As everyone probably knows by now, I’m not in Canada anymore.
I’ve been in Bangkok for just over a month and it’s been quite hectic. New job, new (tiny) condo, new friends and faces and most importantly, a new relationship. There hasn’t really been much down time for me to reflect and think about all the changes and how they’ve affected me. Luckily, this weekend was not only the first pay day, which was sorely needed, but I also had some down time just to myself which gave me a chance to ruminate on how things have been.
One thing I desperately want to do is be more mindful and connected with myself. I haven’t been meditating, my diet is way off, and I’ve only just started exercising again. Slowly the pieces are starting to fall back into place and life is developing its own natural routine and flow. I’m hoping to collect my musings, insights and random garbage here, and post somewhat frequently on life here in Bangkok. If you’ve read my blog posts before, you know I’m often depressed, self critical and completely cyclical. I’ll go in circles on the same issues of doubt or shame or self loathing year after year. I’ll try and be a little more original this time around.
To begin, I just wanted to share something small that has made me feel extremely happy. I spent a bit of time and a bit of money just doing simple things which bring me pleasure. I finished some marking and school work and then found myself with 2 free afternoons and evenings all to myself. I really didn’t know what to do, but I thought I should get out and try to enjoy the weekend.
Rootsbkk at Sathorn is an incredibly relaxed and chill cafe
In typical fashion I went to a cafe. I brought along my camera and laptop so I could upload some images and organize them. Rootsbkk at Sathorn is a lovely cafe which focuses on supporting local coffee farms in Thailand, building community and spreading their love of coffee. Each month they have an in-house competition where their barista’s are challenged to invent new and exciting coffee based drinks. The winner gets featured at both their locations and you can enjoy their newest creation for a month before it’s gone forever. It’s an incredibly unique idea and I love the atmosphere it creates. I’m excited to try each creation and every time I go in, it feels a little more magical. Here are two that I’ve tried so far, Som Za and O’Pomelo.
Som Za
O’Pomelo
Both use local ingredients from Thailand to enhance their flavours. The O’Pomelo was particularly unique because they used all aspects of the pomelo fruit, including the skin, rind and pulp, to help make the drink. I highly recommend checking out their instagram @rootsbkk to learn more about their amazing initiatives and incredible coffee.
Of course that was Saturday evening, so I had to also visit another cafe on Sunday to spend a few hours. Sometimes I Feel is one of the first cafes I randomly discovered last year when I visited Bangkok and it’s still one of my favourites. Their amazing staff were the ones who recommended me cafe’s to visit in Chiang Mai and always make me feel welcome when I visit. Today I had their Hot Mess and also a normal latte while I relaxed, played a game of Dota and read a little.
Sometimes I Feel’s Hot Mess
Just a simple latte
The next thing I really wanted was a meal that would be both a treat for myself and somewhat healthy and filling. I’ve basically been going exclusively to Mensho for ramen in Bangkok and I’m never ever disappointed. The brother is incredible, the chasu and pork belly is to die for, and all things considering, it’s really not that expensive. There are very few places outside of Japan that I’ll say have good ramen, but Mensho is definitely an exception, and their handmade noodles from locally grown grains make it all the more memorable. This really hit the spot and got me to that perfect balance of feeling absolutely spoiled and full.
The last thing which really made my weekend feel incredibly rewarding was that I made my way to Kinokuniya, the large, incredibly well stocked book store from Japan. The stationary and notebooks alone are enough to make me reminisce and yearn for life back in Tokyo. But even more exciting is the full, overflowing stock of English books with all the newest titles and authors just waited to be explored. I was hesitant, some of the books are expensive, and I know I could find a used bookstore, but then I made the realization which kind of summarized my weekend, that I deserved to treat myself.
It’s funny how something so small can be so revealing. I’ve been in a scarcity mindset for a while. Not working or having a steady income, I’ve conditioned myself to think that the less I bought or needed, the happier I’d be. I was worried about carelessly buying things and falling into a trap. I did make sure to spend whatever I wanted when it came to seeing friends or having food, that social interaction is something I never want to lose, even if I’m on the verge of being broke. But small little purchases, or things that I wanted which were not necessary, I shy’d away from and felt ashamed for wanting. But this weekend I realized that indulging a little, letting myself want something like a new book, was normal and probably healthy.
I got a little giddy when I found the books by Robert Sapolsky and Steven Pinker. I’ve been wanting to read these books for years. I can’t wait to dig into them, to feel that surge of excitement when people infinitely more intelligent than me pull back the curtain and reveal their hidden insights. I left the bookstore feeling lighter than I have in months. It was like a weight was lifted off my chest, a sense of relief knowing that I could let myself be happy and I didn’t have to feel bad about it.
I didn’t do anything crazy, a few coffee’s, one really good meal, and a book bag full with some inspiring titles, but for me, this is more than enough to make life seem wonderful again and I’m just glad I’m in a good place again. Life is getting better :)