What do we give up to be an expat

[TheSpade]

Let's face it, most guys stay here for the cheap sex . Nothing else .

Either you have not been to Thailand or have never met a Thai sex worker, but rest assured it is not cheap and costs some all their life savings

Not everyone here has to pay for sex or have sex with hookers.

The standard of women a young-ish, average looking guy, can pull here is much higher than he can pull back home for the most part.

Much less hassle and effort too. It's stupidly easy here all you have do is turn up.

And he doesn't have to pay for it.

And before someone says "dating Thai women is more expensive than picking up bar girls" then really it's not. You are kidding yourself. Your bar fine is more than what most guys dates are costing and that's still not including your fee to the hooker, your dinks, lady drinks, taxi money for her in the morning etc.

Edited July 19, 2013 by TheSpade

[OldChinaHam]

Hey, GuestHouse,

That is one Heck of a Good Post!

I really enjoyed reading it.

Here I am, not really noticing that I am giving up much of anything that bothers me not having.

And then I read your post

And I thought, dam_, exactly what you describe is a pretty fine way to live, also.

I cannot say that I am giving up anything by being here in Thailand,

Because I seem to be getting much more than anything I might be giving up.

The only thing I can think is that it would be awfully nice to have two lives to live so you could choose two different paths to follow, and never miss out on what you most enjoy about either.

But I rarely, if ever, think about what I might be missing or giving up.

Until I read a good post like yours,

Then I do.

[stickylies]

late evening sun -> *really* miss that. thai summer: 7pm dark. european summer: 10pm still light.

[NeverSure]

I think it's a trade off and I'm not willing to make the permanent trade. I can visit Thailand a couple of times a year for maybe 30 - 90 days without giving up what I have in the West. If I get tired of the one I can go to the other.

Maybe it's a lack of adventure or something else, but I love my home in what I consider to be the best place in the US for weather, people, lack of crowding and cleanliness. I have about 25 or so rai on a hilltop with spectacular view, woods, game (I'm seeing wild turkey hens with chicks this morning) deer, elk, and first world amenities. Why would I give it up permanently when food, sundries, cars, electronics etc. are so cheap?

If I get bored next week I'll book a flight to Thailand. Thailand is a lot of fun and I really like it but not for my only residence.

$.02

[Banzai99]

We get away with a lot more than Thai people do, because we're Farang.

The drunken bullshit many Farangs give to Thai guys would not be tolerated if it was a Thai guy giving the abuse, you'll get a free pass because you're a Farang most of the time, a Thai guy won't get the second chance.

What drunken bullshit are you referring to?

Why do not you get drunk, go to Thai bar and give Thai guy some shit and see what happens

The only place where they get away with it to a point is with taxi drivers and inside girly bars without security.

Rest assured the moment foreigner steps over the line he gets attacked by a pack of wolves.

The only time he does not get attacked is when a Thai is alone or Thai does not understand a word being said

Well, I have only been here for 23 years, so I will bow to your greater experience, I stand corrected.

But, in the real world , what I said was right.

please do not tell me you want to play "mine is bigger than yours"

real world? you mean YOUR world of what you have seen?, it does not mean a real world, no matter how long you have been here

I'm sure you're right, what would I know ?

[lemoncake]

I'm sure you're right, what would I know ?

Looking at what you post and your PM, if i had to guess, i would say- NOT MUCH

[hotandhumid]

Totally agree with the OP. Obviously depends on where and who you are going back to

Been here 10 years now and the novelty has well and truly dried up. It was great for a few years, dont get me wrong, but you soon see through the cracks. So taking my son home for a decent free education, and real friends and family.

Most of the guys I have known here, you take away golf and bar girls, and they would be lost. I have done that, but cant imagine being like that myself, a big red faced whore junkie at 50 or 60. Keeps them happy, on the outside anyway, but not for me.

Looking forward to a decent 2nd hand car for 10k, decent roads and driving, culture, going to live football, sport in general, friends, family, beer, food, long summer nights, UK holidays for my son inc Xmas with the family, Easter, Haloween, Summer breaks, Going somewhere for a bet, horse racing days out, poker tournaments, Buying a decent house that I can pass on that wont be a run down p1ss hole in 30years, drinking water from the tap, My <deleted> being flushed away from the house, not having to put up with the smell of <deleted> when walking in town, bus drivers not doing 120kmh up the hard shoulder,minimal power cuts, no dogs everywhere yapping away, no dogs splattered in the road, no dogs banging away at the side of the road, no cobras in the garden, a house in my name, land in my name, not having to photocopy and sign 100 pieces of A4 everytime I want to change something legally, no blatant under the table pay offs, free healthcare, not driving to a shop to buy something and being told "Mai mee' or 'mai roo'.

Not having to listen to being referred to as 'Farang'...... ,defend it all you want, but lets face it, they may as well cut to the chase and just call us nxxger.

The land of smiles. More like the land of smiling assassins.

Son and wife?...or just the son?

Wife aswell. But I'm obviously not returning for her benefit, so didnt mention her, although she is moving for ours. Thats the sort of person she is. So if you need to know, I Had a nightmare Thai GF when I first moved here, but my Thai wife now, of 7 years, is a gem. My House and car, all bought by me, and although an initial gamble, was always in her name, and everything has now been sold in the last 2 months. She has subsequently sent all money from our joint account, straight to my personal account in the UK. All sales and savings from 10 yrs amounted to around 15 million baht. She hasnt taken a penny from our savings, although could have quite easily cleaned me out.

Maybe not the answer you were hoping for, but unfortunately, true my friend. .

Ha ha, good answer.

Good luck to you and you have made a good case for going back by listing all the good things about the UK but have conveniently not mentioned all the crap stuff about the UK, of which there is lots and lots. And of course you have listed all the bad things about Thailand as you are trying to justify to yourself that you are doing the right thing. My money says that you are not convinced.

It is going to be a huge culture shock for your wife and son once the cricket is finished and the nights start drawing in. Up in the freezing cold at 7am to go to school where your son will probably hate and back home in the dark and freezing cold with only Eastenders and Corrie to look forward to

My money says you will be pining for Thailand after 6 months, but I hope it works out for you, it's a bold thing you are doing. I have a wife and kid here and never in a million years am I taking them to live in the UK. It's a ghastly thought to be honest.

[mrdome]

You are taking the best of the UK and comparing it to, if not the worst, certainly the bad sides of Thailand. That's really not a fair comparison. Dare I say, you wouldn't even have written this if the European summer (which is shaping up to be the best since I moved back here 5 years ago) was all rained out, cool, overcast as it had been pretty much everyone of the last four summers.

The answer is that for every choice we make there is something we can't do or have to give up but if you know you made the better/right choice for yourself, you will be OK with what you can't have.

[iancnx]

The things I miss....UK

First and foremost my two grown up children.

Followed by in no particular order......Cornish green fields and the coast, real ale, English pubs with their grub. Supermarket selection of quality food and wines at sensible prices. Horse racing. National rail network. Angling - the English way! I always wanted to buy a canal longboat, but now I never will be able too. Enoch Powell. Margaret Thatcher. Winston Churchill. HM the Queen. White Hart Lane. Loyal and honourable old friends, colleagues, and acquaintances from a career now long gone.

Things I don't miss. The crime rate and the miserable bast-/)s everywhere. Fat old birds. British Government BS. A failed British Foreign Policy crafted and led by the White House. The tax man. The forty hour week + the extra 20 hours you don't get paid for. The cost of living generally. The millions of non British people milking the welfare state. The millions of useless lazy frukkin Brits milking the welfare state. The hundreds of thousands of British children living under the poverty line - shame on the British government who do not look after our own children first before committing millions to a failed foreign policy. Debt.

Well there's a start.

[HardenedSoul]

Not having to listen to being referred to as 'Farang'...... ,defend it all you want, but lets face it, ****Racial stereotyping comments removed****

Rubbish

If a Thai says the word "farang" within earshot of 10 white or non-Thai people, perhaps 1 of them would take offence.

If a Thai says the word "nxxger" within earshot of 10 black people, he knows for certain that he'll have 10 very big problems on his hands.

Frankly, after 10 years here, you really ought to know that, most of the time, Thais will bend over backwards to avoid causing offence to others.

If they knew for sure that ALL whites/non-Thais found the word "farang" offensive, they wouldn't use it.

Is it old chestnut season already...?

Well you know what?

If I - as a black man in Thailand - was hearing Thais use the word 'N'-word around me day in and day out, I wouldn't bloody well BE here.

If you - as a (presumably) white man in Thailand - really, honestly, genuinely find the 'F'-word so deeply injurious to your sensibilities, why are you here?

I'd be willing to bet that many people who whine incessantly about this usage of the 'F'-word have a history of railing vociferously at the pervasion of political correctness in their homelands.

Now they want it here, <deleted>.

My God, you've gotta love the whinging classes

[metisdead]

Inflammatory bickering posts as well as some racial stereotyping posts and replies and off topic posts have been removed.

[OldChinaHam]

Totally agree with the OP. Obviously depends on where and who you are going back to

Been here 10 years now and the novelty has well and truly dried up. It was great for a few years, dont get me wrong, but you soon see through the cracks. So taking my son home for a decent free education, and real friends and family.

Most of the guys I have known here, you take away golf and bar girls, and they would be lost. I have done that, but cant imagine being like that myself, a big red faced whore junkie at 50 or 60. Keeps them happy, on the outside anyway, but not for me.

Looking forward to a decent 2nd hand car for 10k, decent roads and driving, culture, going to live football, sport in general, friends, family, beer, food, long summer nights, UK holidays for my son inc Xmas with the family, Easter, Haloween, Summer breaks, Going somewhere for a bet, horse racing days out, poker tournaments, Buying a decent house that I can pass on that wont be a run down p1ss hole in 30years, drinking water from the tap, My <deleted> being flushed away from the house, not having to put up with the smell of <deleted> when walking in town, bus drivers not doing 120kmh up the hard shoulder,minimal power cuts, no dogs everywhere yapping away, no dogs splattered in the road, no dogs banging away at the side of the road, no cobras in the garden, a house in my name, land in my name, not having to photocopy and sign 100 pieces of A4 everytime I want to change something legally, no blatant under the table pay offs, free healthcare, not driving to a shop to buy something and being told "Mai mee' or 'mai roo'.

Not having to listen to being referred to as 'Farang'...... ,defend it all you want, but lets face it, they may as well cut to the chase and just call us nxxger.

The land of smiles. More like the land of smiling assassins.

Son and wife?...or just the son?

Sorry Sir,

But you may still not understand where it's at, here in Asia.

When you say:

"Been here 10 years now and the novelty has well and truly dried up. It was great for a few years, dont get me wrong, but you soon see through the cracks. So taking my son home for a decent free education, and real friends and family."

You need to realize that what you got is only a bad case of the "7 Year Itch".

Only, you got it at 10 years, when most of us get it at 7 years.

Once you push on through to the other side, as the Doors do say,

Push on through to the other side,

Then things begin to settle down a bit, and you gradually, truly, and for the first time, begin to make Asia your home.

I do not know what it is, or what causes it,

But as in marriage between a man and a women, there comes an unsettling time at about 7 years.

If you can just get through it, then you got it made in the shade.

I am really not joking at all, here.

There comes a time in all of us when we become disenchanted and jaded with our "adopted country" here in Asia.

We become frustrated and intolerant, maybe.

But if we can just get through it, then we can stay as long as we breeth.

And we are finally happy.

Where we are,

In Thailand.

This foreign land itch hits most at about 7 years

You say it hit you at about 10 years in country

Maybe you are better able to adapt than most, give yourself credit for this.

If you wish to stay, give it some time and patience.

Or return home and then come back when you are ready.

Someday, if you remain here long enough

You are really going to see Asia as your home

And like it.

Maybe even the Cobras, and snakes.

I have been here for so long

I almost forget where I came from

Or what it was like

And, now, it does not make that much difference to me,

Returning to 'The Old Country', I mean.

Edited July 20, 2013 by OldChinaHam

[pinfold]

Totally agree with the OP. Obviously depends on where and who you are going back to

Been here 10 years now and the novelty has well and truly dried up. It was great for a few years, dont get me wrong, but you soon see through the cracks. So taking my son home for a decent free education, and real friends and family.

Most of the guys I have known here, you take away golf and bar girls, and they would be lost. I have done that, but cant imagine being like that myself, a big red faced whore junkie at 50 or 60. Keeps them happy, on the outside anyway, but not for me.

Looking forward to a decent 2nd hand car for 10k, decent roads and driving, culture, going to live football, sport in general, friends, family, beer, food, long summer nights, UK holidays for my son inc Xmas with the family, Easter, Haloween, Summer breaks, Going somewhere for a bet, horse racing days out, poker tournaments, Buying a decent house that I can pass on that wont be a run down p1ss hole in 30years, drinking water from the tap, My <deleted> being flushed away from the house, not having to put up with the smell of <deleted> when walking in town, bus drivers not doing 120kmh up the hard shoulder,minimal power cuts, no dogs everywhere yapping away, no dogs splattered in the road, no dogs banging away at the side of the road, no cobras in the garden, a house in my name, land in my name, not having to photocopy and sign 100 pieces of A4 everytime I want to change something legally, no blatant under the table pay offs, free healthcare, not driving to a shop to buy something and being told "Mai mee' or 'mai roo'.

Not having to listen to being referred to as 'Farang'...... ,defend it all you want, but lets face it, ****Racial stereotyping comments removed****

The land of smiles. More like the land of smiling assassins.

Agree,I have been here for six and I'm well and truly fed up with Thailand,and need a move,out of Asia too. Not that I want to go back to the UK but certainly within a few hours of it,Canary Islands I'm looking at now and have been for a while. I need to take a bit of time over there before the jump.

The sheer amount of long term ex-pats I have known to leave Thailand in the last couple of years is amazing,the Johnny -come -lately farang hoping for a new life here soon get disillusioned,Thailand's changed. Just glad I never bought anything here,can move without the burden of that.

When I look at my passport,all filled within two and a half years it brings it home to me anyway ,just how unhappy I am now with the place.

[chrisinth]

Good post GH, seems to have aroused a certain amount of thoughts.

I actually started the attached list as a fun item, but the more I look at it the questions I put there, the majority of them anyway, should definitely be looked at by anyone considering making the move. It only took about 15 minutes to put it together and there are lots missing!

I used the term expat as opposed to immigrant as by definition the term means "A person who is voluntarily absent from home or country" instead of "A person who comes to a country where they were not born in order to settle there" for the immigrant. (I think it was mentioned by another poster earlier in the thread that there is a difference by description anyway) Might do a topic on that one later.........

However, both should consider the checklist. (Click on the thumb)

[pinfold]

I read and re-read the likes of this topic many times,different headings obviously,and the desperation in some of the wording is pitiful. I know for some its hard,especially with family here and visa issues back in the UK,in a way its like being a prisoner,trapped.

I have evaluated my position here in Thailand in the last few months and now realise its a hopeless mess,the longer I stay here the more hopeless it seems. Not from a money angle anyhow,but reading the UK pensions thread I often wonder how an ex=pat can afford to live out here with any comfort.

With no family left so no ties anywhere,the move to wherever should be easy,....not so, Thailand and another country close by has been my home for a fair few years,but the welcome mat in Thailand has well and truly been pulled up,not the friendliness that once existed any more

[watcharacters]

Not sure about the radio 4!

Some of the listeners call it The Wireless.

.

Thanks for that. Sure brings back some memories. I suppose you grabbed this off the internet but it sure looks similar to the Zenith my parents had in the kitchen many of the years I was growing up.

No question about it, the radio availability is incredible with the internet. From podcasts/live radio covering every imaginable subject to classical music to early rock and roll, I just couldn't' be more satisfied unless I could also get scratch and sniff.

[longballlarry]

Totally agree with the OP. Obviously depends on where and who you are going back to

Been here 10 years now and the novelty has well and truly dried up. It was great for a few years, dont get me wrong, but you soon see through the cracks. So taking my son home for a decent free education, and real friends and family.

Most of the guys I have known here, you take away golf and bar girls, and they would be lost. I have done that, but cant imagine being like that myself, a big red faced whore junkie at 50 or 60. Keeps them happy, on the outside anyway, but not for me.

Looking forward to a decent 2nd hand car for 10k, decent roads and driving, culture, going to live football, sport in general, friends, family, beer, food, long summer nights, UK holidays for my son inc Xmas with the family, Easter, Haloween, Summer breaks, Going somewhere for a bet, horse racing days out, poker tournaments, Buying a decent house that I can pass on that wont be a run down p1ss hole in 30years, drinking water from the tap, My <deleted> being flushed away from the house, not having to put up with the smell of <deleted> when walking in town, bus drivers not doing 120kmh up the hard shoulder,minimal power cuts, no dogs everywhere yapping away, no dogs splattered in the road, no dogs banging away at the side of the road, no cobras in the garden, a house in my name, land in my name, not having to photocopy and sign 100 pieces of A4 everytime I want to change something legally, no blatant under the table pay offs, free healthcare, not driving to a shop to buy something and being told "Mai mee' or 'mai roo'.

Not having to listen to being referred to as 'Farang'...... ,defend it all you want, but lets face it, they may as well cut to the chase and just call us nxxger.

The land of smiles. More like the land of smiling assassins.

Son and wife?...or just the son?

Wife aswell. But I'm obviously not returning for her benefit, so didnt mention her, although she is moving for ours. Thats the sort of person she is. So if you need to know, I Had a nightmare Thai GF when I first moved here, but my Thai wife now, of 7 years, is a gem. My House and car, all bought by me, and although an initial gamble, was always in her name, and everything has now been sold in the last 2 months. She has subsequently sent all money from our joint account, straight to my personal account in the UK. All sales and savings from 10 yrs amounted to around 15 million baht. She hasnt taken a penny from our savings, although could have quite easily cleaned me out.

Maybe not the answer you were hoping for, but unfortunately, true my friend. .

Ha ha, good answer.

Good luck to you and you have made a good case for going back by listing all the good things about the UK but have conveniently not mentioned all the crap stuff about the UK, of which there is lots and lots. And of course you have listed all the bad things about Thailand as you are trying to justify to yourself that you are doing the right thing. My money says that you are not convinced.

It is going to be a huge culture shock for your wife and son once the cricket is finished and the nights start drawing in. Up in the freezing cold at 7am to go to school where your son will probably hate and back home in the dark and freezing cold with only Eastenders and Corrie to look forward to

My money says you will be pining for Thailand after 6 months, but I hope it works out for you, it's a bold thing you are doing. I have a wife and kid here and never in a million years am I taking them to live in the UK. It's a ghastly thought to be honest.

I appreciate your thoughts, but I am convinced I'm affraid. After living here full time for 8 yrs, then In the last 2 years I have only spent 1/2 of that time in Thailand due to work, and everytime I return here I feel more of an alien. I have been back to the UK a few times to plot our return so where we will live with family and school etc is ideal.

I didnt watch the soaps 10+ yrs ago, so wont be doing so again. The TV options however, are much more favourable there with SKY etc, than the tosh that is served up here. Thats just a personal opinion, and in any case is never a deal breaker

As for walking my son to school in the freezing cold, I dont have a problem with that. The fact that I know he will be eventually taking the short 300metre stroll to school with his nearby friends, and not worrying that sooner or later he will be 3's up on a moped for 5k, in monsoon rain, weaving in and out of buses with no crash helmet, will also be a plus.

Anyone who can see out their time here and are happy, good luck to them. As for us, maybe it wont work out. Yes there are good points about Thailand, and there is a lot of <deleted> to deal with in the UK, and if one day we decide it hasnt worked out, we will look elsewhere .My son is lucky enough to have a UK / Thai & Irish passports. So who knows ? But in any case when we eventually leave here, it will be for good.

[somtampet]

The only thing i gave up is only seeing my son once a year but he has a life with his family.Nothing in the uk interests me,the weather is shit(except an unusual heatwave,then everything is packed and expensive), the immigration issue is ready to explode,expensive overall,and the nightl;ife is awful for a more than middle aged guy lol.

You could say the same about almost any western country.

(except weather in California is usually quite good)

I dont live in any other western country, i live in England,WHAT DO WE GIVE UP TO BE AN EXPATwas the OP.

CALIFORNIA,is full of posers and gays lol lol

[Tolley]

I have spent a lot of time in Thailand but never committed to full time expat.

I like the idea of coming and going depending on how I feel.

Therefore I don't really give up anything as I get the best of both worlds

Plenty of people I know do the same thing.

[hotandhumid]

Longballarry

A wise man once told me it doesn't matter where you are living it's how you feel within yourself that counts. Getting on a plane at one end and getting off at the other isn't going to drastically change how you are and how you think, maybe it isn't Thailand you are fed up but maybe you are not happy within yourself and you think going back to the UK will make everything rosy again, just a thought. You talk about novelty wearing off here but that will happen there too in a few months when some days it doesn't even get light and it's raining all day, what will your wife do with herself. I could go on of course....

You are making a bold move and in many ways I admire you for it, so again the best of luck.

[hotandhumid]

I have spent a lot of time in Thailand but never committed to full time expat.

I like the idea of coming and going depending on how I feel.

Therefore I don't really give up anything as I get the best of both worlds

Plenty of people I know do the same thing.

That's not exactly realistic for most people though is it....most adults who are not coffin dodgers have responsibiliteis like a job, a mortgage, kids etc...

[jpeg]

From most of the replies, it seems 'a good fry up/real ale/availability of cheap sex seems to override:

1. Theatre

2. Art galleries

3. Decent bookshops

5. standup, which doesn't consist 100% toilet humour

6. Not having to constantly concern yourself with the veracity of that which comes out of everyone's mouths here.

That's okay. As has already been said 'whatever floats your boat'. But am increasingly concerned about ending my days among Daily Mail/Express reading beer swilling dullards, and more particularly, peasants.

[StreetCowboy]

From most of the replies, it seems 'a good fry up/real ale/availability of cheap sex seems to override:

1. Theatre

2. Art galleries

3. Decent bookshops

5. standup, which doesn't consist 100% toilet humour

6. Not having to constantly concern yourself with the veracity of that which comes out of everyone's mouths here.

That's okay. As has already been said 'whatever floats your boat'. But am increasingly concerned about ending my days among Daily Mail/Express reading beer swilling dullards, and more particularly, peasants.

Or worse still, snobs.

[StreetCowboy]

My apologies - double post.

Perhaps it is slightly harder for expats nowadays, because we can so easily keep in touch, and because the daily trivia of our friends and neighbours back home are so routinely paraded in front of us. I think I feel more home-sick now than at any time previously, simply because I can see what I am missing, with satellite TV, and the internet, and skype.

SC

Edited July 21, 2013 by StreetCowboy

[hotandhumid]

My apologies - double post.

Perhaps it is slightly harder for expats nowadays, because we can so easily keep in touch, and because the daily trivia of our friends and neighbours back home are so routinely paraded in front of us. I think I feel more home-sick now than at any time previously, simply because I can see what I am missing, with satellite TV, and the internet, and skype.

SC

What double post? Or are you also jpeg?

[cardholder]

I have been coming to Thailand for 8 years and have lived here, pretty much, full-time for 5 years.

I have just got back from a one month trip to the UK. The trip was ostensibly to show the missus (her first visit) the parts of England that I like and (more importantly) parts that I thought she would like. Time was also spent visiting relatives and mutual Thai/English friends.

We had a fantastic time but I am pleased to be home. Because we had such a good time I will be interested to see how I settle back into life over the next week or so. The trip was intended as a 'one off' tour for the benefit of the missus. At day 3 she said "Can I come back again?". I shall now give that option some thought and budgetary attention !

I can relate to the apparent rose-tinted vision of GH. Our first full day was at Kew Gardens after which we went to Richmond and sat outside the Princes Head on Richmond Green. Glorious evening sunshine, cricket on the green and a few pints of Fuller's Pride. Day 2 was spent at Royal Ascot where we took my daughter who works in London. My missus won 75 Quid and my daughter 50. Saturday was spent looking around Greenwich, a couple of pints in the oldest riverside pub in London (the Prospect of Whitby) followed by an evening at Wembley watching the Killers - not exactly Radio 4 but still highly entertaining .

i won't bore you with the remaining 27 days but suffice to say that it was an excellent holiday - and that is exactly what it was - a holiday. I saw England at it's best (it rained the day we went to Scotland!) and it was great for my missus to enjoy light evenings - she could not believe that it was still light at 10 pm in the Lake District, and the temperature was 24 degrees.

Personally, I missed my bum gun most. I didn't enjoy driving in England (although most journeys were getting from A to B. ) remarkably I felt more in control driving Thailand. The climate was great for walking around without needing regular stops at air-conditioned shopping malls. Prices for many things were cheaper in England if you bought at the right places and the only bad meal we had was a late night take-away.

Would I go back and live in the UK?

No - I remember what the winter was like last December and I spent most of my time huddled around a radiator! I would, as a direct result of our holiday, consider visiting for a month or so every couple of years. Such trips would not be so much of a 'Grand Tour' so I wonder how the enjoyment factor might be affected by staying in just one or two locations.......

Edited July 21, 2013 by cardholder

[StreetCowboy]

My apologies - double post.

Perhaps it is slightly harder for expats nowadays, because we can so easily keep in touch, and because the daily trivia of our friends and neighbours back home are so routinely paraded in front of us. I think I feel more home-sick now than at any time previously, simply because I can see what I am missing, with satellite TV, and the internet, and skype.

SC

What double post? Or are you also jpeg?

I edited it to say something different.

[pinfold]

My apologies - double post.

Perhaps it is slightly harder for expats nowadays, because we can so easily keep in touch, and because the daily trivia of our friends and neighbours back home are so routinely paraded in front of us. I think I feel more home-sick now than at any time previously, simply because I can see what I am missing, with satellite TV, and the internet, and skype.

SC

Personally I do not think I'm suffering being homesick,I just need to get out of Thailand,sick to the back teeth with it all. Might marry the Thai GF,can get her into the Canaries quicker than the UK. Good for me,good for her.

Anyway good to see others are virtually in the same boat as I

[Issangeorge]

Lemoncake, you're right it is Lung, I always misspell the Thai transliteration. I have four nephews and nieces on my wife's side that live with me and they call me Lung George so there friends call me Lung George. Some of the adults in the village also call me Lung George and because I taught English for 6 years some call me Ajarn, and some Teacher. And yes the George is almost always mispronunced, but usually better than I pronounce Thai names. The point is in my village I almost never hear farang and even outside of my village I very seldom hear it. People have to refer to you as something, in most cases they don't know where you come from and so they can call you farang or whiteman, personally I prefer farang. I do not think Thais use it as a derogatory word, just a discriptive word.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[isawasnake]

P-traps, dry air, tacos, and real sidewalks.

Edited July 21, 2013 by isawasnake