Comments on: Cultural diffrence? http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/ This is my journal of living in Thailand Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:26:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Baba http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-687 Baba Mon, 06 Mar 2006 03:10:42 +0000 http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-687 A few years ago when I first came to Thailand and had only been here a month, I had to go and do some work in Chiang Mai and one of the women I was working with took me out shopping and she held my hand the whole time which made me feel so uncomfortable... maybe because hand holding for me is reserved to my boyfriend, if I'm with a kid I need to look after or sometimes my mum and that's it. So, definite cultural difference there! A few years ago when I first came to Thailand and had only been here a month, I had to go and do some work in Chiang Mai and one of the women I was working with took me out shopping and she held my hand the whole time which made me feel so uncomfortable… maybe because hand holding for me is reserved to my boyfriend, if I’m with a kid I need to look after or sometimes my mum and that’s it. So, definite cultural difference there!

]]> By: Elemmaciltur http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-691 Elemmaciltur Mon, 06 Mar 2006 09:59:04 +0000 http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-691 Germans are just the same.....touch deprived. *sigh* Germans are just the same…..touch deprived. *sigh*

]]> By: Lillian http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-692 Lillian Tue, 07 Mar 2006 00:46:10 +0000 http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-692 I have a friend and we always hold hands when we walk.. another friend we just walk arm in arm... yes.. that takes some getting used. What will my friends in Switzerland say when I want to hold their hand when we are shopping I have a friend and we always hold hands when we walk.. another friend we just walk arm in arm… yes.. that takes some getting used. What will my friends in Switzerland say when I want to hold their hand when we are shopping

]]> By: Di http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-694 Di Tue, 07 Mar 2006 07:30:17 +0000 http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-694 I noticed it when living in Turkey ... the ease with which same sex friends touch each other ... I come from New Zealand, where we have largely managed to avoid any touch beyond the handshake on meeting, and nothing much between friends. So in Turkey I learned to kiss and be kissed on the cheek in greeting, and to have a friend's arm linked through mine as we walked. Now Belgium, and the older couples holding hands on the streets stunned me, and their practice of 1 or 2 or 3 kisses on the cheek took some getting used to too. Europe is the most closed society I've lived in so far, the people seem lonely here, somehow isolated from each other. In Turkey, the culture of family is alive and well, although I fear for its future ... it's more difficult to be lonely there, although I'm sure it's a state sometimes wished for. And New Zealand ... we're an odd mix of the previous two societies in comportment. Having written all that, we are a 'type', an individual ... and we will always find someone else like us where ever we go, and yes, I think countries are all more similar than they know ... it's about being human I think. Lol, forgive me, that was a long piece but I'm working on a theory and your post made me think more on it. I noticed it when living in Turkey … the ease with which same sex friends touch each other … I come from New Zealand, where we have largely managed to avoid any touch beyond the handshake on meeting, and nothing much between friends.

So in Turkey I learned to kiss and be kissed on the cheek in greeting, and to have a friend’s arm linked through mine as we walked.

Now Belgium, and the older couples holding hands on the streets stunned me, and their practice of 1 or 2 or 3 kisses on the cheek took some getting used to too.

Europe is the most closed society I’ve lived in so far, the people seem lonely here, somehow isolated from each other. In Turkey, the culture of family is alive and well, although I fear for its future … it’s more difficult to be lonely there, although I’m sure it’s a state sometimes wished for. And New Zealand … we’re an odd mix of the previous two societies in comportment.

Having written all that, we are a ‘type’, an individual … and we will always find someone else like us where ever we go, and yes, I think countries are all more similar than they know … it’s about being human I think.

Lol, forgive me, that was a long piece but I’m working on a theory and your post made me think more on it.

]]> By: Lillian http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-695 Lillian Tue, 07 Mar 2006 08:33:42 +0000 http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-695 Di.. thanx for your comment. Its true.. we are 'one of a kind' and we always find someone like us. Di.. thanx for your comment. Its true.. we are ‘one of a kind’ and we always find someone like us.

]]> By: Richard http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-697 Richard Tue, 07 Mar 2006 19:49:53 +0000 http://www.mythailanddiary.com/251/thais-and-swiss-personal-space/#comment-697 It makes perfect sense ... and a good post. It makes perfect sense … and a good post.

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