IMPORTANT NOTICE!
WELCOME, You are in the old website section up to 2011, please click HOME to view the website in the new 2012 design and system. THANK YOU!
RYAN LE ROUX in Thailand
Published Date
28 February 2010
Author / Submitted by
Ryan Le Roux
Home Town in SA
Durban / Johannesburg
Now Living in
Samut Sakhon, Thailand
Occupation
English teacher
Image
Best Thing About the Country?
You can buy a meal for less than R10, the public transport works, I'm an hour away from the hustle an bustle of first world Bangkok, yet an hour from beautiful, tranquil beaches.
I live in a semi-quiet fishing town where life is slow paced, relaxed and the people are friendly. Every day you get the ‘hello’, ‘hey you’, ‘I love you’ and ‘you vely hansome’ or whatever English they know, followed by a wave, a smile and a giggle. And that's the men!
On the road, there's no road rage or aggression and the basic rule of biggest, fastest, first applies
Biggest Cultural Difference?
Thai culture is based on Buddhist beliefs, so in order to understand Thai culture you have to study basic Buddhist principles. They have a feet thing, where you're not allowed to touch anything with your feet. You’re also not supposed to touch anyone on the head and they don't shake hands but rather do the bow-pray hand thing as a sign of respect.
They respect their elders and influential people a lot more than back home, have a deep love for their king and the national anthem is blared all over town with loudspeakers as well as on TV and radio every day at 8am and 6pm, where the entire country comes to a halt, stands at attention and sings the anthem! At home we have no respect for each other, government or law. That's the big difference!
Top Things to Do or See?
You have to experience the hustle and bustle of first world Bangkok, with sky-bars, bright flashing lights and ice cold air-con. A short ride from there and you experience a cultural U-turn, exploring beautiful temples with rich history.
Tired of temple-hopping? Then get a massage, have a nap and head for the beach. And never leave! Thailand has arguably six of the top 10 beaches in the world, the warm water a tropical underwater paradise and a diverse dream with endless white sandy beaches and turquoise water.
Article Image
My life is a simple one, yet filled with routine, excitement and reward. Monday to Friday I teach four classes a day at a government school, grade 6 and 7. Every evening I play tennis at the local club and as the only foreigner I get a good workout, as the Thai's love beating the ‘fa-lang’ (Westerner). Throw in a couple of rice and noodle based dishes from street vendors, ice cold beers and the odd visit to a restaurant or bar, and my week is full!
Weekends are for exploring and from where I'm situated it's a quick transfer to the culture rich north, the beautiful beaches in the south or the shopping mecca of Bangkok. For more adventurous weekends, a trip to the sin city, Pattaya, in the south east is a great way to spend too much money. For relaxing weekends, I grab a fishing rod or camera and hit the mangrove beaches where you see amazing birdlife, swimming monkeys and incredible fauna and flora.
I gave up chasing fast cars and big houses and a life in Bryanston for now, but even if you win the rat race, you're still a rat, right?
You can buy a meal for less than R10, the public transport works, I'm an hour away from the hustle an bustle of first world Bangkok, yet an hour from beautiful, tranquil beaches.
I live in a semi-quiet fishing town where life is slow paced, relaxed and the people are friendly. Every day you get the ‘hello’, ‘hey you’, ‘I love you’ and ‘you vely hansome’ or whatever English they know, followed by a wave, a smile and a giggle. And that's the men!
On the road, there's no road rage or aggression and the basic rule of biggest, fastest, first applies.
Images (1)
Prev
Next
