Courtesy of work, I just spent two weeks back home in Melbourne, with a day trip to Sydney. It was very strange being home - probably the worst culture shock I've ever experienced. It wasn't just the extreme quiet of the streets compared to Bangkok, being out in the 'burbs again, the cleanliness, the lack of pollution, the weather, the wide streets, the different trees, everyone looking very white and overweight, the dreadful accents, but, most of all, the relaxed and comfortable nature of life, the much higher cost of goods and services, and the ability to spend lots of money on luxury goods and attendant materialism. It was very hard to stomach this, after living here where people earn so much less and have much more restricted choices than in Australia, and after having seen
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