Are You Happy Here?

[LAnative]

Mr. Plum I am the guy you said motivated this thread by asking if people were happy there (LA Native). I gotta tell you that your entry was inspiring and enlightened. If you aren't a Buddhist, you are a natural one.
Thanks so much for getting my question answered. There is NO place without its frustrations. I just want to know what KIND of frustrations to expect because of the "saving face" factor I hear so much about and my low tolerance for frustration.
Thanks to all for your interesting and enlightening responses. this should help anyone whether an expat or not. Very engrossing and much better than the gripers and "ingroup" blather.

Cheers
LA Native

[beachyhead]

If anyone has read any of my posts they must think that I hate it here but to be honest I am happy living here and a lot happier than living in the UK. It was pointed out to me that after 3 years of living here I am going through a period of doubt but it will pass. I think it was the tourist to resident thing and how Thailand really want you here as a tourist but not so keen on you living here, or so it would seem and as a tourist you don't experience the corruption side of Thailand. Having said that I have to feel sorry for the Thai's when you witness what they have to put up with so many of the people who come here to live, they are so rude and only live here as they can look like a big man with lots of money but would get a smack in the kisser if they acted like that in their own country. Someone told me when I moved here that unfortunately 95% of the guy's who move here are from the 5% total dick heads in their own country. Maybe I'm one of them but I try not to be and at the end of the day not one Thai person twisted my arm up my back and made me live here.

[LAnative]

Beachyhead
"5% dickheads"... i believe I read somewhere that the size of one's house and car is INVERSELY proportional to the size of their male organ
Have met MANY suck wienies on this blog. As a rookie BEWARE. It is an exclusive clique and outsiders will be insulted away.
Big girl's blouse/drama queen (names they gave me)

[MrPlum]

LANative. 'Trolls' and 'flamers' infect every board and yes, cliques do form. I'm a clique of one.

There are some sharp cookies on this forum and some are brilliantly funny at times. I don't think taking them on will work for you. Perhaps it's better simply not to engage.

Brits and Aussies usually are the champions at dry humour but I know from experience that when someone is genuinely in difficulty they will be the first to gather round.

It's worth keeping that in mind.

[Tony_S]

Beachyhead
"5% dickheads"... i believe I read somewhere that the size of one's house and car is INVERSELY proportional to the size of their male organ
Have met MANY suck wienies on this blog. As a rookie BEWARE. It is an exclusive clique and outsiders will be insulted away.
Big girl's blouse/drama queen (names they gave me)

I used to work in the Construction Industry where there is a lot of Banter ...name calling.....it's taken in jest and the more you react the more you will get.

I have never been called names on this board when I joined and found it very sedate.

soooo shut up dickhead !!

cheers !!

[LAnative]

Nobody who doesn't fit the description of ANY name calling should be offended by a label doesn't apply to them personally. The label offends those that know or suspect the label DOES fit them personally. I copt to that myself, except of course where the label is WAY out there.
The trouble is on a forum the inflection of voice is missing in the type of name calling that Tony mentions occurring on construction sites et al. There is also the body language and facial expression in a personal insult that is missing here. Hence labels are taken more seriously here.
It is NOT my intention to " take on" anyone. The Di**head label is NOT my own invention, it is a response to another entry, I did NOT call anyone that. I was just trying to warn the writer of the consequences of using that label.
Dickhead shutting up.
BGB DQ and DH

[Super Joe]

Nobody who doesn't fit the description of ANY name calling should be offended by a label doesn't apply to them personally. I copt to that myself, except of course where the label is way out there.

Beautifully written.

SJ

[dtaai-maai]

Nobody who doesn't fit the description of ANY name calling should be offended by a label doesn't apply to them personally. The label offends those that know or suspect the label DOES fit them personally.

We've been trying to tell you this for ages (although some of us thought we'd given up on the whole issue weeks ago...), but you still don't really believe it or you wouldn't say:

I copt [copped?] to that myself, except of course where the label is WAY out there

...or end your post with repeats of the tags.

The trouble is on a forum the inflection of voice is missing in the type of name calling that Tony mentions occurring on construction sites et al. There is also the body language and facial expression in a personal insult that is missing here.

No truer words spoken (or written), although emoticons help. All the more reason why...

Hence labels are taken more seriously here

...is both wrong and the root of your problem.

Most of us have had the mickey taken at some point, to varying degrees. Accept it and move on. Constantly harping back to it just keeps it alive. It's also extremely boring!

[Arcadian]

LAnative, firstly you have to understand that this forum is populated mainly by British ex pats, we have taken self deprecation to a fine art, with the exception of most of our US cousins on here Americans don`t do self deprecation and take themselves far too seriously. By doing so you invite all sorts of abuse to be heaped upon you. Lighten up.

[richard]

LAN

Hey man take it on the chin. Turn the other cheek and smile

Sh1t man, I have probably had the most flack on this site. If I took it seriously I would have gone back under my rock years ago

We all gaff particularly when the Chang has taken over. So what the hell

We are all different (backgrounds, cultures, politics, religions and financial circumstances etc) and that is what makes for an interesting forum. Sh1t if I met too many people like me I would certaily be back under my rock!!.

I have been in trouble a couple of times for slagging and therefore jeapodising businesses but a face to face has sorted it out. In fact I think they profited from the publicity

Lighten up as the Yankees say, particularly in CA

Be great to meet up and sort the world out if and when you come

ARCADIAN I am not a Brit expat. I come from Gods own county. YORKSHIRE

[Condoking]

Gods own county. YORKSHIRE

Now which God would that be?? Last I heard there were more mosques than churches in Yorkshire.

I assume you are referring to the old Yorkshire when it had it's own cricket team and a white rose, before welcoming in settlers from afar and being taken over by corner shops, tailors and Indian restaurants.

[LAnative]

I WILL be visiting but won't say when or any other revealing info . I prefer Stocker mode and the ONE most important lesson I learned in Viet Nam was the value of stealth and ambush. I don't plan on meeting anyone except perhaps one guy as I have ruled out HH as a retirement place in LOS. The community in HH I have nothing in common with.
I know you are knashing your teeth in anguish now but you will get over it
Will check back in from time to time and warn any rookies about the cliquism and to be VERY careful of the choice of words if they are at all sensitive. But mostly I will just be WATCHING. (guess my exwife's"anti- stocking" legal injunction was justified.)
BGB DH DQ

[hhfarang]

I prefer Stocker mode

I think you meant "Stalker"... You should be pretty easy to spot from previous posts... There's not too many buff 60 year olds here, other than me of course...

[dtaai-maai]

(guess my exwife's"anti- stocking" legal injunction was justified.)

It's a free world, LAn - if you like wearing stockings, just go for it.

[BaaBaa.]

I prefer Stocker mode and the ONE most important lesson I learned in Viet Nam was the value of stealth and ambush.

I would have thought, after all your time spent there, you'd have known it was one word, Vietnam.