As the title says: I’ve had a crazy last two months. Lots of traveling, made lots of new friends, lots of school- and work projects and deadlines. Let me go over every single topic to give an update on how I found myself in the position I am in right now.
Friends
Yea, how should I start this topic. In my first weeks in Thailand I did not meet that many people. The people whom I was with were exchange students as well, so we created a bond very easy. Because (almost) every student goes on this journey on their own. We are being pushed to meet new people, to make the most out of our trip.
After some time I went to Ko Phangan, the first island I visited. Made some great new friends! After two weeks I wanted to visit the other big island; Ko Samui. Beforehand, I knew a German student who was in Samui, who convinced me to go there. She planned a boattour for the whole day, on the day after I arrived. Awesome experience, with awesome people. And again, lots of exchange students, as seen on the featured picture.
The best thing about my week in Samui is that I made friends which I traveled with through Thailand. I convinced them to join me in Phangan (also because I had to return the scooter which I was allowed to take with me on the boat).
In the three months, I met 2 Dutch people. Another student, on another university and a Dutch lady who lives and works in Ko Phangan. The first man I really talked a lot of Dutch to was the tattoo artist who lived in The Netherlands for 10 years. He was the best bamboo-tattoo artist in Koh Phangan. I had the wish for 2 years already to take my first tattoo in Thailand, bamboo-style. I also knew what I wanted. Three triangles, called Glyphs. The artist tattooed them on the inside of my left upper arm. They stand for Explore, Create and Learn.
So I had my group of friends which I traveled with. Because Thailand was very difficult to enter there were not many tourists whom went to Thailand to travel. I mean, I went to Thailand to travel as well, but I had my weekly study stress combined with traveling through Thailand.
But things got crazy in November. Thailand, kind of, eased up their restrictions to do a quarantine in Bangkok or Phuket, so a lot more people started to plan their trip to Thailand. I didn’t meet a lot of people in this period, because I was still in the North of Thailand, finishing my school projects, deadlines and assignments. In the meantime, one of my best friends I’ve met here texted me. “Elmo, oh my god! There are so many Dutch people, you really have to come here, it’s amazing!!”.
While I was studying in the North, I was already planning to go to Phuket, but this text message gave me a giant FOMO. For the people who don’t know the word: Fear Of Missing Out. So, went to Phuket during my deadlines and assignments, with three German exchange students, hoping for an amazing time. There were not as many Dutch and international people as I thought. Also because I had school 70% of the time, but the times I went out and partied, there were no internationals. So Phuket was a bad try.
And then Koh Phangan, the place to be in December. As said we did a reunion with the students whom I was with two months ago. But the island was packed with internationals. Not only for the full moon-party, but also for Christmas and New Year. I made a lot of new friends during pre-parties, parties and after-parties. But most importantly, people whom I continued traveling around with, even after Phangan. That is the most valuable to me.
At first I felt weird arriving in Phangan and being able to talk Dutch again to a lot of Dutch people. Especially after talking English most of the time for the last 5 months. Some Dutchies were traveling around, some Dutchies were on vacation for 2 weeks, but no Dutchies who are actually studying in Thailand. I am still “the Dutch guy who studies in Thailand”.
Even right now, one of the reasons I did not return home on the 28th of January was because of the friends I made. Some went to Australia, some went to Cambodja, some went to Bali, some went to Sri Lanka. I decided to join the group I was with in Phangan, and visit Krabi and Ko Phi Phi, and take the flight from Bangkok to Colombo a week later.
