living in bangkok?
I just got a job offer at Bangkok law firm for this summer, and I was wondering if any of you have any thoughts about what it would be like to live (as opposed to just travel/pass through) there. I imagine I would be working 40-60 hour weeks (I don't know yet), so it wouldn't be as though I was traveling the country, at least during weekdays. I think it could be a really great experience, but I don't know if it would be a better option than, say, working at a US firm most of the summer (and making much more money), then taking some of that money and doing a shorter trip to Thailand where I have all my time free to travel around.
Some concerns I have:
* I speak no Thai, and while I probably could learn some useful phrases before June, it looks ridiculously hard. Do many people in Bangkok speak English?
* How are women (and in particular, foreign women) treated?
* I would be staying in an apartment a fifteen-minute walk (I don't know which direction) from the office, which is on Sathon Rd near Lumpini Park. Is that a safe area?
Any advice appreciated!
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