Bangkok Bewilderment

The following is a comprehensive list of things I don't understand about Bangkok.

1. Bangkok

That's it. I promise I'm not trying to be a smart aleck;that's just the easiest way to put it. Everything is so drastically different from what I know that I experience a rainbow of emotions every time I walk out the door of my host family's home. If you aren't satisfied with my comprehensive list, then continue reading for specific examples. I haven't included every single thing, as that would take forever, but I picked a few that I find to be humorous or just worth mentioning. However, before you do, please note that these are merely my own observations. I am in no way judging or criticizing the Thai people. My intention is only to share my reactions to what are all new experiences for me. If anything comes across as negative, it's only because I am a little bit sarcastic*, so I'm apologizing in advance.
* Those of you who know me well, know I'm lying through my teeth. I'm HORRIBLY sarcastic. :) 


Driving

How can I describe being a passenger in a car while driving in Bangkok? Oh yes, it feels as if every time you get into a car, it could be your last. Maybe I'm being a little dramatic, but really, it's a crazy experience being on the roads here, or the sidewalks for that matter. Drivers weave in and out of traffic by driving on the shoulders or into oncoming traffic. Sometimes the driver might just straddle two lanes while texting and speeding down the road at an alarming speed. Motorcycles are not only allowed to lane split, but they also shoot out of alleys with no warning to jump into the traffic. At stop lights, motorcyclists are allowed to zip ahead to the front of everyone, which may result in 20-30 motorcycles crowded and lined up in between cars.

That's another thing. Many people here have motorcycles or scooters, and I've seen as many as 3 people squeeze onto a single scooter, including young children. I thought I was going to have a heart attack the first time I saw a woman zooming between cars on her scooter with a baby strapped to her chest. Can you imagine? A person might have a toddler stand between their legs on the scooter while a third person sits behind the driver. It's quite a scene to watch. Your first reaction might be to shake your head at the lack of safety, but that's because we live in a place where ten year old children still use booster seats. This is just how things are done here. Maybe it will change one day; maybe it won't.


Parking Lots

This is a typical parking lot in Bangkok.

Picture 1

Picture 2

I know it's difficult to see, so I'll explain. In the back is a row of cars parked vertically against the fence. Just a few feet in front of those cars, are two rows of horizontally parked cars. I bet you're wondering how the cars in the back are supposed to get out.



                                                                       
                                                               

There ya go! They just lean up against the cars and push them until there's enough space to squeeze their own vehicle out, which may lead to the cars being literally bumper to bumper (see picture 2). I told my host family that would not be okay in America. They looked at me like I was crazy. "But then how do you get your car out?!?!"





Bathrooms

Before I write this section, I want to point out that I did do my research, but some things were still... surprising.

Every bathroom I have been in has a little water hose next to it. It's for cleaning, and I don't mean the toilet. This wouldn't seem so odd (I've heard of a bidet) if not for the lack of one item: toilet paper. I've noticed that some public places, as well as private homes don't have toilet paper. How does one dry off after spraying himself/herself with that little hose? I sprayed one into the toilet once, and it doesn't just trickle water; it gushes out. I imagine that water gets everywhere when you use it, which is why you can also find a little drain on the floor next to the toilet. Do people just drip dry for half an hour or what? I don't want to ask, as it would make for an awkward conversation. I have heard rumors about hand wiping, but let's not go there. Ignorance is bliss. Should you decide to visit Thailand, I recommend that you carry mini tissue packs* in your purse at all times (unless you prefer to go the hand wiping route), and each time you come across tissues, grab a handful and stuff them into your pockets! Better safe than sorry.
*I actually recommend that you buy a few packs of the mini tissue packs any time you plan to travel abroad. Many tourist locations like landmarks, museums, etc run out of toilet paper fast. I ran into this problem in Spain as well, but I was prepared. 


I've also come across these... squatters.

Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. You can see in the picture that there's a section with water and a bucket next to the "toilet." Using my excellent deduction skills, I've determined that the water is to clean yourself with as there isn't a little hose. You also can't find toilet paper in a squatter stall a lot of the time. I can only assume you're supposed to splash yourself with water from the bucket, and then use your hand to wipe. No, thanks! I've only run into these twice so far. The first location was at a rest stop; I decided to just hold it (after snapping a picture like a weird tourist). The second place had squatters AND toilets. Why anyone would pick a squatter over a toilet is beyond me.





Lastly, I've seen this foot rinse in one public bathroom. I don't know why a bathroom would have a foot rinse. My first thought upon entering the bathroom was this: "Okay. Maybe that's to rinse your feet after you've peed all over them from failing to squat properly in the stall." That bathroom had normal toilets though, no squatters. I'm not sure if this is typical or not, as I haven't seen another one. The foot rinse remains a mystery.


Okay, that's it on this section. Who ever knew that so many things could be written on the subject of bathrooms?

Toilet Paper

When you think of toilet paper, what do you typically associate it with? Most people would say the bathroom, but that is not the case here in Thailand. For those of you that don't know, toilet paper has many uses! You can find a roll on kitchen counters, on someone's desk, or on a dining table. I hope we can all see the irony of not being able to find toilet paper in a bathroom, but you can in the kitchen. They don't really use paper towels here. When I asked about this, I was told that us silly Americans waste money on paper towels when we could be using toilet paper for all our needs. There's just one problem: I've seen a Bounty commercial where a single paper towel sheet (supposedly) can wipe up a cup of spilled milk, but do you know what happens when you grab a wad of toilet paper to dry your hands? It disintegrates in your hands, and then you have teeny tiny pieces of paper stuck in between your fingers. I think I'll continue to shell out a few bucks for paper towels like the rest of the silly Americans when I return home.

Food

This section will actually be a separate post eventually. However, I felt that I needed to actually list it as an example for 'Bangkok Bewilderment.' For now, let's just say that the food here is quite a different experience.


Alrighty. That is all I have for now. I've only been here two weeks, and I have three to go, so I'm sure I will end up making another post about confusing experiences eventually. Stay tuned!