Gastronomy: What is the relationship to food that the people in your host country have? Are there any traditions or customs surrounding food that aid digestion?
Food is a large part of the culture in Thailand. Within my earliest moments in Thailand, food was able to connect me to the culture and people. Thai natives enjoy eating with a lot of garlic, chili peppers, pork, and mangoes. Although I do not enjoy the spicy dishes, some of the dishes that I do like are Pad Thai with chicken, Pad Kra Pao, Roti deserts, and the Green Curry Chicken. The only rule, that I can think of, that foreigners and natives follow alike is always requesting a bottle of water with a glass of ice, instead of water from the tap due to health concerns.
Movement: What does daily movement look like in your host country? Do people mainly drive cars or use public transportation?
Daily movement for me is mostly by a motorbike that I rented. Coming to Thailand I see that motorbikes are everywhere. Driving the bike provides convenience in saving time and money by being able to weave through traffic, pay less for gas, park nearly anywhere, and being able to travel at higher speeds. I use public transport often as well when traveling to further distances. Public transport in Thailand includes taxis, buses, and the BTS train. Taxis are efficient on saving time but can be expensive when used often or depending on the driver. The price for taxis ranges around 70 baht ($2.13 USD) up to 550 baht ($16.39) depending on the distance and time of day. Some drivers will try to avoid using the meter provided and charge foreigners more. The BTS and bus are efficient for saving money, but I usually plan carefully if I am trying to stay on a schedule due to delays occurring often. The bus is a flat rate of 25 - 27 baht ($0.74 - 0.80 USD) for any location on the route. The BTS is around 40 baht ($1.19) usually. For public transport, I usually use the bus to get near to my destination and then order a bike taxi (~60 baht ($1.79 USD)) to get directly to a place.
Rest: Is there a cadence or rest in your host country? Is there urgency or relaxedness in your host culture?
Thailand is very relaxed in the places that I have been. It differs from most places in the United States where people are always in a rush or busy. The day and nighttime are very busy and active throughout most parts of Bangkok. During the day being in Bangkok I see a lot of traffic, tourists, and markets. It is the same during the night, but I see more bars open and people going to parties. I prefer to go out during the day though, because although a lot of parts of Bangkok are safe and nice at night, there are certain areas where people with ill intentions are prevalent past dark. Traveling during the day is nice because I feel safe and secure. I do notice that in most spaces, Thai people do not talk loudly or at all to maintain the calamity of a space.