30,000 Blue Jeans

Walking in Bangkok, I could pass a thousand faces on the street without anyone saying "hello" or "excuse me". In the city, beyond my small group of factory friends, I rarely met any new people.


In my hometown village, everyone knows one another....


When a baby is born...
people share the news and celebrate the new life.

When a couple gets married...
people travel for miles to observe the engagement.

And when someone dies...
the memory of that person lives forever in the village prayers.

One generation of family and friends somehow stay connected to those who lived before...

I couldn't say the same thing about Bangkok. It continues to be just another crowded city of strangers. That's why I was amazed that Peter attempted to contact me at the factory.

Back on that July night, after we said our goodbyes at the Marriott, I never expected to see this American man again. As far as I was concerned, it was a chance meeting that wouldn't go beyond one night of dancing and drinking...

Anyhow, in his search to find me again, all Peter knew was that I worked in a factory sewing blue jeans...

Page 9

Older Men and Younger Women

I don't know the all the customs in other countries, but in Thailand, it's not uncommon for older men to date and marry much younger women. In Bangkok, time and time again, I would see western men in their 40s or 50s shopping with younger women.

Actually, I think the women were shopping and the men had already found what they were looking for...

Indeed, just in my hometown, I know two Thai women who get money every month from boyfriends in Germany and Denmark. Another woman is married to a British gentleman almost 40 years her senior. He built her a house just a short walk away from my front door.

For country girls with very little money, older men paying for the company of younger women is part of the natural order of life in Thailand. Yes, I would be lying if I didn't say sex started most of these relationships.

As for myself, I was very tempted to start working in a bar. With my brother going to school, it was becoming harder for me to send enough baht home each month. With more stuff being imported from China, many factories in Bangkok were already starting to cut back on workers. Thus, when this American guy offered to pay all my monthly bills, to include my brother's school, I said to myself, "Why Not?"

After sewing button holes for 10 years, I would have been crazy not to except this offer of cash. Besides, he didn't ask much in return. All Peter wanted was for me to start English classes and go to computer school. He said many times, I could do whatever I want as long as I didn't date other men.

For the record, like I wrote before, I'm 27 years old. Peter is 43.

Would we have sex when he visited Thailand again?

Yes.
Why not?
It's not like I was a virgin.


Could this new long distance relationship with an almost complete stranger turn into real love?

Until I spent some time with Peter, I decided to keep my heart open to any possibility...



For centuries, women in Thailand were forced to marry men they didn't even know.

Families would arrange marriages and love was never a factor.

Today, while most everyone marries because of love, the different ways people meet one another remains somewhat the same...


Some romantic couples meet at work. Other men and women are introduced through family or friends. While today's matchmaking is more informal, it's still a part of Thai society. In Bangkok, a Thai woman can be introduced to a man just by POSTING her face and BIO on a matchmaking web site. I guess it's a BIG money business. Indeed, if Peter could locate me again by searching the internet...then anything and everything must be possible...

to include finding a boyfriend or husband!

Here's a picture of the British man and his wife Pi on their front porch. They've been happily married for five years. Despite an age difference of over 40 years, as you can see from this photograph, they truly love one another...

I know there are stories on the internet about Thai women taking advantage of Western men. While I'm sure there's a certain amount of truth to these stories, I believe if a man truly devotes himself fully to a woman, she won't go searching in other places for short moments of happiness.

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." Buddha

Page 10

Bangkok Airport

After months of exchanging letters, phone calls and e-mail, the night of our reunion had finally arrived...

My best friend's husband drives a Bangkok taxi, so everyone loaded up his cab and headed out for the airport. It's amazing how many women were waiting to meet their boyfriends and husbands. While the crowd itself was mostly Thai, the many faces arriving on each new flight were from dozens of different countries. Even though it was 11-o-clock at night, the terminal was filled with people. The whole scene reminded me of Bangkok's main Bus Terminal the day before a holiday.

In my mind, I kept wondering about how it would feel seeing Peter again. What would I say to him? Would we kiss in front of my friends? Would he understand my English?

Before Peter boarded the plane in the United States, he had worked out an entire plan for our upcoming two weeks together.



First, we'd spend two romantic nights at the Marriott. Before flying, he made reservations for Room #1102 on the internet (just above Room #802).

Then, Peter, my younger sister and I would take an overnight express bus to my hometown. Since my home is nearly 10 hours away from Bangkok, it's faster and easier to travel at night. After a few days visiting my mother, we would board another bus for the Cambodian border and travel to Angkor Wat near Siem Reap...

Waiting inside the airport terminal, inside my mind, I kept thinking over and over again that I was somehow making a big mistake.

My nervous heart felt both excitement and fear....

On this first night, after that moment when we finally made love together, maybe he or I would be disappointed...

However, there was a real chance for some magic to spark between us...

During the months leading up to our reunion, I did begin to feel something inside for this extremely nice gentleman.


Page 11

Room #1102

There are some moments in my life that I will never forget...

The morning my younger brother was born...

The day my father died...



The weekend celebration of my older sister's marriage...

The rainy night I boarded a bus in my hometown to start a new life in Bangkok...

My first day at work in the factory...

And now, that first moment when I saw Peter's face moving through the large crowd of passengers.

In some ways, it felt like I living inside of a movie. While I had prayed for many years for love, on this particular night, my life was truly at a crossroads. Every event in my life, both good and bad, had moved me to this single point in time.

Would this man become my everyday, everything?

As far as our three days together in Room #1102, it felt like we were newlyweds on honeymoon. For this moment in time, we closed ourselves off to the outside world and explored each other's hearts and bodies.

A king size bed...
Six soft pillows...
A large bathroom...
Room service...
A big window with a view of the city...
Flowers and body soap...

It's amazing how much you can actually learn about a person in just a few days. Together in this room, I opened my heart to the possibilities of love.

To hold him close against my body...
To look into his tender eyes...
To feel the warmth of his loving breath against my skin...
To laugh in the shower...
To play under bedsheets...

To truly become one during our passionate moments together in love...

Looking back on our first romantic days together in Room #1102, I now understand the real connection we shared that first night back in July(2004).

For many years, I felt sorry for myself. However, if any single event had changed during my lifetime, our first tender moments together would never have happened...

"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else." Buddha

Thankfully, Peter acted on his feelings. My mother believes that her daily prayers for my happiness were finally answered...

Page 12

Many e-Mails

Over the last few weeks, I've received dozens of e-mails from men and women living in different countries. Thus far, I've answered only one of these messages to me...


Some men just want to see more SEXY pictures. It's amazing how many completely strange men are interested in starting up an internet relationship. In one e-Mail, there was one man who said I was a man writing this BLOG. If this guy had actually visited Bangkok, then he'd know there are hundreds of translation booths near NaNa & the American Embassy.

Also, my dear brother (pictured here in our family's garden) is studying computer software and web design in college. Thus, he's been extremely helpful with the overall design of this Blog. Honestly, it's really not that hard to create a place on the internet.

Anyhow, I'm sorry if I write only a few people back...

First, it takes me about ten days to put together just one single web page. Not that anyone really cares, but each individual POST requires me to go thru a very long translation process.

Additionally, because I only visit the internet cafe twice a week, I reserve most of my writing time for this BLOG and e-Mailing my love...

Yes, for the record, I did fall in love!

According to Peter, he fell in love at first sight. As for myself, it took a few more days and months...

Love
Oun




Page 13

Express Bus

After we checked out of the Marriott, Peter and I took a motorbike taxi to my apartment. Because of the city's terrible traffic jams, motorbikes are the fastest and most dangerous way to get across the city. If you ever visit Bangkok and you have a strong heart and a bit a courage, it's something that everyone should try at least once...

From my apartment, our plan was simple. We would link up with my younger sister and head out to the main bus terminal.

While my mother was happy about meeting Peter, she was even more excited that my sister was finally coming home. It had been more than six years since she had last visited our hometown. It's not that she hates our mother. You see, my younger sister continues to work and save for her most important dream. One day, she wants start a business. She doesn't want any man to control her life.

Anyhow, once we got to the bus terminal, Peter asked me for my passport. Because we were going to journey to Angkor Wat in Cambodia, I needed my passport to cross the border. In the race to get across the city, I had left it back in my apartment. At that moment, I felt really stupid. For months Peter and I had been planning our trip, and here I go and forget my passport.

Instead of getting mad, Peter just smiled and said we'll just take another bus in the morning. Honestly, It felt wonderful that he didn't get angry. I think if he yelled or got mad at me...the future of our relationship would be in big trouble.

After a quick call to my bestfriend Noi, she picked up my passport from my apartment and got into a taxi. With only 20 minutes until the bus left, I just kept praying she'd somehow make it to the terminal in time...

Lucky for everyone, she made it to the bus just before it departed the terminal. Even though Noi was completely out of breath, she started laughing as Peter, my sister and I boarded the bus for home...

Page 14

Under Blankets

As most people in this world already know, Thailand is a very HOT country. Indeed, up until this point in my life, I've never seen or touched real snow. For someone living in Norway or Canada, this may come as a bit of a surprise, but there are people in this world that have only seen snow in the movies...

Perhaps with global warming, Bangkok may one day witness its first snow storm. Until then, winter in Thailand is an air-conditioned bus at night.

Here are two travel tip for folks visiting Thailand for the first time:

(1) If you ever take an express bus at night, it's important to remember to bring along a jacket or sweater. For some reason, it seems like every driver tries to stay awake by allowing sheets of ice to form on the bus windows.

(2) While the bus has blankets for everyone, it's a good idea to wear pants, socks and shoes. While summer clothes are a must for daytime bus travels, at night, you'll quickly turn into a snowman.

In order to stay warm, I slept on top of Peter for most of the night. With two blankets and his warm body under mine, I was finally able to take a trip across Thailand without getting sick for three days.

Plus, it was romantic sleeping on top of Peter. Since I'm a small woman, it was easy to make Peter's body a warm bed...

My sister, who sat the entire evening across from us, was not so lucky. Later, she told me she wants her own American the next time she takes the bus home...

Shower Time

Over the next few weeks, I'll continue POSTING new pages to my BLOG. As with most things in life, it's going to take time to write more about this unfinished Love Story. Thus, to assist my regular readers, I've included this site map:

Page #1 - Searching For A New Dream
Page #2 - The Factory
Page #3 - Becoming A Woman
Page #4 - Long Journey Home
Page #5 - A Saturday Night In Bangkok
Page #6 - Small Talk and Drinks
Page #7 - Room #802
Page #8 - The Strange Announcement
Page #9 - 30,000 Blue Jeans Later
Page #10 - Older Men and Younger Women
Page #11 - Bangkok Airport
Page #12 - Room #1102
Page #13 - Many e-mails
Page #14 - Express Bus
Page #15 - Under Blankets
Page #16 - Appendix


Love Always & Forever
Oun