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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