#  >  > Non Asia Travel Forums >  >  > Travel the World Travellers Tales Forum >  >  What we could all learn from expats

## kingwilly

by Ben Groundwater The Backpacker
Ben Groundwater is Fairfax's globetrotter on a shoe-string. 
Follow Ben on Twitter @bengroundwater


Want to make friends? Move to another country. Maybe somewhere third world.

There you might meet a few of the locals who will eventually enter your social circle, but the most likely event is that you will end up with a large group of some of the best friends you've ever had, and they'll all be fellow expats. This process will take about a week.

There's a refreshing lack of pretension among expat communities. 

Expats, in general, are friendly. They want to meet you, and know your story. They're fun to be around. They're people who "do" rather than plan.

I've never lived long enough in another country to think of myself as an expat. I have, however, hung out with plenty of expat communities in countries around the world, and I've seen a similar theme in the people I've met. They share certain traits that anyone would do well to take on.

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Expats tend to be adventurous, to be risk-takers. After all, they've already left their friends, their homes, their comfort zones and probably most of their possessions in another country to begin a new life abroad. That takes guts. It's only a certain type of person who'll do that.

So the ones you meet living overseas are the ones who are prepared to take a punt on things working out for the best. They'll jump in the back of that tuk-tuk. They'll eat at that restaurant. They'll board that boat.

This attitude to "doing" things is pretty likeable. It's rare you'll find an expat who sits around talking about all the things they'd love to do, without actually making it happen. People who've gone to live overseas are the type to just do it, to stop all of the planning and the wondering and just take things on.

Another thing you notice about expats is that, regardless of the fact that they might have been living in their adopted country for five, or 10, or 20 years, and that they're holding down full-time jobs, and have maybe even started a family, they still seem to live life as though they're on a permanent holiday.

They're out most nights of the week, socialising, hanging out with friends. They're going to restaurants and bars and living it up. They're still travelling, too, going off on weekends away to other parts of the country, or to neighbouring countries. There's always the sense that money doesn't matter so much  it's more about how much you enjoy yourself, how much you see.

There's no reason why everyone can't live like that, why you can't treat your own city like a holiday destination. But people rarely do it. Masterchef is on.

Expats are incredibly friendly, and open to new people. There are no "set" groups of friends  they'll take anyone in. I was in Seoul for a couple of days before I'd been invited to play in a football team and go drink beers afterwards at the pub. I was in Dubai for about six hours before I'd been taken out by complete strangers and shown a good time.

There's a refreshing lack of pretension among expat communities. There's very little of the "where did you go to school" snobbery. Admittedly that's occasionally replaced with "what are you doing here" snobbery (English teachers to the back of the queue), but in general no one cares where you came from, or which school you went to, or who you worked for back home. You're here now, everything's different.

Capital cities in Australia can be pretty cliquey places, where everyone already has their mates and they're not much interested in finding any more. For expats, however, there's a constant revolving world of friends as old mates move out of your life and new people appear. It creates a culture of openness.

Strangely, I found that the more dangerous a country is, the friendlier its expat population will be. Maybe that's just a numbers thing  with fewer expats around they're still a novelty. There's not the "just another Aussie" thing you might find in, say, London.

Regardless of where you go, however, if you do decide to move overseas you'll always make friends, probably with some very interesting, friendly, dynamic people. People from whom we could learn a thing or two.

Have you been an expat? Or spend time in expat communities? Are they friendly and open, or no different to anyone else?

Email: b.groundwater@fairfaxmedia.com.au

Instagram: instagram.com/bengroundwater



Read more: The Backpacker Expats

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## withnallstoke

> Another thing you notice about expats is that, regardless of the fact that they might have been living in their adopted country for five, or 10, or 20 years, and that they're holding down full-time jobs, and have maybe even started a family, they still seem to live life as though they're on a permanent holiday.


That strikes a chord.

Nearly 10 years in LOS and i still feel like i'm on holiday.
I suppose when that feeling goes, so will i.

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## Smug Farang Bore

Yeh stuff there rings true.

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## jamescollister

Good story and very true, not many farangs out here, but if they speak English you will be cracking a beer with them. Jim

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## Gerbil

Wonder how smeg feels about this article?  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## withnallstoke

> Wonder how smeg feels about this article?


I think he wrote it.

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## Pragmatic

> Good story and very true, not many farangs out here, but if they speak English you will be cracking a beer with them. Jim


May be I would Jim, but I'd be also thinking 'here's another loser'. 99% are in my opinion. I see them come with big ideas and I see them go as failiers. May be I should include myself in there as I'll never know 'til it happens.

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## Necron99

This groundwater guy does waffle on with some bullshit...

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## Rural Surin

> This groundwater guy does waffle on with some bullshit...


_Some_ bullshit?

Ummm....

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## beazalbob69

> This groundwater guy does waffle on with some bullshit...


I was thinking along similar lines. I have met some good guys over here and some losers same same everywhere I would imagine. I don't know too many expats around my way that are out every night then again I don't live in pattaya or bangkok so I wouldn't know what real expats are. :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## jamescollister

> Originally Posted by jamescollister
> 
> Good story and very true, not many farangs out here, but if they speak English you will be cracking a beer with them. Jim
> 
> 
> May be I would Jim, but I'd be also thinking 'here's another loser'. 99% are in my opinion. I see them come with big ideas and I see them go as failiers. May be I should include myself in there as I'll never know 'til it happens.


Makes little difference, come and lose, but came and tried, they will always be a beer and an ear.
Their is only one other farang within a 20 KM radius of me, just coming out here, shows you took the less traveled path. Jim

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## Pragmatic

Jim you keep bleeting on about one thing or another. Do you really think you're an isolated case? For fcuk sake you're becoming boring. There's xxx number of farang, myself included, that are in a similar position to yourself but .................. Jim you make your bed, you lay in it.

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## jamescollister

> Jim you keep bleeting on about one thing or another. Do you really think you're an isolated case? For fcuk sake you're becoming boring. There's xxx number of farang, myself included, that are in a similar position to yourself but .................. Jim you make your bed, you lay in it.


Location, where are you, that is that isolated, Lao, Burma, or are in in Thailand, if so where. Jim

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## blue

> There's a refreshing lack of pretension among expat communities.


or they are just as coarse and vulgar as they were back home.




> Expats, in general, are friendly. They want to meet you, and know your story.


bullshit , they get tired of a stream of tourists, who are going to quickly move on anyway



> They're people who "do" rather than plan.


Debatable,  they are people who have done one thing once , but  that don't make a trend






> After all, they've already left their friends, their homes, their comfort zones and probably most of their possessions in another country to begin a new life abroad. That takes guts. It's only a certain type of person who'll do that.


Maybe they had no friends , home etc , guts  ? or fuck all to lose ...




> with fewer expats around they're still a novelty. There's not the "just another Aussie" thing you might find in, say, London.


oh so your whole  carefully laid out expat theory breaks down in the very places where most  of the worlds expats live ...




> Follow Ben on Twitter


no thanks
I hate twitter and facebook.

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## Rural Surin

> Jim you keep bleeting on about one thing or another. Do you really think you're an isolated case? For fcuk sake you're becoming boring. There's xxx number of farang, myself included, that are in a similar position to yourself but .................. Jim you make your bed, you lay in it.


Jim might be surprised [or not] as to the number of long-time Farang residents that find themselves in similiar _isolated_ and distant situations...

It's not as if he has a lock on this lifestyle.
Nonetheless, rather admire him for his vast gathered knowledge and sorted insights without coming across "too" Farang.

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## wasabi

Very truthful insight,but not applicable to Thailand.Thailand lacks the class of the true gin and tonic ex pat friendship meeting establishment,the

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## Gravesend Dave

> Originally Posted by Pragmatic
> 
> 
> Jim you keep bleeting on about one thing or another. Do you really think you're an isolated case? For fcuk sake you're becoming boring. There's xxx number of farang, myself included, that are in a similar position to yourself but .................. Jim you make your bed, you lay in it.
> 
> 
> Jim might be surprised [or not] as to the number of long-time Farang residents that find themselves in similiar _isolated_ and distant situations...
> 
> It's not as if has a lock on this lifestyle.
> Nonetheless, rather admire him for his vast gathered knowledge and sorted insights without coming across "too" Farang.


How does a falang get so high and mighty in your eyes Rural as not to come a cross as to falang when they actually are one?

You quote some absurd rubbish !!

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## wasabi

When a Farang is not a Farang. The makings of a debatable new thread.

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## Storekeeper

> Jim you keep bleeting on about one thing or another. Do you really think you're an isolated case? For fcuk sake you're becoming boring. There's xxx number of farang, myself included, that are in a similar position to yourself but .................. Jim you make your bed, you lay in it.


I saw one farang (French) in 6 months in Taphan Hin when I first moved to Thailand back in 2007 ... I lasted 6 months.

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## beerlaodrinker

Interesting thread, Cant agree with the groundwater bloke though as having been an expat in a few asian countries i find the expat culture, if you can call it that varies from place to place,Singapore, hongkong etc you expect to find the financial types wafting around in a polyester suit striking deals and "networking" whereas in places such as PNG, Indo, Mongolia etc, the expats i think tend to be hands on Men/women, in mining or oilys etc , In Laos where ive been working for nearly 8 years the lines are slightly blurred, There is a bit of mining going on and plenty of expats in that Field but also an equal number of farangs who make there living working in the NGO circuit and aid organisations etc, I do go out a fair bit but find i rarely socialise with them, Fuk all in common i guess, and i usually find the departments those expats work with are against the industry i choose to work in( Fockers), After there assignments over they move  on to the next 3rd world country  posting complete with hardship allowance , Could be wrong but thats just the way i see it. I often wonder what about what percentage of TD posters live fulltime in Thailand /asia and what they do, work ? Retired, come 6 months a year?. but im a nosy cont.
Tell us what you do people,

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## Rural Surin

> When a Farang is not a Farang. The makings of a debatable new thread.


...you'll always be a Farang.
In one varying disposition or another.

Some _Farang_ don't take it so seriously and get on nicely....others, have quite a time with it, being very destructive for themselves.

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## Necron99

> Interesting thread, Cant agree with the groundwater bloke though as having been an expat in a few asian countries i find the expat culture, if you can call it that varies from place to place,Singapore, hongkong etc you expect to find the financial types wafting around in a polyester suit striking deals and "networking" whereas in places such as PNG, Indo, Mongolia etc, the expats i think tend to be hands on Men/women, in mining or oilys etc , In Laos where ive been working for nearly 8 years the lines are slightly blurred, There is a bit of mining going on and plenty of expats in that Field but also an equal number of farangs who make there living working in the NGO circuit and aid organisations etc, I do go out a fair bit but find i rarely socialise with them, Fuk all in common i guess, and i usually find the departments those expats work with are against the industry i choose to work in( Fockers), After there assignments over they move  on to the next 3rd world country  posting complete with hardship allowance , Could be wrong but thats just the way i see it. I often wonder what about what percentage of TD posters live fulltime in Thailand /asia and what they do, work ? Retired, come 6 months a year?. but im a nosy cont.
> Tell us what you do people,




I don't think NGO's count, most of them have a chip on each shoulder and another up the wazoo. Unable to enjoy anything as it is,it always needs changing.

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## crepitas

good thread...KW

life _should_ be a holiday...long time dead?............sounds good to me.

suns up ...time for a beer.. :bananaman:

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## Boon Mee

> Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> Expats, in general, are friendly. They want to meet you, and know your story.


Excellent Fisking job there Blue.  If there's one glaring erroneous example it's the one above.  How many expats/farang will meet your eye or go out of their way to strike up a conversation in everyday life?  Sure, at the gym or in a bar perhaps but generally in public, farang do not go out of their way to socialize here in Thailand IMHO.

Europe/S. America - different story.

Fisking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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## KhonKaenDan

I think this is a great thread and could be used for many things about Ex-pats, living and visiting Thailand.
There is nothing I hate more than seeing an Ex-pat do something that they wouldn't even consider in there own country, and then have all of us painted with the same brush.  I think it is a responsibility of all of us to set a good example as a visitor here in this country, and for that matter any country that is not our own.

*, I realize that this sounds very,very judgemental!*  We as Ex-pats have to realize that we cannot come to another person's country and try to make changes that we feel would reflect what it is like in our own country.   I guess what I am saying is, "Stop trying to change something that is o.k. with the people that have lived here for hundreds of years".

Thanks again for this thread, there are many points of view, all worthwhile. :bananaman:

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## withnallstoke

> life should be a holiday.


Quite.

 :ourrules:

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## chassamui

The OP is looking at this as a backpacker. He travels and he is open to new experiences. Likely going to hotspots in various countries where he will find expats who are bored with each other, so they find his travel stories interesting. This makes them appear open and friendly.
Before he has time to get bored, he's off on his next adventure.
We are a disparate lot from a range of backgrounds an we all have different reasons for being where we are. 
I am retired but still young and healthy enough to enjoy the lifestyle. i like to keep fit and do a bit of travel in and out of country. 
I had a handful of long term close friends already settled here when I arrived and I have since found a few more. Add in a larger group of like minded acquaintances and it's not a bad way to live.
The dickheads and alcoholics are easy to avoid and usually don't hang around too long anyway.

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## armstrong

just speaking for myself... i work hard here,  i wish it was all beaches and bitches but it's not.   it's basically the same as the UK except my money goes further here and it's a lot sunnier.   

while i could go out every night i'd die a slow and painful death at work the next day.  

when it does come to the weekend i just want to relax and fuck around at home or nearby not swanning off to some island for 5 hours before travelling back for a few hours kip before work again..

maybe i'm doing it wrong..

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## FailSafe

It's basically an article written by a guy who fancies himself an ex-pat telling us how wonderful ex-pats are- it's a bit self-serving...  Sure, there are some fantastic people living outside their home borders- there are also a fair amount I'd like to hit with a shovel.

Let me tell you guys how great we New Yorkers are... :Wink:

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## Boon Mee

> Let me tell you guys how great we New Yorkers are...


We know.

Humble.

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## FailSafe

> Originally Posted by FailSafe
> 
> 
> Let me tell you guys how great we New Yorkers are...
> 
> 
> We know.
> 
> Humble.


That's just _one_ of our thousands of wonderful traits- I could go on for days...  I think I should write an article, actually. :Smile:

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## t.s

i suspect the author has actually met a very small cross section of expats.

the piece is really just a collection of cliches and truisms.

it would seem the authour has not yet stumbled across thaivisa.

spout enough generalisations, and one or two are likely to be true.

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## Primo

> Expats tend to be adventurous,


I do not know about that,I have met a few who live in Thailand but do not eat Thai food.

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## ltnt

I've met a few who don't live in Thailand, but eat Thai food...imagine that?




> I do not know about that,I have met a few who live in Thailand but do not eat Thai food.


Another reason not to open the door.

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## jamescollister

Guess when you read the article, what you consider to be an expat will sway how you see it.

What I call an expat, will be different that what other think.

Here's the on;ine dictionary definition.


ex·pa·tri·ate  (k-sptr-t)_v._ *ex·pa·tri·at·ed*, *ex·pa·tri·at·ing*, *ex·pa·tri·ates* 
_v.__tr._*1.*  To send into exile. See Synonyms at banish.
*2.*  To remove (oneself) from residence in one's native land.

_v.__intr._*1.*  To give up residence in one's homeland.
*2.*  To renounce allegiance to one's homeland.

_n._  (-t, -t)*1.*  One who has taken up residence in a foreign country.
*2.*  One who has renounced one's native land.

To me I don't see long stay tourist, fly in fly out of shore workers etc as expats. Jim

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## crepitas

> Guess when you read the article, what you consider to be an expat will sway how you see it.
> 
> What I call an expat, will be different that what other think.
> 
> Here's the on;ine dictionary definition.
> 
> 
> ex·pa·tri·ate  (k-sptr-t)_v._ *ex·pa·tri·at·ed*, *ex·pa·tri·at·ing*, *ex·pa·tri·ates* 
> _v.__tr._*1.*  To send into exile. See Synonyms at banish.
> ...


not about  dictionary methinks ...many TD'ers are probably really expat wannabe's ..okay some are offshore workers using Thailand as they're current or dreamed of base. Others retire here and try to make the best of it some succeed others whine.
Strange that so many retirees come here really..lots of countries that pay indexed pensions?
The old saw..if you can't stand the heat..yada yada.
If ya think Thailand has what you want,dream of or need stay..if not stay on the bus and forget about us.... :Smile:

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## MeMock

> Originally Posted by Pragmatic
> 
> 
> Jim you keep bleeting on about one thing or another. Do you really think you're an isolated case? For fcuk sake you're becoming boring. There's xxx number of farang, myself included, that are in a similar position to yourself but .................. Jim you make your bed, you lay in it.
> 
> 
> Location, where are you, that is that isolated, Lao, Burma, or are in in Thailand, if so where. Jim


A competition as to how isolated you are? *sigh*

Oh BTW - I win!  :Smile:

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## astasinim

Your still in Aus then Memock?

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## MeMock

In between stints in Thailand and Laos yes mate I am. All very isolated places though I assure you.  :Wink:

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## jamescollister

> Your still in Aus then Memock?


Always is, every time I venture the 30 odd km to where his local Tesco lotus express is .
Not an expat Memock, just a visitor who likes to take pics and write a blog about his adventures in the hinterland.
Good for you, as you are one of the few that have been out this way, but you don't live here, only visit, When here next, come on over, or I can come on over. Jim

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## Rural Surin

> In between stints in Thailand and Laos yes mate I am. All very isolated places though I assure you.


'Tis unfortunate you had to give up your lovely cafe/bakery in Ubon...

Ahh....the life.
Isolation.

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## MeMock

> Originally Posted by astasinim
> 
> 
> Your still in Aus then Memock?
> 
> 
> Always is, every time I venture the 30 odd km to where his local Tesco lotus express is .


Why would you do that Jim when the much more established Tesco outlet is 10 kms from your front door?

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## astasinim

> Originally Posted by MeMock
> 
> 
> In between stints in Thailand and Laos yes mate I am. All very isolated places though I assure you. 
> 
> 
> 'Tis unfortunate you had to give up your lovely cafe/bakery in Ubon...
> 
> Ahh....the life.
> Isolation.


It is indeed. Great little place he had there. I still call in when passing by. That said, I havent been past for some time though.

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## astasinim

> In between stints in Thailand and Laos yes mate I am. All very isolated places though I assure you.


From what ive seen, I`d say Aus was more isolated. Sounds like you`ve got the best of all worlds. Good on ya and all the best Memock.

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## nigelandjan

> no thanks
> I hate twitter and facebook.


Can you " Add me " ?

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## sabang

> We are a disparate lot from a range of backgrounds an we all have different reasons for being where we are.


Precisely. The expat community, like the backpacking crowd, is so big these days I don't think a few aphorisms and cliches can describe it.

Ben Groundwater (OP author) is like smegs positive alter-ego. They should have lunch at McDonalds- I'm sure smeg would pay.  :mid:

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## jamescollister

> Originally Posted by jamescollister
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by astasinim
> ...


Don't think you know where I live, take it you are referring to Buntharik. If you know the police box about 1/2 between you and Buntharik, turn there towards Lao and another 7 KM in. Dead end road, no one comes down, for army assess to the border.

Plus your tesco's has ham and bacon, unlike Buntharik, which has spam stuff. Jim

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## MeMock

I know the road well Jim, have been down it a few time many years ago for a look see. I don't live in Narchaleuy town, it just happens to be the closest large town to me and is about a 25 minutes drive away.

My tesco has ham and bacon and yours doesn't? Oh man - you win hands down. Sorry.  :Smile:  

Actually seriously - it has ham and bacon? Must be a new addition as it sure wasn't there last time I looked. They can keep their ham but the bacon is edible.

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## chassamui

> Isolation.


We can only live in hope.

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## crepitas

> I know the road well Jim, have been down it a few time many years ago for a look see. I don't live in Narchaleuy town, it just happens to be the closest large town to me and is about a 25 minutes drive away.
> 
> My tesco has ham and bacon and yours doesn't? Oh man - you win hands down. Sorry.  
> 
> Actually seriously - it has ham and bacon? Must be a new addition as it sure wasn't there last time I looked. They can keep their ham but the bacon is edible.


We just got a mini Tesco down the road from the relatively new 7...has potatoes and ham and lotsa stuff..case of beer is a whole 10bt more expensive though and those dumb purchase time limits. Buy compressed ham, bologna and hot dogs at 7 when I need my _chemical_ food fix...
Only a 7 k trip each way .
....now have a new mid size tesco 20k away....even has an indifferent  Mozzarella cheese in blocks!

Yeah I know ....you don't care right?    :bananaman:

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## BigRed

When I moved to my village in the UK, I quickly learned that all the friendly people who struck up a conversation were boring twats that no-one else would speak to.

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## tonyroma

> This groundwater guy does waffle on with some bullshit...


i have given up reading professional travel writers ...the worst was that idiot on lonely planet ..would waffle on about stuff that costs thousands ...only the really wealthy could afford ......

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## Storekeeper

Being an expat changed me in ways I still don't recognize but others do. I have no immediate plans to return to Thailand but in less than a year stateside I've been told I told I don't belong; or don't seem like I fit in anymore; or that I sound like I lean left recently ... and my own mother is betting it won't be long before I go back. 

I have friends who have spent decades in Japan and consider themselves expats who get upset when I tell them to try living overseas outside the protective environment of a military base or embassy installation primarily associating with Americans and their spouses.

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## cdnski12

I'm continually amazed in LOS, just how many older ferangs blow their entire life savings on a Thai GF, house, car & a few rice paddies. As "Sunny in Thailand" says... Most Bar Girls are Hookers used to making 1000 ThB per day. Few Ferangs seem to know they can only own a car and maybe a portion of the house they built in Thailand. 30 Year Lease Backs are about the best one can do. At least they provide the ferang some leverage over property he paid for. When the money runs out, the Thai Wife or her Family may have you kicked off the property, if you are lucky or right out of the country if they are really vindictive, or you show any attempt to cause them more problems. Every major Thai Embassy or Consulate that I've been in the past 5 years, had 1-3 Ferangs, surrounded by a local lawyer or 2 telling them that "For $10,000 USD, the Law Firm can get them access back into Thailand". I routinely meet older ferangs on Thai Golf Courses all over Thailand, who are on their 2nd or even 3rd Thai Wife/GF. These Ferangs may be independently wealthy or Offshore Oil Rig Workers, but they blew a lot of money in Thailand. I personally know a Swedish Ferang living in Pattaya; whose $2-$3 Million USD Estate was totally plundered by his Thai Wife & her Family. His executor was a long term friend of mine. My pal was left "Holding the Bag" so to speak, trying to explain to the dead man's Swedish relatives, that there was no money or property whatsoever to split amongst them. The Estate Lawyers were totally hopeless. The Swede's considerable Thai assets ($1 million USD Home) had all been converted to cash as per his will, but all the money disappeared into HKG, Singapore, Manila, back to HKG and then disappeared into Mainland China. My pal hired a Forensic Accountant to track the bank transfers. In the meantime the Swede's smiling, now very wealthy wife disappeared into the Thai countryside. Apparently her family even sold out of their Thai Home Village ... which is a big deal in Thailand. The Swede was worth around $10 Million USD, when he first went to live full time in Thailand, in the late 1990's.

 :cmn:

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## jamescollister

Cdnsk, it was the swedes money, not yours, he was a grown man I take it and had a good before he died. 
Being the richest man in the graveyard, is not something I would aspire to. Jim

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## VocalNeal

> There's a refreshing lack of pretension among expat communities. There's very little of the "where did you go to school" snobbery. Admittedly that's occasionally replaced with "what are you doing here" snobbery (English teachers to the back of the queue), but in general no one cares where you came from, or which school you went to, or who you worked for back home. You're here now, everything's different.


He's obviously never bumped into one of those financial products type guys! All full of questions and things they can do with your money!

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## CaptainNemo

> Guess when you read the article, what you consider to be an expat will sway how you see it.
> 
> What I call an expat, will be different that what other think.
> 
> To me I don't see long stay tourist, fly in fly out of shore workers etc as expats. Jim


You're talking shite. The article is dross, like an enthusiastic american student putting a positive gloss on what is frequently a slightly tedious and seedy existence, and a short-term one (in terms of years as well as months) in most cases.

An expat is someone who lives and works in another country and earns a wage equal to or greater than what they would in their home country, whilst maintaining their main home in a country that is not their home country.

Offhore worker counts, for the simple reason that if your main base that you return to as your home after every jolly is in your home country, you wouldn't say you didn't live there, would you?

Not an expat:
...a retiree
...a business owner that does not work
...a spouse of a local that does not work
...a student
...a tefler
...a traveller
...a slut sponserer/long-distance relationship
...a tourist
...a DJ
...a criminal

you get the picture?

in general, if you are in Thailand, and your income is less than 100,000B a month, then you're not really living an expat lifestyle, are you?

Living in the boonies in the developing world and issuing a steady dribble of smug truisms, is hardly being an expat, is it, boys and girls?  :mid:

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## kingwilly

Based on which definition? 

Most definitions define an expat as someone voluntarily living abroad. (As opposed to just traveling).

On your list above, 

Expat retiree, yes.

Expat business owner or spouse of, yes.

Expat Student, yes.

Expat Tefler, yes, even them. 

I suspect you're confusing expat with 'expat lifestyle' which does indicate a more wealthy socio-economic group.

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## jamescollister

CN, posted the definition one page back, doesn't really tally with yours.
Think I will take there definition, not yours as fact. Jim

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## VocalNeal

> I suspect you're confusing expat with 'expat lifestyle' which does indicate a more wealthy socio-economic group.


I think even the term "expat lifestyle" is misleading. We all know what we think it means but what about a Mexican living in the US. Expat, but "expat lifestyle"? Vietnamese In Aus?  Tunisian in France, Nigerian in UK?

The term expat has been corrupted to mean a worker from a developed country working tax free in a lesser developed country for a multinational company with a free house, free car, driver etc.. I think these are a dying breed? But still some hanging around at the British Club.

But yes the world as a whole could learn something from anyone who has lived and worked in a country not their own. If only because travel broadens the mind.

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## FloridaBorn

> Originally Posted by jamescollister
> 
> Good story and very true, not many farangs out here, but if they speak English you will be cracking a beer with them. Jim
> 
> 
> May be I would Jim, but I'd be also thinking 'here's another loser'. 99% are in my opinion. I see them come with big ideas and I see them go as failiers. May be I should include myself in there as I'll never know 'til it happens.


Failing isn't losing............


Never giving it a try is...  ::chitown::

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## jamescollister

> Originally Posted by Pragmatic
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by jamescollister
> ...


Hardships and failures are what we remember most, not taking chances, is just drifting to the grave. Jim

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## FloridaBorn

Failing is in the eye of the beholder, without an occasional "failure" (personally I prefer the phrase "set back" when speaking with my children) you never learn how to improve or what it feels like to really succeed, it builds character.. No one who ever succeeds at ANYTHING has 'NEVER' failed before..

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## xanax

> There's a refreshing lack of pretension among expat communities. 
> 
> Expats, in general, are friendly. They want to meet you, and know your story. They're fun to be around. They're people who "do" rather than plan.
> 
> ]


Utter crap, most expats in Thailand can't even look you in the eye and pretend they have not seen you, outside of the tourist areas anyway.

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## FloridaBorn

> Being an expat changed me in ways I still don't recognize but others do. I have no immediate plans to return to Thailand but in less than a year stateside I've been told I told I don't belong; or don't seem like I fit in anymore; or that I sound like I lean left recently ... and my own mother is betting it won't be long before I go back. 
> 
> I have friends who have spent decades in Japan and consider themselves expats who get upset when I tell them to try living overseas outside the protective environment of a military base or embassy installation primarily associating with Americans and their spouses.


Changed me too, on my return I appreciate what I have and where I came from so much more.. Makes even the most stressful days feel like I'm out fishing, I'm blessed..Though not in the religious sense..

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## withnallstoke

> Not an expat: ...a retiree ...a business owner that does not work ...a spouse of a local that does not work ...a student ...a tefler ...a traveller ...a slut sponserer/long-distance relationship ...a tourist ...a DJ ...a criminal

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## FloridaBorn

Holy F!!!  :rofl:  Where'd you come up with that!! Fark! How do you even Google something like that?  :Confused:

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## patsycat

That is horrible!!

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## withnallstoke

Googled "talking out of your arse gif". :Smile:

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## FloridaBorn

> That is horrible!!


Nasty shite is what that is!! Irony intended  :Smile:  ..

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## FloridaBorn

> Googled "talking out of your arse gif".


Sorry but talking is not what THAT looks like! You pushed a wrong key somewhere!  :rofl:

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## jamescollister

> Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> 
> There's a refreshing lack of pretension among expat communities. 
> 
> Expats, in general, are friendly. They want to meet you, and know your story. They're fun to be around. They're people who "do" rather than plan.
> 
> ]
> 
> ...


Not the way it is out my way, expats seek each other out. The people you meet, have get to gethers where possible. Farmers meetings hash house harriers etc.
The people who won't make eye contact, or turn away are usually short timers, who react as if they are in the west. Stranger approaches, what is he selling or what does he want, is he a god botherer, move away.
I may just be an out going person and say hello to any farang I meet, the 2 weekers don't want to know you, but the long termers are normally happy to have a chance to speak English, have a beer and compare notes, so to speak.
Not many of us out this way and unless you want to live like a hermit you go out of your way to meet others. Jim

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## boatboy

> There's no reason why everyone can't live like that, why you can't treat your own city like a holiday destination. But people rarely do it. Masterchef is on.


Well there is in Oz
Excessively high mortgages and even rents for many
High cost of living, education, power, insurance etc
High fuel costs
High taxi costs
Restaurant prices prohibitive so eat home a lot
Cant even drive around after having a few beers anymore and if you could you can't afford to park the fucken car ($22 for 2 hours yesterday)

Solution: Cash in my chips here and go beer drinking OS

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## MeMock

A few weeks ago The Journalist in the OP used his visit to me 6 years ago to write a travel article about Ubon!

Is Ubon Ratchathani about to be ?discovered?? | Family life in rural Thailand & Australia

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## NZdick1983

Great post/thread, KW.

I love that feeling of independence and anonymity we have, when living abroad.

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## fishlocker

Has Ubon been discovered yet? I had a girl at one of those floating restaurants in Pakse under charge me. The bill for four was about 24usd and I gave her an 100usd note. At 8000 to 1 she messed up the conversion and gave me back too much in change in kip. I said wait a minute and did a recount to make sure she got it right.

Happy was she and I for getting it straight as we both knew a trip behind the wood shed awaits if the till mismatched the tally.  

One fish
Two fish
Bad fish
Good fish.              No skin off my back....or scales for that matter.

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## kingwilly

> A few weeks ago The Journalist in the OP used his visit to me 6 years ago to write a travel article about Ubon!
> 
> Is Ubon Ratchathani about to be ?discovered?? | Family life in rural Thailand & Australia


Nice one. 6 year old research for a story....lol

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## MeMock

Thanks KW. Gave me a chuckle when I saw it - Ubon has changed heaps in the last 6 years but the article still works.

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