Bangkok, Thailand

I spent a month living and working in Bangkok with a tech startup. The CEO of our company did a wonderful job of showing us around his home city. I was most surprised by the culture, as I had never before visited Asia. Buildings are extremely ornate and the Thai people are unbelievably respectful. They honour their royal family unlike any other country, and fully embody the Buddhist religion.

Accommodation:

I stayed in a luxury high rise apartment building in Sukhumvit 24, organized by my company for my month long stay. From the 19th floor, I could see our neighbours' property - the other side of the wall that separated our pool from them. The land was scattered with huts, were families crowded in. I saw people bathing in tin tubs of stagnant water while I blow dried my hair in a marble bathroom. Every morning I felt remorse for the situation I had been handed, while others faced such a different reality.
I found myself playing a mischievous game on the weekends: I took the Telegraph's list of Best Hotels in Bangkok and snuck into those with the best rooftop pools. No complaints all around.

Activities:

My friend Sofia and I spent hours meandering through the malls in Bangkok. It's a thing. You have to do it! I suggest MBK.
You have to go to the Patpong night market. If you want to see a show, that's up to you. My brothers did during study abroad - my coworkers did not want to on our month long business trip.
I really enjoyed touring The Grand Palace, a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, serving not only as the King's residence, but also as the site of administrative offices. The mosaics on the exterior of the temple walls are so intricate.
Make sure to see the large, golden Reclining Buddha. Sofia and I visited right before closing time and had the place to ourselves.
A highlight was the Damnoen Saduak floating market. We got up at the crack of dawn to drive to the site before the hoards of tour buses arrived. Don't eat breakfast - buy fresh fruit and Thai specialties from the river merchants.

Food:

Rice. Rice. Lots of rice.
Scary grilled Snakehead fish.
Street food. Beware.
Mango always!

Nightlife:

The best drink I had in Bangkok was a Thai Mojito at Octave, on the rooftop of the Marriott. The expansive views of the sprawling capital are uninterrupted due to the height of the building and the glass railing. Little did I know, the young man I shared a drink with was the boarding school roommate of my now boyfriend.
For clubs, head to Thonglor (a neighbourhood/district). If you want to venture, try Route66. Don't be sketched out that it is literally an alley - once you get inside you'll see it's a huge club, frequented by young travellers and locals. I must note, I drank an amazing lychee martini at a bar just outside of the club.
English tourists seem to like drinking beer and eating insects on Khao San Road, but it isn't your typical Thai nightlife.