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Chantilly Say posted:Color me confused--you didn't sign a contract related to your TESOL or employment? You're just converting the trip to a vacation? What about the situation isn't what you expected it to be? Nah, I didn't sign a contract and I'm choosing to back out before making the long-term commitment entailed by signing a teaching contract and renting an apartment. Yeah, my intention is to convert the trip to a vacation. I've been able to talk to some people who have been working in Thailand as English teachers and I've been able to get some experience of what it's like to teach in Thai classrooms and work in Thailand as an English teacher. Based on what I've learned from teachers here and what I've experienced in Thai classrooms, it seems pretty clear to me that teaching in Thailand is not for me. I think I really may have just wanted a vacation all along, in addition to some time living by myself outside of the U.S. in order to learn more about myself and what I want in life. I've had a great experience in Thailand and I'm really glad to be here. It's just that teaching English is clearly not something that I'm passionate about. And the pay is not high enough to justify the tiresomeness of teaching, the uncertainty about scheduling, the last-minute work assignments, and the costs and stress associated with dealing with visa stuff. I'm glad that I've gotten a taste of what it's like to work as a teacher here, and I feel that I can now assert with confidence that it's not what I want to do with my life. I've sent a "notice of resignation" email to the people at the agency I've been working with. I don't expect anything from them now and I hope they'll respect the finality of my decision and won't expect anything from me. I'm tempted to buy plane tickets and make hotel reservations tonight as a means of reinforcing the finality of my decision. But I think I'll at least wait until tomorrow because I'm feeling pretty tired and I suppose I should be careful about these matters.
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Oct 2, 2014 12:19
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I'm gonna second reindeer and caberham each for different reasons. Don't waste a lot of money and seriously consider talking to a counsellor or something when you get back. You come across a tad manic depressive. It's nothing to be ashamed of but you are going to have some regrets about wasting your money and like reindeer pointed out you can get just as much fun without wasting a ton of money. Especially when having fun is pretty much staying in your hotel room alone eating sweets.
lemonadesweetheart fucked around with this message at 12:59 on Oct 2, 2014 |
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Oct 2, 2014 12:55
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Yeah I'm with ReindeerF on this. So English teaching isn't for you, fair enough, I figured that out pretty quickly when I first came over too. But it you love Thailand, why are you looking to blow your money and go back so soon? It's not like you have to move from place to place every few days when you holiday in SEA - you could just pick a few places that interest you and spend a couple of weeks exploring each of them on a moderate budget. I can almost guarantee you'll get more out of your trip that way. Or if you really want to blow all your money, come spend it all in Phnom Penh and go out in a real blaze of glory.
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Oct 2, 2014 13:15
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I don't know why being on vacation means having to isolate yourself from the world. You can learn a lot about yourself from meeting people and allowing yourself to have fun.
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Oct 2, 2014 14:42
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I'm totally allowing myself to have fun. Check out this Choco Berry Pancake dessert I had tonight at Toast 2 U in Seacon Bangkae! Eating this decadent dessert would have been way less pleasurable if I wasn't alone and was instead faced with the burdensome chores of dealing with social interaction and pretending to be interested in maintaining conversation.
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Oct 2, 2014 15:38
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Math Debater posted:I'm totally allowing myself to have fun. Check out this Choco Berry Pancake dessert I had tonight at Toast 2 U in Seacon Bangkae! Eating this decadent dessert would have been way less pleasurable if I wasn't alone and was instead faced with the burdensome chores of dealing with social interaction and pretending to be interested in maintaining conversation. Seriously thirding the recommendation of seeing a therapist when you get back.
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Oct 2, 2014 15:57
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You should definitely start self-medicating while you're in Thailand. How about some valium with your ice cream?
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Oct 2, 2014 16:08
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Oh for fucks sake people. He's a loner, a social retard and a bit weird. This doesn't mean he needs therapy. If you want to go and stay in five star hotels and watch movies and eat western food in your room then just go and do it. If you want to get taxis round and eat in air conditioned restaurants and eat piles of sugar all day then just go and do it. This idea that people have that after Experience X they will be "a changed person" is a load of crap anyway. People change and who's to say you wouldn't have changed in the first place? You're you, live with it, deal with it and embrace it. Having said that you haven't given it a chance and you should give everything a chance or you're a failure and a disgrace. Who knows, maybe one day you could even become a bona fide SE Asian megathread superstar like me! Everyone should have a dream.
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Oct 2, 2014 17:02
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Math Debater posted:I'm totally allowing myself to have fun. Check out this Choco Berry Pancake dessert I had tonight at Toast 2 U in Seacon Bangkae! Eating this decadent dessert would have been way less pleasurable if I wasn't alone and was instead faced with the burdensome chores of dealing with social interaction and pretending to be interested in maintaining conversation. Don't listen to goons who tell you you need therapy. If you don't want to talk to people, then don't talk to people. I'm a loner myself so when I need to be alone, I'll get myself a hotel room and be alone. If I feel like socialising, I'll check into a dorm, say hi to someone and ask them out for a drink. 90% of the time, they'll say yes. Do what makes you happy. edit: having said that, if you suspect you need therapy, you probably need therapy.
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Oct 2, 2014 17:55
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Since everyone's throwing their 2c in, I reckon that if you don't have your poo poo together at home then there's no point trying to cope with that stuff AND adjust to a new country. It's a recipe for getting mindfucked.
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Oct 2, 2014 18:05
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Telling Math Debater that he needs therapy is an obligation on the SA forums. My advice to the MD: Quit making proclaimations. You decided in advance to stay in fancy hotels and eat weird vegetarian almost not SE Asian food because that's what you think you like. You decided in advance that there world be a bunch of problems with English teaching in Thailand that I didn't have when I did it for two years. You reinforce these decisions by making statements in your own head and to us about them. I don't care if you're a 75 year old ranch hand, people don't actually know what they like. This is one of the great secrets that expats and some long term travelers hold over others -- the idea one carries of one's self is as far removed from who you are as anyone else's idea of who you are and it always will be. Stay in SE Asia as long as you can, spend as little money as possible on hotels, stop with the vegetarian bullshit, talk to people, get a Welsh girl / sexually confused Austrian boy back to your room. I don't care if you think this isn't you. It's what you should do. Negligent posted:Since everyone's throwing their 2c in, I reckon that if you don't have your poo poo together at home then there's no point trying to cope with that stuff AND adjust to a new country. It's a recipe for getting mindfucked. Balls to this. Actual challenges are the only thing that cause most people to get their poo poo together to begin with. For a lot of people that means their first kid or a mortgage. For some others it's meeting the expectations of their parents. It doesn't have to be that, though. No one grows in the absence of adversity. If you are actually unstable and could actually be hurt by taking these risks then you should loving take them anyway. You're doomed otherwise. raton fucked around with this message at 19:50 on Oct 2, 2014 |
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Oct 2, 2014 18:15
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Math Debater posted:I'm totally allowing myself to have fun. Check out this Choco Berry Pancake dessert I had tonight at Toast 2 U in Seacon Bangkae! Eating this decadent dessert would have been way less pleasurable if I wasn't alone and was instead faced with the burdensome chores of dealing with social interaction and pretending to be interested in maintaining conversation.
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Oct 2, 2014 19:23
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If Math Debater is a character he's dedicated. Oh and by the way Math Debater your parents didn't fund your trip to SE Asia so you could sit in a nice hotel and loving eat pancakes. If you don't show them some reward for their continued support they will eventually cut the strings to force what they want and what you quite honestly owe them. raton fucked around with this message at 20:12 on Oct 2, 2014 |
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Oct 2, 2014 19:33
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My parents think it's impressive and courageous that I've been spending time and enjoying myself in a part of the world that seems dangerous and scary and alien to them. They've repeatedly assured me that they'll be happy to welcome me back home whenever I want to go back to the U.S. My personal savings have been used to fund this trip. I think there are opportunities available to me in the U.S. that are not available to me here, and I don't think I should feel any sort of obligation to stay here for as long as possible. I have plans in mind for some productive and socially respectable endeavors to engage in when I'm in the U.S., and I think the stuff that I've accomplished thus far in my life has been satisfactory enough to my parents and to myself. I'm glad to be able to spend time here, but I'm also ready to move on to the next phase of my life now that I've decided that teaching English in Southeast Asia is not for me. Thanks very much for all of the interest and attention!
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Oct 3, 2014 02:39
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Sheep-Goats posted:If Math Debater is a character he's dedicated. I gotta give him props for dedication. On the other hand, there's a lot of fuckups in Thailand, so he could also be there. But really, as long as people aren't doing drugs and buying hookers, it's hard for me to say they're doing SEA "wrong." Stay in your hotel room and eat pancakes at the mall. Enjoy. Next time, get the banana pancakes. Might I suggest, for someone who has brain problems and likes vegetarian food and solitude, one of those monastary retreat things? If you found one where you could take a vow of silence, then perfect, everyone is happy.
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Oct 3, 2014 02:45
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Math Debater posted:My parents think it's impressive and courageous that I've been spending time and enjoying myself in a part of the world that seems dangerous and scary and alien to them. They've repeatedly assured me that they'll be happy to welcome me back home whenever I want to go back to the U.S. My personal savings have been used to fund this trip. I think there are opportunities available to me in the U.S. that are not available to me here, and I don't think I should feel any sort of obligation to stay here for as long as possible. I have plans in mind for some productive and socially respectable endeavors to engage in when I'm in the U.S., and I think the stuff that I've accomplished thus far in my life has been satisfactory enough to my parents and to myself. I'm glad to be able to spend time here, but I'm also ready to move on to the next phase of my life now that I've decided that teaching English in Southeast Asia is not for me. Thanks very much for all of the interest and attention! Well that settles it then, have a fun life in the US man! At least you saw a bit of the world, which is more than what most people can brag about. To each is own and all that. (Not being ironic)
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Oct 3, 2014 03:15
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Edit: Decided to not be a jerk and just say good luck Math Debator.
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Oct 3, 2014 04:06
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Whenever I go to Thailand, I just skip ahead and tell my elderly family I am in Taiwan. They can understand that at least.
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Oct 3, 2014 04:11
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Math Debater, your parents are probably proud of you when you can wipe your rear end by yourself  They are proud of whatever you do because they are patronizing you. They are patronizing towards you because you can't function much like an adult, socially unaware of your surroundings, have unchecked crazy thoughts in your head, and extremely insecure. Other people and I are just relieved that you didn't get hurt. No one here is proud of your "travels". It's ok if you want to stay in fancy places and eat whatever. But at least do some freaking sight seeing and go to other areas. I do admit, people in this thread do have a bit of travel hipster vibe. Everyone is trying not to be harsh because you have brain problems and not trying to blame you. Brain problems aside, if you continue to live your life like this you continue being a lovely human being or an organism that just eats and poops. I know goons who suffer from mental illnesses and they are always worried of relapsing and are living tough lives. When they read your posts they just sigh in disappointment. Meanwhile, everyone likes to read this thread! Math Debater posted:I've sent a "notice of resignation" email to the people at the agency I've been working with. I don't expect anything from them now and I hope they'll respect the finality of my decision and won't expect anything from me. I'm tempted to buy plane tickets and make hotel reservations tonight as a means of reinforcing the finality of my decision. But I think I'll at least wait until tomorrow because I'm feeling pretty tired and I suppose I should be careful about these matters. It's good that you aren't teaching any classes.
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Oct 3, 2014 05:10
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caberham posted:Math Debater, your parents are probably proud of you when you can wipe your rear end by yourself I take it today's a slow day at the protests if this is what you're spending time on.
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Oct 3, 2014 05:36
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caberham posted:Math Debater, your parents are probably proud of you when you can wipe your rear end by yourself Does the bum gun count as wiping? If not, his parents are gonna be mighty disappointed in him.
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Oct 3, 2014 05:48
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Math, I am not one to tell people what they should and should not do, but I will say this: You have spent a lot of money and travel time to exist in the same fashion as you did back home. I am a firm believer in giving in to the scary. If it scares you, that's probably all the more reason to do it. Wait, I will ask one question: Why did you decide to come here? Why here, of all places in the whole wide world?
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Oct 3, 2014 07:05
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Chair Huxtable posted:Math, I am not one to tell people what they should and should not do, but I will say this: You have spent a lot of money and travel time to exist in the same fashion as you did back home. So he could snort yaba in the back seat of a tuktuk and get beat to death by brick-wielding ladyboys.
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Oct 3, 2014 07:17
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Chair Huxtable posted:Math, I am not one to tell people what they should and should not do, but I will say this: You have spent a lot of money and travel time to exist in the same fashion as you did back home. You should start telling people what to do. Like this mod did. raton fucked around with this message at 07:47 on Oct 3, 2014 |
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Oct 3, 2014 07:25
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I think it's just funny that he thought he'd be living some hi-so lifestyle in 'poor SEA' doing *whatever, doesn't matter* as an occupation. If you want to be a dickhead that spends 100,000 baht on food a month then be a consultant for BCG or MSD or work in emerging markets occupations or energy sectors. It takes a special kind of naivete to assume you'd be doing good work, improving the lives of others and affording certain opportunities to poorer populations while staying at The Privilege Floor Siem Reap.
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Oct 3, 2014 07:27
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IN OTHER NEWS Now is a great time to come to Thailand in particular and, probably, by extension, Cambodia and Laos since they feed off of arrival traffic here. Arrivals are way down compared to normal high seasons and there are still deals running. Also, a few people have been murdered at various beaches, which should scare off even more people. If it's bad for Thailand it's good for you!
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Oct 3, 2014 07:57
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ReindeerF posted:IN OTHER NEWS I've been worried about my break being full of obnoxious tourists since I get my time off in December and wanted to see some beaches, but this helps me feel better about it. Thanks!
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Oct 3, 2014 08:10
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I understand that transport to the islands in Krabi province is a bit spotty in the low season. Is it worth staying in Ao Nang for a couple of days just so I can research the logistics myself? I realize that the place probably has a few blemishes. All the top rated guesthouses are located 15-20 minutes from Ao Nang beach, but I don't know whether that is a problem or not. Please advice!
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Oct 3, 2014 09:46
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Sheep-Goats posted:
If you're the kind of person who ticks a bunch of boxes on the DSM, multiple prescription medications etc then do everyone a favour and get proper help in a country with good doctors.
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Oct 3, 2014 09:47
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If it's a super reclusive Island maybe you need more research but for the main well known places you still can get around. Probably fewer boats per day but still possible
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Oct 3, 2014 09:48
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caberham posted:If it's a super reclusive Island maybe you need more research but for the main well known places you still can get around. Probably fewer boats per day but still possible I don't really mind staying a bit in in Ao Nang if it's got something of value to offer. I have all the time in the world. By the way, I just ate lunch at a nice place in Silom, Suananda Kitchen. That old saying about don't eat where no one else is eating is apparently untrue if it's about a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Bangkok. Beautiful, relaxed setting in a secluded alley and fresh, tasty food. Throw them some business if you get the chance. Vogler fucked around with this message at 09:59 on Oct 3, 2014 |
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Oct 3, 2014 09:51
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Headed to Vietnam tomorrow. 4 nights in HCMC, 4 in Hoi An, 3 in Hue, 5 in Hanoi. Any advice/comments for a first timer?
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Oct 3, 2014 10:00
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Vogler posted:By the way, I just ate lunch at a nice place in Silom, Suananda Kitchen. That old saying about don't eat where no one else is eating is apparently untrue if it's about a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Bangkok. Beautiful, relaxed setting in a secluded alley and fresh, tasty food. Throw them some business if you get the chance. That's a specialty place though, not your normal food stall. Probably a place where local hipsters go
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Oct 3, 2014 10:05
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nelson posted:Headed to Vietnam tomorrow. 4 nights in HCMC, 4 in Hoi An, 3 in Hue, 5 in Hanoi. Any advice/comments? Pretty much my route, but in reverse. Hoi An was great. Best way to get around is to hire a bike (or hire a driver) - especially to get out and see the marble mountains or the bigass buddha statue. Go to Vi Cafe for some nice cheap food and 3000 dong beers. Hue was kind of dead when I was there, so if you're interested in nightlife you could maybe drop a night there. Lots to see and do during the day though. Five nights is plenty for just Hanoi, though it's stretching it a bit thin if you want to properly do Halong Bay and Sapa as well. I think I was drunk maybe 80% of the time I was in Hanoi. I'm actually in Saigon for the next few days, staying in the backpackers ghetto. PM me if you fancy getting some drinks!
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Oct 3, 2014 10:15
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Also I retract my earlier comment about mixed race couples in Vietnam because there's a fuckload in Saigon.
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Oct 3, 2014 10:22
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I will be heading to hanoi/halong tomorrow. Vietnam supremacy!!
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Oct 3, 2014 11:15
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nelson posted:Headed to Vietnam tomorrow. 4 nights in HCMC, 4 in Hoi An, 3 in Hue, 5 in Hanoi. Any advice/comments for a first timer? If someone tries to sell you something you don't want, just say "kong gam un" and keep walking. Your Vietnam experience will improve considerably with just that. Or just walk two blocks and get out of the touristy areas, and no one will try to sell you poo poo. Be wary of taxi drivers. I never took a cab in Hanoi or elsewhere, but in Saigon, only Vinasun and one other company I forget were reputable. Your plan is solid and you're going to good places. But if you can change your plan, spend less time in Hue, and maybe one less night in Hoi An, and more in Saigon or up north, like Sapa or Halong bay. With your current time, looks like you'll have to choose between Sapa and Halong bay near Hanoi. I'd go with Halong bay and spend as long as you can out there. But if you can make time for both, do both. Find someone to go with if you can. Hanoi Backpackers hostel is full of drunk Aussies. Their Halong bay tours are similar, so if that's your scene, go with them. If not, Friendly Backpackers was where I stayed and I had a good time, and I booked a tour with them. If in some disaster scenario you can't do either Sapa or Halong, going to Nihn Bihn and taking a 'river cruise' is an easy day trip that will get you into the countryside up there. By river cruise I mean it's some old Vietnamese guy paddling you down a river on a rowboat. Night busses are fun. Hope you like karaoke. If you're sitting in a park and someone comes up to you and says "Hey can I speak English with you?" it's not a scam or anything, they really just want to speak English. You can learn a lot about what Vietnamese people think by chatting to them like this. Eat bahn mi and drink ice coffee on the street every day. If you smoke tobacco, try the bamboo water bongs. Lots in Hanoi around the Bia Hoi corner. Oh yeah, and drink Bia Hoi in Hanoi. In Saigon, find the plastic chairs on Bui Vien and enjoy a Saigon Red. There's really good fruit smoothies in the alley here - https://www.google.com.tw/maps/@10.767122,106.6933595,3a,75y,335.9h,78.34t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1sJGnl6v2ZeWsAAAGuqWERIg!2e0!3e11 Just off Bui Vien, if you walk from the Crazy Buffalo to the B's Mart there, it's in that little alley which will be on your right. The stall in front is imitators, you want to go to the stall in the alley. If you go at night it can be pretty busy. I tried to find other stuff, but many of the places I went to I have no idea what the names were. You'll have a good time.
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Oct 3, 2014 12:15
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Seconding lots of 40 cent Bahn mi but the iced coffee is grossly sweet. Also 333 is my favorite se asian beer so drink a shitload of it for me Also don't baby math debater for having brain problems I have em too and still had a loving kickass time in Southeast Asia with lots of sexs,drugs and drinking (no hookers just other backpackers). He's just a giant weenie
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Oct 3, 2014 13:38
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manwithoutskin posted:Another question for y'all. I've read some places can give you hassle about not having a ticket of sorts showing you are leaving before your visa is up. I read the same thing about EU and never was asked to prove anything, inside or outside the schengen zone, which I crossed a few times. Is SEA going to be the same? I got asked if I had a visa for Thailand when I left Glasgow, but this was by the KLM lady at the checkin desk. I said I had an onward flight with another airline (which I didn't) and she said I'd need to show that in Thailand or I wouldn't get in. I knew this to be bullshit but I said "ok". Thai immigration didn't bat an eyelid and just stamped me in. That was with a clean passport though. When I went through a couple months ago with my passport stuffed full of visas and stamps for various places the lady said "Hmm. How long you staying in Thailand for?" and I said "I'm leaving in three days" and she said "Ok!" and then gave me the usual 30 day stamp. For places like Cambodia and Laos you just tell them you're leaving over land, they're happy with that. For Burma I had to get a visa in advance and there was a sign in the embassy saying you need to show an onward ticket but I didn't have one so I just handed over my paperwork and hoped for the best. They didn't ask for it and gave me my visa. I took the onward ticket to Burma but they didn't ask to see it when I entered. If you have overstaid just get to the airport/border half an hour before you have to, march up to anyone official and say "I've overstayed". They'll fill in a form, take your money and give you a receipt. Cambodia is $5/day, I think Thailand is about $10/day, and they'll give you a receipt. You don't have to bribe them exactly but not all of that money will find its way to the government ifyouknowwhatImean. Then again that's probably a good thing. Strictly speaking you can only be "deported" from a country by its government, not immigration or the police, and you're not going to get persona non grata status unless you've committed crimes and even then it's unlikely unless you did time for drug smuggling or kiddie sex. The only thing you have to really worry about with overstaying is how other countries will look at it, particularly Australia and the US. I've heard of people with a few days overstayed in Thailand flying into Australia on a one way ticket and being frogmarched to the QANTAS desk to buy an overpriced ticket out in exactly 30 days, but Australians are bastards.
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Oct 3, 2014 14:27
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Specifically speaking to Thailand, if you have a visa you don't need proof of onward travel. If you show a visa that's it. You're in and you're good. Could there be some crazy check in counter person who misinterprets this and asks for proof within the visa validity period? Yeah. Is it likely? No. The regulation says that if you don't have a visa you need proof of onward travel. Anything else is outside the regulations. If questioned, point this out to whoever questions you. For fun, you could print out the regulations ahead of time. For Cambodia and Laos I cannot begin to imagine anyone ever asking. No idea about Vietnam, they're loony tunes about visas up there and have the dumbest system in Southeast Asia. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 14:53 on Oct 3, 2014 |
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Oct 3, 2014 14:36
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