Following a great suggestion from listener Kelly, Greg and Ed discuss the ‘expat bubble,’ the tendency for expats (and tourists) to primarily spend time with foreigners, rather than experience the same Bangkok that the majority of Thais are experiencing. Kelly noted that on her recent solo travels in Bangkok, she often found truly Thai markets that were very cheap with delicious food but also that she was the only Westerner there. Certain other cheap food courts, such as those in Big C, would have a more mixed customer base. What gives?

Greg and Ed do their best to untangle the mystery. Perhaps the ‘super-Thai’ markets appeared too dirty to anyone but long-term expats, with tiny plastic chairs sitting among random detritus, food apparently kept sitting out too long, and the potential of random vermin running across your feet. Or could it be the expected lack of English and the social awkwardness of functioning among Thai who might not be used to tourists and foreigners? This certainly kept Greg from experiencing ‘real’ Thailand during his first wasted half-year in Chiang Mai. The boys note that a lot of what’s going on might just boil down to personality type. Some of us expats and tourists are just naturally more adventurous and willing to put up with some embarrassment in order to try something new. While others stick to the predictable path, if not Starbucks or McDonald’s, then a ‘Thai’ food court in a clean, international mall.

In the end, Greg and Ed make the case for reminding yourself that perhaps 80% of Thais in Bangkok rarely interact with foreigners, and it’s their lives that actually constitute the ‘real’ Thailand. So if you want to experience something really new and different and not just safe, it’s probably worth giving some of those crowded, hot and grimy markets a go. At the very least, you’ll save money and eat well! :)

Don’t forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. We also sometimes post on Facebook, you can contact us on LINE and of course, head to our website (www.bangkokpodcast.com) to find out probably more info than you need to know.

We recount the fascinating story of George DuPont, the only Thai person who fought in the American Civil War. The first record of George in the U.S. is in 1859, but almost nothing is known of how or why he ended up in the United States. We know that in 1862 he volunteered for a New Jersey regiment to fight for the North in the American Civil War. Shockingly, he fought in and survived the battles of Antietam, Chancellorville, and Gettysburg, three of the bloodiest battles of the war. He was eventually naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1869.

He subsequently returned to Thailand, or Siam as it was known, and worked a variety of jobs, from writer for an English language newspaper to a drillmaster to a timber dealer. He died at age 56, and you can still see his grave in the Bangkok Protestant Cemetery on Charoen Krung 72/5.

George DuPont represents a fascinating glimpse into the lives of early Thai immigrants to America. Greg and Ed surmise that there must have been immigrants before him, equally or more interesting! One way or another, we’ll find them and tell their stories on the Bangkok Podcast. :)

Don’t forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we’ll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

Greg questions Ed about his main job - teaching ‘American Studies’ to Thai college students. Effectively, Ed’s job and his side gig (the podcast) are opposites of each other, given that he is attempting to explain Thai society and culture to foreigners on the podcast.

Ed begins with America 101 - basic lessons about the U.S. that every Thai person should know, especially before traveling there. First, the U.S. is physically a VERY big country, but also quite diverse. The Northeast is quite different from the Midwest, which is in turn different from the South, which differs from the West Coast, etc. Hence, Ed notes that the U.S. is actually a difficult country to generalize about, and some of his students grapple with the concept. For instance, life in an urban city can be completely different from life in the suburbs or rural area, despite both being in the U.S. Second, the U.S. has a violent crime problem, and Thais should be very careful where and when they go somewhere, especially in cities. While the country overall is ‘safe’ in the general sense, that’s not true at all times and in all places. And last, health care in the U.S. is VERY expensive, and no one should travel there without health insurance. ‘Nuff said.

Greg then asks Ed about cultural lessons, and Ed notes that often American culture is best explained as the reverse of Thai culture. The U.S. is individualistic, while Thailand is group-oriented. The U.S. is legalistic and ‘low context’, while Thailand is ‘flexible’ about the law and ‘high context.’ And of course, Americans are more direct and engaging than Thais, who tend to be ‘shy’ and hang back, especially with strangers.

No culture is inherently ‘better’ or ‘worse’ than any other, but that doesn’t mean they are all the same. :)

Don’t forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. We also sometimes post on Facebook, you can contact us on LINE and of course, head to our website (www.bangkokpodcast.com) to find out probably more info than you need to know.