Japan… Or where you happen to be at the time of reading.

Welcome to my blog! Why am I welcoming you? Because that’s what your assaulted by each and every time you turn on a TV, or walk into a Wal-Mart. I once was one of those Door Greeters. And probably the worst as not only would I fail to greet upon entry but even make eye contact. That’s okay though. Soon they moved me outside to ‘cart boy’ where apparently I was no longer allowed in the store. Later on I quit, or was fired. Anyways; the only reason why I went to College and later on worked as an English teacher is because Wal-Mart refused to give me my job back.

Let me apology in advance as the title is misleading. I’m not actually writing this from Japan. That was last year. This year I’m in Bangkok, Thailand. 3 Weeks remaining on the clock. I just broke up with my girlfriend (A messy scene to have on a subway – not to mention, very random.) Two hours previously we were having sex for the third time today and discussing where we’d venture to in the future. Lo! How do the seasons change.

I’m currently sitting in my Hotel room where I’ve been for the last two weeks. Not exclusively as I’ve uncovered a few stones since arriving on the 5^th of July. Unlike my trip to Japan I came here completely ignorant of the language, customs, and general knowledge of the country. It was a crash course in foreign culture and after a few days of misery, I have to say the city started growing on me. I’ll reiterate a few points that you’ve probably heard before, if ever you so much as Googled the words, “Thailand, Bangkok” (In whatever order that pleased you at the time of doing so), which would be; the city is dirty, crowded, and traffic is downright deadly.

The most dangerous part of my day is in the morning while crossing the street to a nearby 7/11 for breakfast with a Pepsi. As I hate Coke-Cola and Coffee in this 90+ humid temperature would dissolve my internal organs with the efficiency as a African Viper. Even though I still hardly speak more then 3 phrases of the language such as,

“No I don’t want to buy your wares”

“Thank you, but I’m not interested in buying.”

And finally to the pretty ladies that can be found at every street corner, as another once artfully put it, “Waiting for the bus that never comes”

“Please don’t grab my hand for paid sex, as you can see I have my girlfriend with me.”

Thailand has been aptly named, “The City Of Angels” very appropriate if you consider the symbolism, that an angel is at either extreme of the spectrum of morals. There’s prostitution, Crime, Counterfeit/Stolen/ Or swear shop wares, and shady people in general on every street corner. (And did I mention the traffic is crazy? If you’ve ever been to New York on the 4^th of July night when everybody is driving drunk… you still can’t imagine.) While after getting through the first week I started to realize something else. Thailand also has some of the kindest people I’ve met.

This was a fact that was brought to my attention earlier, before ever arriving. Yet I dismissed it as propaganda – from a previous trip to Japan, that the Japanese are the politest. No – their just kiss a lot of ass, and there is no limit to what those older women will do. Here in the villages off of Samoa islands, where we stayed on the Beach; swimming by day, shopping, and driving around on a little scooter (with no driver’s license) then at night the cozy restaurants with delicious food became outdoor clubs with excellent lights, music, cheap alcohol (as in price for quantity – which sums up the food as well.)

It may be due to the country still having such a large number of poor/sub-average incomes or some other aspect of upbringing that doesn’t exist in the West. But what I discovered was a overall sincerity to strangers that makes me really enjoy bumping into others and starting up a conversation or just making eye contact. It’s as if you’ve already met everybody. Try comparing that to New York.

Okay so I haven’t been to New York long enough to make a fair comparison. An unwavering truth is that no matter where one goes, that experience is directly tied to the individual, including the responses as others as our personality dictates it more than any external factor.

I’ll touch up more on why I was so shocked between my expectations and reality. But for now I’ll sum this up with a simple hello. Future posts will be dialer and cover a far broader aspect then traveling and especially on the subject of preconceived notions as that seems to have been what was predominately on my mind this evening.

For now I simply say ‘hello’, and hope that over time this becomes worth reading to those who may, in that foggy and yet seemingly endless universe known as the ‘Internet’, that as I did in Bangkok, you discover something surprisingly worthwhile.

Feel free to leave comments, even negative one’s such as “Your spalling sux – lern proper grammer!” is welcome and will more than likely keep me awake at night with warm tingly feelings.

Yours sincerely through good times and bad, (or at least the good)

The Killer Penguin.