What is your experience going home each year?

[garyk]

I go back to america each year for a few months. I have a 1 year visa in Thailand and get it extended each year.
Kinda strange, but I would like to know your views on living in Thailand after returning home for several months?

Here are my views.
Food is much better and healthier in America when shopping in the market. Much better for you IMO.
My neighborhood is VERY clean. After living in Thailand for years it is nice to come home and not see so much trash thrown everywhere.
You cannot own property in Thailand and I enjoy coming home and working on my home and knowing it is mine. Peach of mind more than anything else for me.
Women? I personally much prefer Asian women. As I get older I find they age much better, and sexual hang ups are not near what they are here in America. As well as the total nonsense you have to put up with here in America. A much easier, and pleasant experience with Asian women.
Healthcare in America is much better IMO. No comparison.

Anyone else care to weigh in? After living in Thailand for years I find it increasingly difficult to break my ties with my home country. And, even long for my trips home.

[honu]

I don't get back to the US very often, kind of a shame since I have young kids, and family there would love to visit with them.

 

Odd you'd mention food being healthier in America; how could that be?  If it's "in the market" it's just ingredients, vegetables and whatever else, isn't it, or the idea is that American deli food seems healthier than Thai street food type fare?

 

At any rate since I don't get back so often I mostly just feel reverse culture shock back there.  It's great being able to use English with everyone, much more functional than my Thai.  As for women, I'm married, which kind of settles that issue into one related set of problems.

[Don Mega]

only been home twice in the past 10 years, last time was 6 years ago, couldn't wait to get back on the plane and return to Thailand.

[chiang mai]

The place I came from ceased to be home many years ago, this is now my home. But when I do go back to visit I find the place that I went to see is no longer there, something else has taken its place and I don't like what it is. Very few represent good value for money in the UK, the food is not good and the people have become very insular, people are either interested in house prices or football -  plus the weather is rarely good unless you time your visit perfectly. I find myself getting excited about the idea of going back to visit but that feeling usually wears off after a few days, thereafter I want to get back to Asia, things have been this way for several years.

[garyk]

Interesting view of the UK. Thanks

I find food in the big markets here MUCH better. I try to eat healthy. And I find it much easier here in America "honu"

Love the LOS's and other Asian country's as well, but groceries are first class here in the big markets.

[manfredtillmann]

when i go home - i go back to thailand!

i have to return to australia for a few months every year to deal with work commitments but my HOME is where i lay my hat:

in that phanom, in north - east thailand.

if i had still been comfortable in oz after 35 years - i would have stayed there.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJV2pWFyfn4

 

[isanbirder]

I  first came to live in Asia in 1961 (Singapore), and have not been back to the UK since 1984.  Even then I found it like Chiangmai describes, not the place I grew up in.

 

This is my home, and has been since 1991, when I moved here from Hong Kong.

[jadee]

I'm from the UK and have similar feelings to those described by 'chiang mai'; my excitement about going home wears thin after a few days. The UK 'seems' better while I'm in Thailand but there's very little I miss. I sometimes miss fish and chips but when I go back and try them, that's that for another visit. I find myself missing the fresh food, the convenience and the weather of Thailand.
My only question to the OP would be, why break ties? Enjoy the best of both worlds. 

[JAFO]

While I do not necessarily go back to the US every year I have found when I do I feel like a tourist and as the years go on I feel more and more disconnected. As others have said Its really not my home anymore. But I will say I do like stocking up some items I cannot get here. Best part of the visit back quite frankly

 

As for food, I eat way healthier in Thailand. However my wife cooks for me. It seems like everything in the US is processed: Fruit waxed or coated, Meat hormone induced, Everything homogenized or pasteurized, 8 lb chickens that were strapped in cages and feed growth additives. Fish the same way. 80% of all supermarkets floor space is either canned or in a jar or in the frozen food section. But again, to each his own. You can find very good food but you will pay top dollar for the "Organic" sticker. 

[BEVUP]

2 hours ago, manfredtillmann said:

when i go home - i go back to thailand!

i have to return to australia for a few months every year to deal with work commitments but my HOME is where i lay my hat:

in that phanom, in north - east thailand.

if i had still been comfortable in oz after 35 years - i would have stayed there.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJV2pWFyfn4

 

Exactly but unfortunately i do have to return to Auss & put up with id...t American  Auss companies

[Jdiddy]

Been home for 2 weeks, still havnt seen a reasonably good looking women yet, most are fat, ugly self entitled rude bitches, totally different social climate here along with the Marxist left PC SJW environment

[ardokano]

5 hours ago, Don Mega said:

only been home twice in the past 10 years, last time was 6 years ago, couldn't wait to get back on the plane and return to Thailand.

where is you home? in hell?

[ardokano]

4 hours ago, isanbirder said:

I  first came to live in Asia in 1961 (Singapore), and have not been back to the UK since 1984.  Even then I found it like Chiangmai describes, not the place I grew up in.

 

This is my home, and has been since 1991, when I moved here from Hong Kong.

so you back your pasport? and got Thai?

[poohy]

Uk real beer and i like the food better nothing wrong with Thai just not my favorite 

 

 

proper indian curries

sheesha

fish n chips

carveries  

dodgy chinese takeaways

cheese 

black pudding

more cheese more beer et etc etc

 

It's my yearly holiday..... i love it 

off in 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AsianExport]

Going back for what ? Meet a stupid family and stupid friends that I don't care to know anymore ?

Why do people are just doing things that they think right even if they don't care ?

[AsianExport]

1 hour ago, poohy said:

Uk real beer and i like the food better nothing wrong with Thai just not my favorite 

 

 

proper indian curries

sheesha

fish n chips

carveries  

dodgy chinese takeaways

cheese 

black pudding

more cheese more beer et etc etc

 

It's my yearly holiday..... i love it 

off in 2 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Wow, like a dream ! you are so lucky !

:-)

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

Going back to NW UK is depressing.

[gandalf12]

Went back 16 years ago and passed through 11 years ago. Couldn't wait to get back to Thailand

[isanbirder]

10 hours ago, ardokano said:

so you back your pasport? and got Thai?

 

You can't.

[Bantex]

I get back to the UK at least twice a year due to commitments.

I have kept in touch with family and friends over the years.

i get to eat the foods I like but can't easily get in Thailand:-

indian curries

black pudding

chinese food

roast dinners with the trimmings

real sausages, big juicy steaks, ribs etc.

and I always stock up when returning to Thailand with needed essentials and good quality chocolate for the wife and rug rats.

I feel sorry for those that have lost touch or just cant be bothered keeping in touch with family and friends.

The fruit and vegetables are fresher in Thailand and better tasting but there will always be something everyone misses.

[OmegaRacer]

Been in Thailand 10 years, but always looking forward for my annual 5-week holiday back home in the North Italian Alps. If I could afford to go twice a year, I definitely would. I have family and great friends there, the place is beautiful with lots of mountains and nature. Food is a mix of German and Italian and I love it. I have a big bike there (a 1981 Moto Guzzi G5) which is perfect for travelling with my wife. She loves to go there too.
If I could do my job there, I would be really hard pressed if I had to choose between Thailand and Italy. Both have their + and -.

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, garyk said:

Women? I personally much prefer Asian women. As I get older I find they age much better, ...

 

Any you, are you aging OK? Or is that beside the point...

[Emster23]

OP goes back to US for a couple of months? Three weeks tops for me once a year. I set myself up with some sort of strong "reinforcement or reward" which usually involves buying another guitar (plus a ton of strings, etc). And bags of coffee, Oz licorice, odds and ends not available here or way overpriced. Bit of a problem now: I've got more great guitars than I really could need and running out of space.

 It is good to see my friends, most are not so stupid. Can't say that so much about family.... the preoccupation with meaningless drivel and celebrity culture is almost as low as in Thailand....

 Oh yeah, Mexican food! Great Pizza!

[scorecard]

17 hours ago, Don Mega said:

only been home twice in the past 10 years, last time was 6 years ago, couldn't wait to get back on the plane and return to Thailand.

 

Last time I went home was 24 years ago, the visit to my birth was 20 years before that.  

 

On both occasions I felt so out of place, didn't like the local attitudes etc., that had developed.

 

I just couldn't wait to get back home, Thailand, to be with my whole Thai family and their love and caring and the daily living in Thailand that I have totally embraced.

[Deepinthailand]

Easy answer I am home here would never put even a toe back into my birth hole.

[ronaldo0]

Last back in the UK 6 years ago and I wanted to leave after 3 days!

Don't really miss anything apart from buying things and knowing it wont break down after a month or if it does I will get a replacement quickly. Here guarantee means nothing usually and even high end products seem to not last.

I could go back to where I come from now and find everyone in the same places doing the same things as always. Like groundhog day !!

[whatproblem]

I go home to uk every 3 years ,it's great for 2 days 

[Don Mega]

20 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

Easy answer I am home here would never put even a toe back into my birth hole.

 

You put your toe into your mother's coochie ?

[poohy]

10 hours ago, AsianExport said:

Going back for what ? Meet a stupid family and stupid friends that I don't care to know anymore ?

Why do people are just doing things that they think right even if they don't care ?

 I am of the impression they would not be too keen to see you either!

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, OmegaRacer said:

Been in Thailand 10 years, but always looking forward for my annual 5-week holiday back home in the North Italian Alps. If I could afford to go twice a year, I definitely would. I have family and great friends there, the place is beautiful with lots of mountains and nature. Food is a mix of German and Italian and I love it. I have a big bike there (a 1981 Moto Guzzi G5) which is perfect for travelling with my wife. She loves to go there too.
If I could do my job there, I would be really hard pressed if I had to choose between Thailand and Italy. Both have their + and -.

 

You lucky b--tard.

Can you lend me a few Mil' and I will buy something there and promise to take care of your bike.

If I show my wife that photograph I can see everything we have here going on the market

Edited September 9, 2016 by overherebc
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