A Day In the Life Of...

The thought of weeding through/uploading photos from the past week sounds a bit taxing (LIFE IS SO HARD) , so I thought it would be fun to switch it up and do a post about the everyday things in Thailand that I have (somewhat) become accustomed to.

Here we go, in no particular order!

...Interesting Bathrooms
I have had pretty standard bathrooms where I've stayed so far, though it still took me some time to get used to the layout. This is especially because there is no bathtub/barrier between the shower/toilet/sink.

My super fancy bathroom in Chiang Mai

This means that everything (like the toilet) end up soaked after a shower. I at least have what is called a "western toilet," which is what we are all used to back in the good old US. The only difference here is that you have to throw your toilet paper away as garbage due to septic issues.

There's also another hose (not in this picture, it's to the left of the toilet), lovingly labeled the "bum gun" by an Australian blog I found when I googled "What is that hose for next to my Thai toilet?"...

It's pretty much a more portable bidet, but you have to be careful about the varied water pressure between bathrooms. Eek!

Then you have your standard Thai toilet, i.e. a "squat toilet," which is pretty much a hole in the ground. Apparently these are very good for your body physically speaking, and there is no flushing mechanism, so you have to shovel water into it for a manual flush.

These toilets are very common in less touristy places. If you luck out and find a western toilet, it's probably going to be covered in water (well, it just seems like all surfaces in bathrooms end up covered in water). This means that I have learned to not sit down on toilets when I'm away from home!



Crazy Roads and Drivers
Driving on the left side of the road was easy enough to get used to, but I'm still adjusting to how recklessly people drive. Part of the problem is inexperienced tourists on a rental bike. Scooters are also the primary form of transportation for Thais, who zip in and out of mass traffic, rarely wearing a helmet. Sometimes you'll see an entire family crowded onto a scooter. Once I saw one packed with 6, including 2 children and one baby.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to snap any of these ridiculous events, so this photo will have to do.

Think you've got the green light at the crosswalk? Think again. Always look five times before you cross, as it seems like at least one lane of traffic isn't paying attention, or just doesn't care. I am still working on being as brazen as some Thais I've seen crossing highways with no crosswalks.

There are also some very windy mountain roads. I took a minibus to and from a city called Pai for Thanksgiving, and there are 762 (many sharp) curves along the way, almost causing quite a few army boys to barf.

The road statistics speak for themselves, but I wont spit them out here because I don't want it to scare anyone away from choosing their own mode of transportation. Just educate yourself and remember you have to focus about 1000x as much as you do in the states. It's a stunningly beautiful country to explore, and there is no freer way to do it than on your own terms.

Cost of Living
One of the top reasons I came to SE Asia was because I knew I could get much more bang for my buck than most places on the planet. Prices listed here are from Chiang Mai, which is a bit less expensive than Phuket was.

My concept of money has been completely warped, where sometimes I'll fight with a tuk tuk driver over 20 cents, then later that day spend $5 on an entree. Generally speaking, when away from the more touristy restaurants, I can leave spending less than $2-3 for a meal plus a non-alcoholic drink. For example, this bowl of delicious soup I had tonight cost $1. (PS I'm pretty sure I just found my new favorite noodle soup spot).

I followed it up with a GIGANTIC smoothie, made out of the water/meat of an entire fresh coconut, a whole mango and a quarter of a pineapple for $2.

What isn't (relatively) cheap is alcohol. In a restaurant you'll spend around $4 on a cocktail or large Thai beer, which is a lot when it's 2-3x as much as your food. You can find it for a little cheaper at a store, but in relation to the cost of other things, it's not very affordable.

The government also has imposed restrictions on when alcohol can't be sold at a store, which is between 2-5pm and midnight-11am, though this is only really enforced at major chains.

I paid about $300 for a month at my guesthouse - I have a queen sized bed, private bathroom, fan, TV, fridge, wardrobe, desk and a deck. I could even find cheaper accommodation, or pay a couple extra dollars a night for air conditioning.

I used to feel weird using a laundry service, but at about $1.30/kg for someone to wash/dry/iron your clothes, I have given in. This translates to about $2-3 a week.

Want a full body Thai massage? $6/hour. Seriously.

Beauty Standards and Sex Tourism

When I first got here, I was shocked at how many beauty products contain whitening agents. Sunscreen? Check. Deodorant? You bet. Shaving Cream? Of course. Having white, milky skin is an aspiration for women, which is quite the opposite of the tan obsessed American culture. I fear what would happen if I started using these products as I am very pale already. As my friend Kim said, "Girl, you'll turn see through."

The reality of the societal construct makes me sad. Thai women and their natural skin color are so beautiful to me. I understand proactive measures for protection, but dislike the thought of changing what is natural, which is also an issue in communities of color in the US.

Then there's Thailand's very public sex tourism problem. There are bars that line the streets of Chiang Mai full of young Thai women flocked around (usually much older) male tourists, either there to find a wife or a prostitute. I try to not judge when I see this "type" of pair walking down the street because I know that a) some of them are completely normal and/or b) there are people who come to Thailand (or any country) and fall in love without planning or fetishizing it. But there is a harsh reality to why some people visit, which is especially hard to ignore when you see great grandpa walking down the street hand in hand with an 18 year old.

There's also the fascinating arena of ladyboys (in Thai they call it "kathoey")... some of who are so convincing I can't even tell that they aren't "real" women, whatever that means. I've always been fascinated by human sexuality and kathoey doesn't fall into the "standard" definitions of trans, so I can't wait to get more exposure as I travel. Outside of the realm of sex tourism of course.

And then finally there are two subjects I wont even broach - ping pong (and other various object) shows and pedophilia. Yikes. I haven't witnessed either (unless the women noted above are below the age of consent) so I don't want to comment.

Political Activism
Though America has a considerably larger population spread over a MUCH larger area, I think we could learn a bit from the power of Thai protest. I'm not talking about overthrowing the current government, but more being able to band together and not back down to pressure in order to make change.

In 2006 it was top news worldwide when there was a coup in Thailand as they ousted the government and former Prime Minster, Thaskin Shinawatra. The country is divided into two, with large protests in 2010 and oh yay, right now. I only have a slight grasp on the current conflict, but the current Prime Minister (Yingluck Shinawatra) is Thaskin's sister, therefore it is thought that she is her brother's puppetmaster and the same people are still in power. Her party recently tried to introduce an amnesty bill to bring Thaskin back into the country (he's currently out of the country to avoid a jail term) and this re-sparked tensions.

I hear that tourists haven't been impacted by the main protests in Bangkok, and recently polled Thai's noted that their largest complaint/concern right now is the traffic it is causing. 23 countries have issued travel warnings about travel to Thailand, but I'm really not sweating it. I will keep a close eye on it when I go to Bangkok next month - just always be vigilant and educated, and I think you will stay a safe traveler. Just don't wear any red or yellow shirts right now in Bangkok or you could be viewed as a supporter of either side.

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There's of course a lot more that's unique about being here and so many other facets of the culture and language I haven't touched on or experienced. I sadly haven't picked up much Thai yet (sorry dad), but it's beyond complex.

What hasn't changed is that I can pretty much get anything here that I can get in the states - I am still amazed at the variety of cultures restaurants cater to. Like, oh crap, I can still find amazing CAKE on the side of the ROAD.

And I even found Tree Top apple juice (where my mom works) in a tiny mini market in Phuket.

With all of this at my fingertips, do I want to come home? Hell yes! This makes me appreciate and miss home more than anything, but I can't wait to keep on exploring, learning and growing while I have the opportunity.

-Erin