Travel to Thailand

Interview with Mark Goodman, a frequent traveler to Thailand:

Q1: You chose Thailand as the place that you would take your extended vacation. Now that you are back, what was the main lesson learned that you would like to pass on to other people who are considering Thailand as a place to go for an extended period of time?

One of the things I would remind folks of is the fact that vacationing in a place and then living in that place are very different. Both experiences can be fantastic but one should have different expectations regarding the experiences. For example, living in Thailand, rather than vacationing there, means more interactions with the Thai people, their culture and institutions and thus requires the long-term visitor to have the capacity to modify their outlook a bit in order to be able to do things in a more Thai fashion. Some might find this frustrating at first but acceptance will go a long way in making the long-term stay more enjoyable, productive, and fruitful.

Q2: How far in advance did you begin planning the vacation, and what were the key financial considerations?

I began making plans some six to eight months in advance. One of the key factors I was concerned with was getting a decent flight for a decent price. Over time I have discovered a Thai travel agent in the Los Angeles area who consistently finds me better deals than I can on my own. For most people, things like living arrangements, what clothing to take, and access to money are also things they will need to prepare in advance. As I have family in Thailand, my living arrangements were already in place. I’ve opened up a bank account with First Republic and this allows me to withdrawal money from ATMs around the world without paying a fee (as long as I keep a certain amount in the account). I have clothing hanging up in my room and therefore don’t need to transport a lot of clothing back and forth across the Pacific. I figure that if there is some article of clothing I desperately need while there I will simply buy it.

Another piece of advice I have for the would-be long-term visitor is to read up on the country you will be spending time in. In doing so you will develop a sense of history, culture, and place that will pay off once in country. Additionally, you will learn important tips before you go regarding how much to pay for certain services, what forms of dress or behavior to avoid, and the like. The Lonely Planet series of travel guides is an excellent source in this regard.

Q3: How did you respond and keep busy once the initial thrill of landing in a new place wore off?

For me, I find that I adapt rather quickly to new environments. I seem to thrive as I navigate my way through the new culture and surroundings. I did learn that it is important to develop a routine, to have something to do, a reason to get up in the morning. For the first two to three weeks I lived more like a tourist—sleeping late, eating out, shopping, site seeing, etc. After a while I began to feel like I was wasting time and just not being very productive. I established a routine whereby I would get up early in the morning (when the weather was better) and go for a 3-mile walk in Lumpini Park. I also set aside time to do some research on the internet as well as local libraries and made plans for trips in the country and to China. I also made arrangements to tutor a couple of junior high and high school-aged girls in English on a weekly basis. Even though I had developed some structure regarding my daily activities I still kept if flexible to accommodate change if it was needed or if I felt like it.

Q4: What did you miss most about the U.S. while you were away?

I guess I would have to say that the thing I missed the most was the occasional desire for wide open spaces. Bangkok is a very large city and has incredible vertical and horizontal dimensions. Having grown up in a rural environment in the US I did now and then wish for a little more quiet, personal time. Traveling out of the city for a few days was the cure I took for that ailment. One more thing I missed was Mexican food. Thai food is fantastic but my cravings for chips and salsa, enchiladas, burritos, and fajitas went unmet.

Q5: Did you feel that (4) months was an appropriate amount of time? How would you suggest that a couple determine the length of their stay?

Probably the best way to determine how long a person could stay would be to figure out how long they could go by NOT being in the US. In other words, are there monetary factors that would require one not to be gone longer than 1 month? 2 months? and the like? Also, what sort of personal and/or business obligations will they be leaving behind and how long can those things go without their physical presence?

Q6: What tips do you have for people who want to learn a new language, but are older adults?

I firmly believe that it is possible to learn a new language at any age provided one has the right attitude. The right attitude is one in which the learner is willing to make mistakes in the new language but is not embarrassed by those mistakes or too shy or ashamed to try. We didn’t instantly pop out of the womb speaking English. As we grew up we first developed our ability to listen and understand English. Once we began to speak we were constantly being corrected—that’s how it works. Adult learners should adopt a mindset in which they realize that they will understand more than they will be able to speak in the beginning and that with time they will improve.

When I first saw and heard Thai spoken I thought that there was no way I could ever learn this language. However, with the passage of time and trial and error, I can now understand portions of conversations and can talk to Thais in a limited fashion. There are Westerners in Thailand who speak the language fluently and I know that if I stay at it I will speak it fluently as well.

Q7: Did you need to use the medical system while you were there? What are some of the challenges you faced in dealing with a different medical system?

I have used the medical system while in Thailand. A couple of times I pulled my lower back muscles and went to see the neighborhood back doctor. I went in to the office , provided them with my passport, and they took the information and gave me a medical card. The treatment was from the doctor and I paid his office directly after each treatment. I also went to a hospital for an annual physical. Once again I provided the staff with my travel documents and was issued a card. After the physical I was given a bill which I took downstairs and promptly paid.

In my dealings with the Thai medical system I have found it to be much more human-centered than anything I’ve experienced here in the US. In Thailand, the doctors actually spend a great deal of time with you, asking you many questions, trying to determine your personality and lifestyle so that that information can be incorporated into your treatment. Medical staff are very professional and courteous and actually seem to care about their patients’ health. In fact, while I was visiting the back doctor he noticed some limited mobility I had with my left arm due to some shoulder pain. My HMO doctor in the US told me it was a function of getting older. The Thai doctor told me of two simple exercises to do every day that he said would improve mobility and lessen pain. Within two weeks of doing the exercises I was astounded at how much better my shoulder and arm were.

Q8: What was the experience of reentering the U.S. like? And how did it compare to the experience of acclimating to life in Thailand?

After having been gone for several months, returning to the US was like going to visit a foreign country. As I began to go through customs and immigration I noticed how different things were. We spent the first night at a hotel near the airport in Los Angeles and were disappointed with the quality of service relative—we had to wait for quite some time to be picked up by the hotel shuttle, we had to wait in a long line to register, the room was nothing fancy, there were no free bottles of water in the room, the view overlooked a parking lot, and the price did not include even a continental breakfast. You come back and you realize that America is fast-paced, expensive, and often is lacking in good customer service.

I should also point out that the re-acclimation to life in the US phase was short-lived. Before I knew it I was back in the thick of things and running around trying to get a million things done like everybody else I knew.

Q9: How has your sabbatical experience changed the way you travel now?

Yes. After having the wonderful opportunity of spending four months overseas, I now look at smaller vacation times differently. Realizing that time goes by quickly, I probably put more thought into planning exactly what it is I want to do when visiting a place and less of let’s just go and see what happens. Of course, different people have different reasons for traveling so the way I do it might not suit everyone’s taste.

Q10: What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you set out for Thailand?

I wish I had known more about how their system works and why it works the way it does. It is possible to read about such things and to learn but I guess in the end that going there and immersing oneself into the system is the best way to learn.

Q11: Have you stayed in touch with any new friends you made while in Thailand, and when do you think that you’ll return?

We do stay in touch with friends and family in Thailand on a regular basis. I sometimes find myself wondering what they’re doing and missing some of our activities together like our weekly Saturday afternoon badminton games. My wife and I are fortunate in that we are in a position at this point in life that allows us to return to Thailand every year. And while it will be a while before we’ll be able to spend four months or more, the fact that we can spend anytime there brings us great happiness.

--Interview with Mark Goodman February, 2008