Moving on
I have booked three one-way flights: one to Singapore, one to Bali and one to Dili. I’ve handed in my notice and work and my last day of full-time employment in Thailand will be on August 26, not including a few vacation days that I will be cashing out. As if that’s not enough, I’ve also taken three-and-a-half days’ holiday this week (I’m sat at Indigo Pearl at the moment) – my first time off in more than a year, not including a couple of weekends in Bangkok.
This is my way of saying that I’m leaving. After a love affair with Thailand that has taught me a great deal about life, love work and the universe, it’s time to move on and try something new. I will, of course, return to Thailand, but my plan is to live elsewhere, unless a dream job presents itself.
It’s been a little more than a year since I arrived in Phuket. While I have enjoyed my time on the island, I have to admit that it just isn’t “me”. Something about the place, the people, the atmosphere just doesn’t grab me. I miss the big-city feel of Bangkok, but I don’t feel inspired to return to the City of Angels for anything more than a visit.
Most of my possessions will remain in Thailand along with about half of the money I possess, so I’m still tied to the country whether I like it or not.
As for my choice of destinations, Singapore is a brief stop on the way to Bali, where I will spend about a week relaxing, milling about and probably not blogging. My final destination is Dili. I can’t take the kudos for formulating the idea of moving to Dili, but at this stage in my life, I couldn’t see any reason not to go to Dili, much in the same vein as I couldn’t see any reason not to go to Bangkok three years ago.
As for what I will be doing in Dili, well, that’s something that will unravel once I arrive. I have touched base with two Dili-based publications and established a few contacts. I have also started contacting foreign publications and for some time my primary job will be to learn, make contacts and send a lot of emails while establishing myself in Dili.
Being unemployed will also give me a chance to study for my NCTJ qualification – something I’ve been unable to do in Phuket given my workload. To make ends meet in the meantime I will be blogging, writing and editing, which probably means I will grovel for people to send work my way.
I have a real challenge ahead of me, but I’ve never been so excited. My goal is to study and do as much credible work as I can. I plan to help out with the two publications I mentioned, although to what extent I won’t know until I arrive in Dili. There’s a lot of uncertainty at the moment.
I have all manner of things to do. I need a new laptop, new camera, new bag, a torch (apparently), some decent shoes and, sadly, real travel insurance to buy. So that’s me in a nutshell. For anyone in Bangkok, I’ll be visiting this weekend.
I should probably mention that I will keep blogging. My focus will shift, but this blog will become something new. It will form the basis of my initial work in Dili, so there will be a lot of changes. I won’t have as much to say about Thailand and, who knows, I may lose my entire readership, but there’s nothing I can do about that. There will be photos, videos (if Preya remembered to post my Flip cam) and stories.
So that’s me in a nutshell. I fly out on August 28.
July 30th, 2008 at 5:43 am
Woah, Matt, you’re leaving? This is a shock for me, I thought you loved Phuket. Good luck with your travels though.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:04 am
Good luck! I was first “huh, Dili? Where on earth is that!” :) But seems you have hotten your way open there already with contacts. Well, I am one who on the other hand is moving in to Bangkok. My plan is similar to yours in Dili, to send out a lot of emails and establishing networks to land a job for little while untill I feel the way you feel right now. :)
Good luck, to both of us! ;)
July 30th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Good luck, Matt.
You accomplished a lot. You should be proud of your work in Thailand. If you move on to bigger and better things, all the better.
What is Matt is a blog institution.
It will be a strange transition from Thailand to Dili. I keep asking myself and wondering WTF is in East Timor. I guess I will find out soon enough.
July 30th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Congratulations on decision and good luck in your new adventures. Sadly, I came to this blog late, but enjoyed what I read.
What is your plan for the Top 100? Looking for a new host for it?
If you have the time, please drop me an e-mail as I’d like to inquire about whether your current employer is seeking a new journalist to replace you. I haven’t been a full-time editor for about 5 years, but if the conditions were right, I might like to jump into it again.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Nice decision. Seems you were ready for it.
Loose your readers? Don’t think so. :-)
July 30th, 2008 at 7:18 am
Wow…I have to admit I had no frickin clue where Dili was. I am so showing my ignorant Americanness. Anyway, you will get your FLIP before you leave:) Good luck. I have a feeling I’m going to be too exhausted to come out with you on the 2nd, which is a shame because I would have loved to have met you, but best of luck and I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures. I am leaving Colorado in 12 hours. Feels surreal. I’m excited but also really sad to have to say goodbye to family and friends. Ugh.
July 30th, 2008 at 7:47 am
Good luck in Dili!
You won’t be losing this reader. Dili is an exciting prospect, I know very little about except from news Headlines and the book The Redundancy of Courage by Timothy Mo
July 30th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Matt,
Sorry we won’t be reading your take on Thailand. Count me as one who stays subscribed to your RSS to keep up on your writing though.
Cheers,
BBKK
July 30th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
I thought this was a joke, but no, Dili really exists :)
Sounds like a last minute decision, I bet you’ll be back to bkk before the next Google danse ;)
July 30th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Oh Matt! And last night we just decided on visiting Phuket for our November trip, and I was thinking, “Oh cool, I would get to meet Matt in person now.” Darn it!
Good luck with the new gig. Much like your other readers here, I’ll stick with you wherever you go, bro.
July 30th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I assure you this is not a last-minute decision.
July 30th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Guess you wont be wanting that turntable and mixer then?
Hope we can have a beer & blag before you depart, but if Im not back before you leave we all wish you the very best for your next intrepid adventure.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:08 am
Sounds way off from big city life… wish you luck. Don’t forget the photos!
July 31st, 2008 at 3:10 am
Matt, I know you’ve thought long and hard about this and I wish you ALL the success in the world with the next step in your life. This isn’t an end, more like the start of a whole new something in your life. Good luck mate.
July 31st, 2008 at 4:48 am
Hmm, and we never actually met. Good luck, but I do believe you cannot call yourself “Thailand’s Lost Boy” after August 26th… And what of Phuket Vogue?
July 31st, 2008 at 8:02 am
Hi there,
we’ve never met but i do read your blog pretty regularly (i have a keen interest in everything thai!) and it’s a pity to hear u’re leaving thailand!
anyways, the reason for me to come out of the “shadows” and actually leave a comment is because i live in singapore and if you would like to check out the most awesome chicken rice there is on our little island, i’d be glad to show the way.
hope to hear from you soon! :)
g.
July 31st, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Well, you do know that wherever you may be, I’ll be stalking you senseless, right? Thank God for Facebook! LOL. Seriously, though. I’m sad you’re leaving, and we still haven’t met!
July 31st, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Good luck Matt. I hope this doesn’t mean you’ll stop blogging.
July 31st, 2008 at 7:36 pm
You have made the right decision, you are too young to become one of these rancid old expat pontificating on a life they have not lived.
Good luck in Dili! I’ll still read your blog and expect to learn a lot a bout Dili!
Best
Roger
July 31st, 2008 at 10:12 pm
After Googling Dili and finding out that there’s not a whole lot going on there, the question I have is: Why Dili???
August 1st, 2008 at 3:58 am
Good luck, Matt.
I reckon we’ll see you in Australia soon enough. If you hop around Melbourne let me know and I’ll buy you a beer guaranteed. I moved here from Bangkok a year ago and think you’d fit in well here. Good arts scene, vibrant downtown, plenty of jobs. The only thing that sux is the weather, but you’re from England, right? should be ok then.
Anyways, never met you in BKK but had some friends who did, so just want to say good luck with whatever you decide to do.
-david
August 1st, 2008 at 6:24 am
hi matt,wow your leaving we haven’t meet but I love thailand and have really enjoyed reading your blog.
I must agree with you re - phuket,it doesn’t grab me either I just think its way too touristy these days.
I have found a new spot hua hin went last year and going back this november.
and of course absolutely love bangkok.
i will miss your blog on thailand,as you are living my dream life travelling and living someplace else other than your native home
all the best on your travels.be safe
I will keep reading your blog though
cheers kim
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
as everyone else has said . . . good luck, matt :)
August 4th, 2008 at 5:59 am
lol what readers?
maybe they wont have as many internet cafes there, so you wont be able to post comments on your own blog
the majority of comments on this blog are from lostboy himself
August 4th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Dili, gosh, Matt, wish you the best of lucks.
Ran there for my life before the August referendum and revisited regularly - a most interesting place if you got something to do.
Fantastic untouched landscape and completely different people than Thais.
Again, best of lucks, and looking forward to your Dili-blog!
August 4th, 2008 at 11:01 am
You wish, James. You wish.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:14 am
Take good care Matt for whatever you do. And be return to your secnd home as soon as possible. ^_^
August 6th, 2008 at 12:32 am
Methinks Dili won’t be any more “exciting” than Phuket town - let alone Bangkok …
However, it’s definitely a fresh start in a relatively new country that do need foreign assistance and expertise. Perhaps, a great deal more substantive to write about given its past history too. Good Luck & Bon Chance!
August 6th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Good luck to you squire. I’ve been following your progress for quite sometime, although this is the first comment I have made.
cheers
August 6th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Oh lucky you !!! I will continue reading your blog probably with more interest now that it won’t be about Thailand lol Good luck Matt!!!!
August 6th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
timor is one of the poorest countries in the world
its like a blank canvas in many ways, might head over there myself and get citizenship.
In a few years i’ll prob hold a top goverment job
August 13th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Oh. I feel like I’ve missed the boat a bit…
I’ve only just discovered this blog and immediately felt a sense of relief(?)… akinship(?)… something connected anyway. I think I was just glad to find an expat out here that has rounded views and isn’t a dysfunctional misfit like the vast sea of others that I’ve met along the road.
Good luck in your adventures, I’ll keep reading regardless.