Why Did You Come Here?!

[Khleerm]

Hello all,

I made the acquaintance of another professional the other day, and in the course of our conversation she very pointedly asked me- why did you come here?

This is not the first time someone has been so direct. I know what I said. But were I to confess the truth, I would have to say the reasons were quite idealistic and also quite complex. And until I know the person asking this question well I will keep the reply quite simplistic.

May I ask all you others here the same question? And ask how you reply and what goes through your mind when you are asked this? Does it put you slighty on the defensive as it does to me?

I am very curious to know.

Thank you all,

Khleerm

Edited August 23, 2006 by Khleerm

[sbk]

Easy. I was a tourist, came for a holiday, fell in love, got married. If I hadn't met the love of my life here I'd have gone back home.

[skippybangkok]

Work

[Jockstar]

Toursit then came back to work

[britmaveric]

Business then love.

[libya 115]

Tax Reasons: Worked overseas for 13 years and U.K. tax rules used to be a rolling 1/6 rule, then in 1998/1999 everything changed and strict U.K. Non residence 90 day rules kicked in.

So Thailand was ideal. Just recently it has proven even better because of the new withholding tax on gross interest on investments (it is not applicable to non-EEC countries).

I feel sorry for U.S. citizens, they cannot escape tax even living overseas!

Plus; difficult to stay single long in Thailand: So I am am well and truly here to stay now; coming up to six years.........

[baboon]

Why did I come here? Bloody good Question. I first visited Thailand in 1991 when a freind dragged me for a holiday in Bangkok. To tell you the truth, I did not like the place that much at all. However, you know when someone has been killed on the road? You just have to take a second look to confirm the carnage is as bad as you suspected? Even though you would condemn others for doing the same? That was me.

I returned in 1993 at the age of 23 to confirm my suspicions and I really do not know why. However I somehow started to like the place after I met the "love of my life." When you are 23 and in good health no woman will ever take you for a ride unless your name is baboon. We stayed together on and off for 10 years [with me spending 2 solid years in Phuket with her] only to find out the dear girls Husband was not pleased with me staying full time.I subsequently returned to the U.K.[We baboons are not very quick on the uptake. Before I met her, I thought Wan King was a place in China and Bob Dylan was a winter sport!]

I returned to LOS to catch up with the friends I had made, vowing the last thing I would ever do would be falling in love in Thailand again. And indeed, the last thing I did WAS to fall in love again.

"What the hel_l, "I thought, "Give it a whirl again." So I did and here I am. I must point out I am not one of these guys for whom only a Thai woman will do. It just worked out that way.

So, to cut a long story short; It just worked out that way. As you can see, I see no reason to be defensive. Why does it you?

[soic]

My best friend was an army brat that spent most of his childhood here. When we first went to work in Kuwait/Iraq he begged me to go with him to visit Thailand. I had heard all the rumors and was happily married at the time. I refused to go. After my best friend was killed by a landmine and I got a divorce, I decided that I would go see what he was so hyped up about.

I fell in love with the country, found the most beautiful lady in all of Thailand (my opinion and the only one that counts here) and fell in love with her too. Now, we have a blessed family, wonderful home, nice shoe store and all the trappings. I often think and tell my wife that I wish my friend were here to share it with me.

[Thaddeus]

Business then love.

Ditto.... the mind is active but the fingers are week, otherwise I would bore you to death

[kayo]

I was bored with europe, having lived there all over western europe.

So I stopped or sold everything

Went with a backpack and my guitar, and six weeks later I was supervising a resort on Koh Chang.

Never looked back.

Since then, god good, had a year and a half "retirement" in Kanchanaburi,

and now been in Guatemala for two years running a bar entertainment venue.

[N47HAN]

"All too often people are born ,live ,and die in the same town. The world is a big place , go look some time "

A quote from my dear departed mother.

So at 33 ( 2yrs ago) jumped on a plane , suitcase in hand and here I am .

So bloody gratefull I am too !

[CalicoConsulting]

Hi all,

Why did I come here?

Number one, after 6.5 years in China, I had to return to the real world. Yes yes, I just called Thailand "the real world." Learn to live with it.

Two, no quarantine for cats. I brought mine! See my photo? That's her. Picasso the Calico. You know her, you love her, you can't live without her.

Number three, I'm so sick of teaching English that I wanted to live somewhere where I didn't have to teach English. (Somewhere where --- say that fast three times.) And yes, I did call Thailand a place where I can live without teaching English. I'm a freak!

Michael

P.S. Reason four, and you can see this coming if you've read my other posts, Vegemite. They don't have it in mainland China, only in Hong Kong. Ditto on Marmite, you whinging poms.

Edited August 23, 2006 by CalicoConsulting

[CalicoConsulting]

Oh, and libya my man, there's a very easy way for US citizens such as myself to avoid paying taxes. Just don't file a return. Got a problem with that, IRS? Come get me. Here's my address. Hahahahaha! I did that for at least 20 years BEFORE leaving the US and moving to Asia. Bloody idiots are too stupid to organize a piss-up at a pub.

(Just kidding. God bless America and all its brillant Merkins.)

[CalicoConsulting]

Hola Kayo! Buenos dias! Que pasa?! Como esta usted?!

I never use that many exclamation points in English, but this is Espanol, amigo! A language I speak badly but spell even worse. Comprende? Que unde pinche guay?! Hasta luego! Vaya con Dios! Hasta yo mama -- oops! -- hasta manana! Vamanos a la pinche casa!

Coming next week. I type in Chinese and NOBODY understands me. Seriously, if you think my Spanish sucks, you ain't seen nuthin yet.

[kayo]

ah pero (but you have no) vos no tenes ¿¿¿¡¡¡¡¿¡¡ (upside down exclamations!¿¿¡)

[CalicoConsulting]

Kayo,

I don't know how to post no upside down exclamation points or question marks or none of that.

Meanwhile, a true story. 1980, I think, high school Latin class. One day the teacher decided we could all play Latin Scrabble with a Spanish Scrabble set. It was the only good class I had in an entire semester of Latin. Very nice lady, but just too fast for anybody.

(I could've won the game if the guy before me, in the very last round, hadn't intercepted my planned long word with some three-letter caca. As it was, tho, I was second and teacher was first.)

Fifteen years and 1000 miles away, I found myself managing a hog farm where I was the only gavacho. My crew was made of Mexicans and Hondurans who could speak no English, whereas I could speak no Spanish. Something they conveniently forgot to mention at my job interview. So, we all learned. They picked up English much faster than I picked up Spanish, plus they kinda lied a little bit when they said "No habla Ingles," but we all learned a lot of language real pronto. Much of which I can't reprint in English on this here website, of course, but you get the idea.

Miguel

Edited August 23, 2006 by CalicoConsulting

[kayo]

welcome Calico!¿?'¡

alt+173 = ¡

alt+168 = ¿

[Thaipwriter]

Is anybody gonna admit to coming for a shagfest soon?

[CalicoConsulting]

Mucho pinche gracias, senor Kayo¡

(Still giggling at getting Spanish profanity through the filter.)

[N47HAN]

Is anybody gonna admit to coming for a shagfest soon?

They'll all be in the Pattaya Forum won't they ?

[Noel]

Is anybody gonna admit to coming for a shagfest soon?

It would seem you just beat them to it...

[kayo]

Mucho pinche gracias, senor Kayo¡

(Still giggling at getting Spanish profanity through the filter.)

de nada, hijo de puta cerote, guay guecko, que andas comiendo mierda.....

you´re right,.... this could be fun.. Bus I think even Dr PP isn´t gonna let us carry on with spanish language profanities...

Anybody for a game fo scrabble?

[migrant]

(Still giggling at getting Spanish profanity through the filter.)

Que bueno, las palabras malo de un otro pais tienes no problema!

[migrant]

Anyway, back to the OP.

I traveled a lot down to Central America first, then to Thailand, looking for a future retirement spot (can never start too early, right?).

Liked Central America, and almost got hooked in Honduras with a lovely Hondurena, but traveled on.

Gotta admit the first couple trips to Thailand as a single was the shagfest, but ended up meeting a Thai lady over here in the states.

After going back with her, and seeing the country through different eyes, and seeing how much more there is, Thailand is the destination.

Will be there in 4-5 years full time, each year will be longer until then.

[Tingnongnoi]

first came out here as was training a little in Muaythai back in U.K and a friend recommended coming and training at a full on camp here, also wanted to watch sopme stadium fights. Came for a month and fell in love with Thailand in general and have been coming back and forth for last 15 years.

[Neeranam]

To take lots of drugs and learn about Buddhism in 1992.

Fell in love with the culture and my wife so stayed.

[kayo]

what happened to the drugs... can you send them on?

[sonthaya]

A two weeks transit stop en route from Oman to NZ, then love

[tourleadersi]

what happened to the drugs... can you send them on?

Like Dude, I thought you were in Central America? Don't tell me you've used up all of their stash?

[cwilliam]

Oh, and libya my man, there's a very easy way for US citizens such as myself to avoid paying taxes. Just don't file a return. Got a problem with that, IRS? Come get me. Here's my address. Hahahahaha! I did that for at least 20 years BEFORE leaving the US and moving to Asia. Bloody idiots are too stupid to organize a piss-up at a pub.

(Just kidding. God bless America and all its brillant Merkins.)

Everybody has to be somewhere why not here????