Lots of Freetime - What Options Are There?

[tingtongteesood]

Wave a chicken in the air stick a deckchair up your nose buy a jumbo jet and then bury all your clothes.....Anyone remember verse 2 ?

[philliphn]

I retired 3 years ago. I have very fortunate circumstances. I have a good pension, and large savings. I have been to Thailand 7 times. This past year for two months. I spend half the year in Michigan, and half the year on Clearwater Beach Florida. I plan on putting up my house in Michigan for sale soon. Then I am considering living in Florida half the year, and in Thailand the other half. I found that being in Thailand for two months last year, became boring. I thought a lot about this. What was I missing. Sadly for me the answer was more English television programming. I figure this can be resolved with a VPN, and better satellite services. The other big problem was no one to speak with in English. My Thai language skills are virtually non existent. To learn Thai would take many years of hard effort. I had a friend who speaks Thai quite well. He is a very intelligent man. He has studied the language seriously for 9 years, and on going. I don't know if I could do the same. Any how. I am 58 years old. I think that, I will study the Thai language. Once I live in Thailand. Still I miss speaking with English speakers in Thailand. If I had a small group of friends that would help. What few friends, that I had in life. Have either died, or moved far away. Once people move far away. After a few years. You find that you are not really very good friends any more. Time, and distance seems to have this effect usually. After few more years you are basically forgotten. This makes moving yourself easier, as you have less to miss. I am single, and have no children. I exercise almost every day. This helps my boredom, and makes me feel happier. What I miss is some one, that I can relate to, to talk to. I think that, that would be the most difficult thing for me to over come, and I may not be able to. I had a job where I had to speak with many difficult people daily. Now I don't. This provided me with more than enough people interaction. In America I have heard people say, that once you reach a certain age, you become, an invisible person.

[Mudcrab]

<snip>

I live in a quite isolated area and there isn't much social life with other expats and like you, I have grown extremely intolerant of local social venues and now avoid them as much as I can because I do get tired of trying to converse with locals that have a 4 yr old's comprehension of English and just want to be friendly.

<snip>

Hmm, did you ever think that, since YOU'RE the immigrant here, perhaps YOU should learn to speak Thai "better than a four year old" after all this time?

Sorry I don't meet your standards, but my handicap in learning Thai is that I'm tone deaf..............meaning that I can't distinguish the 5 tones in Thai and therefore can't repeat them and I almost consider that a blessing, as I see so many 'wanna be Thai' falangs trying to speak their limited Thai and it comes out of their mouths as a 4 yr old Thai and they revert to 'hand language' and a lot of misunderstanding on both sides.

Not to say that there are not exceptions, but it seems that most 'wanna be Thai/falangs' fit that.............some people are blessed with the talent to learn languages and songs and music etc, but that's not my strong point, so please forgive me................

And if you read my post, I was referring to drunk Thais speaking like 4 yr olds and I should have mentioned drunk falangs as well.....

You are tone deaf, yet you can see (I presume you mean hear) wannabe farangs talking Thai. Interesting comment.

Why don't you try and learn written Thai?

The tones etc are not that important (you'll get some funny looks but will soon be able to muddle your way through and the Thais will help you, in my experience) Same as a Thai learning English without knowing the context of the words.

My missus has me in stitches sometimes (she famously told a friend in Australia "I have many Prick in Thailand...whoops there goes the neighbourhood, she meant chillies of course (I hope)), and me her..

You'll cock it up, no doubt, same as I do....whatever..it's all good fun...called life. Try it sometime - you just might enjoy it.

[wym]

And as said, I don't do:

Bars

Drinking

Hookers

Holiday Resorts

Traveling in Thailand

BECAUSE I have done it quite enough in the past - except the hookers.

Well if as you say you haven't had enough of that aspect yet, perhaps that's your answer.

[Mudcrab]

I retired 3 years ago. I have very fortunate circumstances. I have a good pension, and large savings. I have been to Thailand 7 times. This past year for two months. I spend half the year in Michigan, and half the year on Clearwater Beach Florida. I plan on putting up my house in Michigan for sale soon. Then I am considering living in Florida half the year, and in Thailand the other half. I found that being in Thailand for two months last year, became boring. I thought a lot about this. What was I missing. Sadly for me the answer was more English television programming. I figure this can be resolved with a VPN, and better satellite services. The other big problem was no one to speak with in English. My Thai language skills are virtually non existent. To learn Thai would take many years of hard effort. I had a friend who speaks Thai quite well. He is a very intelligent man. He has studied the language seriously for 9 years, and on going. I don't know if I could do the same. Any how. I am 58 years old. I think that, I will study the Thai language. Once I live in Thailand. Still I miss speaking with English speakers in Thailand. If I had a small group of friends that would help. What few friends, that I had in life. Have either died, or moved far away. Once people move far away. After a few years. You find that you are not really very good friends any more. Time, and distance seems to have this effect usually. After few more years you are basically forgotten. This makes moving yourself easier, as you have less to miss. I am single, and have no children. I exercise almost every day. This helps my boredom, and makes me feel happier. What I miss is some one, that I can relate to, to talk to. I think that, that would be the most difficult thing for me to over come, and I may not be able to. I had a job where I had to speak with many difficult people daily. Now I don't. This provided me with more than enough people interaction. In America I have heard people say, that once you reach a certain age, you become, an invisible person.

Why even consider Thailand given your post?

[peterb17]

It's the very small things that make life worth living here- playing with the dog, feeding the birds in the morning, flame trees in May, food! Growing orchids- not very successfully.

Taking some Thai friends to see the snow in South Korea. Surprise trip for a couple of kids to see Justin Beiber in Bangkok ( was cr*p) they will always remember.

Making a difference to people's lives.

Yes some things cost money- but many things do not.

So would suggest the OP looks around- see what is good- I miss London- but after a few days staring into a sweaty armpit on the tube at rush hour!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[belg]

sounds like mid life crisis

buy a motorbike & get a new girlfriend half your age

555

go get some 5 htp, the legal happy maker pill

[wym]

"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

-- Abraham Lincoln

[Shaunduhpostman]

In my decades long experimentation with various yogas and schools of meditation, I have found that boredom is at least in part, if not entirely, a kind of body/mind state of mild but seriously irritating imbalance. Boredom can be devastating and I think you are right to try and do something about it.

It doesn't take much practice, a month or so of daily practice and you'll learn to literally lift the veil of smog that is ennui and boredom. I know, I sound like advertising for my meditation retreat villa on Ko Samui, but it is really true. It doesn't matter what school of meditation, yoga, tai-chi, chi gong, kung &lt;deleted&gt; etc. you take up, it is really a basic universal level effect from any type of meditation or body/mind exercise regimen that you will feel content and see the world through new pink eye glasses, if you will. Once you learn to do it effectively by diligently practicing for a month or so you will get addicted and it will not be a matter of "OK, I better go do my Tai Chi and meditation today." There's no going back to grumpy monotony once you have made some type of practice a routine. I know, it sounds like the most boring thing in the world. I would agree it is not exactly the most thrilling thing to watch your breath and avoid all thoughts for 20 minutes. But it is the constant seeking of engaging stimuli that burns us out. Meditation breaks the bad circuit of thought after thought after desire to allow refreshing space to come in. The weird thing about meditating on the breath is actually it does become a fascinating and unqiue foray everytime you do it. Your mind will throw up an unending array of subtle experiences that never repeat themselves. I am still amazed after years what I live through just sitting on my cushion and paying attention to my breathing. A fellow meditator calls it going to watch ESP-N. Heheh. It really is like opening a window to let some air in on the stale air of our own thoughts. After my daily Samatha-Vipassana practice even the most mundane things seems quite full of nuance with their ephemeral unique charcteristics teased into the foreground by sharpened and enhanced perceptions and a nice feeling in and throughout the body which can make even painful situations I may face a profound and poignant learning experience. You do need to find a good meditation retreat or course or both to learn it however. It can't be learned from a book.

If the trappings of spirituality etc puts you off, you mentioned you are into cultural things, so then why not develop a skill in music, writing, art etc? I am one of those who doesn't have enough hours of the day to put into producing music in my home recording set up nor enough time to get together the writing I would like to accomplish. Still, the more you do any of these activities, the more you begin to see and the more you see, the more sources of interest and inspiration you'll have and then there is never an chance of being bored again.

It's cheaper to live here in Thailand than Europe or America so you can spend more time doing more creative activities. People cannot fathom how can I can go on out in the middle of nowhere in Isaan, an hour from the nearest town. Never been happier, less distractions. It's bad enough that there's internet to distract me.

I would also agree with others that it can be good to get away and recharge or have your perspective on why Thailand is a better place to be than most despite some of the short comings and hassles we all experience here. But, I would wager your boredom, like most people's boredom, has an internal source that can easily be taken care of with a bit of diligence to acquire new skills and with that comes a more finely tuned appreciation for the world around you wherever you may be.

Well, that's what's mostly worked for me anyway.

[wym]

Wonderful post!

If you do get some extra custom to your business, very much deserved.

I hope to get back on track along those lines sometime soon, thanks for the (re)stimulus.

[sunsamourai]

@ onni4me

try this :

http://www.meetup.com/cities/th/

this particular group here could use a few more hands :

http://www.meetup.com/Bangkok-MakerSpace/

Edited January 25, 2014 by sunsamourai

[muddyleopad]

You could while away afternoon making condescending posts on web forums

[onni4me]

In my decades long experimentation with various yogas and schools of meditation, I have found that boredom is at least in part, if not entirely, a kind of body/mind state of mild but seriously irritating imbalance. Boredom can be devastating and I think you are right to try and do something about it.

Probably the best post here for so long. That irritating imbalance rings a bell.

My life - before coming to LOS - was mostly about work. I never had really hours for idleness. And I loved my work even if it was sometimes physically and emotionally consuming. There was no working hours, had to socialize a lot with customers involving late nights and drinking.

There was the devastating early departure of my business partner which basically made me think was all that worth it. And somehow I took a flight to Thailand. Was here one month and popped in my country just to sort things out and came back and never left (well, few times I was forced to do so for various reasons and travel).

I sometimes miss that buzz but know in my heart that it can never be the same and my body would probably not take that kind of abuse again.

I have been thinking of starting a new business in Chiang Mai so maybe not relocating but change of scenery anyway. I will hear if the deal has gone through next week, I think. It will not be anything grand but it is an existing business that I would take over with my partner. I do like CM and it's somehow closest to my feelings if any town can be described that way.

I see a lot of bitter and aggressive posts replying my question what to do with freetime in Thailand and it just makes me wonder if people truly are enjoying themselves. It is easy to attack me but what I write is what I feel. I suppose been here so long makes ones views over things very different when in the beginning. I had the same yellow fewer in the beginning. Just wondering where it disappeared? Or was it all just an illusion?

Well, I have my Thai family to consider as well. Things are not so easy when you are committed.

[kbb]

(See so many posts here of Thai Visa that are crap or turned into jokes - have almost quit several times -- This great post will keep me hanging in a while longer -- Thanks to those who've taken it seriously)

So I'm in a similar position - Financially "OK" but nothing to brag about. Been here more than part time for 4 years already.

I'll skip the complaints part. Am really a good whiner, so if you send me $5, I'll reply personally.

Am in Nakhon Sawan in a Steven Spielberg type bedroom community. Great wide streets. House that is way two big, that my wife works her butt off on keeping up with. My love of gardening begins and ends with looking at a plant for about 45 seconds.

While you do need to be careful about working - (See other posts about nosy vengeful neighbors who may report online businesses with no work permit), you can pursue online training. Not sure what you used to do back home, but there are some great (and free) online training sites. Alison.com is a good place to start. Lynda.com is not free, but excellent. Also - i you maintain enough ties back home, you may be allowed into the electronic library. (My hometown of SF is too incompetent to make toast, but they at least did that well).

I;m on the low side of the social scale when it comes to easily meeting people (Don't like to hang in bars, golf, stuff like that). Lousy at small talk. But there is promise in Facebook and online meeting places - And some stuff like the Rotary or similar things.

And if you're like most expats who didn't move here from either Hawaii or the Bahamas, when it's 30 deg F back home, it's 30 deg c here ....

Good luck and check back with ideas + whatnot.

ken b

[mjef]

Go somewhere else for awhile, then you'll know and understand exactly why you stayed here for so long and will want to return.

Totally agree, I'm kind of in your situation right now. The best thing to do is to just give it a rest somewhere else. I'm sure we'll both crave back for LOS!!! I'm gonna do it in March!

[donniereadit]

Have you tried working out?

You can do it anywhere. Don't even have to leave the house. You can easily burn a whole day just working out with rest breaks in between with some gardening, high protein meals, and other such distractions.

[prolm2810]

When I get a little disillusioned with the whole girl-hunting thing, I just set off-the-wall or more challenging goals.

Virgins over 19.

One eye noticeably larger than the other.

Outie bellybuttons.

Like that.

----------

If that's not relevant for you, have you considered travel? You get entirely different people and cultures within a two-hour flight.

Sorry to tell you, but I found that virgin of 19 so now she's gone :<)

[thaibook]

I truly liked this link. Thanks.

http://philip.greenspun.com/materialism/early-retirement/

It could be my story except that I am still sort of semi-retired, not into computers at all and I have tried many of those things and can say that he absolutely correct about NGOs. They have their own staff and hanger-ons who like to get paid. There is plenty of money circulating in those circles and many willing to fill their own and family's pockets. Nothing new under the sun.

I believe I should probably do some sort of a plan that would excite me. Some here said I should travel...my family still owns couple travel agencies and i bet that if you don't fly for work, I might be the well-traveled person here. traveling without purpose is not my thing. I liked the links suggestion to get on one of those organized trips. Maybe something to do with literary places in UK or similar. I like culture and Arts in any form.

What Ben Johnson said of London applies equally well to LOS. I am not suggestign you top yourself, but you need an adventure, and I do not mean a mistress. You need to find something that is challenging and takes you out of yorself so it has to be something that is not just a one off activity such as repairing a roof, and that is not just for yourself. From what you say, your Thai is good, your Thai family are educated, well to do business people and you have no need to earn additional income. You say you miss the arts and might enjoy travelling. You could combine three activities:

1 as you suggest devise travel itineraries which you would escort to places of artistic interest and with a minimum of shopping time

2 have you been to the Chiang Mai painters' co-operative or the art museum there? Some are quite good. Many have the King and religious ideas in their paintings. You could try finding ways for broadening their experience so that their paintings also become more versatile; for example take a group to experience snow and the have an exhibition of their artistic reactions. You could tour the exhibition.

3 the third idea is one I would rather tell you off line, if you contact me. It is one in which I would be keen to be involved but am not in LOS and may not be there for a while yet, and I would like to improve my Thai first. It would ential artistic activity; it is unlikely to make money - but might; it would bring togethr people with a common interest irrespective of nationality. Whatever some other TV members say, thre are a number of Thais who are keen on high art, and more could be if they are introduced to it. Sponsorship might be helpful or even necessary initially. All in all, it would be a major challenge. Are you up to it? Or is anyone else?

I would love to have your problem. Mine is getting the enough resources to move to LOS, where I may not find any work, and be able to offer my Thai wife the lifestyle which she likes, travel, museums, food, concerts, opera, etc. Perhaps I just need to take the leap or for someone to push me. Whenever I come, I am sure I shall not lack for challenges to keep me striving and improving myself.

[Lockheed]

I'm the two week millionaire type that you spoke about in the OP, so take what I say with a grain of salt but its a good reflection for me as well because I have a full on life but still go through patches of boredom so maybe it's genetic but I use this as turning points in my life. Just recently I was reading a cycling journal about this old bloke on the wrong side of sixty who lives in a condo in Pats, he made reference to these young people cycling the world at twenty and wished he had discovered the same, so what he does is goes out touring for months but his base is Thailand, i meet people all the time doing the same.

Cycling is my thing but when I get too old to ride the bike, I'll buy a Honda dream or it's equivalent and use that to get around.

This video is about a race but it struck a cord with me because he talks about rushing through towns and not spending the time in the town that they deserve. I'm the same when I'm cycling around, I'm usually running to a schedule so spending extra time in some of these great places is not on the agenda at this time but I'll keep going back and taking another slice of the pie while I'm there but to consume it all at once would be impossible so that's my direction.

[socksy01]

Make regular long posts on TV like this one - that should occupy some of your time

[mogandave]

I think it is the limited amount of meaningful human companionship that is available to westerners.

It's a trade off.

[wid]

I do understand. We have been here over ten years. But to say we oldies are just here in gods waiting room is wrong, I'm near 70, I won't swim in our filthy sea, but go to classes for swimming exercise each week, quiz twice a week, hashing once a week(Google it, hash house harriers) and the spin off from that. My husband who is over 70, runs, walk plays badminton, and of course hashes, gardens, and maintains the house is not SO bored. Unfortunately I can't join him in most of these things as I have knee and back problems. BUT I am bored bored. I want some museums, art galleries, theatre, where we can enjoy ourselves with out having to drink. I volunteered to help to a teach. Not in school, but was told I would need a work permit. I read watch tv, which is c@@p play on my iPad and Cook and house work. BUT I do realize I would be equally bored in the UK and it would cost me a damn sight more. One consulation I would have if we were back in the UK, apart from the reinstating of our full government pension, would be that I could drive safely again, something that I feel less and less like doing on these crazy Samui roads. That is if we could afford to run a car. What ever we muddle along, but oh I would love go to the theatre

[Captor]

If you get a VPN and watch some adult entertainment, you'll have the answer in the palm of your hand.

[Captor]

If you get a VPN and watch some adult entertainment, you'll have the answer in the palm of your hand.

Why must have a VPN for that?

[techboy]

SCUBA Diving. You would dare to put the sea in the same frame as a swimming pool

[yourauntbob]

i think this happens anywhere in the world if you live there long enough

[Mickola]

Bored in paradise, come back to Europe and be constantly wound up by the islamisation of it and the disregard of Europe's own indigenous culture by its politicians. Also the awful weather and the declining standards of living, especially in the UK.

My advise to you is have a month back and see if your boredom wasn't so bad after all.

[3NUMBAS]

its a shallow society you live in so it will rub off on you too eventually .very soon you will be wandering around in the soi in your pyjamas at mid day ..

Edited January 26, 2014 by 3NUMBAS

[dennisgb45]

Myself...I get bored sometimes. Let's face it...most of our lives we spent working. Retired here I go fishing....I ride bikes....I do woodworking...nothing too fancy...just like dog houses and shop benches. I just built a smoker to smoke meat & fish. Now I have a new hobby...smoking meat & fish. One thing leads to another. One of my main hobbies is girl watching...I have a great wife...but there is a new batch of girls to watch every year....and it's free. Enjoy life.

[Robby nz]

Go have a look at the photography page, see all the possibilities then get yourself a camera.

Have you ever been away from cities, people ?

Go to your nearest national park, look at nature.

Listen to the Joan Baez song "There but for fortune" then when you see the poor and the workers of this country realize how lucky you are.