One Year

It's now been a year since we left the US and closed that chapter of our lives and moved onto the next, here in the Bangkok, Thailand - known as the "Land of Smiles".  It has been an interesting transition but I must say a much easier one than when we moved to the US.  Easier for me that is.

Well after a year we have settled well and love it .  The people are friendly, the food is great, their beaches are lovely and well the shopping - it brings shop till you drop to a whole new level!!  The lifestyle one can have here is wonderful.  In fact no where else could I even consider having a housekeeper/nanny and a driver at my disposal.  Life is great!!

My girls have settled in and have made many new friends.  As the new school year starts (Wednesday for Renee and next Monday for Tanysha) we have learnt that life here is like a revolving door.  People come and go.  We made friends and  some of them have moved on.  And no doubt many new families will come and we'll make more new friends.  I think because of the very nature of this revolving door, everyone understands how scary it can be when you up and move to a whole new country, with different customs and language, that settling here has been a little bit easier.  We kind of have this underlying understanding of each other. And so when new families come here we help each other out. 

Well after a year here are a couple of  things that I've learnt about Thailand:

* The traffic is hor-ri-ble!!  There are so many cars and it is always congested. When I first got here it was overwhelming.  Especially at the end of each month when many of the Thais get paid.  But interestingly though there are many vehicles you will hardly ever hear the horns on the vehicles - there's no "beep, beep - get out of my way" and definitely no road rage!  In fact it's considered rude and frowned upon when you toot your car horn.

* Mai Pen Rai - This is a phrase that I have heard often.  It is the English equivalent to "never mind", it's okay" or "no problem".  I've come to learn that the Thais' are a very laid back people.  This phrase has a calming effect - but in no way to be confused with giving up.

* There are images of the King everywhere and he is loved by all his "subjects" here in Thailand.  To speak badly of the royal family can be considered a crime.

*  It is HOT, HOT, HOT!  The weather that is.  I thought summer Bakersfield, CA was hot but Bangkok is not only hot but very humid as well and it is almost unbearable sometimes.

* The Thais' are very proud of their language.  I am still trying to learn it.

* I love getting a massage.  I'd never had one before I moved to Thailand and now that I've had my baby I'm there at Saruda Spa quite a lot.

So much more but these are the few that stand out.

I look forward to the next year that my family will be here in Thailand.