Returning to Thailand

[SpokaneAl]

I spent much, if not most of a four year period back in the early 1970s stationed here in Thailand, where I met and married my wife. Then, more than 35 years passed before I returned, while my wife made only a couple of visits during that interim period.

In the midst of discussing where to spend our retirement years, we paid a three week visit to Thailand, and suddenly things clicked. This was the place. Spending winters here would get us away from the brutal cold, and allow my wife to once more live, interact, and reacquaint herself with her culture and family. We built a house here and now spend our winter months in Thailand - four months last year and seven months this year.

In that I spent those years in Thailand long ago, and the fact that I was married to a Thai lady gave me a confidence that I understood the Thai culture.

And in looking back I also must remember that during my tours here those many years ago I did not exactly embrace the Thai culture. Each day I would report for work at the military base where a walk through the main gate effectively returned me to a replica of the United States.

Returning here to live for extended periods after several decades away, has convinced me that like the character in Games of Thrones, I know nothing.

The Thai culture is distinct and different from that in the west and my home country of the US. Trying to process this stuff via my western, American filtered mind is difficult, if even possible. Independence, an ability and encouragement to think and speak freely, self reliance, automatically recoiling against positions filled by birthright - these are things that are ingrained in my DNA.

The more I learn about this culture, the less I realize I understand and can probably ever comprehend it to any depth. The DNA of the Thai people is so different from ours, it often seems the best I can do is to accept and appreciate those differences vs. applying my western logic and thought processes into what they should or should not do to solve their daily life issues, let alone the big picture stuff.

So I work hard at accepting and embracing as much as possible. This, along with attempting to learn to read, write and speak Thai keeps my ever diminishing brain cells active.

I find that spending part of my life each year in Thailand and in the midst of the Thai culture is good for the soul and the brain cells.

I think I am the better for it. And it helps keep me humble.

[CharlieH]

"the best I can do is to accept and appreciate those differences vs. applying my western logic and thought processes into what they should or should not do"

If more people did this there life would be less stressful and their enjoyment of Thailand greatly enhanced.

For others they would have nothing to moan about and leap off the nearest tower block !

[meatboy]

been here on and off for 25yrs.and have lived here perminantly 5yrs.

happy with life you bet.have a few drinks now and then,eat what I want,the hot climate suits me perfect,i keep myself to myself I don't need company I have my wife and my best friend my dog,i don't go out on the roads unless I have to,immigration and makro that's about it.do I want thai friends no,the wife's bros.and sister are enough they I can trust.any regrets none.

so good luck to you and your wife and enjoy your retirement.

T.I.T.taffy in Thailand.

[JSixpack]

So I work hard at accepting and embracing as much as possible.

That's working much too hard. No need at all to embrace it. Fact, that could have some disadvantages. Could help kill off many more of your ever diminishing braincells, for example. Some Thais might like that.

This, along with attempting to learn to read, write and speak Thai keeps my ever diminishing brain cells active.

I find that spending part of my life each year in Thailand and in the midst of the Thai culture is good for the soul and the brain cells.

I think I am the better for it. And it helps keep me humble.

Good. Learning Thai is very useful for successfully interacting with Thais. If you're not really interested, however, basic Thai will be quite enough. There's the issue of "After I've expended enormous effort becoming fluent in Thai, what do I talk to Thais about?" Most Thais, esp. rural Thais, have only a few topics of interest. A little, basic conversation about them often goes far enough.

Of course there are countless other ways to keep your brain cells active and yourself humble that might better engage the rational portion of your brain.

Anyway, best of luck.