5 things I ’ ve started doing
As Mike celebrates one year of living on location in South East Asia , he shares five new things he has started doing since the big move .
1 . Using another language to communicate . While English is definitely still the language I am most comfortable using , I try to use it as little as possible .
2 . Reading books on a Kindle . I really enjoy sitting down with a good hard-copy book . Practically , though , a Kindle is the best option for a booklover like me who travels . My Kindle is the thing I ’ m most glad I brought with me .
3 . Riding a motorbike . I still occasionally drive a car , but rarely . And if I have the choice , I always choose the motorbike . It ’ s quicker . It ’ s so much easier to park . And it ’ s cheap !
4 . Being ‘ late ’ to events . I never used to be late to anything when I lived in Australia . If anything , I was always too early ! In South East Asia , however , people are more relationship-oriented than time-oriented . This means the event starts when all the people are there – even if that ’ s an hour or more ‘ late ’!
5 . Going to coffee shops at night . Here in my location , most coffee shops don ’ t open until 4pm in the afternoon . But they stay open until almost midnight ! Most of my local friends here love to sit and chat late into the night . Fortunately the caffeine doesn ’ t seem to affect me too much .
RESONATE ISSUE 39 | PAGE 4