FARANG

I overheard someone use the word ‘Farang’ as I walked passed for the first time today. The speaker was a 5 year old, so I couldn’t be offended, but the last couple of days I have felt like a ‘foreigner’. On the campus nearly all of the students are locals, and the English levels here are much lower than in Bangkok. In the city proper there’s foreigners everywhere and all the Thais speak English.

It’s been interesting to walk around and feel isolated from those around me. Being a white male in Australia it’s pretty rare that I ever feel like a minority. I can’t speak to people that I want to, I have to figure things out for myself, and I can’t always be sure of what I’m going to get when I order food.

ENGLISH SPEAKERS ON CAMPUS: 5.5%
MEALS I DIDN’T EXPECT: 1.5