Gaybutton Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 Today I had a piece of great news and I'd like to share it with you all. Some of you who know my boyfriend also know he has been working very hard in his school, trying for a college scholarship. Today, to coincide with His Majesty the King's birthday, his school made the announcement as to which students won the scholarship. Out of 2000 students only twenty were selected and my boyfriend was one of them. He has won a full scholarship to Assumption University in Bangkok. He begins in May. Needless to say he is absolutely ecstatic about it and so am I. I couldn't be happier if I were twenty people rolled into one. Come to think of it, if I don't lose some weight, that's exactly what I'll be. It's certainly nice to be able to share happy news like this with all of you. I know how hard he has been working and I'm extremely proud of him. Quote
TotallyOz Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 That is wonderful news! Congrats to him and to you. I also hear Assumption is a great place. Cheers! Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 5, 2006 Author Posted December 5, 2006 That is wonderful news! Congrats to him and to you. I also hear Assumption is a great place. Thank you very much. From what I understand it's one of the best and quite expensive by Thai standards. By my standards too. If he had not made the scholarship, that particular university would be far beyond my reach. Somehow, though, I doubt he'll be trading in the wai in favor of making the sign of the cross . . . Quote
Guest stef Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 That's wonderful GB. I wish him the best. Quote
PattayaMale Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 I hope you will let him know that we are happy for him too. Has he decided what his major might be? Thanks for letting us know this Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 5, 2006 Author Posted December 5, 2006 Has he decided what his major might be? Thank you. I will certainly tell him. I also just discovered that if he does well enough once he's there, then he'll be eligible for yet another scholarship for two years in New York, although I don't know yet which college that would be. As far as deciding his major, it's far too soon for that, but he seems to be primarily interested in economics, business, and law. I like the law part. That will be a big help in responding to the "Attorneys of the Internet" who we often see on these message boards. In any case, to me he represents the answer to the "experts" who consistently post about how these boys are interested only in how much money they can soak from "farang." I think it is quite a mistake when I see people stereotype these boys as people who only want to take "farang" for as much as they can get and then end up right back on the rice farm. Perhaps that does happen all too often, but I've also seen boys work their tails off trying to achieve something in life. My boyfriend and his best friend both made the scholarship. It wasn't handed to them on a silver platter. They worked for it and they worked hard. Nearly every night they were up until 1:00, 2:00, and sometimes 3:00 AM working on their assignments. They made a lot of sacrifices to achieve this. So did I. Most of my friends know that when I do things during the daytime, and quite often at night too, such as going to the beach, out to eat, or whatever, I am almost always alone. That's because my boyfriend is either in school or working on projects and assignments. This is where it pays off. He never thought he could do it, but here we are. He's also excited because when he receives the actual scholarship papers, he will receive them directly from the hands of the Crown Prince at a formal ceremony. Not bad for someone who started off as a bar boy. Quote
PattayaMale Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 "Not bad for someone who started off as a bar boy." I assume you are talking about you. Now that I think back, I believe I remember you from one of those Florida bars.... Quote
Guest MonkeySee Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 Wow GB, such great news. Congratulations to your boyfriend for all his hard work and effort. Congratulations to you for being there for him, guiding him, advising him and enabling him to excel. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 5, 2006 Author Posted December 5, 2006 "Not bad for someone who started off as a bar boy." I assume you are talking about you. Now that I think back, I believe I remember you from one of those Florida bars.... That's true. In Florida I was a bar boy. As a matter of fact my photo was used in a trade magazine article for bar boys. The caption on the photo was "Don't Let This Happen to You." Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 5, 2006 Author Posted December 5, 2006 Wow GB, such great news. Congratulations to your boyfriend for all his hard work and effort. Congratulations to you for being there for him, guiding him, advising him and enabling him to excel. Thank you for that. It hasn't always been easy, to say the least, and we've both been through quite a lot that I wouldn't want to have to go through again, but today's announcement made it all worth doing. The next time I see a post in which someone says these boys are nothing but prostitutes, not even worth a decent tip, I'll be thinking of one of my favorite Franklin Roosevelt quotes: "Tell that to the marines." Quote
Guest Jason105 Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 Hi Gaybutton: I'm not sure where I heard/read it but it popped into my mind when I read your post: "Joy Shared is Joy Multiplied!" Your pride and joy is not only evident, it is also the result of a considerable investment on your part: not just in baht, but in trust, support, encouragement, and belief. It is a pleasure to see your good heart validated. Celebrate and know that you have already made a tremendous difference in making things better. Congratulations to your young friend for his hard work and perserverance. All the best to you both. Jason Quote
Guest pete1969 Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 Congrats to your guy GB. A number of "bar boys" are looking to improve their lives. The $ they earn from their job and their patrons is put to good use. For many of the guys in this profession, this is their best shot at upward mobility for themselves and their families. This upward mobility is something we Westerners take for granted but which is more difficult in a place like Thailand. The only caveat I have is that when my guy finished his degree (and two other guys I know), they found the starting wages in their industry far below their wages in the bars and all ended back up in the bars in order to bankroll futhur studies or their own businesses. However, the bar business still remained just a stepping stone to a better life. Granted, a majority of bar boys might not be able to show much for their all their work, but there are those who do make the best of their time working in the bars and who have the motivation and desire to get ahead. Pete Quote
Guest ear wig Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 Good luck to you Gaybutton................with your boy Im warming more to you a lot lately I think you must have a soft inner heart protected by a hard outer shell. Like me You really are a lot like me a Mother Hen.As I always say to guyz who ask me what is the best thing they can do for there new lovers, the only thing you can do really is give these Boyz a good education or a good job, money motorbikes and jewelry is only going to either may be kill them or they save it for a rainy day then sell it... money goes through there fingers like butter. If Im away from Thailand my boys cam with me twice a week and it is so wonderful to see them, their smile, laughter shyness in some ways, and showering me with lots of love plus slight embarrassment and happiness to see me, this would melt any hard hearted person let alone a big softy like me Im so happy for you and your boy GB it is such a good feeling to find the boy you love mainly as the son you never had then bring him up as you would your own flesh and blood the feeling is so wonderful more guys should try it, instead of just going from bar to bar to see who the next one is they are going to find and fcuk, for the least money, try taking boys out even see what they want to do not just go back to the room all the time and rush to get another one, there is so much more to life then that. Keep up the good work GB Im sure your now reaping the benefits with this end result of all your backing. Quote
Guest Aunty Posted December 5, 2006 Posted December 5, 2006 FANTASTIC!!! I can only say ditto to what folks have posted above. When I was in Boston I came across several Thai studying at the universities there, mostly on scholarship of one sort or another. But if your guy does well Gaybutton, getting a scholarship to study in the US is by no means beyond the realms of possibility! In fact, given that he has been at, or is at a good University in Thailand, and is a legit student, obtaining a student visa to study in the US would be pretty much a formality I would have thought! Something to think about for the future eh! As we say in this neck of the woods, Good on ya, mate! And congratulations to your guy. Well done young man! Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 5, 2006 Author Posted December 5, 2006 I am very grateful for all of these comments. It's also very nice to see a thread in which everyone has something positive to say, rather than turning it into another war of words. Now that my boyfriend won the scholarship, that doesn't mean he gets to slack off. He still has to perform well in his present school. The school made it clear to the scholarship recipients that if anyone does not continue to achieve, their scholarship can be rescinded. But since these are the top 20 students in that school, I doubt that will happen to any of them. He is also well aware that once he graduates starting salaries won't exactly permit him to live a lifestyle similar to Thaksin's, but it is a good beginning. The very fact that he is in school on a scholarship will provide him opportunities that he never would otherwise have had. Quote
Bob Posted December 6, 2006 Posted December 6, 2006 Wow, nice. Congrats to your bf, GB. it'll be an interesting experience for both of you. My bf, god or buddha willing, will be graduating from Payap in Chiangmai at the end of 2007 (subject to having to take a very difficult class in Chinese again) so I kinda know the joys, surprises, and downers of the college experience for a thai kid. As you certainly know, most of the thai kids in college in Thailand are from the upper classes and it is a little bit of a problem for a kid from poor peasant parents to fit in (but it can be done). There's also the extra expenses - class trips, etc. - and the difficulty of economically fitting in (with decent clothes, mobile phone, decent computer, etc.). Sometimes the assignments (like requiring a presentation to be made on a cd - when one doesn't have access to a video camera) simply presume all the students have or can easily get money. At this moment, my bf (who is majoring in Tourism) is in Bangkok where they are inspecting various sites, making some type of cooperative arrangements with some of the shops at the new airport, etc.). Of course, the school just presumes all the kids have the extra money for the air flight, hotel, etc. It's been difficult for my bf but I'm proud as hell of him for all he's been through. Good luck to your bf (and you!) on the new journey. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted December 6, 2006 Posted December 6, 2006 Congradulations to you GB. That should make getting an education easier for both boys. I wish them and you the very best!! Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 9, 2006 Author Posted December 9, 2006 Congradulations to you GB. That should make getting an education easier for both boys. I wish them and you the very best!! Again, I thank all of you for your comments. It will make his getting an education easier for me as well. The financial responsibility on our end will be room and food. I understand the scholarship pays for nearly everything else. Unfortunately, kids are still kids. He has been getting congratulatory comments from other students, but he has also been the recipient of mean-spirited comments by students who didn't make it. They say things like, "Who did you pay to get the scholarship?" or "You only got the scholarship because you 'smoke' farang." He tells me some of the negative comments have really hurt his feelings. He hasn't let any of that get him down, though. He knows those kinds of comments are nothing but jealously. He felt much better when I told him my favorite story about Liberace. First I had to explain who Liberace was. The story occurred long before Liberace added the flamboyance to his act. He was being interviewed by a reporter who asked him something like, "How do you feel knowing the entire country is aware that you are a homosexual?" Liberace's immediate response was. "I cry about it . . . all the way to the bank." My boyfriend understood exactly what he meant. Quote
