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Posted

Hi All,

Just out of interest, I would like to know Thai opinion from those who have visited or settled in the west their top 10 culture shocks from moving to the west.

My interest is that my Thai fiancee and son are coming to the UK on a 6 month Visa, Winter will be something they have not really experienced as a physical difference,

but i'm sure there are many subjective differences. If we can list as many from the horses mouth as opposed to some western person with an opinion that would be helpful.

If anyone can ask the question to their other halves, both positive and negative that would be much appreciated.

regards

Shambley

Posted

This does not really belong in the Ladies Forum which is a forum for women in Thailand, not about them.

Either General or Family would be better choice, moving it to the latter as more likely to get thoughtful replies there

Posted

1. You wipe your butt with toilet paper after you go poop!!!! We do need to wash it with water like bidet or like the toilet hand sprayer thing! Oh god it made my life so hard when I first moved abroad.

2. We found that it's really weird for not taking shower in the morning. As my American boyfriend who came from the north east has never do it. And my Australian host family don't allow me to take shower in the morning.

3. Washing dishes with some kind of dishwasher liquid without cleaning it with water after that. I can't believe you guys have those kind of dishwashwer liquid!

4. We don't call older people by name. We usually call them like Auntie Julia, Granpa Tom. Not just Julia or Tom, it's hard for me everytime I call them.

5. I do accept the truth that they are a lot of prostitue here in Thailand. But I still feel shock everytime when I say I'm from thailand then guys try to say something mean and laugh about it.

6. My American boyfriend said that fart and burp in public is something common. But hey I don't get how is it become common! That's super weird.

7. You guys are super confident. When I lived in NYC i saw a lot of people who start dancing and yelling to each other in the metro without having reason almost everyday. Eventhough I know some of them do it for money but still so confident!

8. I'm sure that over 50% of Thai people don't know what Ketchup is. All we do is calling them tomatoes sause.

9. There were 2 firefighter with a firetruck , the ambulance and another 3 police stood right in front of my office's door. Finally I knew that they were talking to a drunk guy who was too drunk to go home. Why do you guys need that much people ?? That's so amezing to have 7 people for only 1 drunk man. If that were happened in Thailand I think there will be only "zero" person comes for him.

10. We can't accepted many joke that westerner make fun of Thailand, The King and Thai girls. Even you think it's funny

11. In some supermarket abroad we do need to pay money for the shopping cart!! Seriously???

12. Head is something very important to us as it's the highest part of the body and have the belief that there were an angel protect us. So we don't like it when people pad our head, touch our head or push our head.

13. Feet are someting we consider lower part of the body so it's very rude to us when you use your feet to do something. Such as put it on the table, put it on your front seat in the theater or pick something up from the floor.

14. Getting divorce looks so easily. All of my friends they do have step sister, step dad, step mom blah blah some even have 5 different step dad.

15. The ATM system in USA is very cool! You take your card out before doing any transaction. So what happened to me once i got back to Thailand was that I forgot my card and the ATM swallow it back inside :(

16. There are big gaps between the door and the wall in the public restroom also very big gaps from the door to the floor!! Oh my god I can't pee when I see people walk outside.

And this is my American boy's culture shock when he first move to Thailand.

1. Thai people eat insect! >> Okay some people eat insect but not everyone and also only some insect that is eatable.

2. It's so freaking hot here but girls still wear sweater! >> 80% of Thai girls think having a bright skin makes them look attractive

3. Giving the king respect in the theater by standing up >> And now he becomes the first person who stand up for my king in the theater lol

4. He can't use our old fashion toilet. >> I know every foreigners has the same problem.

5. When I cooked frie rice with the shrimp paste(known for a very bad smell for westerner) he looked around the house and asked me if there were a dead rat somewhere.

6. He felt super amazing when I ate fruits dip with sugar and chilli.

7. The overpass is only 20 steps away but Thai people love to be jaywalker.

  • Like 2
Posted

1. You wipe your butt with toilet paper after you go poop!!!! We do need to wash it with water like bidet or like the toilet hand sprayer thing! Oh god it made my life so hard when I first moved abroad.

2. We found that it's really weird for not taking shower in the morning. As my American boyfriend who came from the north east has never do it. And my Australian host family don't allow me to take shower in the morning.

3. Washing dishes with some kind of dishwasher liquid without cleaning it with water after that. I can't believe you guys have those kind of dishwashwer liquid!

4. We don't call older people by name. We usually call them like Auntie Julia, Granpa Tom. Not just Julia or Tom, it's hard for me everytime I call them.

5. I do accept the truth that they are a lot of prostitue here in Thailand. But I still feel shock everytime when I say I'm from thailand then guys try to say something mean and laugh about it.

6. My American boyfriend said that fart and burp in public is something common. But hey I don't get how is it become common! That's super weird.

7. You guys are super confident. When I lived in NYC i saw a lot of people who start dancing and yelling to each other in the metro without having reason almost everyday. Eventhough I know some of them do it for money but still so confident!

8. I'm sure that over 50% of Thai people don't know what Ketchup is. All we do is calling them tomatoes sause.

9. There were 2 firefighter with a firetruck , the ambulance and another 3 police stood right in front of my office's door. Finally I knew that they were talking to a drunk guy who was too drunk to go home. Why do you guys need that much people ?? That's so amezing to have 7 people for only 1 drunk man. If that were happened in Thailand I think there will be only "zero" person comes for him.

10. We can't accepted many joke that westerner make fun of Thailand, The King and Thai girls. Even you think it's funny

11. In some supermarket abroad we do need to pay money for the shopping cart!! Seriously???

12. Head is something very important to us as it's the highest part of the body and have the belief that there were an angel protect us. So we don't like it when people pad our head, touch our head or push our head.

13. Feet are someting we consider lower part of the body so it's very rude to us when you use your feet to do something. Such as put it on the table, put it on your front seat in the theater or pick something up from the floor.

14. Getting divorce looks so easily. All of my friends they do have step sister, step dad, step mom blah blah some even have 5 different step dad.

15. The ATM system in USA is very cool! You take your card out before doing any transaction. So what happened to me once i got back to Thailand was that I forgot my card and the ATM swallow it back inside :(

16. There are big gaps between the door and the wall in the public restroom also very big gaps from the door to the floor!! Oh my god I can't pee when I see people walk outside.

And this is my American boy's culture shock when he first move to Thailand.

1. Thai people eat insect! >> Okay some people eat insect but not everyone and also only some insect that is eatable.

2. It's so freaking hot here but girls still wear sweater! >> 80% of Thai girls think having a bright skin makes them look attractive

3. Giving the king respect in the theater by standing up >> And now he becomes the first person who stand up for my king in the theater lol

4. He can't use our old fashion toilet. >> I know every foreigners has the same problem.

5. When I cooked frie rice with the shrimp paste(known for a very bad smell for westerner) he looked around the house and asked me if there were a dead rat somewhere.

6. He felt super amazing when I ate fruits dip with sugar and chilli.

7. The overpass is only 20 steps away but Thai people love to be jaywalker.

I'm Australian and even I find most of your comments odd. Like number 2, why don't your host family, whatever a host family is let you take a shower in the morning? Sounds a bit mean.

Farting and burping in public especially farting is not good or funny.

Anyhow my wife lives in Australia now and she misses family and friends a bit but she rings them whenever she wants, also showers whenever she wants, she is happy here. It doesn't get cold here like the uk, we have all the Thai food items she wants in supermarkets, she has a good paying job and we go on regular holidays back home so it's all happy!

  • Like 1
Posted

Only culture shock was she still comments on how much cleaner it is in Australia.

Op, just make sure they can get hold of Thai ingredients and they should be happy!

Posted

Lived with thai woman in the past in europe for 3 years. She was a hard working factorygirl, very reliable for employementagencies but was envied due to her hard work by the locals many times. Brought her to tears sometimes when returning home. She mentioned after a while riding a slow motorbike that kids and older people in traffic are very selfcentered and occasionally rude. Started thinking about that and she was right. Only thai friends there with the good, very few, the bad, a lot of, and the ugly amongs them. She adapted quite well. IMO due to culture and education many thais are real underachievers. In those 3 years we lived together she was dutifull to my mom in the caring home. Now she still lives in my hometown and has had a baby born earlier this year. She was/is still a good girl.

Posted

Seeing trees without leaves, when my mother in law first visited the UK she commented on all the dead trees and wondered why someone hadn't made charcoal from them, it was the middle of winter!

Entertaining where the host does not make a special effort with food for guests when throwing a party.

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

1. You wipe your butt with toilet paper after you go poop!!!! We do need to wash it with water like bidet or like the toilet hand sprayer thing! Oh god it made my life so hard when I first moved abroad.

2. We found that it's really weird for not taking shower in the morning. As my American boyfriend who came from the north east has never do it. And my Australian host family don't allow me to take shower in the morning.

I stopped reading your post after that... What the f* is a host family? and why the f* would anyone not allow you to take shower?

And who doesn't shower in the morning anyway? I can only think of homeless people who wouldn't shower in the morning... like <deleted>!

For the records, I don't allow my wife NOT to take a shower in the morning!

Posted

1. You wipe your butt with toilet paper after you go poop!!!! We do need to wash it with water like bidet or like the toilet hand sprayer thing! Oh god it made my life so hard when I first moved abroad.

2. We found that it's really weird for not taking shower in the morning. As my American boyfriend who came from the north east has never do it. And my Australian host family don't allow me to take shower in the morning.

I stopped reading your post after that... What the f* is a host family? and why the f* would anyone not allow you to take shower?

And who doesn't shower in the morning anyway? I can only think of homeless people who wouldn't shower in the morning... like <deleted>!

For the records, I don't allow my wife NOT to take a shower in the morning!

It sounds like Nanania may have been on a student exchange program, hense she would have been staying with a "host" family.

I grew up in the bush, and when my family moved to the city we still had our bush lifestyle, ie water was scarce so only 1 shower a day.

There are places in Australia where water is still rare, like Perth for instance where water rationing takes place.

1. You wipe your butt with toilet paper after you go poop!!!! We do need to wash it with water like bidet or like the toilet hand sprayer thing! Oh god it made my life so hard when I first moved abroad.

I know, this makes life pretty hard. I just can't fathom how to do it anymore.

8. I'm sure that over 50% of Thai people don't know what Ketchup is. All we do is calling them tomatoes sause.

I think ketchup is an american thing. It is still called tomato sauce in Australia, or sometimes called Dead Horse.

11. In some supermarket abroad we do need to pay money for the shopping cart!! Seriously???

I think this is an incentive for people to take the trolley back to where it belongs rather than leaving themm all over the carpark. Saves on a couple of troller collector wages.

Posted

1. You wipe your butt with toilet paper after you go poop!!!! We do need to wash it with water like bidet or like the toilet hand sprayer thing! Oh god it made my life so hard when I first moved abroad.

2. We found that it's really weird for not taking shower in the morning. As my American boyfriend who came from the north east has never do it. And my Australian host family don't allow me to take shower in the morning.

I stopped reading your post after that... What the f* is a host family? and why the f* would anyone not allow you to take shower?

And who doesn't shower in the morning anyway? I can only think of homeless people who wouldn't shower in the morning... like <deleted>!

For the records, I don't allow my wife NOT to take a shower in the morning!

It sounds like Nanania may have been on a student exchange program, hense she would have been staying with a "host" family.

I grew up in the bush, and when my family moved to the city we still had our bush lifestyle, ie water was scarce so only 1 shower a day.

"only 1 shower a day"

I stopped reading your post after that... Why the f* would anyone shower only once a day?

And who shower only once a day anyway? Homeless people? like <deleted>!

This topic is soooo wrong, full of crazy people!

Posted

1. You wipe your butt with toilet paper after you go poop!!!! We do need to wash it with water like bidet or like the toilet hand sprayer thing! Oh god it made my life so hard when I first moved abroad.

2. We found that it's really weird for not taking shower in the morning. As my American boyfriend who came from the north east has never do it. And my Australian host family don't allow me to take shower in the morning.

I stopped reading your post after that... What the f* is a host family? and why the f* would anyone not allow you to take shower?

And who doesn't shower in the morning anyway? I can only think of homeless people who wouldn't shower in the morning... like <deleted>!

For the records, I don't allow my wife NOT to take a shower in the morning!

It sounds like Nanania may have been on a student exchange program, hense she would have been staying with a "host" family.

I grew up in the bush, and when my family moved to the city we still had our bush lifestyle, ie water was scarce so only 1 shower a day.

"only 1 shower a day"

I stopped reading your post after that... Why the f* would anyone shower only once a day?

And who shower only once a day anyway? Homeless people? like <deleted>!

This topic is soooo wrong, full of crazy people!

Perhaps should stop reading anyone's post.

  • Like 1

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