Thai-Style Living Update:

Foreigners in Thailand are commonly referred to as ‘falang’ around here. Sometimes the term is used generically. For instance, two days ago when I was driving back from the store with my neighbour we passed some Thai tourists in the park who exclaim “Oooo Falang” as I drove by them. Other times the term is not used very politely since the main purpose of the term is to discriminate those (with lighter skin colour) who are different from Thai people. Today, I went with Chaleam and Surasack (the two guys I work with day-to-day) to a city 3 hours away, so they could pick up their payments for the past month. (Though it took us 5 hours to get there, after 2 stops for directions and a series of amusing conversations that repeated “I remember this” “I don’t remember this” and “Turn left” “No go straight!”). On the way back, we discussed my falang status. They told me that since I can speak Thai and everyone knows me, now I am a Thai person. They said now it's more like they are my older brothers and I am their little sister. So no more being called a falang…that’s pretty cool.

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