Friendship is the "True Blood" of life.
I can say without a doubt,that the fact i am here in Thailand "Alive",is only because of family & friends.
Life is a "Bitch"@ times,and only a will to survive and the help of family & friends will see you through the storm.
I am writing this post for a number of reasons.
The first reason,and without number two even coming close is"Your friends & family" our seven thousand miles away if you our from the (USA).
The truth of "packing up & fleeing" for a exotic retirement to S.E. Asia/Thailand,is you leave behind your most valuable assets"Family & friends" behind.
The Internet & Mobile phones & Skype.......just does not"Compute"!
If you think hauling ass to another(very far away) country is a easy thing to do,then you really need to
reevaluate your common sense.
I have lived without my family & friends for almost four years(emails,phone & two short visits home).....It is a "hard road"!
My buddy sitting on the "Harley" is sorely missed.
I am American first and foremost in all things that really matter.
The point of this post is,"you will get "Home Sick",miss your comfort zones,and be in cultural shock for a very long time.
My friend Jim was a,buddy & solid rock when things were going "South" for me in a number of personal areas of my life.
Yea,he is only a "email/phone call away",but he is not just a 15 mile quick trip,more like 7K miles.
My friend speaks English,eats American food,follows American news...hell,he is "All-American" in every real sense...
I am "Farang"(foreigner) to my Thai family & friends(I really don't have Thai friends),and the other 60 million Thais call me"Farang".
My family call me "UJ"(Uncle Jim) & my friend call's me "Jimbo".
The life of being a expat is nowhere close to what i thought it would be.
Is it awful?
No.
Thailand is a wonderful country,but it is as far away as "MARS" is from Earth in culture,and your(my) comfort zones.
I have written in the past about the challenges of making the "leap of faith"& hauling ass away from everything you hold dearly,choose wisely.
"Periculum et praemia nostri optimi".....If you have read this far,then "Google Translate" can do the "Latin/English" ....Chok dee mak!
Luckkyybuddha999
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