What I'll Miss About Thailand

The Grand Palace

My time in Thailand has come to an end. It has been a drastic cultural, life, and even career change for me. From getting the swine flu and being hospitalized for food poisoning to riding an elephant and snorkeling in the Phi Phi Islands, it has been an unforgettable experience. There are a few things I won't miss about Thailand, but they pale in comparison to all the things I will miss. Here are a few of the uniquely Thai things that I will dearly miss.


THAI FOOD

Thai Dinner at The Blue Elephant

There is no other cuisine like it. Thai dishes always carry a masterful balance of flavors that usually includes 2 or more of the following: spicy, sweet, salty, and sour. From curries and salads to noodles and soups, the variety of Thai food seems endless. The abundance of food is in part to the infinite number of street food vendors. Feeling hungry at midnight? No problem, just walk down the street and buy a freshly cooked dish for about $1 US that will taste better than any Thai dish you've had in the US. Accessible, delicious, and cheap food...what more could you want?! "Cheap beer", you say? Well, Thailand's got that too!

A colorful array of tropical fruit at a local market

The other aspect of Thai food that I will miss is all the tropical fruit. Thai people love to eat and share fruit. I've had the pleasure of reliving my childhood by eating fruits such as custard apples, jackfruit, longan, and coconuts. I've also had the displeasure of smelling and eating durian, but hey, at least I can say I tried it.

Thai cooking class in Bangkok

Fortunately, I took the time to learn how to cook Thai food (read about my experience here). It's really quite easy because for 90% of the dishes a wok is all you need! My concern will be finding fresh Thai ingredients in another country. Before coming to Thailand I didn't know much about the cuisine, but I can say with confidence that it is the best cuisine in the world.

THAI CULTURE

Enjoying the Songkran Festival

Thailand is known as "The Land of Smiles". The Thai people are known for their friendly and respectful nature. Based on my experience, I found this to be overwhelmingly true. In general most Thais live a very simple life compared to western standards, yet they live an optimistic, happy, and appreciative life (I think a lot of it has to do with Buddhism). I had the wonderful experience of teaching English to Thai teenagers and adults. The level of respect they gave to all the teachers and to each other was amazing. The younger students would always formally greet the adult students. All students paid attention and participated in the classroom. Disciplinary problems were a very rare occurrence. I noticed that student discussions and ideas would selflessly focus on their families and friends.

My wonderful and always smiling Thai language instructors

Outside of the language center my Thai friends were always overly nice and randomly offering food. Thia people, in general, like to have a good time and not stress about things. Their laid-back, worry free, happy lifestyle is summed up in the popular phrase, "mai pen rai", which roughly means, "don't worry about it" or "it's ok, no problem". This eastern concept of respect to the family/community was quite refreshing to experience and one that the western cultures could take a lesson from.

THAI SCENERY

One of our private islands near Phi Phi

One of the main reasons people vacation in Thailand is the beautiful beaches. Phuket is perhaps the most well known beach destinations but there are many other just as idyllic places around Thailand. One of the highlights of our stay in Thailand was hiring a private speed boat with crew for a day and island hopping near the Phi Phi Islands. Several times we had an entire island to ourselves, complete with white sand, turquoise water, some tropical fruit, and cheap beer - what more could you want?

Haew Suwat waterfall in Kaho Yai National Park

A highlight was elephant trekking through the jungle, and visiting a silkworm farm to see how Thai silk was made. Another memorable experience was spending the day at local Thai wineries. Then, going to Khao Yai National Park to hike up to some magnificent waterfall, and in the evening seeing monkeys and a spotted Leopard.

Bangkok skyline complete with traffic jam

However, for the more urban types of people, there is the East-meets-West bustling metropolis of Bangkok. This city seems to have everything: traffic, parks, public transportation, ultra-modern shopping complexes, markets, a busy river, temples, the Grand Palace, international cuisine, delicious street food, red light districts, a continually expanding skyline, a large international business district, 7.7 million people, festivals, sports, the monarchy, and politics. There is something for everyone in Bangkok, and similarly there is a Thai landscape that will suite one's need.

THAI LADYBOYS

The ladyboys of the Tiffany Cabaret Show in Pattaya

No experience to Thailand is complete without an encounter with a "ladyboy" ('katoey' in Thai language ), which can vary from a male cross-dresser to a male-to-female transgender person. Thailand is widely known as the transgender capital of the world and performs the most sex reassignment surgery than any other country. It is very common to see ladyboys in Bangkok. Many of them dress ordinarily and live ordinary lives, but others choose to flaunt themselves to the public. For the flamboyant type their hair, skin, and make-up is impeccable. They walk as if constantly on a catwalk with a super-model's gait. They are naturally tall and wear very high-heels to gain even more height. Their clothing and accessories are uber-fashionable and generally accentuate their curves and ample bosoms. Their overall appearance and presence is not that of a typical Thai woman, thus, they really stand out.

Amber posing with a ladyboy

For the unsuspecting foreign tourists, this is their first sight of a ladyboy. Needless to say it can be quite a culture shock! Some people, however, simply think that she is just a very stylish and beautiful Thai woman, after all aren't Thai woman known for their beauty? The realization hits when the ladyboy speaks and a man's voice softly booms out from a very feminine body!

Over time the shock value wears off and it eventually becomes commonplace to see and interact with ladyboys. While in Thailand, I was dragged to see the famous Tiffany ladyboy cabaret show. We took pictures with the ladyboys, and afterward my wife admitted that she felt less of a woman because the ladyboys were much more diva than she could ever be. Even more defeating was that for a few of the ladyboys she honestly couldn't tell that they used to be men! Only in Thailand.

Serenity at Ayutthaya

Thailand is truly a fascinating country. I highly recommend that everybody make a visit to experience the above and more. I am sad to close this chapter of my life. Over the past year and a half while living in Thailand I've met some wonderful people and had some awesome experiences. I sincerely hope to visit Thailand again in the future.

According to Bob Marley, "When one door is closed, don't you know, another is open." The door for Thailand has closed, but I am looking forward to the newly opened door that is Australia. Stay tuned for posts about living in Australia!