to raising us, now is the time for you to live your life to make yourself happy.

My two brothers followed me to Thailand and my sister came for a visit, all my family gets along greatly with my wife!

Cheers:

[Bagwan]

In Thailand now, but when I went back to the States in 2000 after about 10 years in Japan, two of my sisters told me to "settle down and get a real job." I guess being a perfessr in a furrin county don't count.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You're a professor in a foreign country? Are you sure?

[Scottythai]

Mother and Stepdad use it as an excuse to fly out for a holiday every February. My Sister done her Birthday in Thailand now for the last 3 years. (next year she will bring my Nephew who will be 6). My Dad and his wife come in September for 6 months a year now. He can't get enough golf and loves the climate. So as for me and my family no. But I do know people who used to be friends who think you are crazy to live in Thailand. They tell me it's a 3rd world country and they would never go in a million years. But then again they have never been outside their small bubble. So I just laugh and say yea, it's a hard life and i just scrape by....

[banglay]

The uninformed people who judge Thailand in my humble opinion :-

It is like a form of racism ...it is formulated and nurtured by unintelligent small minded bigots who are frightened of there own shadows and seldom come out from under there stones .To them the Earth is the center of the universe.and the world is still flat..in other words "Neanderthals"

So why give a sh*t

Edited July 2, 2013 by banglay

[Beetlejuice]

.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Beetlejuice

[Espen]

I`ve lived here for 8 years and my family back home probably judge me for living here. But they don`t tell me about it.

[Berkshire]

Ten years ago I took my wife to visit my old country. Very well recieved by most of the family, who had cooked lovely Thai food and were really welcoming to the wife.

Next day I called my mother, who lives a few miles from the rest of the family, telling her, we were planning to visit. And her answer: "You are welcome, but no need to bring your socalled wife"

Haven't spoken to her since!

And I am still married to my "socalled wife" !

Wow, your own mom. Good on you for standing up for the wife.

[Espen]

Ten years ago I took my wife to visit my old country. Very well recieved by most of the family, who had cooked lovely Thai food and were really welcoming to the wife.

Next day I called my mother, who lives a few miles from the rest of the family, telling her, we were planning to visit. And her answer: "You are welcome, but no need to bring your socalled wife"

Haven't spoken to her since!

And I am still married to my "socalled wife" !

Wow, your own mom. Good on you for standing up for the wife.

I agree. Good for you for standing up to you "socalled" mom.

[kevvy]

when i go back to Australia (the land where there is no racism heh) i get so many looks while walking anywhere, the ladies look at my wife and i know what they are thinking by their looks. "she is only after his money"and the men thin "i am only after a sex slave " i just smile more and hold my wife closer ... stuff them all ... i am so happy , that is Aussies in general love to talk about people who are happy in life .

[kristophon]

glad the OP has opened this thread... to be honest I thought I was the only one with an unsupportive family. all the farang I have met here have had nothing but support from there family...

I didnt speak to mother dearest for 10 years after I married wifee... right from the start she made it clear that she didnt want to know about it (the relationship)... anyway, so I decided then that if thats how you feel about it, I`ll not let you know. but i`m buggered if i`m stopping for you. your not controlling MY life lady..

BUT, evntually our child was born and I was going off to work in the middle east so I told the old dear she had a grand daughter. she hung up the phone... we didnt speak for 10 years...

... eventually I tried to patch things up with the old bag through feelings of guilt and for the sake of her grand kids but she couldn`t handle it... 'how can I tell my friends my son married a thai...' .. OMG!...

oh xxxx off you nauseating old hag!... I did visit the women in the summers of 2011 & 2012... first time I thought she had come around to the idea but 2nd time we were just back to square one again... I got up and walked out and told her as I left that she would never see me again... and thats the end of it....

all I feel now is relief....

Edited July 3, 2013 by metisdead

[robblok]

Wow that is pretty rough for the guys who's mom does not accept their wives. I have had a number done on me by my first Thai wife that lived with me in The Netherlands, so my mom was not that happy I had a new Thai g/f. It took a bit more time to warm up to her and now no problems anymore she has proven herself. Parents come here every year sometimes more, we went back a few times too. All is good never strange remarks.

[mjef]

Here's my story:

I have a relatively conservative family. I have a full-time engineering job, a flat of myself, and almost everything I wanted once. Visited Thailand 3 times during the last year and it changed everything I thought about the meaning of life and happiness and these stuff. In my home country, Iran, most of the people think of Thailand as a big sex tourism center! Poor people! They don't know nothing about LOS.

And now here I am moving to Thailand in two months from now on a student visa to learn the smile language and live in Thailand. I'm giving up everything I built up here for Thailand. I believe although I have everything many of my friends wish for, I'm not really happy here. I live in a different world than their world! Anyways other than a couple of open-minded friends everyone else gave me thumbs down for this move! The interesting thing is that most of them don't even live a happy life!

So I thought nevermind, I'll do it. I just hope that I find a job in Thailand soon... I don't wanna end up just eating from my pocket for a long time!

[Suradit69]

I couldn't care less what people think back home. Most of them sit around moaning about the same things year on year, and saying how lucky you are to be out workin in a place like Thailand .the majority haven't got the <deleted> to get out of the comfort zone, and those that want to nudge and wink aren't part of my social network anyhow. My family are very supportive of me working here, and my friends often visit. There will always be detractors but you must do things for yourself. Good luck.

"Most of them sit around moaning about the same things year on year..."

For a moment there I thought you were talking about the ThaiVisa regulars.

Most people I know at "home" (actually here is home to me) act envious, especially during the winter months, and hint at how nice it would be for them to come and visit. If they have other thoughts about my life here they keep it to themselves because of their deep and abiding respect for me (sarcasm alert) and because they know I'd give them step-by-step instructions on where to shove it if they were harboring any doubts on the suitability of my chosen retirement home.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Suradit69