I moved to Thailand in 2003, simply because I was bored with my life in the United States. I had lived in Boston, studied in New York, and traveled the world.
Traveling was my favorite thing to do until I went to Thailand. It was like I was searching the world for something, and finally found it in Thailand. After that, I had little to no desire to travel anymore. Though I missed my family and friends back in the states, I was bored after a week of visiting them, and was homesick for Thailand every time I took a vacation to the USA.
First of all, I love Thai food. There is so much variation to it that you can go months with just eating Thai food and not get bored of it. Thai food has a wide range of flavors, from spicy, to sweet, to sour. I’ve learned to make a bit of it, but typically I cook western foods and my wife cooks Thai foods. You can learn A LOT about Thai food here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_cuisine, however, it really is an art that takes endless practice to make perfect. The people are usually nice and friendly as well. They love white skin, so if you’re pasty white… that’s actually a good thing! Where I’m from, you look like you haven’t been able to leave the house or office for sunlight in years!
The culture is uniquely Thai, though it is a mix of surrounding cultures as well. The Chinese have some firm holds on Thailand in both culture and business. The schools in Thailand are not that great, and they teach conformity and memorization for the most part. I have also networked with a lot of Bangkok expat families throughout the years in Thailand.
The weather in Thailand can be described as hot and humid for the most part. There is a rainy season and a not so rainy season. For me, the humidity is the worst part. If you are in a big city, the pollution coupled with the humidity is killer. Many taxis, buses, malls, restaurants, etc. are air-conditioned, but walking outside for even 10 minutes can have you dripping with sweat. I have friends that literally take a couple of sweat rags or even a towel wherever they go. Don’t plan on doing much walking in the city if you want to be comfortable for a sit down dinner (sans shower) later on.
There’s so much to Bangkok, let alone the country of Thailand. I hope you get to experience it one day!
