Different strokes for different folks, as the saying goes. Your definition of a good relationship may be quite different from those of a different culture. We all assume that our way of thinking is the only correct one. But this assumption can be shaken severely when you travel to other parts of the world. The concept of paying for a relationship may not agree with your way of thinking, but in Thailand this is quite common.
Putting the kids on the spot
I live in Thailand, and I am married to a Thai woman. She has two teenage children from a previous marriage. When someone finds out that their step father is a “farang”, a foreigner, typically the first (and mostly last) question is: “Is he rich?” Read the rest of this entry
Some places in the world attract holistic, alternative or ‘new age’ communities. This includes practitioners of yoga, massage, various healing arts, meditation, Qigong and many others. Some of those places are in beautiful surroundings like Sedona, Arizona or Bali, Indonesia.
Others are in places with a long history of spirituality like Rishikesh, India. Some of them develop in beautiful beach areas like on the Big Island of Hawaii.
And some are in big cities that offer facilities for a large clientele of practitioners, healing arts students and health and wellness seekers in all kinds of holistic branches. Such a place is Chiang Mai, Thailand. The city has over a million inhabitants, but at it’s core is the historic old town, surrounded by a moat and old city gates. In that part of town you feel like time slowed down compared to the hustle and bustle outside of the old city.
There are many pleasures to be had in Thailand without having to spend a lot of money. I don’t mean to say that everything is cheap in Thailand because that’s not true. But if you go ‘local’, you can enjoy a good life for a fraction of what it would cost you in the west.
I usually go for an evening walk to one of the main streets nearby where lots of vendors set up their stalls every evening. Street markets and road side vendors are very typical scenes in Thailand. Especially when I don’t feel like cooking at home, and I don’t want to go to a restaurant, the street vendors are the saving grace.
I picked up a bag of steamed sweet potatos, a noodle dish, mashed potatos with vegetables, three ripe mangos and a tasty dessert, and the total cost was about US $2. I took it home, and it was so much that I could not even finish it for dinner. Read the rest of this entry
Have you ever seen 10000 monks assembled in one place? Most likely not, but I was lucky enough to catch this unique and amazing event on camera here in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It really took my breath away seeing 10000 monks chanting and collecting alms. This was a profound insight into the Thai Buddhist culture and one of those events that you never forget.
Did you ever daydream about being in a place where everything is perfect, where you feel totally at ease and happy? I have not found such a perfect place on planet earth, and to my best knowledge it does not exist. But some places come much closer than others, and Thailand is in this category. No country is perfect, and neither is Thailand. But there is a good reason why tens of thousands of expatriates have decided on settling here. Actually there are 9 good reasons I can think of. Read the rest of this entry
Most people assume that culture shock is something you experience when you come from one cultural environment into a totally different one. Mostly this is happening when visitors from first world developed nations visit a developing nation or a third world country where everything is more chaotic, unorganized and unpredictable.
I have been living in Thailand for many years, and nothing seems unusual or strange to me. Thailand is a developing nation, but is surrounded on three sides by third world countries, namely Myanmar (formerly Burma), Laos and Cambodia. In the USA, a lot of the labor force comes from the poorer countries of Central and South America. They do the jobs that Americans don’t like to do, like agricultural, construction and cleaning work. Read the rest of this entry
People ask me all the time: "How did you end up in Thailand?" The truth is that it was nothing planned at all. It just happened. I have to admit that moving to another country was not such a big deal for me since I had lived in eight countries previously during my lifetime. But the big deal is that I never stayed in those countries for long, but I have been in Thailand for over a decade now.
Recently I visited a town in Thailand (Hua Hin), and I noticed that there was a festival going on. Whatever the Thai festivals are about, the most important thing is always eating. No food, no festival. There is always a party atmosphere, announcers are talking non-stop over loudspeakers tuned to top volume, and often there are traditional Thai dances performed on a stage.
At this festival most of the dance performances were from the southern provinces of Thailand which have a large Muslim population and influence from Malaysia. The music was really upbeat, the dancers pretty and talented, and the food great. Some of the vendors put on shows of their own. You got to see how they make drinks – it’s quite a performance.
Luckily I had my camera handy and I turned the highlights into a short movie that shows you what kind of free entertainment you are likely to find in Thai towns.
Recently I heard that there is a "Thai Yogi" who meditates in boiling oil. Of course I had to go there and check it out. The event took place in a temple called "Wat Tanak" near Chiang Mai, Thailand on February 6, 2011. I caught the entire event on film just like it happened. Everything was in plain view the entire time. The abbot of the temple was there watching, and there were hundreds of spectators.
I referred to a "Thai Yogi", but they are actually called "Luesii" in Thailand. This Luesii’s name is Sombet, and he has been putting on his amazing performance in several temples in Thailand. It is obvious from the video that he prepared the vat in such a way that the heat of the boiling oil is somewhat reduced where he is sitting – and who can blame him for that! Read the rest of this entry
A few days ago I went to a local stationery store here in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and there, in the middle of the floor, was a blanket spread out, and someone was doing a Thai massage session for one of the people who worked in the store. They must have needed it badly!
Nobody seemed to think that there was anything unusual about this picture, and customers simply walked around the impromptu massage setup. When I mentioned that I would like a massage also, everyone in the store erupted with appreciative laughter. Read the rest of this entry
Most people assume that culture shock is something you experience when you come from one cultural environment into a totally different one. Mostly this is happening when visitors from first world developed nations visit a developing nation or a third world country where everything is more chaotic, unorganized and unpredictable.
People ask me all the time: "How did you end up in Thailand?" The truth is that it was nothing planned at all. It just happened. I have to admit that moving to another country was not such a big deal for me since I had lived in eight countries previously during my lifetime. But the big deal is that I never stayed in those countries for long, but I have been in