Thread: What will come of Ajarn Michael?

He is an interesting case study. Here are his two websites

Ajarn Michael Thailand - Thai Education - Teaching in Thailand - Expat living - Thailand Living - - Thai Life - TESL - TEFL - Si Saket - Sisaket

Expat Life in Thailand

Anyway, it seems that after living here for 13 years, first in Bangkok and then after getting sick of the place moving to a shack in the boonies, he is now heading back to the US with his tail between his legs at the age of 60. So, where will he end up working? Walmart shelf stacker is my guess.

From the blog
"
Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Why I am Returning to America



The reasons for my returning to America after having lived in Thailand are many.

I moved to rural Thailand over a year ago with the expectation of finishing my days on this planet here. What I got instead was a broken heart and the loss of everything I have.

I have lived alone for about 10 months now but my son does visit me. He is the most important person in the world for me.

Last month I learned that the university I teach at has a mandatory age 60 retirement age. Thus, with the exception of my internet work, which is not enough to live on, I have no income.

Last month, the woman who I believe saved my life, told me she needed to work in Bangkok at her sister's sewing shop, but would come back every month for a week.

I am capable of living here and doing things myself. My Thai language is fine and I can do pretty much everything myself. What I don’t seem capable of doing is taking care of my health – lifestyle issues. I am drinking too much, staying up nearly all night, smoking my brains out and not eating properly at all.

My lady friend wants me to live with her in Bangkok. I don't want to because I would be too far from my son and don't care for Bangkok any longer.

While my ex-wife has changed in every imaginable way, apparently she has not changed in regard to my son studying in America. I asked her if I could take him there with me and, thank God, she agreed.

I sold my pickup truck today. That will be enough to buy tickets back to the States for my son and me and get some kind of ball rolling. The rest of my stuff I will leave at my lady friend's shop here because I will come back in June so my son can see his Mom. I promised her every summer and intend to keep that promise.

So, after living in Thailand since 1992, I am returning to America. The focus of the blog will probably shift to "the readjustment of an expat."




p.s. I love his "What I've learned in Thailand" page.


1. Appearance IS reality. What you look like (clothes, transportation and other accoutrements) is, in fact, YOU.

2. Thai people are friendly but making true friends is difficult.

3. Favors require reciprocation.

4. When walking or driving never move more than a couple of inches right or left without looking over your shoulder or in the rearview mirror.

5. Never LOSE your temper. You will LOSE every time.

6. Usually people who seem to be laughing at you aren't.

7. You WILL be stared at.

8. You will be perceived as having more money than most.

9. Apologies are infrequent.

10. Thai men's approach to drinking alcohol is different than that of Western men as is their subsequent behavior.

11. After you have waited for as long as you think you can wait, you will wait some more. (Being is more important than becoming.)

12. Thais love to have fun in everything they do. Often their idea of fun is VERY different than ours and often it is noisy.

13. Status matters -- A lot. (See #1.)

14. Always be polite to policemen.

15. Dress in good clothes when going to government offices (See #1.)

16. Everyone I know who has bought a condo, regrets doing so.

17. People will ask to borrow money from you.

Sad story but not unique.
The know it all kids land at Don Muang and get off the 747.
The skint old guys get on the same plane for the return trip.

I find it hard to believe that an educated westerner would suddenly arrive at his 60th birthday and then discover he is skint becuase he has to stop his teaching job that probably only got him a poxy 40 K a month.
He cant expect sympathy surely?

Old fool, he seemed naiive despite being here since 1992.

Originally Posted by DJ Pat

Old fool, he seemed naiive despite being here since 1992.

Very true, his 17 points were'nt bad...a bit thin but mostly not bad

If your old lady is leaving you to go work at a sewing shop in bangkok your certainly doing something wrong.

^^Yes, very (hic..) wrong indeed by the look of things.

Originally Posted by Ajarn Michael

What I don’t seem capable of doing is taking care of my health – lifestyle issues. I am drinking too much, staying up nearly all night, smoking my brains out and not eating properly at all.

Surely its a hell of a lot easier to stop doing all that shit than to up sticks and leave. But I guess he is just doing those things due to financial woes...

First he's doing the above things cos he can do it and he's a wide eyed newbie and now, years later having never stopped doing that for even one night, he's now doing the same in the name of financial woe.

Genius.

If these 17 "What I've learned in Thailand" is all he can up with after 13 years, I feel sorry for his wasted life here.

Things going tits up, and having to go back to the states after all this time - I don't envy the guy.

I doubt he regrets his time here. Neither do I. That doesn't make it a clever thing to do tho