Hello. This is Machiyama from Monosus Thailand.
I came to Thailand in April and it's already been six months.
In my August article , "Why I was attracted to Thailand and what it's like living in a foreign land ," I explained why I came to Thailand and how my feelings changed afterwards.
Now that I'm completely used to life in Thailand, I'd like to report on what my life is actually like in Thailand over the course of a week.
Monday: A fun start to the week at the company cafeteria
I end up staying up late on weekends...
I suddenly looked at the clock this morning and realized it was already this time!
But it's okay if you wake up a little late.
In my household, it only takes 15 minutes to get to the office.
In the morning, I go to work on the Skytrain called “BTS”.
Thai people don't try to squeeze onto the train until it's too crowded, so they can enjoy a much more comfortable commute compared to Japan.
The trains are new and the interiors are clean and comfortable.
Now, it's time for the long-awaited lunch. We have a company cafeteria on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays!
I order from local food stalls and cafes nearby and have them delivered.
Everyone can choose what they like from the menu, but I mostly choose "Stir-fried cashew nuts" and "Kai Yat Sai (Thai-style omelette)". This menu is also recommended for those who are not good at Thai food.
Top left: Stir-fried cashew nuts; Center: Spicy stir-fried tuna and vegetables; Bottom left: Stir-fried seafood with garlic; Bottom right: Genchu (thin soup)...etc.
This time spent talking with the staff at a long table during lunchtime is
It's the quickest way to learn Thai.
Thai pronunciation is difficult and I'm laughing bitterly
Tuesday Bangkok Food Situation
For lunch on days other than the company cafeteria days, I usually go to a local restaurant nearby.
A local shop next to the nearby post office
It's crowded with people who work nearby, so you have to wait quite a while for your food to arrive.
These local restaurants don't have a set menu, and will make whatever they have the ingredients for. What's surprising is how cheap the prices are. You can have lunch every day for just 40-50 baht (about 120-150 yen). In Tokyo, the cost of lunch was not cheap, but in Thailand, I don't feel like I'm spending a lot of money on lunch.
Finish work early and go to dinner with friends.
There are surprisingly many stylish shops in Thailand.
Before coming to Thailand, I never imagined there would be so many cafes with this kind of atmosphere.
Taxis are quite cheap, with a starting fare of 35 baht (about 105 yen), so there are many occasions when I use a taxi in my daily life. Most trips are 40 to 50 baht (about 120 to 150 yen), and even for reasonable distances it's only about 100 baht (about 300 yen), so it's hard to imagine a life without taxis now...
Taxis are generally rough drivers. When getting in, you open the door yourself, tell the driver your destination, and if the driver nods, you can get in.
Wednesday: Standard day
My daily work routine roughly looks like this:
Arrive at work at 9:00.
Check and reply to emails.
If there are any new projects, we prepare for their development, identify any unclear points regarding production, and confirm specifications.
We respond to questions from Thai coders, confirm implementation methods, and deploy the solution after confirmation from the client.
Prepare checks and check backs.
Checking before preview, responding to feedback, deploying, checking before delivery, etc.
The office is surrounded by greenery and is very open, so it's comfortable even if you stay cooped up all day.
The time I return home depends on how busy my case is at the time.
If I'm not busy, I get home around 7pm.
On Wednesdays, I rush off to Thai class.
Here you will learn Thai in both Thai and English.
Although I am not very good at English, I am working hard every day to improve my language skills as quickly as possible so that the encounters I have in places where people of different nationalities gather will not just be fleeting experiences.
Thursday is a must-see for vintage clothing lovers
I finished work early today and went to a great event in the evening.
"Swap 'til You Drop!" A gathering to swap unwanted clothes.
Each person brings their own clothes, shoes, hats, bags, accessories, etc. that they no longer wear, and if they find something they like among the collected items, they can take it home for free.
A mountain of treasure!
Left: The organizer of the event Center: The owner of this space and a flamenco dancer Right: My friend who often helps me out in Bangkok
The space and the people there were wonderful and I was very satisfied!
It's more than the number of clothes I brought with me, but I was told not to worry.
I also got some loot like this.
Friday A work-filled weekend
Today is delivery day. If the project isn't progressing well, I might miss the last train...
Even though it's Friday, I'm going to go straight home and sleep without setting an alarm to recover from the fatigue of the week.
Saturday my wish came true
There is something I have been interested in for a long time. That is "ballet."
When I heard that a dance festival was being held in Thailand, I immediately booked tickets three months in advance, and this time I went to see my first ever ballet performance.
The main hall of the Thailand Cultural Centre. Built with ODA from Japan, this concert hall is equipped with the highest level of acoustics in Thailand.
I was impressed that there was such a hall in Thailand. I'm secretly thinking that when my work gets a little more settled, I'd like to learn dance or something.
The performance was Giselle. At the end was the flower presentation and greeting scene.
In the evening, I went to a friend's DJ event.
There are plenty of music events in Thailand, too. There are a few small bars and event spaces here and there.
I have a senior from my university days living in Bangkok, and he is a DJ, so I sometimes go to his events. When I was in Japan, I rarely talked to strangers (especially foreigners) without a reason, but now I try to talk to them proactively.
JAM. There is also a gallery space on the second floor. The person in the middle is my senior from college.
These types of opportunities allow me to expand my circle of friends, so it's one that I would like to continue cherish.
Sunday A relaxing weekend
I have a Japanese friend who lives in the apartment building next door, and we sometimes have meals together. On this day, she had plans to meet her Thai friend, so she took me along.
My friend is a very friendly and nice person, and apparently likes Sailor Moon and Saint Seiya. When I make friends with foreigners, I'm happy that we often have fun talking about Japanese anime (because I love anime).
At first we were chatting about anime culture, but halfway through it turned into a Thai language lesson, and we had a great time spending a Sunday afternoon.
Relieve stress with sweet treats!
In the evening, I go to a massage parlor near my house to relieve the fatigue of the week and prepare for the next day...
summary
There are a lot of Japanese people in Bangkok, and there are plenty of Japanese restaurants, so it is possible to live as if you were in Japan. However, if you are willing to take a step outside of Japan, you will find a multinational community and can live a life that is truly overseas.
How you make the most of this wonderful environment is up to you.
Thailand has a climate like midsummer all year round. I hate getting sunburned, but I don't want to go back to Japan just yet because I'm enjoying an exciting and happy life here.
From now on, I would like to continue to make the most of each day and take advantage of the opportunities that I am blessed with because I am in Thailand.