I lived in Koh Samui, an island in Thailand for 21 days and it did not seem to abide by the same rules as other parts of the world.

Here is what I learned:

• Wearing shoes is never required
• Road signs are merely suggestions
• Motorbikes will show you no mercy
• Food on the island is nowhere near as good as the mainland
• If it hasn’t rained in a few days, they will shut off the water to the entire island
• Drinking until 4 am every night is completely acceptable, and encouraged
• The Thai Mafia is real and they offered me a job at their beach bar
• Old white men love ladyboys
• You will have a “regular” order at food cart (shout out to my kiwi juice lady & my pad thai lady)
• Most bars have backrooms with signs that say “massage” but in reality, this is used for prostitution
• Bucket showers
• Time is conceptual
• Bum Guns are the new and improved toilet paper
• Flushing toilets are out of the question unless it’s after you have used the bum gun
• Stray dogs will chase you- run fast
• Men offering you rides on their motorbike is like their hello
• Salt water heals all wounds, whether that be from a swim in the sea or a good cry

Before coming to Koh Samui, I never thought it would be acceptable to go barefoot to a bar or to take bucket showers, but here I am… Three weeks later embracing dirty feet.