Dear Hillary,
I see you have included some success stories in your column. Remember the famous song “I got you babe”? About two people who fall in love and think love will pay the bills. Well it does not work in the UK or America or anywhere else. Eighteen months ago I met girl in a bar in Pattaya from Isaan. She was intelligent and very proud of her family – did not like her work – but as many do, did it for survival reasons. She went back to her village two months after I met her and has now her pride back and works in a simple family business and earns less than 150 baht a day. I send her help every month and visit her village 3 times a year – and when I visit I am treated like a family member by all her family. We are going to get married in one year’s time and I believe you have got to provide for the one you love no matter where you live in the world. Do you agree?
Another Success?
Dear Another Success?,
It’s a little early to be claiming success, my Petal. You do that after 10 years. The really successful ones are people who are happy in their relationship and do not need advice from an ‘agony aunt’ column like this one. Your point is well taken and should be understood by everyone who is contemplating entering a relationship anywhere in the world. Love (alone) does not pay the bills. There is an obligation to provide and I am very pleased to see that you have accepted that, and that it is working out for you.