Local Shock

Anywhere and everywhere else the culture shock would have been less. There would be no need to identify with the local customs, fit into new fashions, even the law at times can be a variant- depending on the mess of the police and strength of ones embassy. Being foreign excuses you from all sorts of social compliance. And with that, your personal quirks are quickly mistaken for cultural quirks. Don’t disregard it, its get out of jail free card.

I had managed ok until this point. Leaving the job, familiar routine, and new family one creates as an expat, I arrived in Bangkok airport with my identity surprisingly intact. Coming from Cambodia, people were flashy and less tacky. Asian women wore spunky high wasted slacks and sophisticated understated shoes. Although a sizable number of these Thai ladies were with dooffie western lads, both were at the airport sustaining a relationship for something longer than a few romantic weeks, some with children, one even with the extended Thai family (had me looking twice).

Even where it was more than a mere a variation of Cambodia, with Middle Eastern representatives cruising about in burkas, the role I filled for the past six months hadn’t changed. I was just the funny foreigner with green eyes. It was only when boarding the Jet Star flight to Melbourne that I had momentary hyperventilating culture shock. University holidays coming to an end, a cheap flight back to Melbourne, there was an entire plane of Melbournite Scenesters heading back to ‘Uni’ after busting out in Bangkok. The people I grew up with.

They’re loose, slouchy 1980’s rock stars, and I’m in the bathroom quickly shaping up my hair and makeup to join them. It’s not so much what my planes’ thinking now, as much as what my networks back home will be thinking on hip Brunswick St. My foreigner excuse now gone, I was bowing my head hoping not to be recognized someone would have to explain myself to.

Yes, as a foreigner, there are language barriers and a whole load of miscommunications on whether you were insulted or complemented? Surprisingly however, we become more accepting of unusual behavior. Confused on what to consider a personal flaw or cultural attribute- social faux pas are not only excused but considered potentially legitimate behavior. Hey, if that’s how they do it in Chicago right?

Hoping that my scruffy rock star plane would also let slide my manicured look and toned down soft accent, I quickly began planning to escape to Flemington where the newly immigrated wouldn’t be so quick criticize my own quirks.

Global Community: Personal Mess

After a hefty work day I went to the local bar to debrief to the one lady that would simply understand why I was about to bust. I boot up my computer and let it fly. My frustrations of juggling window tabs, emailing like a mad woman merely to reach new hights of mis-communication, and once again having to rack through the web for potential funders that despite all efforts and sexy writing, will eventuate to nothing anyhow.

Where I would normally share this ‘Happy Hour Blurt’ with Kyle over a white sangria, I have resorted to merely describing the bar tender to her over g-chat. She would have been more impressed if she was in Cambodia to see him. My ‘Happy Hour’ lady and previous roommate, has now become yet another online relationship to complete my cyber filled day. Global Communities suck.

Cambodia is all about the global community. With such a high rate of dependence on foreign aid and development, this place is reaping with expats. With such little in the way of cinemas, salsa classes, and to be honest, men, few of these expats stay over two years, the diehards making it to the four year mark. And with this we have a group of people with far too great an emotional investment in the internet, and too little investment in building a community where they are. Thinking global acting local is put on the back-burn.

For a country with no footpaths and security systems that consist of bolt locks and barb wire, this country has the highest rate of Wi-Fi I have experienced. I’m not talking library’s, heaven forbid the government subsidize such services for the public, I’m talking café’s, gyms, and even a substantial number of bars, that have now put up ‘No Skype’ signs to stop the server from being overloaded by over eager foreigners.

Happy hour and the internet- nothing will keep us away. Its where we are understood, its where we have left the friends we grew up with, an engaging conversation from another time and place, and the passing through fling that continues to sizzle away over virtual updates. Brunch with four of my girlfriends goes for hours as young sophisticated ladies, socially ept may I add, spend long Sundays browsing the net.

My bank, my job, my current affairs and now my heart, how healthy can that be? It sure is mobility baby, but it’s also scattered. San Fran, Kyle who exclaims that she has never met more sparky people than in Taipai, Toronto, Melissa who just wishes she could get all the spunks she has online in one place that could be called home, and me, whose tired out by the updating & reporting. Is it worth meeting these amazing people, and having them in our lives in whatever cruddy virtual format it may be?

Whilst I burrow my head in the computer with another glass of wine, I realize my decreasing chance of me ever finding the possie that Hugh Grant had in Notting Hill. Eh, but atleast its better than my past emotional investment in television- so I’m a one up.


Moments of Yumminess: Menu Degustation


For the super greedy of us- wanting to sample the yummiest of all samples- we have Degustation. 8 to 16 courses, 8 to 16 wines, 'menu de degustation' is a "tasting menu". Quality not quantity- special flavours one by one, special friends wherever you are.

Slamming all you have into one may be quick and convinient, but taking the time (money) to seek out a like minded lady 100's of miles away will make you smile even if only for one mouthful.