Experiencing new cultures is fun. It can be confusing, but it’s always interesting. There are almost always hilarious misunderstandings when entering a new culture. Below are a couple that have happened to me so far.
I bought groceries from the store with what I thought was baht, Thailand’s national currency. I had unfortunately forgotten that I hadn’t taken out any of my extra Guatemalan quetzal coins from my wallet. The lady checker counted out my money and tried to tell me something, but I had no clue what she was saying. A lot of the people here have a basic grasp of English, but their accents sometimes makes it hard to understand what they’re saying.
After several attempts at trying to get me to understand, she finally picked up the coin and put it in my face, saying “Notttt Thaaaai.” I hastily apologized and gave her the correct coin. Needless to say, I sorted through my wallet that night.
If you’re ever in Southeast Asia, Grab is the easiest way to get around. It’s basically Uber. Some people and I got a Grab, but we didn’t realize it would be on the opposite side of the street. When the driver got there, we dashed across the street. If you’ve ever played Crossy Road, that’s what crossing the street in Thailand is like.
I forgot that the Thai people drive on the other side of the road. So, I opened what I thought was the passenger side of the car only to reveal an older Thai man yelling at me in Thai. I slammed the door shut and went around to get in the car. The driver laughed when I got in, and he proceeded to tell me that I had opened the wrong door and that I was supposed to have opened the other door for the rest of the ride.
I’m laughing now as I think back on these stories. These aren’t the first and I know they won’t be the last. I hope you enjoyed these funny stories. Happy late Christmas!
