zanemay Posted July 14, 2001 Report Share Posted July 14, 2001 I am curious to know if others are "on the fence" as I am about going expat to LOS. I share my situation in hopes others will share theirs. I am really curious how people are dealing with the expat decision and if anyone's circumstances are similar to mine... First I was in LOS for 3 months - October, November and December, 2000. I traveled all over from N to S, just touching on BKK for a few days at the end. I stayed away from women most of the time, but then met one I really liked in Phuket. I was happy in LOS and really did not want to go back California (in January!), but I had made a date with my Caribbean GF for New Years in Reno. I did return to the US, but was continually champing at the bit to get back to LOS. At that time two things were really bothering me about the US. The Bush/Gore election problem which had what seemed like a terrible outcome (Dub You). And the "energy crisis" hanging over California. One local theater displays the following message on its marquis: "There is no energy crisis. There is an ethics crisis." I think to myself, I think, "Self, maybe you should move to LOS." So I decide to give it a try, but don't make the Big C (commitment), i.e. don't do anything irreversible like buying a condo. A couple of months pass and I am out on Sukhumvit once again. I meet a great girl, fall in love, but won't settle down. I butterfly about in Pattaya and come to BKK every couple of weeks to see my sweetie. It was great! I stay three months again, but it's different this time - now it is March, April and May. The weather is not as good as before. My Phuket GF is not around. And there are all of those peeves mentioned in another topic. Frustrations like not understanding anything (in spite of attending a language school) and not being able to cross the street without endangering my health, or go to a movie and be sure about show times. In spite of all the good loving, I am ready to take a break back in California. Chasing the weather, I return to California in June 2001. An incredible June at that! We had heat waves in the Bay Area; 90+ F. with each day beginning beautiful, clear, cool and dry. These spells alternated with clear, warm days. I get to a golf course with my buddies once or twice a week and love the environment, if not the hacking my game has become since I turned world traveler. I see the Golden Gate Bridge and views of San Francisco almost every day. I spend time in the Sierra Mountains and at the beaches. My Caribbean sweetheart is 48 years old and looks 30. She was diagnosed with kidney failure earlier this year and I timed my return to coincide with what was to be an outpatient surgery. She ended up in the hospital for 11 days and I looked after her in and out. Her health problems have bonded us even tighter. She is not unhealthy, however. Just has to go to dialysis a few times a week. Meantime she works and takes care of me as she always has. She is also good about my other life of which she has full knowledge; "What do you in bed with two women?" and so forth. She knows I love my BKK sweetheart, but she knows I would no more settle monogamously with a Thai lady than I would with her. My housing situation in the US loomed as a real conundrum. I have a great 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment at a low rent. Over the 15 years I have lived here I have filled it with all kinds of great stuff. Electronics, furniture, tools, musical instruments - I have stuff coming out my ears. If I expat what would I do with it? Sell it for 10 cents on the dollar? Store it? It would be too expensive to ship. I ended up advertising for a room mate, so I am holding onto my apartment and stuff for about $300 a month. Currently my room mate is a 24 year old Chinese girl, which undoubtedly sounds a lot better than it is. My financial situation was a bit tricky too. I live off of rents from a couple of small properties. As much as possible, tenants communicate via e-mail. If they don't have e-mail, they call my GF if they need something. They send their rent directly to my bank and I check their deposits online. My many bills are received by Status Factory.com and automatically processed. So I think I have worked this out. I am happy in California and I am happy in LOS. I would not be so happy if I gave up my wandering lifestyle, so I have decided, for now, to live as a half-pat, following the weather, pitty-pat, pitty-pat from LOS to USA to who-knows-where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenBlue Posted July 14, 2001 Report Share Posted July 14, 2001 Zane May, Actually it sounds like to kinda got it figured out...really...what you describe is often what I "dream" about...but I would substitute Hawaii. I realy love Hawaii and have lived here for over 25 years (did travel around the world quite a bit in younger years) but also realy enjoy the time I spend in Thailand..and not just the girls...in fact most of the time keep the my distance from the scene...probably almost a lurcker there like I am online. Love the golf in Thailand and the food...and probably just the freedom I enjoy wandering away from the somewhat stressful alter existence in the work world...but back to the point... 3 months here and three months there would be just fine for me... Enjoy! Sounds like you have a nice girlfriend in the states too! AllenBlue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 Zane, Bloody hell, our paths cross again, LOL! Your situation sounds enviable! Although my circumstances are very different from yours I too am seriously considering a move to LOS. I am younger than a lot of guys on this board and do not have any means of income such as rent from property at home, so I will have to work for a living, teaching English. My current job involves teaching people skills, and though this is not the same as teaching a language I do have confidence that with the right start I could both do a good job and also dare I say enjoy it. I intend to enrol on an intensive TEFL course or equivalent before applying for any job teaching. I have the money for that set aside, and enough to tide me over for several months as a security net. I made the decision to move over quite recently, the realisation that my career here wasn't going anywhere had set in, I am currently working long hours for shit pay, with no prospect of improvement. It's time for a change now, and I'd rather do this now than look back in twenty years and wonder what if...? I'm not happy here in the UK, I could have a better standard of living on a teacher's salary in BKK than I have at home now, and despite what some say about English teaching, a better quality of life. I have no ties, no dependants, and nothing to lose by trying. I could not be more motivated to make this work, I'm sick of my life just seeming to run it's course, I've decided to take charge and make this happen, I hope I will not regret it. Wish me luck! There, I feel better having got that off my chest. I am currently feeling not a little apprehensive as this is probably the biggest decision in my life to date! But rationally, I can only see myself being happier in LOS than I am now. I have my feet on the ground and pretty much know what I'm getting into, but it's still daunting. I suppose that feeling's normal. If anyone has any advice or comments on what I'm about to do, please say. If you think it's a mistake, I won't be offended but it would take a lot to talk me out of it now. New Year looks good for the move. I intend to book my place on a TEFL course in LOS in the next few days, to start about Jan 2002. Am I making a mistake, or will this be the best move I ever made? I don't know how much you can comment from this brief post but anything guys can add would be helpful. I suppose I'm just looking for someone who's done what I intend to undertake to tell me it's doable, and has a reasonable chance of working out. What do you reckon? DJ1999J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 quote: Originally posted by DJ1999J: Zane, ... I made the decision to move over quite recently, the realisation that my career here wasn't going anywhere had set in, I am currently working long hours for shit pay, with no prospect of improvement. It's time for a change now, and I'd rather do this now than look back in twenty years and wonder what if...? DJ1999J. I think you just described teaching English in Thailand ( ). Long hours, shit pay, and no prospect of improvement. How much baht per month do you need to live the life you want in LOS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 Zane, Looks like you already have the ideal situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 life is often not easy living as an "expat", especially if you have to start from scratch or when you do not work. it looks like paradise when you come here on a holiday, but the realities come later. english teaching can be a terrible trap if this is not your chosen profession. it will be very difficult, almost impossible, to work in your profession. and the longer you stay here as an english teacher the more difficult it will be to move back if you decide that life here is not for you. not to work here when still young can drive the sanest person crazy. especially when the main reason moving to asia is the nightlife scene i would not give you a long survival chance here. that has been my experience here. i am lucky in a way, because i am in a profession which absolutely fullfills me, but it has been incredible hard in the beginning, and still is at times. but my main motivation to come to asia was not the nightlife, i fell into it only after a few years. and somehow grew out of it. my guess is that maybe only one in a hundred are here to stay, the rest will disappear very soon. if that does not discourage you, than come and give it a try. but do not make the mistake of breaking your bridges, the odds are against you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 Hi Zane, You are a lucky bastard! California and LOSI It's bloody raining today in Belgium, we had a nice ten days of summer, that's probably it for 2001. I am considering a fifty/fifty retirement here and in LOS. Have been looking to rent a place in Los in may. I found something, but will return later this year to evaluate Chiang Mai and Nan province. I have a health problem and will probably be unable to work again ever. It's a question of sorting this out with local social security (who gave me to may 2002 for the time being) and insurance companies who try to pay as less as possible. This will probalbly take 6 months to get sorted out. I do have a lovely farang wife who does not want to live in Thailand and she does know i love LOS and thai woman. It all boils down to finance, having enough money to travel back and forth. I can not sell my house here and need to rent one in LOS. The question will be how often can i afford to travel between home and home? I do not think living permanently in LOS is the perfect dream. It's damn difficult some times for us to adapt to Thai culture, they give me a hard time some times... I hope i will manage to be happy at both places. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colonel Kurtz Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 Zane old chap, You have obviously thought long and hard about moving to LOS ,and you seem to have a good head on your shoulders(have you thought of a military career?) You will no doubt get a plethora of replies,but you have made your mind up . So as Mr Nike says, "Just do it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nomad Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 I chuckled when you mentioned the “ethics crisis” as one reason for moving from the U.S. to Thailand. Out of the frying pan, into the fire. Anyway, good luck with your decision. [ July 17, 2001: Message edited by: Nomad ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2001 Report Share Posted July 15, 2001 Zane May............or indeed may not. As the colonel said "Just do it". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.