WOW,
Thanks to all those listers who offered me a warm welcome...it's nice to be back! And
it's lovely to know that some of you used to enjoy my posts.
I was very envious to read about the latest jonifest, but the good thing about
possibly moving to Canada is that I am a step closer to where these wonderful events
are staged...YAY. (Didn't think there was much hope in putting in a bid for a fest to
be staged in Bangkok;-)
Much to my surprise, the music scene is wonderful in Thailand. I used to get so
frustrated in Sydney because it was near impossible to find people who appreciated
music from the 'woodstock era'...and while my friends listened to the latest trashy
pop - i used to sit at home playing joni records and longing to find someone who at
least knew who she was/is (then I found the JMDL...yay).
The music records left by soldiers during the Vietnam war have had a huge impact on
south east Asia - and mean that many people have a love of music from that era -
infact it's the only western music they know. So it has been here in Thailand that I
have received my musical education - the love of joni still carries on - but now, from
hanging out with local musicians - my eyes have been opened to Bonnie Raitt, the
Allman Brothers Band, Joplin, Grateful Dead, Jackson Browne....and the list goes on.
Basically music that most 24 year olds living in Sydney would not be exposed to...
For some reason it is music from this generation that talks to me...still don't know
how/why because my parents never listened to music when I was young - they don't even
know who joni mitchell is (dad just calls her the singer that sounds sad;-)
As you guys know from this list - there's something magical about music that can bring
people from different countries/cultures together and make them bond in a deep way.
The deepest connections I have made with Thai people are not through work, but through
the music scene...meeting people who 'get it' and then getting to know them and their
country.
Work has been good too.... I mean, I get to cover the most insane stories here...I am
talking elephant weddings/buffalo funerals/democracy rallies/hanging out with buddhist
monks here and there. And the thing that I love most about Asia is one always feels
alive (especially on the back of a motorbike whizzing through Bangkok traffic!) But
there is always a downside - and that has to be the loneliness.... it's hard to find a
western man who wants a western woman when he can have a dozen pretty Thai women to
pamper him day and night. And the Thai men tend to take on more than one girlfriend at
a time (I was a 'minor wife' for a while - not much fun I can tell you)
Anyway - that's for those of you who are interested in what this little old/new lister
has been up to the past few years.
I better get back to work....thanks for reading
Ange in Bangkok
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