Confessions of a Ya Dom Addict: An Expat's Tale"

So there I was—fresh off the plane, sweaty, disoriented, and trying to look cool in a Bangkok 7-Eleven at 1 p.m., which felt like the surface of the sun. I’m staring at a wall of mysterious items when I see a local auntie pull out what I assumed was lip balm and… sniff it like she’s trying to vacuum the air. I blink. Then a teen next to her does it. Then a Grab driver. Then a monk. EVERYONE is sniffing these tiny tubes like it's the national sport. So naturally, I buy one too. I’m not trying to be the only person in Thailand not sniffing mystery tubes. I open it, cautiously bring it to my nose, and sniff. BOOM. Instant brain freeze. It felt like I just snorted a ghost made of menthol and regret. My eyes watered. My soul briefly left my body. But I couldn’t let the cashier see me panic, so I nodded like, “Ah yes. Strong batch today.” Later I googled it and learned it’s called “ya dom,” and it’s not a secret drug or magic — just a herbal inhaler with menthol, eucalyptus, and possibly the tears of foreigners who sniff too hard. Now? I’ve got one in every pocket. I sniff before meetings, while in traffic, when I pretend to meditate… sometimes just for fun. I came to Thailand to find peace. Instead, I found ya dom. Same thing, really. #yaDomAddict #ThailandChronicles