In 2016, I secured employment as a writer for a renowned travel magazine in Bangkok, a position I had long aspired to attain. Accompanying me on this professional journey was my partner, Leigh, an accomplished photographer, who had relocated from Sydney to join me. The prospect of embarking on new adventures in Bangkok and breaking away from the monotonous routine of our lives in Sydney filled us with eager anticipation.
In addition to my professional obligations, Leigh and I established a travel blog named Strangertalk, wherein we chronicled narratives that deviated from the conventional topics covered in magazines. The blog afforded us access to extraordinary experiences and facilitated encounters with captivating individuals. However, despite the sizeable readership we garnered online, we encountered difficulties in forging meaningful friendships in our new abode.
Nurturing relationships in Thailand proved to be quite arduous, owing to the disparities in cultural norms and language barriers. Although I had garnered a few Thai acquaintances through work, transcending the cultural divide as a foreigner presented a considerable challenge. Even within the expatriate community, we encountered obstacles in connecting with individuals whose priorities and lifestyles markedly differed from ours.
Residing in a foreign land also meant that we were inevitably absent from the pivotal milestones in the lives of our friends back home, such as weddings, separations, and new phases. While video calls served as a means of sustaining our connections, the palpable sense of detachment prevailed, emanating from the physical distance that separated us.
Notwithstanding the idyllic imagery that I projected on social media, the reality was that our weekends were often spent in the confines of our abode, engaged in mundane activities. Subsequent to a tenure of three years in Bangkok, Leigh and I arrived at the realisation that we yearned for a supportive network of friends with whom we could share our experiences and avail ourselves of diverse perspectives.
Our sojourn in Bangkok was replete with indelible moments and escapades, yet the absence of everyday interaction and the familiar comforts derived from the company of friends left a void in our lives. Pondering upon the adage “happiness is only real when shared,” we arrived at the decision to return to Sydney, in pursuit of rekindling the meaningful connections that we cherished dearly.
Our tenure in Bangkok has been a formative and invaluable chapter in our lives, underscoring the significance of communal experiences and the cultivation of relationships, regardless of our geographical location.
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