dean Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 I can speak from first hand that moving a Thai to a western country (America) doesn't get rid of their lethargy. This past summer (school vacation) was the summer from hell for me. I couldn't get any of the three kids to even study Rosetta stone a couple of times a week, let alone read one book. Their favorite pastime was sleeping, followed by watching TV, the internet and playing Wii. We live about 2 blocks from the neighborhood pool but the boy wouldn't use it and the girls rarely used it. It seems that they didn't like the "cold" water (compared to Thailand). I took them to the local amusement park, World's of Fun, and they didn't like it. I don't think that I'll be taking them to Disneyworld anytime in the near future. They don't seem to get it; the sooner that they learn English, the easier school will be (and particularly the non English courses wil be. I gave them a "free pass" their first year here. I am pushing them to get involved with school activities but with no sucess. I will force them to attend at least one hiigh school football game. The only one that I have to make sure that he finishes his homework is the boy and I have made it clear that he must not get anything less than a "C" if I am going to buy him an airline ticket to Thailand next summer. However, if he fails a subject, I will buy him a one way ticket, and he knows this. Eventually, I will provide the 3 kids with a structure leading to graduating from college and a good job, or I'll die trying first. It would be nice if they got it on their own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted September 15, 2009 Report Share Posted September 15, 2009 What makes such a difference? The boy here is always up for a swim, but the local pool here is BKK is not so cold, most warm, but never hot. I always challenge him...hey, I can do 50 sit ups, let's see what you can do, then he struggles to do three. 55555555555555 He does like his video games but I limit him as I am not a video game person at all. I did buy him a Wii and we do play the sport games, as it is OK for a little bit of exercise, but I get bored with it very quickly. I also had the boy jogging on all his non-school days, instead of being glued to the TV. All in all, I feel sorry for the Thai youth and the youth in the USA. At their age, I was building rafts and having "adventures" on the river and lakes in the area; fishing, swimming, riding my bike all over the place and we had our little "gang". It was fun and I think we got a good street level education. Now, internet, video games...vastly different generation and times we live in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 Thais like group activities. What are the choices available for 12 yr old girls? Music, art, swim team, cooking, chess, yoga, etc. Look for classes/courses that she can do and has an interest, but leave plenty of time for relaxation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyfon Posted September 16, 2009 Report Share Posted September 16, 2009 There's something going on inside the head of your average BKK taxi driver? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGdlJWfx1GA&feature=related :content: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogs Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 "It almost seems like nobody wants to improve themselves or strive to do something new/better." Quite agree with you. Than what to think about the foreigners fom a more dynamic bacground that choose this surrounding ? Can they be much of an example of someone striving to do something new/better ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadfly Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 "My" household, no one is sleeping during the day but the TV is going like 24/7 (almost, except when they do sleep at night). Book reading, one time I "banned" TV for a week...WHAT A RELIEF!!! Many Thais in my office - "educated" and most earning north of 100,000 Baht a month - seriously believe that reading or thinking "too much" causes headaches and is generally bad for your health. I hear this all the time. This seems to be changing with sine if the younger generation, but they are fighting an up hill battle against the prevailing wisdom. I guess this is the flip side to Thailand's charms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 Where as at ThaiCom under the old management there was a book a month given to all top managers to read - last one I got was "The wealth at the bottom of the Pyramid" interesting book on wealth creation for the very poor of poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyfon Posted October 4, 2009 Report Share Posted October 4, 2009 As a former victim of London Underground one of the most obvious contrasts between that and the BTS/MRT is the almost complete absence of people reading. Can you ever imagine seeing in Bangkok a scene like this (sorry not allowed to post inline): http://london-underground.blogspot.com/2008/05/reading-papers-on-london-underground.html (I'm talking about the reading of papers and books, not necessarily the arse on that blonde... ) I'd like to blame the constant background of the idiot boxes on the BTS, but I don't think it's any different on the MRT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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