I think if you were single you would think differently about taking language classes. It’s also a social thing for many expats and foreigners. You meet a lot of people, make new friends and able to practice with people you know and like.
There are so many ways to meet people here in BKK. Language class wouldn't be my choice for socializing and making friends. I look for people with the same interests and hobbies as me. The meetup app and fb groups are very active here. If you enjoy rock-climbing, join a group. If pickleball is your thing, go to that meetup. There are coffee meetups all the time. Gaming? Those peeps are out there too. There are also language exchange meetups too. If I were single, I still would not want to go to class 😂 As for practicing Thai, I chat to the people that work in our building, the street vendors I see everyday, the peeps at my coffee spot, etc.
Can you do a video geared towards women of color beauty services. Example hair, nails, clothing options for curvy bodys etc etc. I would luv to hear your experience and options in Thailand for these services
Good informative video. Kirsten is on point. A “wet bulb” environment takes a toll on your body (the plants, flowers and trees thrive in it!). When I lived in the Philippines for almost 3 years. I was in and out of air-conditioned buildings all day, and staying out too long in the heat and humidity was a perfect set up for a heat stroke. One day, I came home from work to my apartment. I lay down with a cold moist towel over my forehead. I was a mess. Don’t play with high heat and humidity-hydrate, take rest breaks, respect nature, respect the host country. It’s better that way.
New sub. I like your channel. You're not grifting off UA-cam - not making UA-cam and Bangkok condo showings your income. You're a normal person who's living abroad & sharing great info. You attract by not promoting. I may ask you for a consultation sometime just for this reason! Thanks so much.
The heat and humidity are killing! I was born and raised in Thailand but have been living aboard for years. I always have a hard time dealing with the heat when I visit Thailand. I usually go to the island when it's too hot. Stay away from the northern part during burning season. Have air purifier at home. Like you said, it is not unbearable. However, I can only speak for my own experience. Love when you said " you can be yourself 100%". I am glad you enjoy living in Thailand. Oh, yeah...you will eventually be able to speak Thai 😊.
That lie we tell ourselves of I'll immerse myself into the culture and language to learn faster needs to be studied. Love the video on the challenges of living in Bangkok.
I think we always go into it with the best of intentions. I also think we're at an advantage as native English speakers, as English is the foremost global language used in business. Definitely an interesting topic for sure.
@@whatsupwkirsten - Yes, when I lived in S. Korea for six months I had those intentions. But you fall back on what's familiar when you just want to pay for your transaction and buy a 10c bag.
Kirsten, you are just being real.. I watch a myriad of vlogs and vloggers and most of them are the want all, can do all, very optimistic and out going....crash and burn.. but I'm mature enough in life to know not all is what it seems. So vloggers keeping it real are far and in between. Maybe not to everyone's liking but nonetheless .. real. Speaking for myself I would be around where you are at. My husband and I have always lived in mixed culture countries/societies. Mixing is not a real problem. Love to travel, want to travel and planning to in the near future when we can finally leisure travel. We pick up some words here and there of the countries we are interested in but nothing major, not enough to sell nor educate😅, I see a difference with my husband, he picks up words and sentences much faster than I do. It sticks with him while mine is going in and out like a revolving door. We are both multilingual, sharing 3 of them and the rest are different. For instance, I love K-pop/ drama and also J-pop/drama have watch it closely for 20 years, visited the countries multiple times yet nothing much sticked with me. Sometimes you vibe with a language or you don't. Keep trying but don't be to hard on yourself☕..way to hot and humid... and yeah that is also one thing I don't really like, hate sweating but I will survive🥵
Sounds like you can take a little of your own good advice about the languages and not be too hard on yourself. You'll be surprised how many words and phrases you'll recognize once you revisit those countries in true leisure mode, and not I-have-to-be-back-at-work-in-three-weeks mode. You know I love me some K-pop/drama 💖 Always appreciate you watching and your thoughtful comments 😍
@@whatsupwkirsten Yep.. words will come back to me when I'm there..anywhere. Enoug to be polite and express thanks at the very least😄. Travel/tourism these passed 10/15 years have changed dramatically. From finding your way on paper roadmaps and unreadible roadsigns to carying booklets of some foreign language in your backpocket to using all kinds of apps that guides you from door to door and many translation apps thrown in the mix too. People nowadays know quite a few words English and other languages because of the digital world...making settling in a breeze.
Hey Kirsten, great commentary! Any plans for you and hubby to apply for the new 5 yr visa and buy a condo in Thailand? Im visiting Portugal in October for 3 months then Thailand for 6 months with hopes to buy a condo as a part time home then eventually longterm living. Is it worth it or can you think of any cons?
Hey Belinda, the 5yr visa is an awesome visa for folks who work remotely and/or are entrepreneurs. As we're retired, we plan to continue with the annual retirement visa/extension. As for buying a condo, for us, it's a no. We like the flexibility that renting provides. So exciting, your travels are coming right up! Enjoy! 😍
September 1st and I am mentally preparing to learn Portuguese since i am an immigrant and this is my forever home! Luckily the Portuguese are warm, welcoming and forgiving people, but I realize i have an obligation to integrate and learn the language! I will commit to 2-3 days per week of classes. Weather is great where we are and pollution would be a deal breaker for me! Plus I love a home and not a hotel type situation...Home is a feeling and I have that feeling!❤Portugal and we got lucky!!
I’m from Bangkok and I’ve been living in Lisbon, Portugal in the last 3 years and still loving it. Obviously there’s not much to do compare to Bangkok. But I like the weather, the people are friendly, less pollution and it’s definitely safer than Thailand.
I like the way you put things and your outlook, the only exception is I’m originally from Hawai’i and we have the best weather lol. I do agree that there is a nice feeling moving around and seeing the diversity and no one reacting negatively or uncomfortably with the diversity of ethnicity, religious or sexual orientation that is part of Thailand. Language is a thing but being in Krung Thep it is easier to get by as there are many people who actually want to try and converse in English, but as you I should be more active in learning Thai. Hopefully run into you guys one day.
Aloha, you got me on the weather. We lived in Kihei on Maui many moons ago and that really was the best weather 😍 Mahalo for watching and for your comment 😀
Maybe go out for more walks so your body gets use to it. Coconut water, watermelon (structured water) is in abundance here in Thailand and cheap. These will hydrate and replenish any nutritional loss.
When we first arrived in BKK I did a ton of walking exploring different areas of the city, revisiting favorite places from previous travel here, etc. I've definitely fallen out of that habit over the last year and need to get back to it 😀
While the hot weather may be bearable right now, the climate change will make things much worse in few years. The earth is getting hotter each year now and I don’t think there is stopping it. That is really the main reason why I am not considering Thailand or SE Asia for retirement. It is unfortunate, because Thailand has so much going for it.
You are right, it's hotter everywhere and will only continue to get hotter. The good news is Thailand has been dealing with this heat forever and has the infrastructure here in BKK for a comfortable life 😀
@@whatsupwkirsten - I hope you are right. According to the news, rising sea levels are encroaching even on certain sections of Bangkok already. With more heat, there will also be more demand on the electrical grid as more people will have to run air conditioners for longer periods. I don’t know if you experience any outages now in BKK but I would hazard a guess that it could be easier to install your own solar power in a house in the provinces - so you could switch to that in case of a general outage.
@@jpny4750 Yes, flooding is definitely a problem. We've been fortunate not to lose power here in central BKK, but it was a regular occurrence during a short trip to Krabi during rainy season. Honestly it's not a problem I'm trying to solve. We can't predict the future, even though we can see where things are headed. Even more reason to enjoy the present 😀
I try to avoid dehydrating drinks, although I love my coffee. Fruits and veggies are good sources of both water and electrolytes (avocado, banana, watermelon, leafy greens). Almonds are a good source of magnesium. Lots of foods out there packed with electrolytes 😀
Enjoy your thoughtful observations. Can you discus your experiences interacting with other Non-American expats: For example: As an African-American have you encountered any racism from other expats like Brits or Russuans?)
its actually a big difference between Portugal and thailand in that in portugal you feel embarrasseed for. not being able to speak porrtugues and so you constantly feel a foreigner while in thai frankly its more an international city and no one expects you to speak thai
I didn’t care for how early it gets dark, I like the 9pm dark summers in the USA. Like you, I always carried a washcloth for the sweat. The several days that it is cooler out is like heaven! I have respiratory issues but the few days it was really bad I just stayed in, otherwise I was ok. There were a few cultural differences that peeved me to the utmost but otherwise I did fine . Great points in this video!
OK I like that there's the same amount of daylight all year around. I didn't really notice it at first but it's definitely different not having those endless summer days 😀
I think if you were single you would think differently about taking language classes. It’s also a social thing for many expats and foreigners. You meet a lot of people, make new friends and able to practice with people you know and like.
There are so many ways to meet people here in BKK. Language class wouldn't be my choice for socializing and making friends. I look for people with the same interests and hobbies as me. The meetup app and fb groups are very active here. If you enjoy rock-climbing, join a group. If pickleball is your thing, go to that meetup. There are coffee meetups all the time. Gaming? Those peeps are out there too. There are also language exchange meetups too. If I were single, I still would not want to go to class 😂 As for practicing Thai, I chat to the people that work in our building, the street vendors I see everyday, the peeps at my coffee spot, etc.
I really enjoy your calm and joyful delivery of your content…. Thanks for sharing 🌟🌟🌟
เช้าและเย็น เป็นเวลาที่ดี ในการออกจากบ้าน เที่ยงคุณควรอยู่ในบ้าน หรือในห้าง คุณจะเจออากาศแย่ในช่วงเก็บเกี่ยวอ้อยของชาวไร่ ในเดือนกุมภาพันธ์-เมษายน เฉพาะ กทม เชียงใหม่ เชียงราย ที่เหลือในจังหวัดอื่นอากาศดี เช่น ทางภาคใต้ของประเทศไม่มีปัญหานี้ ยินดีต้อนรับทุกคนจากประเทศไทย
ขอบคุณมาก ฉันต้องตื่นเช้าขึ้นเพื่อจะได้เพลิดเพลินกับอากาศดีๆ ข้างนอก ฉันชอบนอนมากเกินไป 5555
Very calm, collected and informative chat!
Can you do a video geared towards women of color beauty services. Example hair, nails, clothing options for curvy bodys etc etc. I would luv to hear your experience and options in Thailand for these services
Good informative video. Kirsten is on point. A “wet bulb” environment takes a toll on your body (the plants, flowers and trees thrive in it!). When I lived in the Philippines for almost 3 years. I was in and out of air-conditioned buildings all day, and staying out too long in the heat and humidity was a perfect set up for a heat stroke. One day, I came home from work to my apartment. I lay down with a cold moist towel over my forehead. I was a mess. Don’t play with high heat and humidity-hydrate, take rest breaks, respect nature, respect the host country. It’s better that way.
New sub. I like your channel. You're not grifting off UA-cam - not making UA-cam and Bangkok condo showings your income. You're a normal person who's living abroad & sharing great info. You attract by not promoting. I may ask you for a consultation sometime just for this reason! Thanks so much.
Who exactly are you shading rn? Lmaoo 😂
The heat and humidity are killing! I was born and raised in Thailand but have been living aboard for years. I always have a hard time dealing with the heat when I visit Thailand. I usually go to the island when it's too hot. Stay away from the northern part during burning season. Have air purifier at home. Like you said, it is not unbearable. However, I can only speak for my own experience. Love when you said " you can be yourself 100%". I am glad you enjoy living in Thailand. Oh, yeah...you will eventually be able to speak Thai 😊.
Thank you for the information regarding the heat/humidity. Will be visiting in a couple of months 👍🏾✈️🇹🇭😍
That lie we tell ourselves of I'll immerse myself into the culture and language to learn faster needs to be studied. Love the video on the challenges of living in Bangkok.
I think we always go into it with the best of intentions. I also think we're at an advantage as native English speakers, as English is the foremost global language used in business. Definitely an interesting topic for sure.
@@whatsupwkirsten - Yes, when I lived in S. Korea for six months I had those intentions. But you fall back on what's familiar when you just want to pay for your transaction and buy a 10c bag.
Perfectly said! great people for sure! thanks for you video 🙏
ช่วงนี้ฝนมักจะตกช่วงเย็น ถึงหัวค้ำ หรือไม่ก็หลัง 4 ทุ่มไปเลย อากาศดีน่านอนมากครับ .....เดือนหน้าก็เริ่มเข้าหน้าหนาว อากาศจะเย็นขึ้น สบายขึ้นแล้ว 😊
EXCELLENT TOPIC. THANKS
Hi Kirsten! Enjoyed your vlog! Have you checked out Rosetta stone? Maybe they'll sponsor you? Have a great day!🥰
The heat would be my biggest challenge. It’s the one thing that’s keeping a visit at bay. I sweat at just the word heat.
Kirsten, you are just being real.. I watch a myriad of vlogs and vloggers and most of them are the want all, can do all, very optimistic and out going....crash and burn.. but I'm mature enough in life to know not all is what it seems. So vloggers keeping it real are far and in between. Maybe not to everyone's liking but nonetheless .. real. Speaking for myself I would be around where you are at. My husband and I have always lived in mixed culture countries/societies. Mixing is not a real problem. Love to travel, want to travel and planning to in the near future when we can finally leisure travel. We pick up some words here and there of the countries we are interested in but nothing major, not enough to sell nor educate😅, I see a difference with my husband, he picks up words and sentences much faster than I do. It sticks with him while mine is going in and out like a revolving door. We are both multilingual, sharing 3 of them and the rest are different. For instance, I love K-pop/ drama and also J-pop/drama have watch it closely for 20 years, visited the countries multiple times yet nothing much sticked with me. Sometimes you vibe with a language or you don't. Keep trying but don't be to hard on yourself☕..way to hot and humid... and yeah that is also one thing I don't really like, hate sweating but I will survive🥵
Sounds like you can take a little of your own good advice about the languages and not be too hard on yourself. You'll be surprised how many words and phrases you'll recognize once you revisit those countries in true leisure mode, and not I-have-to-be-back-at-work-in-three-weeks mode. You know I love me some K-pop/drama 💖 Always appreciate you watching and your thoughtful comments 😍
@@whatsupwkirsten Yep.. words will come back to me when I'm there..anywhere. Enoug to be polite and express thanks at the very least😄. Travel/tourism these passed 10/15 years have changed dramatically. From finding your way on paper roadmaps and unreadible roadsigns to carying booklets of some foreign language in your backpocket to using all kinds of apps that guides you from door to door and many translation apps thrown in the mix too. People nowadays know quite a few words English and other languages because of the digital world...making settling in a breeze.
😂She say the heat is brutal🤣
Hey Kirsten, great commentary! Any plans for you and hubby to apply for the new 5 yr visa and buy a condo in Thailand? Im visiting Portugal in October for 3 months then Thailand for 6 months with hopes to buy a condo as a part time home then eventually longterm living. Is it worth it or can you think of any cons?
Hey Belinda, the 5yr visa is an awesome visa for folks who work remotely and/or are entrepreneurs. As we're retired, we plan to continue with the annual retirement visa/extension. As for buying a condo, for us, it's a no. We like the flexibility that renting provides. So exciting, your travels are coming right up! Enjoy! 😍
September 1st and I am mentally preparing to learn Portuguese since i am an immigrant and this is my forever home! Luckily the Portuguese are warm, welcoming and forgiving people, but I realize i have an obligation to integrate and learn the language! I will commit to 2-3 days per week of classes. Weather is great where we are and pollution would be a deal breaker for me! Plus I love a home and not a hotel type situation...Home is a feeling and I have that feeling!❤Portugal and we got lucky!!
I’m from Bangkok and I’ve been living in Lisbon, Portugal in the last 3 years and still loving it. Obviously there’s not much to do compare to Bangkok. But I like the weather, the people are friendly, less pollution and it’s definitely safer than Thailand.
I like the way you put things and your outlook, the only exception is I’m originally from Hawai’i and we have the best weather lol. I do agree that there is a nice feeling moving around and seeing the diversity and no one reacting negatively or uncomfortably with the diversity of ethnicity, religious or sexual orientation that is part of Thailand. Language is a thing but being in Krung Thep it is easier to get by as there are many people who actually want to try and converse in English, but as you I should be more active in learning Thai. Hopefully run into you guys one day.
Aloha, you got me on the weather. We lived in Kihei on Maui many moons ago and that really was the best weather 😍 Mahalo for watching and for your comment 😀
Maybe go out for more walks so your body gets use to it.
Coconut water, watermelon (structured water) is in abundance here in Thailand and cheap. These will hydrate and replenish any nutritional loss.
When we first arrived in BKK I did a ton of walking exploring different areas of the city, revisiting favorite places from previous travel here, etc. I've definitely fallen out of that habit over the last year and need to get back to it 😀
100% spot on! Respect the country you're visiting instead of bringing that American behavior and expect t be treated respectfully
อากาศประเทศไทยจะดีไปถึงเดือน มกราคม😊🎉❤
😍🇹🇭🙏🏾
While the hot weather may be bearable right now, the climate change will make things much worse in few years. The earth is getting hotter each year now and I don’t think there is stopping it. That is really the main reason why I am not considering Thailand or SE Asia for retirement. It is unfortunate, because Thailand has so much going for it.
You are right, it's hotter everywhere and will only continue to get hotter. The good news is Thailand has been dealing with this heat forever and has the infrastructure here in BKK for a comfortable life 😀
@@whatsupwkirsten - I hope you are right. According to the news, rising sea levels are encroaching even on certain sections of Bangkok already. With more heat, there will also be more demand on the electrical grid as more people will have to run air conditioners for longer periods. I don’t know if you experience any outages now in BKK but I would hazard a guess that it could be easier to install your own solar power in a house in the provinces - so you could switch to that in case of a general outage.
@@jpny4750 Yes, flooding is definitely a problem. We've been fortunate not to lose power here in central BKK, but it was a regular occurrence during a short trip to Krabi during rainy season. Honestly it's not a problem I'm trying to solve. We can't predict the future, even though we can see where things are headed. Even more reason to enjoy the present 😀
Is there something you do to address electrolytes loss?
I try to avoid dehydrating drinks, although I love my coffee. Fruits and veggies are good sources of both water and electrolytes (avocado, banana, watermelon, leafy greens). Almonds are a good source of magnesium. Lots of foods out there packed with electrolytes 😀
Well, I suppose I won't need a gym with a sauna membership! Save some coins. Heat, humidity is so good for my hair and skin. We'll see how I do.
Yep, you got this!
Enjoy your thoughtful observations. Can you discus your experiences interacting with other Non-American expats: For example: As an African-American have you encountered any racism from other expats like Brits or Russuans?)
Hi! Antoinette Yvonne, is a you American living in Thailand. Check out her channel! She has alot of helpful information on living in Bangkok
@artbrutnewyork really nothing to discuss. It has been a non-issue.
its actually a big difference between Portugal and thailand in that in portugal you feel embarrasseed for. not being able to speak porrtugues and so you constantly feel a foreigner while in thai frankly its more an international city and no one expects you to speak thai
I didn’t care for how early it gets dark, I like the 9pm dark summers in the USA. Like you, I always carried a washcloth for the sweat. The several days that it is cooler out is like heaven! I have respiratory issues but the few days it was really bad I just stayed in, otherwise I was ok. There were a few cultural differences that peeved me to the utmost but otherwise I did fine . Great points in this video!
OK I like that there's the same amount of daylight all year around. I didn't really notice it at first but it's definitely different not having those endless summer days 😀
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