Enters Thomas A. Anderson

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Short Intro: I'm INTP if there is such a thing. I've worked 6 months full time as a software engineer before growing tired of it. A year later I went back to school. 4 months later I dropped school again to go travelling in asia for 10 months which I currently am doing for 2 weeks now. (I am in Bangkok right now)

I found this place around june, but I was too lazy to post anything until now.

I'm 19 and I don't know what I'll be doing with my life.

Ask me anything.

PS. My name is in honor to my favorite movie. Shame on you if you don't recognize it!

 

[joal0503]

welcome, missterrrrrr....annndddeerssssssonnnn.

 

[Architect]

I am the Architect. I created the Matrix. I've been waiting for you. You have many questions, and although the process has altered your consciousness, you remain irrevocably human. Ergo, some of my answers you will understand, and some of them you will not. Concordantly, while your first question may be the most pertinent, you may or may not realize it is also the most irrelevant.

 

[Jennywocky]

There is no spoon.

 

[Turniphead]

Am I dead?

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Tell me, Mr. Anderson... What good is an account... if you are unable to post?

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Thanks for the welcome. Glad to see there are many Matrix fans here!

Nice one EyeSeeCold.

I love everything about that movie (and many parts about the second).

Morpheus: Do you think that's air you're breathing now?

Am I the only one who tries to hold my breath every time I watch this part?

 

[ShameFace]

I confess i have never watched The Matrix. But dont worry, I was already ashamed. Why Bangkok Mr Anderson? Where are from originally?

 

[redbaron]

Stop trying to hit me and hit me.

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Why Bangkok Mr Anderson? Where are from originally?

I am travelling Asia because it's the only place I can afford to travel for 10 months. I'll probably travel all around the world later. The first country I visit is Thailand because it was the cheapest to get a flight to and no need to get a visa for 30 days.

I went to Bangkok because a lot of backpackers go there and I wanted to check it. I often heard it's the greatest city of Asia and sometimes the best in the world. It's great to visit for a couple days, but I would not like to live there. There are so many touts. They can sometimes follow you 50 meters even when you're blatantly ignoring them and saying no does not help.

I am from Quebec. I speak French and English is my second language.

 

[Jennywocky]

I was in Bangkok for a month, a little over a year ago (right after all the flooding). I ended up going alone. Wow, it's a huge city. One of the greatest parts was the exchange rate -- my USD had more spending power over there, easily.

(I even managed to be staying in a 4-star hotel for only $55 a night; here in the US, I've had to pay more for 2 or 3-star hotels.)

I think the hardest part was the language barrier. I don't know Thai at all. It was difficult at times if I was dealing with people who knew no English and we had no way to communicate. i was fortunate enough to be friends with a Thai girl who speaks flawless English, so we would go out together on occasion and she could handle translation.

One of the coolest parts was that I felt safe, despite being an obvious outsider. Even the run-down / ghetto-like parts of Bangkok that I would have been terrified to be around at night did not feel dangerous as they do here in the US. The people just seemed genuinely friendlier and more communal in nature. They're a more "service-oriented" community than the United States, IMO -- I had a bit of a culture-shock when I returned home.

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

One of the greatest parts was the exchange rate -- my USD had more spending power over there, easily.

Indeed, it's often 5 or 10 times cheaper over there. For example, on the streeth you can have a meal for 1$ and I am staying at a nice hotel for 13$.

I think the hardest part was the language barrier. I don't know Thai at all. It was difficult at times if I was dealing with people who knew no English and we had no way to communicate. i was fortunate enough to be friends with a Thai girl who speaks flawless English, so we would go out together on occasion and she could handle translation.

I usually point at streeth vendors what food I want and I show the written address I want to go to taxis.

I was really fortunate to be friend with a Thai guy who showed me around. He was really weird, but it was a great experience. He left the house at 18 years old and for 30 years he had not seen his parents because he considers himself a failure. After spending a week and a half showing me around, the last day he just left while I was in the shower and didn't say goodbye...

From Bangkok, we went all the way to Chiang Rai with his sister and his niece. We went to sleep at his niece house. He had never been there and he didn't even mention I was coming with him before showing up. His niece did not spoke a word to me for 2 days. His sister, who did not speak English at all either, was at least trying to communicate.

He brought me to places where I was the only farang (stranger). People there were really nice, laughing when you tried to say a couple words in Thai or when randomly choosing a meal from the menu.

One of the thing I love the most about Thailand is it's openness. My Thai friend was showing me around the farms near his niece house and we could walk around on any farms and speak to everyone. The houses there are all wide open with the open side on the road. There is no notion of personal propriety (at least for the more modest places.)

 

[Jennywocky]

Indeed, it's often 5 or 10 times cheaper over there. For example, on the streeth you can have a meal for 1$ and I am staying at a nice hotel for 13$.

Yeah, if you like Thai food, you can do REALLY well. It's pretty incredible, the cost differences.

I usually point at streeth vendors what food I want and I show the written address I want to go to taxis.

I did get stuck without a hotel card one day, and the cabbies could not understand anything I was saying. It was unfortunate, because I was at the Skytrain and had to go about 15 minutes by cab to reach my hotel (no easy route). Luckily my friend had given me a local cell phone, so I called her and let her talk to him. Next time I made sure I had the hotel card. But even that is not foolproof, as not all the cabbies can read.

I was really fortunate to be friend with a Thai guy who showed me around. He was really weird, but it was a great experience. He left the house at 18 years old and for 30 years he had not seen his parents because he considers himself a failure.

Family and honoring your elders is a bigger deal there than in the west. My friend is in her mid-20's and would like to move out from her parents but feels like she can't.

He brought me to places where I was the only farang (stranger). People there were really nice, laughing when you tried to say a couple words in Thai or when randomly choosing a meal from the menu.

One of the thing I love the most about Thailand is it's openness. My Thai friend was showing me around the farms near his niece house and we could walk around on any farms and speak to everyone. The houses there are all wide open with the open side on the road. There is no notion of personal propriety (at least for the more modest places.)

I agree with that. It's a very "open" country, even when it has values about something. I felt it to be a more gracious culture than the West, and less opinionated (aside from the "family" issues, with what expectations parents have for the children). I feel more criticized / scrutinized / less accepted here in my own country when I deviate from norm, which is ironic considering we tout ourselves as land of the free.

But politically it can be harsher. I know that bloggers (some not even Thai) have been imprisoned for reviewing books that were not favorable of the King, for example. So the daily culture is forgiving, but your political speech is more curtailed than in the West, where things seem to be a bit more flipped.

I think visting foreign cultures is a great way to get perspective on your own.

 

[redbaron]

When I visited Thailand, someone tried to get me to stay there and train under him as a Muay Thai fighter (his reasoning was, 'you strong boy! Make good fighter!'). He gave me a lift to the arena where I was going to watch some fights, introduced me to a fighter he trained who fought on the night. He was a funny guy, I actually wanted to take him up on his offer just for the experience of it, I wonder what it would have been like.

I almost felt bad declining, he got me a photo with the winner of the headline fight on the night and everything.

I found the same thing in Thailand as you, the people are generally much more open, like everywhere you go people are always glad to see you. Especially one tour I went on, I went out on a boat and basically spent a day with the people who called that boat home, and they treated to what was quite literally a feast. On top of showing us around all the caves in rafts. One guy even made us flowers out of a bunch of reeds.

If I had to sum it up, I'd say they're just more, 'human' than in western culture. They seem to genuinely respect people for who they are.

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Yeah, if you like Thai food, you can do REALLY well. It's pretty incredible, the cost differences.

I though I would eat more healty here, but I found some cheap cheesecake and I can't stop myself...

But even that is not foolproof, as not all the cabbies can read.

Can't speak english, can't read, ouch... At least there are so many cabs that you can just get the next one.

Family and honoring your elders is a bigger deal there than in the west. My friend is in her mid-20's and would like to move out from her parents but feels like she can't.

Yeah, the norm there is still to take care of your parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. As much as it's nice to them, it's to much of a weight in my opinion. But also note that they don't receive much retirement money from the government...

which is ironic considering we tout ourselves as land of the free.

Well, that's just the USA and it's part of the nationalist propaganda that you are being forced.

But politically it can be harsher. I know that bloggers (some not even Thai) have been imprisoned for reviewing books that were not favorable of the King, for example. So the daily culture is forgiving, but your political speech is more curtailed than in the West, where things seem to be a bit more flipped.

Yes, you don't have free speech in Thailand and the king is still important. Like you have to stand up for the king at the movie theater just before the movie starts. But the people seems to like him. My friend's second hero (after his mother of course) is his king.

I think visting foreign cultures is a great way to get perspective on your own.

One of the main reason I travel.

When I visited Thailand, someone tried to get me to stay there and train under him as a Muay Thai fighter

Nice . For how long? For a month or less I would have definitely done that (if not too pricey). I'll probably do some Muay Thai tomorrow. (I've done a little BJJ and MMA in the past)

 

[Jennywocky]

I though I would eat more healty here, but I found some cheap cheesecake and I can't stop myself...

LOL! Hey, have you found Tim-Tams? ZOMG.

Those are my guilty pleasures I discovered in Thailand. They're in Australia too apparently. Cheap and yummy, and more like American snacks.

Can't speak english, can't read, ouch... At least there are so many cabs that you can just get the next one.

Sadly, in that example I gave you, I went through FOUR cab drivers before I finally got frustrated and called my friend and just handed #5 the phone.

Yeah, the norm there is still to take care of your parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents. As much as it's nice to them, it's to much of a weight in my opinion. But also note that they don't receive much retirement money from the government...

True, I have no idea how retirement works in that country.

Well, that's just the USA and it's part of the nationalist propaganda that you are being forced.

lol.

Yes, you don't have free speech in Thailand and the king is still important. Like you have to stand up for the king at the movie theater just before the movie starts. But the people seems to like him. My friend's second hero (after his mother of course) is his king.

I totally forgot about the "standing" thing! yes, I went to see Puss in Boots over there (it was in English, with Thai subtitles, and I was the only white person in the theater at the time), and everyone stood as they ran that clip of the King, and I just did what they did because I didn't want to get arrested, even though I had no idea what I was doing.

I think he is the longest reining monarch in the world, currently, past Queen Elizabeth II. They do love him. They had his birthday celebration when I was over there. It lasted for a few days at least, and on the day of his birthday they were setting off fireworks, and they had all the TVs in the city playing celebratory stuff about the king, and there was even singing -- people singing on TV, and literally everyone stopped what they were doing and was singing along in Thai. I had no idea what they were singing, but I tried to stand reverently in those situations and be affirming; it wasn't hard, they had all been very polite and warm to me, so I wanted to return the favor.

But it's unheard of here. I doubt that many Americans even know when our President's birthday is (although he's only been in office 5 years), and he's publically cut up to the point of even having his birth certificate challenged years after the election. Then again, our system is very different.

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

LOL! Hey, have you found Tim-Tams? ZOMG.

I've tried like 10 different cookies and was always disappointed. Where do I find Tim-Tams?! I could not find on google, in Family Mart and in 7 eleven...

Sadly, in that example I gave you, I went through FOUR cab drivers before I finally got frustrated and called my friend and just handed #5 the phone.

lol

I totally forgot about the "standing" thing! yes, I went to see Puss in Boots over there (it was in English, with Thai subtitles, and I was the only white person in the theater at the time), and everyone stood as they ran that clip of the King,

In the park it was even more surprising. At 18h00, the Thai national theme plays and everyone got up or stopped running and stood still for like a minute. At the end people just resumed what they were doing. It felt like more than a hundred people were on pause, really disturbing. And everyone stood up, even the many farangs.

and I just did what they did because I didn't want to get arrested, even though I had no idea what I was doing.

lol. Those and the best moment. When you have no idea what you're doing, but you just play along and keep going.

I walk a lot to get to places and I am terrible in orientation. If I have to turn more than once to get to somewhere, I'll get lost. But those moments are priceless, when I get in a small alley and people all look at me wondering what the hell I am doing there while I am thinking the same.

I think he is the longest reining monarch in the world, currently, past Queen Elizabeth II. They do love him. They had his birthday celebration when I was over there. It lasted for a few days at least, and on the day of his birthday they were setting off fireworks, and they had all the TVs in the city playing celebratory stuff about the king, and there was even singing -- people singing on TV, and literally everyone stopped what they were doing and was singing along in Thai.

Nice. They seem to have a lot more celebrations there than in the west and they seem to last often more than a day.

But it's unheard of here. I doubt that many Americans even know when our President's birthday is (although he's only been in office 5 years), and he's publically cut up to the point of even having his birth certificate challenged years after the election. Then again, our system is very different.

In Quebec, even if we knew our prime minister birthday, there is no way we'd celebrate it. Most people dislike both our prime ministers (provincial and federal).

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

I've found the Tim-Tams... Future me already hates you for it. So much exercise I'll have to do just because of cookies...

An interesting thing happen with the girl from the cheese cake place. I had my backpack and I told her I it was the last time and that I was going to Cambodia in a couple of days. She said she's from Cambodia. When I am about to exit, she gives me a free piece of cheese cake and tells me with her broken English that I should visit her "son girl" in Cambodia and gave me her phone number.

What the hell should I do? I have no idea what she is expecting of me.

Hi there, your mother sent me. Awkward.

But a visit with a local would be nice and maybe her daughter has my age...

 

[Jennywocky]

I've tried like 10 different cookies and was always disappointed. Where do I find Tim-Tams?! I could not find on google, in Family Mart and in 7 eleven...

Heh.... I see that you found them.

I bought, like, four packs to bring home with me. I'm sorry; I mean, it's like one coke head getting a rush when he brings a new addict into the fold.

In the park it was even more surprising. At 18h00, the Thai national theme plays and everyone got up or stopped running and stood still for like a minute. At the end people just resumed what they were doing. It felt like more than a hundred people were on pause, really disturbing. And everyone stood up, even the many farangs.

Almost like a bad '80's John Carpenter horror flick...

lol. Those and the best moment. When you have no idea what you're doing, but you just play along and keep going.

I'm adaptable, if anything! But yes, it's not like I wouldn't stick out anyway -- the tall white girl among all the small slim Thai folks. So much for being inconspicuous if I flub something.

I walk a lot to get to places and I am terrible in orientation. If I have to turn more than once to get to somewhere, I'll get lost. But those moments are priceless, when I get in a small alley and people all look at me wondering what the hell I am doing there while I am thinking the same.

It was bizarre. Some of those alleys are actually through-roads! I went to the Jim Thompson house in Siam and I swear to god it was at the dead end of this REALLLLY long alley, you would not have expected anything to be at the end of that street. Thompson was interesting, not just in starting up the export of silk weaving from Thailand, but in that he disappeared one day into the brush and was never found again... if ya gotta go, always leave 'em hanging! We're still talking about it, and I think that happened in the 60's.

An interesting thing happen with the girl from the cheese cake place. I had my backpack and I told her I it was the last time and that I was going to Cambodia in a couple of days. She said she's from Cambodia. When I am about to exit, she gives me a free piece of cheese cake and tells me with her broken English that I should visit her "son girl" in Cambodia and gave me her phone number.

What the hell should I do? I have no idea what she is expecting of me.

Hi there, your mother sent me. Awkward.

But a visit with a local would be nice and maybe her daughter has my age...

They're so friendly, aren't there? Here in the USA, we'd most likely be, "Uh, yeah, right, what sort of scam is this?" But there? Sincere, no doubt, and they would likely put you up for the night.