Why are you still in Thailand?

[cesarm001]

I have a good friend who lives in Florida. He is out of my league as far as having money. His home was valued at more than a million dollars but he says that now he would be lucky to get 600,000. His taxes and home insurance are paid by the bank because it is included in his mortgage payment. Just the insurance and taxes are about 1,600 dollars per month. I live upcountry here in Thailand and I live on quite a bit less than that 1,600 dollars. He visits Thailand normally once a year and considered moving here but he is trapped in Florida because of his house. Since he is quite well off, the house payments including taxes and insurance are comfortably within his means. I worked and lived in Florida for about three years. At that time I owned and lived in a condo. I paid 275 dollars a month for maintenance. I have a condo in Jomtien and it is about the same size as the Florida condo. My monthly maintenance for the Jomtien condo is 600 baht per month (about 17 dollars). I'm happy to live here upcountry and use my Jomtien condo when I want a change of scenery.

Hi,

Well ..... Yes he is trap at this tie but if he cut his losses and sell he will have a great life here.

I have nothing own nothing anywhere just small pension and live like a King here ....

Just wondering what other people are prepare to sacrifice for a better future and happiness ???

[WhamBam]

Contentment - that is my way of thinking. And I am content with the way my life is.

I do not need squillions of Baht, all I need is enough to be content.

When I am here in Thailand - and that has been 70% of the last 8 years or so - I have had my ups and downs like many people, yet I am content.

I am also content when I am in my home in the U.K.

For each of us there is a different level of contentment in life, all you have to do is find your level and when you have, you will be - well, content, of course

[talberry2]

Everyone has their own reasons. Personally, I love teaching the kids here. They don't have the sense of entitlement and disrespect that many of the children I taught in America had (the parents tending to be worse). I can honestly say, this is the main reason why I remain here. But then, I also only have to teach around 20 hours a week compared to the 40 I did in the U.S., not to mention the stress associated with teaching under all the strict annoying child licensing laws in the U.S.

There are a lot of things you give up when you leave the U.S. You give up your 1st rate citizen status. You lose the sense of political correctness, where all races/religions/cultures are given respect--if you are a foreigner, your beliefs and the like may be tolerated, but that's the best it gets.
If you are white, you have a permanent invisible dollar sign posted on your forehead and will always be charged more regardless of where you go. You will be regularly swindled at every chance the vendor can when you go to places with vendors who don't know you. You will have to spend hours sitting in long lines on visa runs every few months (or at immigration) and be shuffled around like cattle.

There are times I wonder, 'why the hell am I still in this country that doesn't give a %$#@ about me, but only to take advantage of me?' It is regular. And then I have to continue to remind myself--I'm here because I'm a teacher. I am a good person. I love what I do. I want to make a difference in kids lives. And these kids, before they get sucked into this culture that has an underlying disdain for foreigners, are a blank slate. They are willing to hear and listen and whose hearts and minds can be molded--at least my hopes--to not have this same spiritually reviling view of foreigners. I met many kids here--and many of them have had very bad experiences with foreigners. When you couple this with the already negative cultural view of foreigners, you end up in this recycled hatred for foreigners, as though all of them are like this.

And while the way Thais treat me, I find detestable...I can perhaps (if nothing else) understand why they are this way. I've met other foreigners here whose treatment and view of foreigners I've found despicable. They treated them as though they were superior and better than Thai. I can't say I'm completely free of fault with my actions or treatment of Thai, though I can say it was a reaction of how I have been treated (and again, this doesn't justify this).

So knowing this, I want to be the one to teach these kids that we all are the same in the world. We come from birth with nothing. We all have gifts, weakness, likes, dislikes...Our skin means nothing. And really, the only way a culture will change to become more culturally umm...diverse...is when the heart of that nation is changed from the outwards in. As long as there is a hate- hate relationship between a culture and outsiders, nothing will change.

But having the unique opportunity to have an impact on the children growing up here--I find it perhaps as an impossible dream of a Thailand where we have people who respect foreigners and treat them as one another and there isn't this underlying distaste for foreigners.

I'm a teacher. And I think like a teacher. Kids are molded by those they respect. And I love and care for the kids I teach. And I know they know that. And perhaps some of these kids will someday be the future leaders of Thailand. If just one of those kids I taught would take with them a different perspective on other cultures and begin to change the nation, I would be happy. And if not, I could always dream. I will continue to do what I do and love the kids. Why? Because I refuse to buy into the hatred that seems to pierce this nation and looms over it. I don't want to live my life with that in my heart and soul.

[cesarm001]

Everyone has their own reasons. Personally, I love teaching the kids here. They don't have the sense of entitlement and disrespect that many of the children I taught in America had (the parents tending to be worse). I can honestly say, this is the main reason why I remain here. But then, I also only have to teach around 20 hours a week compared to the 40 I did in the U.S., not to mention the stress associated with teaching under all the strict annoying child licensing laws in the U.S.

There are a lot of things you give up when you leave the U.S. You give up your 1st rate citizen status. You lose the sense of political correctness, where all races/religions/cultures are given respect--if you are a foreigner, your beliefs and the like may be tolerated, but that's the best it gets.

If you are white, you have a permanent invisible dollar sign posted on your forehead and will always be charged more regardless of where you go. You will be regularly swindled at every chance the vendor can when you go to places with vendors who don't know you. You will have to spend hours sitting in long lines on visa runs every few months (or at immigration) and be shuffled around like cattle.

There are times I wonder, 'why the hell am I still in this country that doesn't give a %$#@ about me, but only to take advantage of me?' It is regular. And then I have to continue to remind myself--I'm here because I'm a teacher. I am a good person. I love what I do. I want to make a difference in kids lives. And these kids, before they get sucked into this culture that has an underlying disdain for foreigners, are a blank slate. They are willing to hear and listen and whose hearts and minds can be molded--at least my hopes--to not have this same spiritually reviling view of foreigners. I met many kids here--and many of them have had very bad experiences with foreigners. When you couple this with the already negative cultural view of foreigners, you end up in this recycled hatred for foreigners, as though all of them are like this.

And while the way Thais treat me, I find detestable...I can perhaps (if nothing else) understand why they are this way. I've met other foreigners here whose treatment and view of foreigners I've found despicable. They treated them as though they were superior and better than Thai. I can't say I'm completely free of fault with my actions or treatment of Thai, though I can say it was a reaction of how I have been treated (and again, this doesn't justify this).

So knowing this, I want to be the one to teach these kids that we all are the same in the world. We come from birth with nothing. We all have gifts, weakness, likes, dislikes...Our skin means nothing. And really, the only way a culture will change to become more culturally umm...diverse...is when the heart of that nation is changed from the outwards in. As long as there is a hate- hate relationship between a culture and outsiders, nothing will change.

But having the unique opportunity to have an impact on the children growing up here--I find it perhaps as an impossible dream of a Thailand where we have people who respect foreigners and treat them as one another and there isn't this underlying distaste for foreigners.

I'm a teacher. And I think like a teacher. Kids are molded by those they respect. And I love and care for the kids I teach. And I know they know that. And perhaps some of these kids will someday be the future leaders of Thailand. If just one of those kids I taught would take with them a different perspective on other cultures and begin to change the nation, I would be happy. And if not, I could always dream. I will continue to do what I do and love the kids. Why? Because I refuse to buy into the hatred that seems to pierce this nation and looms over it. I don't want to live my life with that in my heart and soul.

WOWOWOWOWOWOWO ... An American complaining WOWOWO I do not believe that WOWO what a f joke you are mate If you really feel that you are making a difference then stop complaining and do what you do and stop really you are a joke mate .... Obviously you did not research this country before you came ..... you are a foreigner and always be a foreigner and you will never become a resident or permanent in this county even if you retire and bring all your money still have to report every 3 month and update your visa each year ..... so Research research was important before you came ..... go home to your precioso America .....????? America ???? you mean North America correct ?????? because is a North Central and South America ...so where are you from ??? North Central or south ???? Please advise us where you are from please ..... and stop complaining ... you are getting a good life here

[cesarm001]

Contentment - that is my way of thinking. And I am content with the way my life is.

I do not need squillions of Baht, all I need is enough to be content.

When I am here in Thailand - and that has been 70% of the last 8 years or so - I have had my ups and downs like many people, yet I am content.

I am also content when I am in my home in the U.K.

For each of us there is a different level of contentment in life, all you have to do is find your level and when you have, you will be - well, content, of course

Good for you mate is good ..... Congrats UR another happy person in Thailand .....nice to read a positive comment feel good

Thanks mate

[benalibina]

Everyone has their own reasons. Personally, I love teaching the kids here. They don't have the sense of entitlement and disrespect that many of the children I taught in America had (the parents tending to be worse). I can honestly say, this is the main reason why I remain here. But then, I also only have to teach around 20 hours a week compared to the 40 I did in the U.S., not to mention the stress associated with teaching under all the strict annoying child licensing laws in the U.S.

There are a lot of things you give up when you leave the U.S. You give up your 1st rate citizen status. You lose the sense of political correctness, where all races/religions/cultures are given respect--if you are a foreigner, your beliefs and the like may be tolerated, but that's the best it gets.

If you are white, you have a permanent invisible dollar sign posted on your forehead and will always be charged more regardless of where you go. You will be regularly swindled at every chance the vendor can when you go to places with vendors who don't know you. You will have to spend hours sitting in long lines on visa runs every few months (or at immigration) and be shuffled around like cattle.

There are times I wonder, 'why the hell am I still in this country that doesn't give a %$#@ about me, but only to take advantage of me?' It is regular. And then I have to continue to remind myself--I'm here because I'm a teacher. I am a good person. I love what I do. I want to make a difference in kids lives. And these kids, before they get sucked into this culture that has an underlying disdain for foreigners, are a blank slate. They are willing to hear and listen and whose hearts and minds can be molded--at least my hopes--to not have this same spiritually reviling view of foreigners. I met many kids here--and many of them have had very bad experiences with foreigners. When you couple this with the already negative cultural view of foreigners, you end up in this recycled hatred for foreigners, as though all of them are like this.

And while the way Thais treat me, I find detestable...I can perhaps (if nothing else) understand why they are this way. I've met other foreigners here whose treatment and view of foreigners I've found despicable. They treated them as though they were superior and better than Thai. I can't say I'm completely free of fault with my actions or treatment of Thai, though I can say it was a reaction of how I have been treated (and again, this doesn't justify this).

So knowing this, I want to be the one to teach these kids that we all are the same in the world. We come from birth with nothing. We all have gifts, weakness, likes, dislikes...Our skin means nothing. And really, the only way a culture will change to become more culturally umm...diverse...is when the heart of that nation is changed from the outwards in. As long as there is a hate- hate relationship between a culture and outsiders, nothing will change.

But having the unique opportunity to have an impact on the children growing up here--I find it perhaps as an impossible dream of a Thailand where we have people who respect foreigners and treat them as one another and there isn't this underlying distaste for foreigners.

I'm a teacher. And I think like a teacher. Kids are molded by those they respect. And I love and care for the kids I teach. And I know they know that. And perhaps some of these kids will someday be the future leaders of Thailand. If just one of those kids I taught would take with them a different perspective on other cultures and begin to change the nation, I would be happy. And if not, I could always dream. I will continue to do what I do and love the kids. Why? Because I refuse to buy into the hatred that seems to pierce this nation and looms over it. I don't want to live my life with that in my heart and soul.

WOWOWOWOWOWOWO ... An American complaining WOWOWO I do not believe that WOWO what a f joke you are mate If you really feel that you are making a difference then stop complaining and do what you do and stop really you are a joke mate .... Obviously you did not research this country before you came ..... you are a foreigner and always be a foreigner and you will never become a resident or permanent in this county even if you retire and bring all your money still have to report every 3 month and update your visa each year ..... so Research research was important before you came ..... go home to your precioso America .....????? America ???? you mean North America correct ?????? because is a North Central and South America ...so where are you from ??? North Central or south ???? Please advise us where you are from please ..... and stop complaining ... you are getting a good life here

A truly despicable and unwarranted response to a nice post where he openly put his perspective of life in thailand on the table and shared his reasons why he is passionate about teaching kids.

[bkk6060]

He does seem passionate and is probably doing a good deed.

But he is wrong stating in the US all religions, races, cultures, blah blah are given respect.

Just about everyone I know is on an Islamic hate trip.

Black people are still treated poorly and discrimated against and not trusted. The so called religious right would love to kick every non american, non white, non Christian out of the country. Actually the lack of tolerance and hate are at levels I cannot remember.

One other thing. He says Thais treat him poorly. That seems odd because that has not been my experience. I smile and treat them with respect and rarely don't get the same in return.

[papayasalad]

Thai immigration treat foreigners better than the DHS.

USA don't have a retirement visa.