EXPAT: A Glimpse of Thailand

It’s 2017! Another year here in Thailand so I decided to look back on how I ended up here and share my experiences being an expat, becoming a teacher, the good and the bad, lessons learned.

I've been here for 3 year and half.... a lot has happened, so many things, so many experiences, so many struggles and etc. etc. etc.

THE BEGINNING

People would ask me why I am here there's no dramatic reason for that, but people would always give the "Ooohhh" face and some would say I'm crazy or just plain stupid. Well as to WHY I am here...huh...hmmmm... it's because of SUPER JUNIOR and the K-POP concert. You read it right it's because of them. Now you decide if I'm crazy or stupid or whatever. I don't care...really.

So moving on...how did I end up here? My cousin came here first and kept on telling me about those K-POP concerts! I was a new fan then so I'm head over heels with Super Junior and the K-Pop thing. It got me so excited that I quit my job and off I go to the unknown.

THE UNKNOWN

Stepping out of the plane...going through all the airport procedures felt like I was lost in the jungle, I was panicking inside, I had a lot of what if's in my mind. I'm glad that I'm with my cousin all throughout. While the other cousin was waiting outside we on the other hand was trying to figure out where the exit was (hahaha) we kind of got lost. Finally!!!! When we came out... the other cousin was there patiently waiting for us. I was relieved and happy just seeing her.

The next day we roam around Bangkok. On our third day we head back to the city where XYZ is working and soon to be our place too.

What I like about being in a new place is the feeling of wonderment in everything you see. That feeling of everything is new, strange, and just being there...discovering a tiny piece of the world...it's exhilarating.

BECOMING A TEACHER

I worked as an online tutor before I came here, I was pretty confident on how to teach English but being a classroom teacher is very far from what I used to do. I learned to be tough and to be a disciplinarian. My very first day was an impromptu teaching. I was lost with everything, I don’t know where to start or how to survive the day. Day by day I was able to learn from teaching to classroom management to disciplining the students. They brought out the bully in me, the kid in me, the mother in me, the bad and the good in me. Though it was tough at first but I started to really like being a teacher.

THE PEOPLE and CULTURE

Thai people in general are friendly and helpful. In my experience they are always willing to help especially when I’m travelling and I’m lost. Even though they don’t speak English they always try to help. I’m not going to go in-depth with this; I will share my personal understanding of the culture and people. Honestly thinking about it, it’s hard to explain or is it just me finding it hard to explain, so let me try.

As I’ve said they are friendly and helpful. They are laid back in most situations.  They are concerned...so okay… they have good and bad traits. I’m not gonna elaborate on it. Their religion is Buddhism so their traits and culture is influence by it, at first it was so weird, the culture, beliefs and some of the traits but as you stay longer you’ll get to somehow understand it. They follow rules and they are much disciplined. For example when falling in line they really fall in line and not just cut through it. If there are celebrities they don’t go on zombie mode just to get a picture, they are very organize, they keep calm and line up and wait for their turn for a picture. They don’t talk much in public places they tone down their voices and they behave, polite… that’s the good one, let’s talk about the bad one. They are reckless drivers, the road accidents here is worst. Indirect communication; for example we would just be surprise cause there’ll be an event the next morning and we have to present or do something. They hate losing face so they avoid confrontations at all cost. And they’re not a fan of cleanliness and hygiene here, there’s that and they love taking photos especially selfies.

 There are a lot of good traits and bad traits those are the few that I can share.

P.S.

*Wet hair after taking a bath indicates that you just had sex!!!! That’s what Thai people thinks.
*The head is the highest part of the human body so it's sacred to them and the feet is the lowest and dirtiest, never point at something or someone using the feet and never touch someone's head especially the older people.
*The King here is like the highest being so never talk bad about the King.

THE STRUGGLES

Starting up and looking for a job was a struggle. The only big struggle I had was getting my work permit. It took 8 agonizing months to get my working permit. My school sucks at making and providing the documents I need for the permit. It was all a trial and error and cost me a lot of money. I overstayed and paid big amount of money. The tiring travel to Laos and sometimes in Cambodia for my exits and Non B visa. I was going to give up but glad I didn’t. The discrimination which I experienced firsthand and sure would still experience in the future. I don’t really mind it but sometimes it’s a downer.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

Maturity comes as we age as well as with experience.

I learned to understand life.

I learned to just observe the people around me and understand how they are.

I learned to blend in with people.

I learned to appreciate the smallest of things.

I learned the mother-like love.

I learned to understand children and love children (I used to don’t like them)

I am way responsible now.

My patience is amazing! (hahaha)

Or maybe not (depends)

I learned to deal with problems.

I became somehow, a little bit sociable.

I learned to face life head on!

Amazing Thailand

*Food stalls are everywhere (if you're not picky you'll never go hungry)
*Themed coffee shops are everywhere
*Night markets are everywhere (you can buy almost everything in a cheaper price)
*ATM machines are everywhere
*7 Eleven and other convenient stores are everywhere, even to those small towns
*Thai people love pets especially cats and dogs and most of stray dogs and cats here are with breeds
*Thai architectures are cool.
*They have ponds or lakes (as they call it) everywhere because they believe that water brings luck.
*Cars and motorcycles are of greater number than public transportation

School

*Free milk and lunch for the students
*Kindergarten students have a nap time 
*Students are walking around school without theirs shoes on
*They have a "don't fail a student" policy which in my opinion is absurd.
(that's why students don't try hard to study and many of them are not interested in learning)
*More often than not I see teachers busy on their phone than teaching the students.

*The country is mourning the death of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, we are wearing black clothing for a year.

Food
(Coffee Shops, Food stalls and Night Market)

Coffee shop's attraction is the plane

Religion

*Temples and altars are everywhere.
*Women are not allowed to touch the monks. (Just try to get out of the way if you see any monks)

This is Korat's famous figure Yammo and people come here and worship her

Random stuff
 (Around Korat and Bangkok and some "WTH" stuff)

I've been in this situation too many time haha

* It took time to make this blog cause my hard drive crushed down or dead or whatever it's not lighting up anymore and it's not reading on the computer and all the videos and photos that I've been collecting for years for this blog was there, and so I had to take random photos and ask some friends for photos to use for this entry.

“When you move from one country to another you have to accept that there are things that are better and some things that are worse ,

  and there is nothing you can do about it”

                                                                      Bill Bryson