tbear31 Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 Where do I begin? It has been 5 months since my first trip to Thailand, and five months since my life was changed irrevocably. The first few weeks after I returned were spent in a daze; I would wake up from my daydreams and fantasies to find myself behind the wheel of a car and driving to work. Hours would pass at work where I would sit by the computer hitting the refresh button on my web browser, hoping for an email from the girl I met in Pattaya. She was my only link to Thailand; a sort of validation that the dream was real. Upon my return, we began to trade emails. Her first email was a shock. It spoke of love and devotion, and how she would wait for me until I returned. She stated that our love would be difficult, but would transcend the ocean between us, and somehow we would be together. It never contained pleas for money, or stories of sick livestock. The funny thing is, that she never showed this much passion when we were together, and it dawned on me that it was unlikely that she was writing these letters. Perhaps she had similar thoughts, but I guessed that her undying love was a result of a poor translation service. I responded, and wrote how I missed her, and inquired about her family. The responses to the emails went from a day, to three days, to a week. Eventually, after mentioning that I would return to Thailand in 100 days, the emails stopped. Now that my link was severed, I looked for new ways to feed my Thai cravings. I wrote a series of trip reports from my first trip, and that helped to fill the gap. It was fun to relive those 2 weeks in prose, and I enjoyed the responses that I received. It was especially comforting to know that the observations and feelings that I had for my first trip were not unique. It felt like a group therapy session for sufferers of the Bangkok Blues. At the conclusion of the reports, I mentioned that I now thought that I would like to retire in Thailand. One reader suggested that after saving about $250,000, you could have a pretty good life. Whether advice from a CPA, or just some guy talking out of his ass, I took those words to heart and began to reflect on my budget to see where I could kick my saving plan into high gear. Although I’m 33, I thought there is not better time to start saving for the future. I sold my luxury car, and purchased a small sub-compact. I got rid of my apartment, and found one for about $700 less a month. These things were easy to do because of my trip to Thailand. I saw so many people who had so little, but had learned to be happy with what they had. It helped me to realize that the material things that us Americans collect in life are pretty meaningless. I no longer needed, or even enjoyed, plush leather seats, or 300 horses under the hood. I realized that my new kitchen and marble floor still could not produce the quality of food that I could get from a street vendor in Bangkok. My view from my windows were nothing compared to the view from a $25/night hotel in Pattaya. Even if my dreams of spending years in Thailand never occur, I know that the trip at least helped me readjust my thinking on the important things in life. Not yet satiated, I looked for more things to prepare for my eventual retirement. I did some research on the web and found a language school that teaches Thai. I signed up about a month before my next trip, and was talked into taking two, two hour, classes a week. After being told that my teacher was a woman, and a native of Thailand, my mind raced. I envisioned a slim, golden skinned beauty who would be enchanted by my smile, like the hoards of women from my trip. After the intensive training sessions, she would recognize my “jai dee”ness and would fall helplessly in my arms. This would be my ticket out! I would no longer have to travel 12,000 miles to see a genuine Thai beauty! No K1 visas, water buffalos, trips to Isaan, etc. Even if SHE didn’t fall under my spell, she had to have friends who would be interested. Buddha frowned. My teacher was 65 years old, not particularly attractive, and had the less then feminine habit of coughing up god know what into a handkerchief. One thing though, she laughed like a young schoolgirl, and each time I heard it, it reminded me of the laughter of bargirls relating their stories of the previous nights’ conquests. She also had a girlish twinkle in her eye, and I soon became very fond of her. I wouldn’t f$%& her in a millions years, but for 4 weeks, she was the hottest TG I knew. And thus began my study of the Thai language. I learned the question words, many adjectives, and the most important verbs. She taught me how to form sentences, so that I could mix and match words to form coherent thoughts. She would quiz me on previous weeks material, and would chastise me for not studying enough between classes. She didn’t seem to notice that I understood word like woman (puying), beautiful (soo-ay), how much (tao-rai), but had no knowledge of man, cold, or the word why. I knew how to say 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000, but could not recognize the numbers in between. I lied about my last trip, and weaved stories of parks, site-seeing, boating and lavish dinners. The Nana Plaza hotel became the more respectable Hilton, and nights were spent dining instead of whoring. Basically, the last four weeks before my trip flew by, and I felt that I was at least armed with a cursory understanding of Thai. And so the day came where it was time to make my second newbie trip to Thailand. NEXT EPISODE: Around the world in a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelgianBoy Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 TBear, after reading the reports from your first trip and this report, I cant wait to read your next. You have a great way with words.... Have a good trip ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 7, 2001 Report Share Posted December 7, 2001 Great post! Can't wait for part 2. When will you be in Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spirit_of_town_hall Posted December 8, 2001 Report Share Posted December 8, 2001 Hi Tbear, It was me that said that with $250 000 you caould retire to Thailand and never have to work again. Interest rates have fallen a bit, but I feel that this is the magic figure. I too want to get out to Thailand, teaching isn't something I realistically could/ would want to do so to get out there I have to have enough money to live for the rest of my life. If something came up which I enjoyed and earnt money from that would be a bonus. I'm a few years younger than you but figure with a £200 000 then thats it no more work. I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJsushi Posted December 8, 2001 Report Share Posted December 8, 2001 I can relate to you. I noticed how the thais made the most out of little and still had fun. I took a serious personal inventory of wants vs needs ans was surprised how little i needed. I myself went from a $30k gas guzzling SUV to a $2k 14yr old just add water wreck. I left a $2k a mo Brownstone to a $600 a mo 1br efficiency. My magic number is $500k and I and all I need is $499k to go. See u in Thailand in 20yrs! I am no happier than I was before but I am a hell of alot less stressed about my expenses! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted December 8, 2001 Report Share Posted December 8, 2001 I'm working on a plan that would generate a certain amount a money per month. If I could find an investment that genrated about 2k USD minimum per month, I would go to LOS for at least 6 months a year. Retire there? Not so sure, semi retirement there is more accurate for me. Tbear, can't wait for the reports. Man, you have the Thai flu bad!! Its is life changing. LOS is always in the back of my mind. 7 more days!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbear31 Posted December 8, 2001 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2001 Spirit, JJSHUSI, and Chocalate, glad to see I'm not the only one pinching pennies. Hope to be able to share a plate of Pad Thai in a couple of years. Maybe we should start an investment club? T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 9, 2001 Report Share Posted December 9, 2001 Don't any of you guys have a retirement/pension plan? I'll be 39 when I retire. My monthly retirement pay check will $1800 but if I work untill I'm 41, my retirement paycheck will be $2000 A MONTH. And I'm the lowest paid person in my office! I'll be in LOS Jan 30-Feb 27 or so. The beer's on me if I see you guys there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJsushi Posted December 9, 2001 Report Share Posted December 9, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Ajarnski: Don't any of you guys have a retirement/pension plan? I'll be 39 when I retire. My monthly retirement pay check will $1800 but if I work untill I'm 41, my retirement paycheck will be $2000 A MONTH. And I'm the lowest paid person in my office! I'll be in LOS Jan 30-Feb 27 or so. The beer's on me if I see you guys there. I would have a pension if I was a civil servant or if I started working since the age of 18 and had a job with one company that offered a pension which would then qualify me to receive the pension after 20- 30 yrs of service. I have been in the workforce since the age of 23 and I have always had a 401k which is a hell of alot different than a pension. Pensions pay you a predetermined guaranteed amount of income until the day u die. 401k benefits are determined and fluctuate by the market returns you receive through making your own investment choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJsushi Posted December 9, 2001 Report Share Posted December 9, 2001 quote: Originally posted by spirit_of_town_hall: Hi Tbear, It was me that said that with $250 000 you caould retire to Thailand and never have to work again. Interest rates have fallen a bit, but I feel that this is the magic figure. I'm a few years younger than you but figure with a £200 000 then thats it no more work. I I think US$250k is a number u can survive off of. Remember you still have to pay taxes on ur income if u keep ur cititizenship. I don't think that it offers u any downside insurance in the case of having a family, serious medical emergencies or if u have to return to your native country for political, personal reasons and start ur life all over again with an obsolete set of job skills. I think US$350k allows you to have room for error and would protect u if u had to move back home. $US500k allows u to be able to live anywhere u want as long as u live modest and don't screw around with the principal. My goal is $US1mm but I would bail out with US$400k! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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