To all Thailand bloggers,
I have followed this blog with great interest for over 1.5 years and regularly asked questions and received answers, thanks for that.
After a stay of more than 7 years, NU is tired of staying in Dutch. Entered Wat Sanghathan in March 2007 as a Thai Nun, having lived there intermittently for over 5 years. With many ups and also downs. Played Sinterklaas there and gave everything away. Now I was told if you run out of money then your stay here is also over. Totally right. Can't blame anyone done everything myself.
Then lived in Suphanburi for 2 years in a Temple where sick people come with all kinds of diseases, including cancer, Tia's. Experienced a lot there and grateful that I could assist people who died there. I myself also had to contend with a brain tumor and a mild Tia. Completely cured. Well after having had an operation in Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok. After living there for 2 years, I wanted to take on a new challenge.
Entering as a Bhikkuni a female monk in Nakhon Pathom, this was the beginning of the end. Many promises were made to me and I believed the promises. My long-standing visa to immigration once a year because I lived in Temple was changed and recently I made my first visa run to Laos. Everything went well, but now the rules are also going to change because I only have a Tourist Visa but will stay longer in Thailand. Yesterday I was told in the organization where I now live in Bangkok, a Nunnery that they can't help me. I have resigned myself to it and will go back to the Netherlands in August.
Have to start all over there. Everything gone, husband married to Thai lady, no children, no home. But I'm going for it, saw the LIGHT last night and know what I have to do. After 7 years of hardships, back to square one. First thought of a Retirement visa, would have been another possibility. But no, my decision is now completely firm.
Buddhism says a way of life, SEE IT, ENJOY IT, AND LET IT GO. At least I learned this lesson and I will continue with it.
It was always pleasant to read something in my own language, because after 7 years I still can't read or write Thai, let alone communicate well.
Thank you Thailand bloggers.
Sincerely,
Anja
Atammayata, Anja, but don't let go of what you have learned.
Good luck.
Hans Mondeel
Well Anja,
If you can't speak a word of Thai after 7 years, I wonder what you've been doing all this time.
That language is not that difficult. I spoke the language within 3 months.
Then it might be time for you mister G to learn how to read Dutch properly. Apparently you still can't do that after many years. She talks about writing and reading, not speaking! Nobody is waiting for that “success story” of yours, certainly not Anja. I wish her good luck.
(…), let alone good communication.
Does that include speaking? 😛
When I was there on vacation for a month I found out if the language is difficult. Anyway, Anja, what now? Back to the Netherlands, but do you have a home? Or somewhere to spend the night? Friends, family? And what now?
So G,
I speak 5 languages and yet I have a lot of trouble with the Thai language.
one learns quickly , the other has other capacities .
Very silly this comment.
samong kluang
it says more about you mister g than about Anja.
And of Buddhism you have no knowledge at all, otherwise you would never have understood
expressed in this way.
Very little of you.
e
mister. G,
But first.
For Anja, but I think also for many TB-ers.
Mister G.
Where do you get the arrogance, the rudeness and the guts to attack a woman who spent 7 years committed to everyone, regardless of where they came from or with what skin color.
Who continued to do this until her OWN MONEY ran out and she was kicked out of the temple.
Then try again in another temple, which has helped her so badly that she has to go back to the Netherlands.
Could it be that there was little time left for her to go to school and learn to read and write???
She could communicate, but perhaps not as fluently as she herself would like.
We simple souls can't all have an IQ as high as Mister .g. and have mastered the Thai language by 3 months.
You are also completely alone in this with the ridiculous remark that the Thai language is not difficult.
The differences in pitches are difficult for the western ear to tell apart.
Have you ever done something for Thai people and paid for things out of your own pocket????
LOUISE
You don't even master the Dutch language when it comes to reading, otherwise you could have read that she can speak Thai.
And even if this Mrs. not being able to speak a single word of Thai would that be a shame??
I think reading the story that this Mrs. has done and meant more to the Thai people than most commenters on this web blog have done so far.
Unfortunately, bad luck follows you, money runs out and Thai law and immigration are ruthless.
We wish you the best of luck on your return to the Netherlands.
Jan Beute.
Louise,
Totally agree with you.
I myself have been in Thailand for 35 years, speak 5 languages, but the Thai language is too difficult for me.
Dear Mister G,
Can't wait to reply to your comment. Now if you're a guy, you apologize to Anja right here.
It is great what she has achieved and it is a pity that she is now forced to return to the Netherlands.
Anja I wish you all the best and happiness.
Henry Thailand.
Dear Hans,
I share your aversion to the temple economy as you rightly call it. However, I do make a distinction between the Buddhist message (call it religion if you like) and the so-called custodians of it that you can find in temples and I feel that they are increasingly involved in this economy.
cordial greeting
Anja with all due respect for the content of your 7 year past in Thailand! I wish you strength and lots of love at the start of your new future. Hans I completely share your rejection of religions! They are the source of much misery in the world…Gaza, Iraq, Iran, Libya and so on. Those who practice these religions are often deluded and are not to blame for the madness that results.
It is certainly impressive that you learned to speak the language within 3 months, my compliments, but that does not mean that you have to inform Anja and indirectly to all other readers in such a very presumptuous manner.
I have lived here for over 30 years and dare to say that I speak the Thai language quite well. I would therefore like to invite mister G for a test of his knowledge of the language.
what a terribly disrespectful answer, after such a story.
Courageous story of this woman, strength in NL.
Mister G,
A sickening reaction, lacking any form of empathy.
I agree with Ko's comment.
Jan.
Congratulations, there are always people who can do better, the front one is called that.
continue success
You have gained a lot of life experience there -in Thailand-. But also a lot of sadness... but that's part of it.
I agree with you by going back to the Netherlands.
Hi Anja,
First evicted from a monastery because you ran out of money.
This institution/belief is so enormously rich, the Dutch Salvation Army is a pauper and they still dare to throw you out after so many years??
Sorry, can't call it anything else.
Then even the promises made to you in a monastery in Nakhon Pathom were trampled upon.
Even if it was only with a visa.
I think it's great that you can still be so optimistic.
Of course I know that pessimism is no help, but I think this is the beast.
I wish you a lot of strength with your return, because that will be something else for a while.
Good luck with everything you want and can do.
Please let TB in due course how you are doing??
A firm hug.
LOUISE
Do you already have in nl; something arranged where you can go, you could possibly. can help with a room if necessary, in any case good luck.
@ Anja, I have little to do with religion, but it is like all people here in Thailand, if you run out of money you have to leave, preferably hand in your money upon arrival and return home.
Then to Mr mister, not all people are as smart as you, you have to respect that and keep it, Anja good luck in the Netherlands with everything you are going to do.
That's how it is! That's why I'm going back to the Netherlands before my money runs out!
Maybe we will run into Anja. Let's have a drink together and look back on our time in Thailand. All the best!
anja,
all the best,
and yes ; this is Thailand ……….. cracking down; get out .
and the majority of thai definitely don't live "the Buddha" way.
( see why Suthep abuses it )
e
Dear Mister G,
Can't wait to reply to your comment. Now if you're a guy, you apologize to Anja right here.
It is great what she has achieved and it is a pity that she is now forced to return to the Netherlands.
Anja I wish you all the best and happiness.
Henry Thailand.
It's the same everywhere, people don't understand each other anymore
I don't know the name and address of the lady, but I want her completely free of charge
help with housing, food and care.
If you can mediate I'd love to see it
met vriendelijke groeten
am Hendriks
Ben Hendriks, my email address: [email protected]
"and yes ; this is Thailand ……….. crack up ; get out ."
Does anyone know a country where the rules are different?
Cracking up?
Don't give up, just stay here!
Are there also Dutch people who think that foreigners without money or job are welcome in our country?
Would love to hear……….
John.
There are indeed Dutch people who welcome these people with open arms. These have organized themselves into various groups, institutions and organizations. After all, sheltering these people is one of the industries to which a lot of tax money is channeled in the form of subsidies. So these organizations have great interests in it. Think of youth care, the Salvation Army, law firms, action groups and so on.
How else do you think it is possible that illegality is not punishable in the Netherlands.
And then we are not even talking about the export of social benefits, whether or not through fraud.
There are even times when Dutch citizenship is on sale here.
Respect to Mr. G for daring to say he's so embarrassed. It is also possible that mister G is still drugged after his encounter with a LB. But these dischargers are also part of it.
I would like to advise Anja to prepare herself well. If necessary, seek advice from the Dutch embassy. I don't know enough about it, but it doesn't seem that obvious to me when you're unsubscribed. I vaguely know these stories. Did you already have state pension. Okay, but were you still in the state pension accrual phase. Then the story changes again. This is just one practical example I mention. I wish you did your homework and good luck. Personally, I sympathize with you and hope the very best for you.
Make sure you register again as soon as possible. That seems like the first step to me.
Thailand a very thin layer of chrome and underneath a gigantic mess.
Empathy, among other things, never heard of it.
I won't say more otherwise I'll get the whole Thailand Blog all over me.
A discussion about the serious defects here is not possible.
Still, I enjoy living here in my own way.
But not thanks to the Thai.
There are people who call it “the kingdom of “make belief”. Never heard of empathy, you say? Could that be explained historically? Niels Mulder (Inside Thai Society) has made a sideways attempt.
@ Anja, I wish you a good trip to the Netherlands. Hopefully you can find your way again soon in the Netherlands and make something beautiful out of it again.
hi Anja you are doing well respect for all the good you have done
hats off and djokdee khrap (good luck) in your further life
theo nijmegen
Dear Thai bloggers,
I really didn't expect so many responses. Thank you very much for all the support. Oh yes, Mister G. we live in a free world, so I also read your response, for which I thank you very much. I'm not sad about it because I've gotten a skin like an elephant in the meantime hihihi.
It moved me, however, so many congratulations for the future, and that future will certainly come. Indeed, I have nothing left at all and expect to end up in a shelter, I will manage there too, benefits are not for me either, but I have worked for 35 years, so maybe there is still a bright spot.
Thank you again for so many lovely congratulations.
Dear Anja, Happiness and love and understanding for your situation….. You will need it in the Netherlands. I wish you the best and yes keep Thailandblog.nl informed. There is so much solidarity in all these responses…. Would they abandon you…..?
Strength!
Jan
anja,
Perhaps the Thai temple in Waalwijk can provide you with shelter. (They now have 6 rooms for monks). I know that female monks also live there permanently
I think you would also be welcome at the temple in Musselkanaal (Groningen). Here too, there is space and need for people to help organize.
Oh yes, the picture attached to this article, not by me, was my fellow people in the Sangha, The Community of the Women Monks, the picture was probably taken in the morning while they were going on Begging in Nakhon Pathom. Do not intend to say anything bad about them. Humiliation is part of the entry that follows after 2 years. But I didn't last.
Still a response to Mister G. Because I do speak Sanskrit, the ancient Language of the Buddha, a lot of time and work has been put into it by the study of Sanskrit, but this aside. Should have been better able to learn, read and write Thai, but I also thought it was important to master the lyrics that we had to pronounce every early morning at 4 am and late at night, Thai was also added but in Karaoke style.
Yours sincerely.
dear Anja, great that you have done so much good for the people and it is a pity that you now have to leave Thailand because the cake is finished. wish you all the best in the netherlands and that you find your way quickly.
gr french
Been married to a Thai for years. The monks in Thailand but also in the Netherlands benefit from the donations to the temple, expensive cars, air travel, luxury goods, etc. Of course there are good ones, but the temple in Waalwijk, for example, does not receive a penny more from me, they live more luxuriously than I do !
Thanks for sharing your story Anja. It is very unfortunate that your hard and full effort is so mercilessly destroyed in the end. I understand that temples are not waiting for freeloaders (profiteers), but after years of long services sending someone away in such a way… Bhudda is turning in his grave! I therefore agree with Hans Gelijense.
Best wishes and strength for the future!
Why don't you go to a temple in the Netherlands or Belgium if you are at your wit's end? Luang Pa in the Temple in Waterloo eg. will be happy to assist you. In any faith or philosophy there are so few who really mean it.
Even the Buddha would have said that once.
Anja with your attitude will certainly succeed in the Netherlands. Success and luck.
Dear Anja! It is an intense story with a sad ending. When I told my Thai wife, she turned out to be unexpected, not even surprised. When you are back in NL, I hope to read some of your experiences here and maybe have the opportunity to have contact.
Good luck and success!
Khaki
Agreed!!!
Have you thought of a story ( book ) about your time in the monastery
to write ? Sounds like an interesting story from an interesting woman!
I would like to but I think I need someone to help me, otherwise it will be too one-sided. While this is not the intention at all. If you know someone, I'd like to recommend, I've already filled pages enough. I think it's still in order now.
Yours sincerely.
Anja
Dear Anja!
Your story won't leave me and, depending on how much effort it takes you to let go of the local Buddha culture… have you ever thought about going to Laos or another neighboring country for a while, where it might be easier for visas? I also presented your story to a Thai friend (100+++%Buddha minded); maybe there's another idea.
Because this is now too much 1-on-1 mailing, and this is not the intention of Thailandblog, you can also reply to my e-mail address: [email protected].
Hang in there!
khaki