I once was a gringo, now I’m a farang

I guess I’ve never really explained what being a “farang” means when living in Thailand. Being a farang is now apart of my identity and I feel quite a strong camaraderie amongst my farang bretheren. South of the border, we’re called gringo. In Hawaii it’s “haole”. Swahili says “mzungu” and in Madarin it’s “guizi.” But in Thailand, we’re donned farang. Meaning westerner, a human of European descent, or a “person of white race”. The origins and etymology of the word are unclear, but it has been used for many years in this part of the world. It is not something to be offended by, nor is it a term of endearment. It simply states that we are not Thai, or even Asian, and that we are from the other side of the world. I chose to use it because I think its a great word and it’s funny!

Having grown up in South Carolina, phrases like “I reckon I gotta hankerin’ for some grits!” and “Dang! Whatch y’all doin?,” are necessary terminology for communicatin’ with the local folk. I figured it’d be nice to converge my two worlds for a few years while I reflect and write as a Southerner living in Asia.

During the next 30 days, I will be exploring new topics for an online blogging class and digging deep into the back of my brain for creative, new approaches to writing. This blog is important to me because I want to share my experiences with all my friends and family back home, and this is the easiest way to feel that they are with me during all the crazy adventures I have here in Thailand!! Please comment and let me know what you like, what’s missing, or what you’d like to hear about from Bangkok.