In this laugh-out-loud, must-read memoir (Hen Pen), Dodie Cross, takes us on a not-to-be-forgotten ride as a newlywed expatriate in Thailand as she tries to settle into her new home and a life full of unforeseen challenges. Her problems in this exotic land begin as she tries to learn the subtleties of the eastern squat toilet; escapes a near fatal accident on the deadly Sukhumvit Highway; and suffers the final insult—bladder surgery by an inscrutable Thai doctor who decides to restore her virginity. While hospitalized she is faced with an intolerant nurse who is after her with a vengeance ─and an enema tube. Then learns she must be medivac’d back to the States with her catheter tube swaying in the breeze. As if that’s not enough to slow down even the most determined of women, she also has to deal with her new husband’s insatiable testosterone level─a textbook case of sexual fixation.
Interwoven throughout her day-to-day life is the undercurrent of absolute control and jealousy perpetrated by a most unlikely source: the boss's wife, Ms. Anorexia, who manipulates the wives of the employees. An unflagging sense of humor sees her through all obstacles, from the first pitfalls and pratfalls in a land whose people she has come to respect and admire, through times of seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Excerpt
I know that sex is a big part of the human condition, but sometimes I wondered: If no sex were forthcoming, would men even come around? Would they even call us, cuddle with us, hold the door for us, pull out the chair for us, or put the toilet seat down? I doubt it. I think the Almighty realized this in Her infinite wisdom and came up with the solution. I can see it being planned: “Alright,” She’d say. “They’re as different as seaweed and sorghum so I must find something that will make them tolerate each other. Oh, I’ve got it! Sex!”
Professional Reviews
Gordon Kirkland, Author, Syndicated Columnist & Entertainer
"Dodie Cross has combined a great sense of humor with an equally keen eye focused on the unique experiences of living in another country. It's a testament to her stamina that she managed to keep the former while dealing with the latter."
Gordon Kirkland, Author, Syndicated Columnist & Entertainer
Kathryn Jordan, author of Hot Water A Novel - Berkley / Penguin 2006
"A Broad Abroad in Thailand is an absolute must for travelers. Whether you've done a full expatriate stint in the third world or a weekend-gone-amok south of the border, A Broad Abroad evokes the hilarity and horrors of life without the amenities—to say the least. In telling her own comical, sometimes poignant tale, Dodie Cross' style perfectly matches the farcical wit needed to stay sane—or at least survive. Let's face it, anyone who can make reading about a squat toilet sheer delight, is a master."
Margie McArthur, author of Faery Healing: The Lore and the Legacy; and Wisdom of the Elements
"A Broad Abroad in Thailand is an entertaining and engaging read. Author Dodie Cross succeeds in mixing laugh-out-loud humor with real-life drama in her look at life in a place very different from what is normal to most westerners. Dodie offers insight into a world few of us will ever know. A good read for anyone; a must-read for those who have ever lived abroad."
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Reviews for "A Broad Abroad in Thailand: An Expat's Misadventures in the Land of Smiles"
