Some Good (and Bad) Ways That Being an Expat Has Changed Us [S5.E17]

Greg and Ed bare their souls and discuss how living in Thailand has changed them for the better - and for the worse. Greg begins by noting that since being in Thailand he has a much greater appreciation for the life struggles of the average person, in Thailand as well as the rest of the world.  Raised middle class in the West, it is easy to see yourself as ‘normal,’ when in reality you are quite lucky compared to many people around the world. 

Ed then observes that living overseas has helped him to realize what is universal in the human experience and what is more cultural or unique.  The truth is that a lot of ‘Thai’ behavior is just human and not uniquely Thai, and the same goes for things that we think of as American.

Greg follows by pointing out all of his accomplishments of the last twenty years and how making his way in the world as an expat has given him a different angle on the world than his friends back home. Not necessarily a ‘better’ angle, but certainly a different one. 

Not being able to escape all the classes he teaches, Ed notes that he has learned a much greater appreciation for the boring subject of the ‘rule of law.’  Simple things that you take for granted back home - such as everyone who breaks the law gets punished - are not always true in Thailand, and the consequences can be grave. 

As for how Thailand has made Greg and Ed worse, you’ll have to listen to the show to hear those confessions. :)

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