I was born in Spearfish, South Dakota on March 26th 1980. My dad left when I was one so my Granddad was my father figure. He was a fighter pilot in Vietnam and after he retired from the Air Force he bought a small general aviation business called Star Aviation. I learned how to fly a Cessna before I learned how to ride a bike or drive a car.
I really hated the army, uniforms, stupid rules and all the assholes, but it was the best decision I ever made because I got my associates degree and my bachelors degree as well as foreign language training as a Thai linguist. One day I was shopping at the DLI PX and a sergeant asked me my language. He stopped in his tracks, looked me in the eyes and told me that I was probably the luckiest man in the United States Army.
After September 11th, I thought since I was a healthy young man it was my duty to do something about it and I enlisted in the Navy even though I had already finished my degree. I thought that since I was in top physical condition for Army standards that I had what it took to become a SEAL. I was in BUD/s class 246, but didn’t come close to finishing.
After a cold year in Korea, I went back to Thailand and I fell in love with a beautiful Thai girl named Som. We got married and I adopted her daughter and in 2010, I had a son of my own named Daniel.
I didn’t want my kids to grow up without an American education so I brought them back to my hometown of South Dakota in 2011. Unfortunately for our family, my wife developed a gambling addiction and ruined it. When we got divorced we decided the girl stays with mom and the boy stays with dad. I ended up being a single father for my son from the years 2012 to 2018.
Being a single dad in Bangkok wasn’t that bad. It’s hard to be a single mom because most men want nothing to do with you in that male dominated culture, but when you’re a single dad women really like you.
My dickhead uncle and his rich banker wife convinced my ex-wife and I to sign a “guardianship” form so he could go to a good school. I had no idea that this meant signing over custody to my son. Once they had their magic paper they wouldn’t let me see him and now I can only video call him while they watch. They think because they’re christians and we are buddhist that they are better than us and are saving him. They’re rich and know all of the lawyers and judges is in Des Moines, so I’ll probably have to wait until he’s 12 and the court lets him decide who he wants to live with.
Being tricked, lied to, and judged by my own family was like being stabbed in the heart. I hate them all. They are dead to me. I won’t even bother going to any of their funerals now. If I could trade spending one day with my Granddad again, but they all died, I would.
In June 2018, I took a bus with one of my best buddies from the Navy to Luang Prabang, Laos. We were sick of Vietnam and thought that a few days in Laos would be fun. Those few days turned into a year and a half for me. I love it here so much. To me, it’s the Garden of Eden. I want to spend the rest of my life here. The food is great. Girls half my age like me. People don’t treat me like a tourist like in Thailand and I have made some true friends here for the first time since the military.
I love gaming and teaching people through conversation. I remember back in 2014, my adult students would come over to my condo and we’d have GTA V parties. They learned a lot of English this way and it was fun for everyone. I’ve started a Facebook Page, Twitch, Youtube Channel and website all named; Conversation Gaming. It’s not like you just come up with a cool name, then boom, the money starts coming in, but I know it will eventually.
Wow, this was really fun writing my life story down. I love that it’s on the blockchain and my kids and grandkids may see it one day too. If you’re still reading this, thanks for letting me share my story with you.
先生 เจ
Jeremiah Lee Custis
Personal Facebook Page:
https://Facebook.com/JeremiahCustis
Personal Youtube Channel:
https://www.Youtube.com/user/JeremiahCustis
Personal Blog:
https://Steemit.com/@JeremiahCustis
Language Blog:
https://Steemit.com/@TeachinThai
Solar for Siam NGO Facebook Page:
https://Facebook.com/SolarforSiam
Language Camp Facebook Page:
https://Facebook.com/LuangPrabangLanguageCamp
Let’s help science together!
https://App.Boid.com/u/CPU4Good
Gaming Facebook Page:
https://Facebook.com/ConversationGaming
Conversation Gaming Youtube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkxwjbgN0Js4vM-tiSvVMIA
SplinterLands (My Favorite) Get in the Game!
https://steemmonsters.com?ref=jeremiahcustis
Instagram: https://Instagram.com/JeremiahCustis
Discord: 3438
Telegram: @JeremiahCustis
Skype ID: JeremiahCustis
Zoom ID: JeremiahCustis