Here i just want to point some unrealized changes in a foreigner's or expat's life that determine or suggest that he's been living in Thailand for long. So... drumroll...
You Know You've Been Too Long In Thailand When...
- You habitually look both ways when crossing a one way street.
- You wear a wooly hat and gloves and scarf when it drops below 30 degrees.
- You wear black jacket or a sweatshirt even if it's 35 degrees outside.
- You enjoy som tam [papaya salad] with a few chicken feet on the side.
- You wear shiny leather shoes to work then change into flip-flops upon arrival.
- You pluck your face at traffic lights.
- You stand and watch a video in Power Buy or other home appliance store.
- You laugh your head off at jokes you can't understand.
- Taxi drivers already understand you.
- You walk to the pub with your arm around your mate.
- Not only does it NOT bother you that a lady is cleaning the urinal next to the one you are using, but that you also start to have a casual chat with her.
- You are not surprised [and even feel excited] when the lady who owns the pub or food shop asks if you know anyone who will teach her son English.
- You are always thinking it must be time for the next meal.
- You start sticking a nasal inhaler up your nose every five minutes.
- The spiciest Indian and Mexican dishes taste bland.
- You own a rice cooker and an electric frying pan.
- You automatically sit on the floor to eat even though there is a perfectly good table and chairs in the same room.
- You smother a perfectly fine pizza with ketchup.
- And you call ketchup "tomato sauce."
- You put salt in your sweet dessert and fresh fruit juice or smoothie.
- And you put sugar on your noodles, and other dishes that they already taste like desserts.
- You think nothing of the guy in front of you picking his nose.
- You think of nothing of the girl on the bus putting on her make up.
- You carry your stuff around, [especially food] in a plastic bag.
- You start speaking in broken English.
- You meet someone called Steve you call him "Sateve''.
- You describe anyone who has ever lived within a two kilometer radius of you as "my brother''.
- And when you say the word "krap" [for males] and "kha" for females and/or the word "na" at the end of every sentence.
[some of the above observations are not my own... regardless, there's no pun intended... these are very real and legal aspects of thai culture and practices. we have our own unsusual practices in our cultures.]
