Why AreExpats So Stuck Up

[brossey1988]

There's an older Amercian guy living in my condo, it's a small condo only 31 units. I often saw this guy in the lobby and car park and would say 'Good morning' or 'Good evening' and never receive a response or acknowledgement. One morning coming out of the elevator I made my usual greeting whilst walking my son to the car, again no response. I turned around on my heel and walked back 'Don't you ever say hello or anything to anyone? It's really quite rude'. The old boy became really flustered and didn't say much except for 'sorry'. However each time I see him now he always replies if I speak to him.

You sound like a really annoying person, honestly. A bit self-righteous.

[Naam]

In my experience, when people do not want to speak to me, it can be equally attributed to either a defect of my character or theirs, or my prudence or theirs. I make allowances for my own shortcomings, and I would not like to blame my neighbors for my own loneliness

SC

i just love people who do not want to speak to me.

[slipperylobster]

Next time, bring an apple for the teach, sit up front, wear a short skirt, and volunteer to erase the chalkboard after class.

Actually, I find the opposite to be true. Maybe it has to do with your location? We go to a gym at the physical education college and get invited in for coffee so many times, that I had to start turning down the offers.

Helps, the Dean of the University is our Landlady....lol. Nice, and overly friendly people here in Udon....try it..you might like it.

[speedtripler]

There's an older Amercian guy living in my condo, it's a small condo only 31 units. I often saw this guy in the lobby and car park and would say 'Good morning' or 'Good evening' and never receive a response or acknowledgement. One morning coming out of the elevator I made my usual greeting whilst walking my son to the car, again no response. I turned around on my heel and walked back 'Don't you ever say hello or anything to anyone? It's really quite rude'. The old boy became really flustered and didn't say much except for 'sorry'. However each time I see him now he always replies if I speak to him.

there used to be a grumpy old bastard like him lived beside me years ago ,even if you held the lift for

him he wouldnt even acknowledge or say thx

one day i was leaving and he was a few metres behind me and my gf and i jumped into the lift and instead of holding the door open for him

i waited til he arrived at the elivator and smiled and let the door close in his face so he had to wait for another one

[slipperylobster]

As far as farangs....quality is low, nerves are a wreck from bad investments/relationship. They are on guard.

Referring only to the ones you find distant...not all.

And frankly, I wish somebody would teach english here for forum writers. Why do so many posters make these wild accusations and generalizations that just are not entirely true. Word your topic more to the effect that "why are some farangs stuck up?" That rings bells right away. Could just be you.

[belg]

it is not just teachers... most farang are like that...

just think... they will not socialize with you, because they migth be some kind of fugitive or criminal from their home country, and what better way to find out about them than another nosy farang that could do a websearch as a keyboard warrior we all are

555555

[little mary sunshine]

The only "stuck up "ones I have met are the insecure "teachers" who couldn't teach in their

own country because of lack of certification and Ed Degree. I think it's a defense on their part.

[steven100]

I'm not stuck up .... but then again i'm not a teacher

[Johnnie99]

Whereas I smile at more or less anyone, let's not forget that many expats actually dislike the company of other expats.

It's not personal, I feel; just being strangers in a strange land doesn't automatically mean we want to be a group friendly with other expats.

There is often no connection of any sort other than that of being expats, and that doesn't mean, in many cases, any connection at all.

[BB1955]

I think much in the same . There is a farrang teacher here that rides a bike to school everyday in his nice pressed shirt and tie . Pass him quite often smile or say hello he never even looks up . Strange bird next time maybe a few tacs in the road will get his attention . Another time wife and I were sitting in the food court at Big C . A guy strolls up with a walker sits down at the table next to us . Sure he was an American I looked at him knodded and smiled . Next thing you know he says back . What the hell you looking at .... Stunned .... and not wanting to find any anger I just said I was just saying hello . He said something else smart I just ignored him . Wife was ready to clog him one ... Seen him several times in the city always alone ... Just goes to show you get what you look for !!!!

[gerry1011]

Yes, I agree with you.

There is something wrong with the teachers.

Generally, they have a chip on their shoulder, stuck up noses, and a superiority complex.

They would criticize you for every mistake you make, and call you illiterate, doesn't matter if English is not your mother language.

Don't know why and how they got the idea that they are superior beings, because in reality they are just ordinary men or women working hard to earn some money to live.

I wonder how an expat teacher can have a superiority complex...

They are just... teachers.

Most of them living a rather frugal life...

Anyway... My opinion and the best way to be happy in Thailand:

1) Learn to read, write and speak Thai fluently. It will take you two years to achieve if you are motivated.

2) Once you can navigate comfortably in the Thai society, keep the farang community as far away from you as you can. Very important !

3) The non English natives can come on this forum to practice the language (and be further convinced that staying away from the farang community is the best thing to do).

It works very well with me

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[mrwallettt]

Just remember them and some day when they are in a jam and need your help......you will go ahead and help them because that's the sort of person you are. My dear Mom used to say to us as kids, "Don't worry about what people think about you, because they are too worried about what you think about them."

[BB1955]

Before pointing the finger... look at yourself....

If someone says hello to me farrang or Thai male or female I will respond .. Or I will be the first to say hello to them in passing .....

That's only polite . Now will I stop and chat with them usually not .

[Ace of Pop]

Retired Expats seem to want to chat,Bikers who stop at Mon n Pops of all ages are a Jolly Lot, if you sit outside Lotus one can nearly always guess who will speak, skinny little buggers with ties never do. Fortunately.

[Ajaan]

<snip>

On a side note, I once had a friend from the U.S. South (Arkansas) where greeting everyone was a duty and a return greeting was expected. If however, someone did not return his 'hello', he would literally do an about face and follow them saying 'hello! Hello! HELLO!".

Oh, c'mon, that's just plain obnoxious! If people clearly do not want to talk to you, deal with it!

[mamypoko]

There's an older Amercian guy living in my condo, it's a small condo only 31 units. I often saw this guy in the lobby and car park and would say 'Good morning' or 'Good evening' and never receive a response or acknowledgement. One morning coming out of the elevator I made my usual greeting whilst walking my son to the car, again no response. I turned around on my heel and walked back 'Don't you ever say hello or anything to anyone? It's really quite rude'. The old boy became really flustered and didn't say much except for 'sorry'. However each time I see him now he always replies if I speak to him.

You sound like a really annoying person, honestly. A bit self-righteous.

Funny, I was thinking just the opposite

[Kilgore Trout]

Because they are deluded into thinking that they somehow fit in to the culture here and are accepted. They feel that your presence embarrasses them in front of other Thais.

For some reason, they think that you are intruding on their "Thai experience."

Don't take it personally, they are idiots. Find your own crowd of friends and don't worry about losers like that.

[Ajaan]

There's an older Amercian guy living in my condo, it's a small condo only 31 units. I often saw this guy in the lobby and car park and would say 'Good morning' or 'Good evening' and never receive a response or acknowledgement. One morning coming out of the elevator I made my usual greeting whilst walking my son to the car, again no response. I turned around on my heel and walked back 'Don't you ever say hello or anything to anyone? It's really quite rude'. The old boy became really flustered and didn't say much except for 'sorry'. However each time I see him now he always replies if I speak to him.

You sound like a really annoying person, honestly. A bit self-righteous.

Exactly. If the person does not want to talk to you, respect their wishes and move on!! Really, the world will still keep on turning, I guarantee it. @fredKroket, you sound like a passive-aggressive jerk, looking for trouble more than a return "hello"!

[seajae]

I simply smile at everyone and nod my head, occasionally I say hi, I will talk to people if they talk to me but I am happy to just do my own thing. Having friends is great but I am also happy to be by myself, I have learnt to do this throughout my life, living in the outback and on a farm as well as with a disability, if I could not enjoy my own company it would have made it hard. Maybe you need to learn to enjoy your own company as well and not rely on others to help you out all the time, it is a part of life skills. You cannot rely on others to make your day enjoyable, get a hobby, find something you enjoy doing, do a course or go to uni, these are also areas you can meet other people that have the same interests. Simply expecting everyone to fall over themselves to be a friend is just not going to happen, if they have other things on their minds they probably dont even notice you, its not being ignorant, it is living their own lives. Yes there are those that will never acknowledge others for whatever reasons but you cannot put it all on them, you need to be able to accept your own company first, once you can do that then you might find it easier to associate with others.

[nickmanchester2]

just do what I do and look down on teachers.

I would join couchsurfing website - people are always meeting up here to do activities in Bangkok - watch out for the Thai girls though who are in CS, most of them are just after a bf.

[H1w4yR1da]

Yes, I agree with you.

There is something wrong with the teachers.

Generally, they have a chip on their shoulder, stuck up noses, and a superiority complex.

They would criticize you for every mistake you make, and call you illiterate, doesn't matter if English is not your mother language.

Don't know why and how they got the idea that they are superior beings, because in reality they are just ordinary men or women working hard to earn some money to live.

I wonder how an expat teacher can have a superiority complex...

They are just... teachers.

Most of them living a rather frugal life...

Anyway... My opinion and the best way to be happy in Thailand:

1) Learn to read, write and speak Thai fluently. It will take you two years to achieve if you are motivated.

2) Once you can navigate comfortably in the Thai society, keep the farang community as far away from you as you can. Very important !

3) The non English natives can come on this forum to practice the language (and be further convinced that staying away from the farang community is the best thing to do).

It works very well with me

Sent from my HTC One using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Excellent ideas! As long as pretentious, fluent Thai speakers under the illusion they're accepted in Thai society stay clear of me, I'll be happy.

Nothing worse than a Thai-wannabe westerner fluent in Thai!

Suzuki GSX-R1000 L3 182 hp in-line 4 Superbike

[HerbalEd]

If someone I don't know wants to say Hi to me, I'll think they are a dash weird... That doesn't make me stuck up, it just makes me think you might be a bit of a nut-job...

In quieter area's, small villages etc there may be other reasons, but in a large city such as Bangkok I don't expect strangers of any nationality to say Hi to me and I certainly don't imagine that I'll go around saying Hi to people I don't know.

A counter question may be asked: "Do people think you are weird if you say Hi to strangers and expect a response ?"

You must make few new friends. Someone gives you a polite hello and you automatically think them weird. Now, that's weird ... and "stuck up" ... i.e., "They're weird and I'm not.

Edited February 3, 2014 by HerbalEd

[francescoassisi]

I would say the OP does in fact need REAL help......and should seek it from a qualified professional.

[seajae]

There's an older Amercian guy living in my condo, it's a small condo only 31 units. I often saw this guy in the lobby and car park and would say 'Good morning' or 'Good evening' and never receive a response or acknowledgement. One morning coming out of the elevator I made my usual greeting whilst walking my son to the car, again no response. I turned around on my heel and walked back 'Don't you ever say hello or anything to anyone? It's really quite rude'. The old boy became really flustered and didn't say much except for 'sorry'. However each time I see him now he always replies if I speak to him.

I am one of the older guys and there are days I will not take notice of others due to pain(several years ago I went a very long period of not acknowledging people after my daughter was killed), I focus everything on blocking the pain and in doing so I also block out other people. My wife knows this happens sometimes and she simply leaves me alone on those days. Sometimes people have something a bit more important than your feelings on their minds, if they are not doing what you want them too what right do you have to assault them verbally because of it, I would more than likely have told you to go &lt;deleted&gt; yourself if you tried that shit on me when I had something a bit more important on my mind. Have you bothered to find out what has happened in his life to make him this way, did someone close to him die leaving him feeling deep remorse, does he live with constant pain or know he only has a short time to live. You seem the be the one with the problem, maybe you have a complex and need people to recognize you so that you feel all warm and bubbly inside because you feel inferior. There are two sides to every story, could be you are the one thats wrong, not the old guy, especially if he has something more important than you stuck up attitude on his mind..

[fifthcolumn]

We travel a lot and while my wife looks nothing like a pro, I am very sensitive to the farang-thai couple tbing. She comes from a very poor background and neither she nor anyone in her extended family turned to hooking for fast money. I am careful who I speak with when we are out traveling. I always have a smile and hello for everyone, but really only interested to meet peopke like us - couples.

Prostitutes can be coarse, they always have an agenda they are working (janging on their "man". No idea why guys need to bring hookers to travel with them, but it has markedly decreased in past years.

I am not saying your wife or gf is a hooker and if she is, I dont care, its your life - but I do not want to expose my wife to her or you or the drama that often ensues.

Having said that, sometimes all these women need is a good man and a shot at a stable life and they turn out to be quite decent people. Still, if she has kept the mindset, I want her nowhere near my wife. We don't want to see her bs efgirts to manipulate you and my wife does not want to be in some yakking match about what I have done (bought) for her and her family - or better, what she has been able to bleed out of me.

Wife was mortified some years back while Intenet hooker went on snd on about how her smelly, toothless, tobacco stained farang she just met was going to build a house for her on her mothers land. Looked at my wife liked she was dime kinda stupid hanging out with me for nothing. Funny thing is we have built quite a reputation at that NP. I mean everyone knows us, the NPnstaff, the staff from the outfits, the return campers. My wife has a ten year visa to US. Bet that Internet hooker doesn't have that house.

I actually wanted to create a camping club for Thai/farang couples but then thought that unless these couples were outdoors, active people first it was going to be ugly. Sort of forced activities.

Edited February 3, 2014 by fifthcolumn

[HooHaa]

If someone I don't know wants to say Hi to me, I'll think they are a dash weird... That doesn't make me stuck up, it just makes me think you might be a bit of a nut-job...

In quieter area's, small villages etc there may be other reasons, but in a large city such as Bangkok I don't expect strangers of any nationality to say Hi to me and I certainly don't imagine that I'll go around saying Hi to people I don't know.

A counter question may be asked: "Do people think you are weird if you say Hi to strangers and expect a response ?"

You my friend are what we are talking about. Must be a sad life.

It cant be that sad, he is not the one claiming to be isolated is he.

Where i live most other expats are to be avoided like the plague (suk 11).

I have plenty of friend's thank you, no need to pick up strays.

that said, i do acknowledge my neighbors, and every vendor on the street and the motorcycle guys but then they have been around for the last 15 years.

Edited February 3, 2014 by HooHaa

[francescoassisi]

PS what does the OP mean by "teachers and expats"?

If he referring to foreigners he/sure assumes to be teachers?....I.e. Expats or is the term regarding any kind of foreigner? What about those retired or working in other professions?

[nearlynormal]

it is said ...what you see is a reflection of what you are .....relax.....

[francescoassisi]

PS what does the OP mean by "teachers and expats"?

If he referring to foreigners he/she assumes to be teachers?....I.e. Expats or is the term regarding any kind of foreigner? What about those retired or working in other professions?

[Rorri]

I'm not sure if the OP is trolling or not. He starts off talking about his own village/ soi, then jumps to Bangkok, and who really cares if he brushes his teeth etc., before going out. If we stick to his village/soi, maybe he just has a few unfriendly neighbours, or neighbours that keep to themselves, or maybe, just maybe he causes trouble in his village/soi. after all, we don't know him. Now, if we look at Bangkok, I don't think every farang he sees is a teacher, but we all know that many cultures react differently to people they don't know, so what is the OPs problem. Now, if we are ONLY talking about teachers, from my experience, I come from the land down under, many teachers never really "mature," all their life they spend around kids, even after school hours, they tend to mix with teachers, never mixing with the norms of society, their "maturity" seems to stop at the same level as a 15 year old, with little life experiences.