There are a fair number of phone booths around Thailand. Outside the school. Beside the local corner store. At the edge of a rice field. I even saw one in a remote hill tribe village I visited on my trip up North. Here's a picture from the hilltribe. These are Akha people who invited us into their house. Anyway, I was talking about phones...
Almost as many people in Thailand have cell phones as in the states. It's pretty amazing. I talk on the phone w Peace Corps Volunteers every day. Usually send a few text messages a day too.
Phone ettiquette in Thailand is a little different from in the states. First of all, they often don't say goodbye. They just hang-up when it's clear the conversation is over. It's hard to get used to. I usually say goodbye to whomever I'm talking to, so they will say it back.
Second difference is they often don't use their phone. Yesterday morning my friend showed up in my class at school to tell me she had to change the plans we had later in the day. It's really not very efficient, but it's a lot more personal. Sometimes, as an American, it can be frustrating driving around lost when the driver won't just call and ask their friend where the meeting is.
But that's when you just sit back and say, "I'm in Thailand. Life is good. No worries." or in phonetic thai: "Mai pen Rai, Dude!!!"
No comments:
Post a Comment