Meth: a Ticking Timebomb Gone Viral

Never Speak about Politics or Religion to Friends

Nada isn't feeling well today. She has her period and is suffering because of it.

When we moved in three months ago, I bought some furniture, including a table and four timber chairs. This morning, when I sat down to eat breakfast, the chair slowly crumpled under me. I ended up on the floor with broken bits of the chair all around me. Nada was in a dither, but I wasn't hurt. I will be asking the place where we purchased it for a replacement.

The visit from my friend isn't going well. We clashed over politics on the first day (he considers Trump to be the best person to lead the free world and I do not). Also, I didn't realise that he smokes, and although he doesn't smoke inside, we can still smell it whenever he does. We agreed to disagree about politics and have dropped the subject, but just knowing his views parrot those of the president-elect has changed the way I think about him.

He's been here two days, and so far, hasn't offered any show of appreciation. I get that he is travelling on a budget, but a simple offer to buy us dinner (that would cost a few hundred baht) one night would be nice. Staying with us has saved him quite a lot in accommodation expenses. We have also provided him with three meals a day. I'm trying not to be mean and it's not about the cost.

We leave for our holiday on Sunday and he can stay till then. He has just informed me that he's quitting smoking today. Good for him (and for us), but if I detect one hint of anger over the next two days due to his withdrawals, he'll be looking for new accommodation faster than you can say, "Please, leave."

I accept that the situation with my friend is my fault. I didn't ask enough questions before I told him he could stay, so I would have had a better idea of what I was getting us into. It's not the end of the world. He isn't a bad person and it isn't just about him. We have had our routine broken, and I will talk to Nada once he is gone about whether we should allow visitors to stay in the future.

I know if it was me, I would want my own space when travelling. I realise everyone has different budgets but accommodation is pretty cheap here in Thailand, and staying in someone else's home, even for short periods, can present issues.