When we first landed in Bangkok, the feeling of being 8,000 plus miles away from home did not hit me. To my surprise, I felt very much at home aside from the occasional swifts of sewer smells. It wasn’t until we arrived to Chiang Mai that I felt disconnected and detached from home. This is because unlike Bangkok’s city atmosphere, Chiang Mai is filled with a traditional and natural atmosphere with coconut trees around every corner…well, almost every corner.
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| Bangkok |
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| Chiang Mai |
Although both cities brought different feelings within me, my impression of the people of Thailand remains the same. One thing that particularly captured my attention about the Thai people is their knowledge of the English language. Before coming to Thailand, I truly believed language would be my biggest barrier to indulging its culture. However, I was proven wrong. Many Thailand natives not only understood English, but spoke it as well. And although their English was not perfect, it motivated me to communicate with them in English.
It would be premature of me to say that surprises of the Thai people are of the past!
Chue