Still a Farang

Sure, you’re told it shouldn’t be taken as offensive when Thais call you farang. But walking down the street and hearing them talk about you (because you can understand when they say farang!) is still odd. I can’t imagine a group of Canadians seeing an Asian walking down the street and calling him a foreigner! “Hey! Look at the foreigner!”. So I try to think of nice things they can be saying... Aren’t we lucky farangs visit our country? This farang girl seems nice? One day I have to say hello and ask where she comes from?

Everything here has a farang price and a local price. Sure, I guess I can afford to pay the farang price... But I live here now, and won’t earn a farang salary! One could argue it still is a farang salary. My answer is that I couldn’t live with that amount of money in farang land!!! Period.

There are several reasons why people strive to become fluent in the local language when they go to work in a foreign country. To me, not only is it about respecting my adoptive country, it’s also by fear of being left out of conversations when it’s getting interesting and or not making real friendships because I will always be the tourist, the outsider. And also by finally being able to understand what they are saying about the farang walking down the street!

I like the feeling of locals being impressed by my few Thai words, and laughing at the way I pronounce them. But for now, it’s not enough, not very satisfying. I want to take lessons, but I’m a bit of a coward. Plus I can’t afford it at the moment, which is a great excuse. Then I will start to work and will make lack of time my excuse. But I still practice with my CD and book, and say as much as I can in Thai when I go to the market, the shops, the restaurants…

So I’m still a farang, and always will be. But an important note to self : instead of getting quiet when embarrassed, Thais giggle. This causes them trouble with Westerners, who are always sure they are being made fun of. Mai Pen Rai... Keeping a “cold heart” in Thai custom is definitely helping me! (I will describe Mai Pen Rai in a future post!)