Beerinthemorning wrote:

kiwiincambodia wrote: ↑Wed Oct 24, 2018 9:05 am

Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote:These last couple of stints in the region have reaffirmed what’s been building for a few years - travel and living in Asia isn’t what it used to be for me. From a green eighteen year old right-of-passage Bali-holidaying-Australian, to Nepal guesthouse owner - from messed up Phnom Penh junkie, to reluctant fiance - from living alone in a stone cottage in the mountains for months, to swinging in hammocks on cargo boats on the Mekong - from bumming on the beaches of Goa, to running bars and owning boats in Bali…along with all the other craziness, I never thought I'd fall out of love with Asia. But, well, I'm done.

Where once I’d bound off a plane in India invigorated by the aromatic collision of curries, cow dung, humidity, bidi cigarettes, aviation fuel and the hint of urine, I now greet it with disdain. I’ve lost patience with the noise of Asia, the double pricing, the ignorance, the stupidity, the modernization, the lack of quality health care, the culturally insensitive, the traffic, the rubbish, the smell, the impossibility of finding clothes to fit, the saving face, the power cuts, the corruption, the beggars, the intolerance, the foreigner fucktardery…and on. Familiarity does indeed breed contempt it seems.

I’m heading back to Australia soon earlier than planned, and I have to say, I’m looking forward to the civility and order of things when I get there. Where once I complained the sterility and predictability of western living lacked the energy, chaos and color that made Asia alive and so enticing,I’m now looking forward to embracing the mundane reliability of the west. I'm surprised, Asia has been very much who I am, it's been kind of my identity for a long time. The idea of planning my future without Asia in it is weird. And it appears I'm not the only one.

There's been a bit of a shift recently I've noticed with quite a few others I know packing up and heading home,and not because they can't afford to live here. Asia has changed considerably over the years and some would argue not for the better. But I suspect for many of us who don't want to be here any longer we are just getting older and can't be bothered putting up with the bullshit. We just don't have the energy for it any more. We're tired. Well, I am. I wonder if you really do truly adjust to living in the region over time, or you just make bigger compromises.


That is all. Carry on.

Great post.

I’ve recently made the jump myself. After being in Asia for the best part of the last 17 years and growing up there Ive had enough as well.

I came back to NZ and am surprised with how much more I am enjoying life and the simplicity of everything, for example, It’s nice to be able to ask a question and get a straight answer. I used to complain about the strictness of the west but can honestly say this hasn’t effected my day to day life at all (so far). To be honest I haven’t even found it that much more expensive. Sure prices are higher but so is the quality, so you pay for what you get.

I still miss certain aspects of Asia and don’t know how long my current stint in Nz will last but I can say at the moment it was the best decision I made to come back and don’t regret it at all.

I make 2000 AUD cleared a week.

Thats alot of cash, way more opportunity in the west but too many third worlders taking all the taxes and going on welfare....

2000 clear would be somewhere around 3800 before tax....
You telling me taking asphalt pays 200k ...
Lol, more bullshit kid.

Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

Barang chgout wrote: ↑Thu Oct 25, 2018 7:18 am

Beerinthemorning wrote:

kiwiincambodia wrote: ↑Wed Oct 24, 2018 9:05 am

Kung-fu Hillbilly wrote:These last couple of stints in the region have reaffirmed what’s been building for a few years - travel and living in Asia isn’t what it used to be for me. From a green eighteen year old right-of-passage Bali-holidaying-Australian, to Nepal guesthouse owner - from messed up Phnom Penh junkie, to reluctant fiance - from living alone in a stone cottage in the mountains for months, to swinging in hammocks on cargo boats on the Mekong - from bumming on the beaches of Goa, to running bars and owning boats in Bali…along with all the other craziness, I never thought I'd fall out of love with Asia. But, well, I'm done.

Where once I’d bound off a plane in India invigorated by the aromatic collision of curries, cow dung, humidity, bidi cigarettes, aviation fuel and the hint of urine, I now greet it with disdain. I’ve lost patience with the noise of Asia, the double pricing, the ignorance, the stupidity, the modernization, the lack of quality health care, the culturally insensitive, the traffic, the rubbish, the smell, the impossibility of finding clothes to fit, the saving face, the power cuts, the corruption, the beggars, the intolerance, the foreigner fucktardery…and on. Familiarity does indeed breed contempt it seems.

I’m heading back to Australia soon earlier than planned, and I have to say, I’m looking forward to the civility and order of things when I get there. Where once I complained the sterility and predictability of western living lacked the energy, chaos and color that made Asia alive and so enticing,I’m now looking forward to embracing the mundane reliability of the west. I'm surprised, Asia has been very much who I am, it's been kind of my identity for a long time. The idea of planning my future without Asia in it is weird. And it appears I'm not the only one.

There's been a bit of a shift recently I've noticed with quite a few others I know packing up and heading home,and not because they can't afford to live here. Asia has changed considerably over the years and some would argue not for the better. But I suspect for many of us who don't want to be here any longer we are just getting older and can't be bothered putting up with the bullshit. We just don't have the energy for it any more. We're tired. Well, I am. I wonder if you really do truly adjust to living in the region over time, or you just make bigger compromises.


That is all. Carry on.

Great post.

I’ve recently made the jump myself. After being in Asia for the best part of the last 17 years and growing up there Ive had enough as well.

I came back to NZ and am surprised with how much more I am enjoying life and the simplicity of everything, for example, It’s nice to be able to ask a question and get a straight answer. I used to complain about the strictness of the west but can honestly say this hasn’t effected my day to day life at all (so far). To be honest I haven’t even found it that much more expensive. Sure prices are higher but so is the quality, so you pay for what you get.

I still miss certain aspects of Asia and don’t know how long my current stint in Nz will last but I can say at the moment it was the best decision I made to come back and don’t regret it at all.

I make 2000 AUD cleared a week.

Thats alot of cash, way more opportunity in the west but too many third worlders taking all the taxes and going on welfare....

2000 clear would be somewhere around 3800 before tax....
You telling me taking asphalt pays 200k ...
Lol, more bullshit kid.

Sent from my SM-G570Y using Tapatalk

I call B/S

Good for you @Kung-fu Hillbilly

All the best to your new life, well if you do miss Asia its not too far away and come back for short breaks. Have a great life.

I just finished my paperwork for a residence card in an eastern European location. I also found a baker who will do cakes for me just as I like them since childhood. (victory!). The claim that in 'the west' all is about shopping is plainly false. If P-R is buying into that, so be it. I would think it is the reverse. PP is like that. In Europe I have libraries, large parks, a functioning public transport that brings me to the city limits and the nature there (try that in PP). There is an opera, if that's your thing, public indoor swimming pools, and real universities.

Once the residence card is issued I will be able to get a really cheap health insurance unless i get it for free from the university. I probably will add another on top of the basic. My papers were processed by a nice lady (late 20s) fluent in English, French, Russian and 1-2 more languages, university graduate, of course, and I have her phone number and email. We will meet soon. As will I meet the physician and someone else. It makes a difference to sit with an educated woman in a cafe who does not stare at her cell phone every second moment. The critical moment was when it became clear that the translation work, exam etc. was for a resident permit meaning i was not transient. Now I am Brat Pitt (in his younger years).

My contract is extendable, I just learnt that I wont pay 250 USD for an apartment more like 150, local connections work for valued foreigners. I will pay less than half of what I would pay in PP. Contract work also means business travel in Europe (Paris, London, Berlin etc.) and extended off-time in SEA. I opted for a very low paying contract which means I m effectively doing just half-time. This gives me a December in Cambo, January in Indo/Thailand or Phils, and Feb in western Europe for some urgent work.

In Cambo I did work via the internet but being back in a real life university is an entirely different story provided you can avoid stress and administrative work which I do. Another bonus: I get my own language tutor provided for free by the university. Visa, residence card etc. is also free. No taxation of my off-shore income .

Many East European universities dont have the cash to hire qualified people and pay a reasonable income. They are, however, happy to enter creative arrangements with qualified people and have them part-time. This allows a combination of European life-style and SEA. This works only if you dont depend on that university pay check for covering your expenses.

Good luck KFH in your travels home. We all have to make decisions that satisfy our needs and wishes and they do change from time to time. Hope all goes well and you are able to travel to anywhere you desire for holidays in the future, even back here.

Arget wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:04 am Good luck KFH in your travels home. We all have to make decisions that satisfy our needs and wishes and they do change from time to time. Hope all goes well and you are able to travel to anywhere you desire for holidays in the future, even back here.

Asia is becoming pointless, Why face more stress for some meager discounted good and services....

On the other side of the token, why would one work so hard in australia to barely finance the basic of human needs...

I have come to believe a balanced healthy happy lifestyle is an improbable feat.

Beerinthemorning wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:46 am

Arget wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 8:04 am Good luck KFH in your travels home. We all have to make decisions that satisfy our needs and wishes and they do change from time to time. Hope all goes well and you are able to travel to anywhere you desire for holidays in the future, even back here.

Asia is becoming pointless, Why face more stress for some meager discounted good and services....

On the other side of the token, why would one work so hard in australia to barely finance the basic of human needs...

I have come to believe a balanced healthy happy lifestyle is an improbable feat.

Maybe we are expecting too much out of our lives on this planet. If we are lucky we will get back only what we put in to it, and if we are very, very lucky , we may receive a bit of interest on top of that.

No disservice meant to Kung-Fu Hillbilly and his excellent post, but already 14 thumbs up. Must be a CEO record! A bit shocked that so many here are sharing similar feelings. Guess I'm just too used to the bickering, cheap-shot $#*@! on Thaivisa.

More to the point though, for about three years now I've been edging toward a full-time return to Canada. I've really enjoyed my shortish visits to Toronto. More than a few times I was not really ready to leave, for all the reasons others have pointed to about western cities where "things just work." What I do know is that if I leave SEA, it will be to go back home, not to any other well recommended city.

What I really miss are all the chats and laughs with people who understand where you're coming from, through a short-hand that is built into talking about local issues or just plain bullshittery. Then there's the spontaneous remarks about something in a bar or restaurant or shop, that spark an immediate rejoinder from strangers that would sometimes grow into a long jokey exchange. It happens a lot in Toronto. Everyone talks to everyone else. It's just normal and I miss that. A lot.

The need to comment came about this afternoon right after I got conflicting info about renewing my Viet visa. No 1-years available now from my sources. One claims this new rule has been imposed, another says it hasn't. It's like in Thailand, every immigration officer gives you a different rule interpretation. Bahhh

Inspirational post. It's nice to read you. Good continuation in Australia.

ExPenhMan wrote: ↑Fri Oct 26, 2018 5:45 pm No disservice meant to Kung-Fu Hillbilly and his excellent post, but already 14 thumbs up. Must be a CEO record!

Totally agree! No tits, ass, no pics, no financial opportunities or something you can take profit but 14 thumb ups. It just show how his text is powerfull and how it touch directly in the heart many people.