Is There an Expat Hierarchy - and Does it Even Matter? [S5.E5]

We think almost every long-term expat has been asked how
long they've been here before, only to see the challenge, throw
down their card, and ask the inevitable: "How about you?" It's an
unspoken contest. But does it even matter?


Greg and Ed tackle this issue of status, noting that
although they've been in Thailand TWENTY YEARS, that number is
dwarfed by such legendary expats as Joe Cummings (soon to be a
guest on the podcast), who arrived in Thailand in 1977. Ed jokes
that part of the appeal of the podcast is that the guys love to
talk about all their mistakes and misunderstandings, but
certainly they have learned a lot in twenty years.


Greg throws out the distressing thought that simply being
here twenty years may not lead to any more wisdom than being here
ten, as Ed notes he probably is at his peak knowledge of Thailand
now only because of his role as co-host of the podcast, which
forces him to raise his game. The boys end up trading stories
about various old timers they have met, with Joe C. leading the
pack for Greg and a Catholic priest doing so for Ed.


In the end, it's clear that the number of years you have in
Thailand doesn't really mean diddly squat unless you spend that
time pushing yourself into learning more about the country and
engaging with its endlessly fascinating culture and
people. 


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