What does it feel like to grow up abroad

I'm a third culture kid, which means I spent a significant amount of my childhood abroad. Many people have asked me, what's it like to grow up abroad. Here's my short answer:

1. You realise your own language is very limited, so you need to use phrases from the other language

2. You always miss someone

3. You say goodbye a lot

4. You always miss something (food, candy, TV, weather, buildings...)

5. You don't know where you're from

6. You most likely love airports and planes

7. When you go back to your "home" country, you feel like an outsider

8. Being a foreigner feels normal. And when you're not, it's WEIRD.

9. Cultural and practical differences abroad don't bother you

10. You have more political, religious and cultural knowledge than your peer's back "home"

A Bit Like Taj Mahal - Neilson Hays Library

Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal in memory of his wife. 

I visited a beautiful library in Bangkok last week. It was a bit like Taj Mahal, but not because of its size or style. It was built in a memory of a wife. 

 I loved the athmospere in this small library. The neo-classical building has witnessed interesting historical events, like 2nd World War (Japanese troops used it for billeting troops). Now it stands proudly in the middle of a modern and fast-paced metropolis. 

Unfortunately it was forbidden to take photos inside, but below you can see other people's pics.

Borrowed from HERE

Borrowed from HERE

If you're in BKK, I recommend visiting Neilson Hays Library. It's about a 15 minute walk from Chong Nonsi BTS station. It might be hot, but worth it! 

Koh Tao

I am sitting in a cute cafe near the pier. I've spent couple days in a paradise: Koh Tao. It's been wonderful. Turquoise water, corals, Finding Nemo fish, palm trees... 

The pic above is from the Koh Samui - Koh Tao ferry.

This was our breakfast view.

We stayed in Sensi Paradise Beach Resort. I love the atmosphere of sleeping under mosquito net.

My hubby got 5 stitches, because he cut his foot on a ship wreck under water. Luckily we had good books and a great hotel, so the holiday wasn't ruined. We'll leave this paradise in couple hours, but we'll come back. Definitely. 

Colorful Bangkok (And some other stuff)

I'm excited! Blogs by Christian Women will publish my text May 30. I hope you'll head over there and leave a comment :)

Colorful (and hot) Bangkok

It's been extremely hot here in BKK. 35-40 Celsius (95-104 degrees) plus the crazy humidity. But I love it! 






I am super executed about tonight! Team Finland might win the gold metal! (Ice hockey world championships)


By the way, you still have couple days to post a link to your May Challenge post(s)! 

An InLinkz Link-up

Colorful Bangkok - about the coup

If you've been following the news, you'd know that there's been a coup here in Thailand. Everything is very peaceful and the only thing indicating some political turmoil is that the shopping mall nearby closed at 8PM instead of 10PM (the curfew). Soldiers also patrol along roadsides, BUT nothing horrible has happened. Everything is quite normal.

Yesterday we visited Safari World. The pic below is from a dolphin show.

Stolen lives

When you think about Thailand, this might come to your mind...

Or this...

Unfortunately Thailand, the beach paradise, is much more than warm sand under your toes or crystal clear ocean waves. 

For many, Thailand is not a paradise. It is a nightmare. 

Stolen lives

I grew up in Thailand and I often heard stories about young girls sent to work in Pattaya. These young girls had to say goodbye to their childhood. They had to face an unbearably cruel and unloving world as they sold their young bodies to foreign tourists and rich Thai men. Rice fields and village schools changed into bars and neon lights. 

Too many children (and adults too) have to sell their self worth in Thailand. I can't imagine what it feels like, as a child, to give your body to old men.

It's heartbreaking. 

The reason...

why I wrote this post is to give a voice to those small Thai girls, who master the art of being pretty and flirtatious. 

I ask you to visit the links below. Ask yourself: 

Can I help?

Chab Dai

A screenshot 

Home of New Beginnings

A screenshot

Slavery No More

A screenshot

FAAST International

A screenshot

HERE you can read my earlier human/sex trafficking post.

Exotic soaps

I bought these lovely and exotic soaps from BKK (Terminal 21). I think the tin boxes are awesome! And they smell amazing...

Apple, Papaya, Mangosteen.

Terminal 21

My new favorite shopping mall in Bangkok is Terminal 21. It's not your typical mall, instead it's full of small independent shops with creatively dressed window displays. So it's a perfect place to do some window shopping if you're traveling with a tight budget. PLUS there's a really cheap food court! 

(About the pics: I'm sorry their not sharp. I was in a hurry to take them before someone would come to say "no camera!" In many malls in BKK, photographing is prohibited. Later I noticed that everyone else were taking pics, so I guess it's not a NO-NO in Terminal 21.)

The London floor

The Istanbul floor

The Paris floor

Unfortunately this shop didn't actually sell "korvia" (It's ears in Finnish). I'd like to have an extra pair.

More pics from BKK

The colorful Bangkok

Delicious Thai Food

Couple pics of delicious and beautifully displayed Thai food

Koh Samet

We spent couple days in an island called Koh Samet, which is in the Eastern coast of Thailand.

 

We stayed at the Sawasdee Coco resort, right at the beach. The hotel was ok, but the rooms (bungalows) were quite small though. Other guests were mainly Thais, which was a bit surprising because the island was full of Russian tourists.

I wouldn't reccommend Koh Samet if you're looking for a quite beach paradise. At least during December, it is filled with Russian sun bathers. But if you don't mind having hundreds of people around, in very revealing bikinis or topless, Samet is a place for you. 

Great things about Koh Samet are that you can get there relatively easy and fast, plus there are things to do even after the sun has gone down. I got the best head and shoulder massage there. 

Our bungalow

He sells Roti. Roti is a Thai muslim pancake. YUM!

 Not the only one

A boat trip around the island

I love sunsets