Harsh Reminder

I just finished chatting with my friend who lives in Pattaya. He and I are not are particularly close, but we have kept in touch through the years. A couple of weeks back I learned he's moving back to his home country after living in Thailand for nearly three years now. He mentioned he does not have a particular reason for going home, it's just that he's looking for a sense of the familiar after having been abroad for around ten years (he used to live in Spain).

Through the years, I have many friends in Thailand who have since left. These are some of those instances when I'm reminded that my stay here in Thailand has an expiration date too. I dread thinking about the transitory nature of our lives here, but this is a reality I continue to confront.

I once remarked to a friend that I'd probably go insane if I leave BKK now, having sort of found a comfort zone here after about three years. I'm just not ready to go anywhere else. Bangkok is my home, at least for now. Well, especially now that there's more at stake for me in this city.