5 Things an expat should know before moving to Thailand

It goes without saying that moving anywhere is an adventure. Rome is as unique to Mexico as Bali is to Maldives. People in China perceive things differently from the folks in America. What works in Asia probably won’t work in Middle East.(for sure, it won’t) Getting across the street in Paris can involve major changes in lifestyle. New York City is a foreign country to everyone.

But moving to Thailand – Bangkok specifically – involves taking a giant step into a whole new world of social attitudes, cultural beliefs and teaching practices, literally and metaphorically.

Particularly when you take care kids that aren’t yours that throw random lessons either inside or outside the classroom is really a life -changing experience- .Having said that, posting your Life event status to let your friends know that you have moved to Bangkok. Or taking a selfie with a caption “Touchdown Thailand” would get a responsive chord of hundred likes on Facebook that only millennials can understand. A dimension where time and space take on a meaning conceived of only by science fiction writers and people who are now currently boarding on the plane. One becomes the dice in a snakes and ladder board which, when the game board is tilted, careens randomly from someplace to someplace else. And in all senses of the word, a Filipino like me becomes an alien in this country.

But before you pack up those bags and hop on the next flight over. There are a few things worth knowing and preparing yourself with before putting your life among the temples displaying figures of Buddha, spicy foods and bumping into people glued on their smartphone. So many apps like Facebook and Line.(Thais are also social media junkies). So, if you’ve decided to move to Bangkok here are some tips which every future expat should know before stepping foot in Thailand. Good luck!

1.English is not the official language

My first reaction when I see a billboard  where I landed  was, gosh, that’s a lot of characters for my brain to process. What’s going on with all these symbols and tone marks in this place? What’s with all the mellow accent they have?

I understand that moving to a country with a foreign language will be difficult. What we’re less aware of, is communication is hard even if we speak the language. lived in Vietnam for more than a year, so even if I try to speak the local lingo I find myself smiling and nodding in utter confusion sometimes.

However, some people in Thailand can speak English but there are some  places that it might be limited – like on public buses, sidewalk food stalls and or restaurants and even inside the schools . But if you live in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya or any of the tourist destinations they need to learn English to survive and prosper since tourism industry is the major source of income for many Thai

2.Greetings

Each country has its own way of saying “hi” or “hello” and it simply means that you’re living in a friendly place if someone says hello to strangers on the street,doesn’t it? As it happens, I just love my “Sawadee ka” greeting with a palm pressed and a slight bow every time I meet my boss, my student’s parents, my neighbour, the old lady who cleans in the adjacent Soi  and the cashier who microwaves my favourite chicken rice at 7/11 eleven. I feel like one of the members of their blended community.

As an expat in Thailand, I’m pretty sure you’ll find yourself saying constantly “Sawadee ka” when spoken by a lady and “Sawadeee krap” for a man, which is a casual greeting of saying hello. So, you better off practicing the gesture before hopping on the train from the airport.

3.It’s okay to be LGBT

The major cities in Thailand are LGBT friendly. This is especially true in Bangkok, where they welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgenders visitors., which I is not always so open in any other countries, especially in the smaller cities.

Whatever you do and wherever you live at the end of the day, we all have the same colour of blood even though people use
the term first, second and third world country. We are all equal and we all deserve to be respected because people are people, there is good and bad in hall societies. I know that there are good people everywhere, sometimes the nicest people you meet are the ones covered with tattoos or dressed in rags.

4.Show some respect

I have taught in the classroom for over twenty years that it is important to respect our parents because they deserve it. But earning respect from your children is a tough job that you need to do 24/7 to become a better parent and your kids will be better for it as well.

But once you hit the arrive in Thailand. You might be surprised to see all their King’s pictures on every corner, in every house and even on their Facebook page. Maybe you will think “Why do Thai people love their King so much?”. Based on my random conversations with Thais, they are proud to say that their beloved King  worked day and night to help his people by his acts of kindness and respecting his children by expecting them to contribute as essential members of the family rather than living down to expectations.

The King showed respect for others in society in general. We have often heard this line “I’ll show you respect, if you respect me”. What if I don’t respect you?, Does it mean I don’t deserve it?.

Show respect  to people who don’t deserve it because how you treat others is the reflection of you, not a reflection of their character, because everyone deserves respect. Children deserve the same amount of respect as do adults as they will never learn how to give to others if they are never shown that by the role models in their own lives.

No matter how bad your childhood days were because of  abusive parents, it’s never too late to give them a chance to change themselves and allow them to extend what they failed to do when you needed them most, because it brings peace to you once you see their chair is empty.

5.Too spicy for you

For anyone new or for those who just want to raise their tolerance to spicy foods, then this is the perfect place for you. If you are the someone who freaks out when you see a hefty amount of chillies on your plate then prepare yourself to bring some milk on your side to cool down your tongue. Drink milk not just on a hot day but also with hot and spicy foods.

One thing that I like about Thai food is it has a lot of coconut milk, which is cooling and help sease the powerful effects of spicy food.

How about you have increased your willingness to accept these spicy foods to culture beliefs to social attitude after reading this? If yes, then you’re good to go!

 

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