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[Litlos]

Just to balance it out will throw in a few things from experience:

• Mosquito repellant -  take some with you, I buy one in an orange aerosol which works.  At work so cannot remember name.
  
• A bottle of Betadine and some cotton buds, for when the mozzies still get you etc
  
• If you have a laptop then a AIS aircard will give you internet if there is an AIS signal, will not be 3g though and with all the new smartphones will be slow.
  
• A couple of rolls of toilet paper in the luggage, along with the book "Using a squatting toilet 101".
  
• A large wash cloth.  Having tried using the Thai pot of cold water and failed, using a wet wash cloth followed by a rinse is much easier.
  
• A good book for when the GF wants to sit, eat, drink, talk with her friends and family in Thai.  Gives you something to do instead of sitting there bored.
  
• Small gifts for the family.  Remember as you start you will be expected to continue, let the GF be the guide.  Everytime we go to the village we take some food that cannot be sourced locally ie dried seafood etc, ensure is double bagged so no smell in luggage.
  
• Accept that as a visitor you are going to end up buying lots of food for the family, friends etc etc.  As mentioned previously if they are farmers they may not have much spare cash.  Total cost rarely exceeds the equivalent of a few beers at a bar.
  
• If the local kids are not used to expats then expect them to be a bit shy.  No rush they will get used to you.
  
• The local food can be a bit of a culture shock, cats and dogs aside.  They are generally poor people and any form of protien to supplement the rice is fair game.
  
• If the local food, drink etc does not to revolting the give it a try, you may be surprised.  If it does look revolting wait till pissed and then try.
  
• When trying new foods and drinks take it easy as will be something the system is not used to, and overindulgence can result in you becoming expert in the use of the squatter in a very short time.
  
• Be prepared to feel like the new exhibit in the zoo, it will ease up after a while. If in doubt smile and look confused.

Cheers

[yougivemebaby]

PoorSucker, on 2012-02-12 10:05:52, said:

Learn to drink Lao Khao before you go.

I imagine that's what prison wine tastes like

[yougivemebaby]

Litlos, on 2012-02-12 10:28:47, said:

Just to balance it out will throw in a few things from experience:

• Mosquito repellant -  take some with you, I buy one in an orange aerosol which works.  At work so cannot remember name.
  
• A bottle of Betadine and some cotton buds, for when the mozzies still get you etc
  
• If you have a laptop then a AIS aircard will give you internet if there is an AIS signal, will not be 3g though and with all the new smartphones will be slow.
  
• A couple of rolls of toilet paper in the luggage, along with the book "Using a squatting toilet 101".
  
• A large wash cloth.  Having tried using the Thai pot of cold water and failed, using a wet wash cloth followed by a rinse is much easier.
  
• A good book for when the GF wants to sit, eat, drink, talk with her friends and family in Thai.  Gives you something to do instead of sitting there bored.
  
• Small gifts for the family.  Remember as you start you will be expected to continue, let the GF be the guide.  Everytime we go to the village we take some food that cannot be sourced locally ie dried seafood etc, ensure is double bagged so no smell in luggage.
  
• Accept that as a visitor you are going to end up buying lots of food for the family, friends etc etc.  As mentioned previously if they are farmers they may not have much spare cash.  Total cost rarely exceeds the equivalent of a few beers at a bar.
  
• If the local kids are not used to expats then expect them to be a bit shy.  No rush they will get used to you.
  
• The local food can be a bit of a culture shock, cats and dogs aside.  They are generally poor people and any form of protien to supplement the rice is fair game.
  
• If the local food, drink etc does not to revolting the give it a try, you may be surprised.  If it does look revolting wait till pissed and then try.
  
• When trying new foods and drinks take it easy as will be something the system is not used to, and overindulgence can result in you becoming expert in the use of the squatter in a very short time.
  
• Be prepared to feel like the new exhibit in the zoo, it will ease up after a while. If in doubt smile and look confused.

Cheers

how could i forget the mosquito repellent. I just bought a ton online. Sunscreen too! Big C has the banana sports sunscreen. Seems to work pretty good.

[ShanePashen]

Hi
I asked her where she comes from in Ubon, she told me she cant spell it, but it's about 40 min drive from Ubon airport. Her Isaan dialect she says is the same one the Laos people speak. I am waiting for her to send me a message with exact details of her village. I priced some air asia flights from HKT to Ubon wasn't too bad about  Baht return 2 people. But she is having difficulty getting time off from her job. we might have top wait for another 3 mths for that.

[ShanePashen]

Found out where she comes from,

Lao Suea Kok Ubon Ratchathani

So What's that area like, hopefully not full of potential cat eaters.

Every time I think of that story, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
It tears me between hilarity and abhorrent disgust.
I could throw in a joke about eating pussy, but then I think of the gravity of what happened, we live in such different worlds, I live in a middle class suburb and people around here spend shit loads on their pets. Just in vet care, toys, hydrobaths, exotic foods, there is such disparity between our worlds.
I have told maybe 4 or 5 people that story, and not one person here in Brisbane believes it.
The family cat going in the cooking pot.

[Litlos]

Well my TGF's brother lives about 50km NE of Ubon R and having been there can confirm it is a typical Isaan area.  Anything that can be considered protein is fair game.  There is still a lot of chicken, fish and pork eaten, but this may be supplemented with anything from rice beetles to tortises.  The thing to remember is that this is a very poor area and historically not much money was available, and if the rice failed then things became desperate, hence the need to be very flexible in what goes into the pot.  Last time I was up at her village up near Yasothon last month, I was eating fried crickets, a nice nutty taste, but the legs get stuck in your teeth, and no I am not joking.

The village will have a market or be near a bigger town that does have a market.  A bit of an experience in itself going to the market, especially if you have never been to a wet market in Asia before.  But you can buy fresh food there and if you want get some nice chicken grilled over a charcoal fire, guaranteed there will be someone selling that somewhere near the market.


If she is now delaying you going to the village the reason may be she is not quite ready to introduce you to the family, or worried about the culture shock to you.  I had known the GF for nearly 2 years before venturing to the village, is a big step for them to make so take it slowly.  Nothing worse for a Thai than loss of face, take a Falang BF to village and then later get the flick would be big loss of face.  Even now before going to the village the GF has to check that she has all her jewellery on and that it is not less than last time as this will be noticed and commented on by the village locals.

Look at life as a book to be filled with different experiences.  Going to Isaan is definetly going to fill a few pages.  Isaan is not as bad as China though, in China you go to supermarket for fresh chicken and it is still clucking, which one you want?

Cheers

[tutsiwarrior]

my wife still retains a lot of the country village girl influence even now that she has become big time booshwah in our 12000 population market town...she holds out a handful of fried grubs and sez: 'have some...'

tutsi, who now is the local falang boulevardier after 10 years residence, pops a few of the grubs and sez: 'sublime, my darling...'...and with a tip of the top hat and a twirl of the walking stick and a sashay on down the road...

Edited by tutsiwarrior, 2012-02-15 18:51:13.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

ShanePashen, on 2012-02-11 20:39:47, said:

I'm new here, so go easy.

This whole thread is a pisstake isn't it.
Please tell me it is.
Surely it has to be.

I mean I have a girlfriend from Isaan now, should I be worried, if I get her back to Oz, or more so should Mr. Whiskers!

I'm reading what you wrote about cat, gone for 50 baht, and I'm thinking no, surely not.

Did your neighbours really eat the cat?

I have plans to visit Ubon with her, and I'm wondering if I have been leading a sheltered life.

I don't understand what people are going on about, what's the big deal?

The main problem is they don't have much meat on 'em and it's as stringy as an old chook.

But the chances of getting a disease are far below say pork.

The whole idea of "pets" is IMO fubar, most of the world is just a couple bad crops away from starvation. Would actually be most productive to allow cannibalism. But I guess that's going too far. . .

[WarpSpeed]

Dirk_brijs, on 2012-01-30 22:02:35, said:

taste like rabbit

What? His arse?