The text was based on a conversation with Sandy Cacchione, a 41-year-old Swiss raising her daughter on the Thai island of Koh Samui. The woman is also the founder of Mate.travel – a platform devoted to travel and organization of events in specific places. The text has been edited and shortened for transparency.
My husband and I met in 2009 on the popular diving island in Thailand. I was on vacation, he stayed there during a year's journey around the world to do a Divemaster course. After a year and a half of the relationship at a distance, we decided to return to Koh Tao and take a job in the same diving center in which we met. The island lies in the Thai bay, near Koh Samui – a short ferry cruise is enough.
My husband became a diving instructor, I started as a camera operator underwater, and later I gained instructor rights myself. Five years later we got married. We loved Koh Tao, but we matured to settle down. We dreamed of a child, and Koh Samui – a much larger island – gave us everything we needed: a calm rhythm of life on the island and access to civilization. There are schools, hospitals, cinema, shopping center and airport.
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When I was pregnant, my mother moved to Samui to be closer to my granddaughter. Our daughter was born in 2020, today she is five years old and goes to an international kindergarten on the island.
Everyday life at your own pace
I usually take my daughter to kindergarten before 9am and pick her up between 15:30 and 16. It was late – at the earliest she could start classes at 8:30 – but we don't like morning rush.
He goes to an institution inspired by the Montessori method, which implements the British curriculum.
In Switzerland, the school usually starts at 8 am, so children must get up much earlier. At noon they return home for dinner, and the hours of classes in different classes do not coincide.
When I visited my friend in Switzerland, her two children had completely different lunch pores. It is difficult to reconcile – the whole day is around the schedule of children. There, many children also go to a lot of additional classes. As a mother, I would probably feel pressure to organize something to my daughter.
Sandy Cacchione with his family
| Sandy Cacchione (private archive)
There are such classes at Koh Samui, but nobody looks at you into the calendar. There are no comments like: “Your daughter is not ballet?”. The atmosphere is kind and nobody assesses anyone.
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You don't have to pretend to be the perfect mother here
Social media in Thailand is rather a space for travelers and people who are looking for freedom, not likes for a perfect dinner. There is no narrative here: “Look how I am doing great as a mother.”
Even in kindergarten, daughters of children learn to accept. They have contact with various cultures and diversity.
People living in Samui are open. Most of them had previously lived in other countries – rarely their first stop.
Family places are missing
It happens that my daughter watches YouTube videos, where children play in the parks and asks: “Mom, will we go to the park?” And I have to answer her: “There are no parks here.” There are playrooms under the roof, but well -kept outdoor playgrounds, as in Switzerland, is actually not.
It is also difficult to get spontaneous outing with children. You need to know exactly where to make an appointment. For teenagers, the island is even more demanding – many of them are wandering around the shopping mall, because they have no other options.
Moving on foot is difficult – It is hot, there is a lack of pavements, no public transport, such as buses or metro. Movement can be dangerous, so I would never let my daughter go here on a scooter.
Sandy Cacchione
| Sandy Cacchione (private archive)
My child can just be a child
This place is very child -friendly. There is space everywhere, you can run, nobody silences the toddlers in restaurants. We live in the mountains, about 10 minutes of driving from the main road. There is no street traffic here, until our house you can see the valley and a piece of the sea.
It's quiet and peaceful – even in the morning. If we are late with walking my daughter by 10 minutes, nobody makes a problem.
As a mother, I feel that I live here without stress.
The above text is a translation with American Business Insider edition
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
