My Thailand Diary

A few years ago, when I lived in Switzerland I went to the ‘COOP’. I talked English with my daughter who was about 2 years ago. As I walked past an elderly Swiss man, from Basel ( not Bern!) I overhead him saying ‘di schiess usländer was macha sie da.. ‘ (These stupid (shitty) foreigners what are they doing here…) I was so shocked that I forgot to speak Swiss German, took my daughter, paid and left.
AFTERWARDS I had many things I wanted to tell him. Firstly, he was obviously not from Bern, and secondly HE should go back where he comes from.
There was another time, last summer when we were back. I asked if I had to unpack my shopping basket when I went to the cashier , or if she would just take it out. They do that here in Chiang Mai, you don’t have to empty it, the sales lady does it. ANYWAY, the lady in Switzerland looked at me as if I was a total moron. ‘natürlich muess me das, isch scho immer so gsy’. OFCOURSE one has to do that, its always been that way. And she gave me another one of "those" looks.
That is the disadvantage of being a global nomad.. you tend to forget little everyday rules of the country you are in and sometimes that’s a major stress factor!