A Few Years On....

[bwpage3]

Some posters get wound up wondering why people that have moved from Thailand continue to post here on Thai Visa.

 

To get that out of the way, we still have family and property in Thailand and maintain a slight and distance interest with what is going on in the country.

 

My family left Thailand in 2013 and moved back to the USA to Florida. Florida temperature wise is a little like Thailand but not as hot. There are plenty of other Thai's living in Florida with an abundance of Thai restaurants and grocery stores.

 

We live in a very small retirement community close to the beach. Do not get confused. This is not Miami and is a very safe and clean place.

 

Lots of old money in town, many out of stater's can afford to own ocean front condos and only visit here for a month or 2 each year in the winter. A 3/2 ocean front condo these days is probably averaging around US $600K on the extremely low end to an average of maybe US $800 to $900K.

 

The main reason for leaving Thailand was for the education of our son in the USA (Although he was enrolled in Prem International School in Chiang Mai) he was grossly behind his studies when he first started in the USA. Do not believe everything you read about Thai international schools no matter what price.

 

Second reason was that after 10 years in Thailand, we had pretty much seen and done everything 100 times and there was nothing keen or interesting to keep our attention. We had also taken a huge loss with the great flood of 2011, however that was all money earned while in Thailand.

 

The usual mundane issues of annual visa's, flood's, droughts, government changes, loss of electricity and water with no reasoning etc. was also wearing us thin.

 

The real issue in moving back is you have to get a job and be able to support your family. I was lucky to have advanced degrees in engineering/computer science, so I was able to line up a job before I moved back to the USA. Already had money in the bank so when I landed in Chicago, I stayed in the area a couple of days and bought a new car, new work clothes, cell phone, etc. I also opened up a US Bank account and applied for some credit cards.

 

I returned to the USA in 2012, it took over a year (Almost 16 months) for the US Immigration System to allow my wife and son to join with her green card. 3 years after being here and being married to a US citizen, she applied and received her US citizenship. If you ever plan on bringing your family to the USA, my best advice is contact your US Senator. I waited over a year for immigration before calling the Senator's Office, who happens to be in my home state of New Hampshire where the immigration center is located. Once I made the call I was told I should have called much earlier and the Senators office expedited the application the rest of the way.

 

During this time I was waiting for my family, I was able to send around 100k baht a month back to Thailand to support my family, find a house here in the USA and buy all the furnishings.

 

By the time my family arrived, the house was already fully equipped. We bought a second car when my wife got her US drivers license and added a third for our son when he was old enough to drive.

 

A few years on, while there are certainly simple things I miss from Thailand time to time, we all still believe it was the best decision and my wife and son have no inclination to go back to visit.

 

We live in a smaller town 500m from the beach, and it is mostly a retirement area void of any crime, drama or unusual activity. It is a non-commercial beach so short of picking up seashells or watching local surfers or beach fishing, there is not a lot going on. There are a lot of places where seniors hang out to chug down beers all up and down the beachside.

 

The grocery stores, hardware store, banks, medical, dental all within 5 miles of the house so no time wasted in traffic or running around which is very convenient. In the USA now, can buy anything you want by pointing and clicking online.

 

It is by all accounts a very mundane and almost boring life compared to Bangkok. However, the cleanliness, low crime, availability of services etc. make quality of life good with no regrets.

 

Back in the USA, my mind has been constantly planning for my families future with life insurance, social security, 401K savings, have everything set so when I kick off, they will be well taking care of. That sometimes takes the fun out of life but we still manage to get out to see many quality shows and events each year.  

 

There are no surprises in day to day life, it is basically the same old 9 to 5 grind we all knew well before we moved to Thailand to get away from it all.

 

Our son will be off to University next year at Florida State University so all worked out well there. He will be able to get an education and support himself more than he ever could if we stayed in Thailand. Besides Thai and English, he has added 4 years of Spanish already. Being tri-lingual will be a huge plus moving forward for him.

 

My wife has gone back to school full time to be a pharmacist. Good for her to be ambitious in education as no amount of savings will last forever.

 

We see many Thai people working at Walmart, restaurants or other minimum wage jobs. Many still uneducated and settling for minimum wage, still living like they were out in the fields in Thailand. 

 

Although there is a Thai temple in the next town over, we steer clear of there due to many of the same things you see in Thailand. Greed, Corruption, Monks doing things they should not be doing. Many of the minimum wage Thai's flock there every weekend, still unable to tell what is really going on and throwing their minimum wage dollars away to the corrupt owner.

 

I can tell you, some of the more well to do farangs that married Thai's , you rarely ever see or hear from them as they, much as we do, distance themselves from those still acting like they are still living in Isaan.

 

I have messaged a farang on this website that lives in the next town over, however, no interest from either side in meeting up

 

My wife is the same preferring to be American and forgetting all the Thai in public. Even though the house is often filled with Thai food aromas she cannot live without.

 

She had Chinese and other international friends at school she can have lunch, go shopping with etc.  So it gives here a lot of pride to be able to assimilate into her own life here.

 

Regrets? None really. I think even though things cost a heck of lot more here, (cost $15 for 2 at McDonalds), the steady, constant pace and reliable services make life less stressful.

We did ride out hurricane Irma this year, taking a direct hit which knocked down all our Palm Trees and tore a back subroof off, but no severe damage or flooding (This was our second hurricane and the first one only knocked down the back fence.

 

I would not give advice or be a proponent to stay in Thailand or move home. I have simply shared my own experience and what worked out for us. I can still retire in excellent financial shape and have the options open once again years down the road, but honestly I do not see that happening. If foreigners in Thailand had all the same basic rights we give Thai's in the USA, it might be a different story.

 

However, as I get older, I would rather face the expected than the unexpected. 

 

To each his own I say, there are no 2 cases exactly the same. 

 

Everyone should stick to what is best for them and their family; as they are the only ones that truly know.

 

Trying to dictate living choices to others is simply foolish

 

Merry Christmas from Florida

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sipi]

Are the Thai food aromas more savoury or sweet? 

[ukrules]

Everything seems to be working out just fine !

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Name of the place where low end 1 bedroom condos are 600k please.

[CharlieH]

OP: I bet you have a a big "S" under your shirt too. Self praise is no recommendation............next!

 

Edited December 26, 2017 by CharlieH

[Rhys]

Brother be doin it... word .. turn it out

[JLCrab]

I am a legal resident of the State of Florida and, before moving to Thailand, I never lived in Florida within 50 miles of either the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf Coasts. Florida is a big state.

Edited December 26, 2017 by JLCrab

[bwpage3]

14 hours ago, sipi said:

Are the Thai food aromas more savoury or sweet? 

Unfortunately Thai restaurants come and go here with reckless abandonment trying to cook Thai food to suit Americans. Nothing you would recognize maybe 1 place out of 25 you can get a good dish.

Edited December 27, 2017 by bwpage3

[bwpage3]

1 hour ago, JLCrab said:

I am a legal resident of the State of Florida and, before moving to Thailand, I never lived in Florida within 50 miles of either the Atlantic Ocean or Gulf Coasts. Florida is a big state.

Agreed. Outside of the coast lots of Florida looks like Isaan.

[bwpage3]

13 hours ago, CharlieH said:

OP: I bet you have a a big "S" under your shirt too. Self praise is no recommendation............next!

 

The idea of posting a true story is exactly that. For anyone that has lived in Thailand and was thinking of moving, it is very possible if you didn't burn all your bridges. Nothing superman about planning. 

Edited December 27, 2017 by bwpage3

[bwpage3]

13 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Name of the place where low end 1 bedroom condos are 600k please.

You can start checking prices from Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach and Titusville.

 

This is being built as we speak 1 mile north of us  http://carpenterkessel.com/condo-buildings/oceana-oceanfront-condos/

 

Higher end

 

Bear in mind these are directly on the ocean

 

You can find condos in Florida under US 100K away from the ocean

[torrzent]

I would be worried about crime in alot of these areas the OP mentions.  Seems every crime show on TV is 50% about Florida.  The other 50%  are shuffle board playing seniors all safely locked inside and asleep by 7pm

[bwpage3]

2 minutes ago, torrzent said:

I would be worried about crime in alot of these areas the OP mentions.  Seems every crime show on TV is 50% about Florida.  The other 50%  are shuffle board playing seniors all safely locked inside and asleep by 7pm

As I mentioned, this is not Miami, Not Orlando or Jacksonville. There is nothing to worry about. Maybe some parts of Fort Pierce. However these are not cities and have ample police force everywhere.  Worrying about something that is not there is just plain worrying.  I worried about my safety in quite a few places in Thailand, however where we live in Florida, I think we can disarm the shuffle board players. Plus it is easy to get a concealed weapons permit, which many have. Extremely safe where we live, very few minorities. Majority are senior citizens.

[torrzent]

Just now, bwpage3 said:

As I mentioned, this is not Miami, Not Orlando or Jacksonville. There is nothing to worry about. Maybe some parts of Fort Pierce. However these are not cities and have ample police force everywhere.  Worrying about something that is not there is just plain worrying.  I worried about my safety in quite a few places in Thailand, however where we live in Florida, I think we can disarm the shuffle board players. Plus it is easy to get a concealed weapons permit, which many have. Extremely safe where we live, very few minorities. Majority are senior citizens.

So you are saying the minorities are the only dangerous ones, and the Jesse James type people/heroes carrying concealed weapons are the safe ones?  Wow, glad I don't inhabit a place with such twisted logic!

Actually Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville seems like 3 of the most liveable places there.  However, to be fair and throw a few facts on this and test your subjective views, here is a link which shows the most dangerous places,

https://www.roadsnacks.net/most-dangerous-cities-in-florida/

 

Happy concealing and enjoy your seniors' buffets!

 

[JLCrab]

3 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Agreed. Outside of the coast lots of Florida looks like Isaan.

I like to swim and the natural springs in the Florida State Parks are unique in the world. You think this looks like Isaan?

[torrzent]

38 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

I like to swim and the natural springs in the Florida State Parks are unique in the world. You think this looks like Isaan?

looks like a couple of alligators with their mouths open beside the left tree.  Between that and water mocassins, no way am I goiong in one of these swamp pits....even if they have a high fallutin name like "natural springs" cause I know most gators cant read!

[theguyfromanotherforum]

3 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

You can start checking prices from Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach and Titusville.

 

This is being built as we speak 1 mile north of us  http://carpenterkessel.com/condo-buildings/oceana-oceanfront-condos/

 

Higher end

 

Bear in mind these are directly on the ocean

 

You can find condos in Florida under US 100K away from the ocean

 

Thanks for that. I'll be sure to mention these prices to real estate bears in Canada who claim prices in USA are high just in San Francisco and NY....

 

 

However, I just noticed there are all 3 bedroom. You said 1 bedroom in your post,

Edited December 27, 2017 by theguyfromanotherforum

[thaibeachlovers]

19 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Second reason was that after 10 years in Thailand, we had pretty much seen and done everything 100 times and there was nothing keen or interesting to keep our attention.

Interesting post, but rather too long. While not an attempt to disparage you in any way, I have a couple of comments.

I have lived in Thailand for way, way longer than 10 years and find the idea that you did everything 100s of times and nothing left to see, frankly, ludicrous. I still find things almost every day here that are new and interesting, and even if I lived here 100 years I would not see everything by a long chalk

 

19 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

During this time I was waiting for my family, I was able to send around 100k baht a month back to Thailand to support my family,

Given that most Thais get by on a tenth of that, I'd say rather more than "supporting". Giving them a whole new lifestyle would be more like it.

Good luck to you that you appear incredibly rich by ?most expat standards, but I wonder if you missed the essence of Thailand, which is not to be found, IMO, where rich people live. Perhaps that is why you think you "saw it all" when obviously you didn't. 

[JLCrab]

1 hour ago, torrzent said:

looks like a couple of alligators with their mouths open beside the left tree.  Between that and water mocassins, no way am I goiong in one of these swamp pits....even if they have a high fallutin name like "natural springs" cause I know most gators cant read!

Some of these  parks are so popular that they have car limits and they can fill up on some days and they turn cars away. But that stills leaves plenty of humans for the gators to eat and still have enough human survivors to keep the park concessions open.

[ballpoint]

3 hours ago, JLCrab said:

I like to swim and the natural springs in the Florida State Parks are unique in the world. You think this looks like Isaan?

 

No, Isaan is nicer.

 

[JLCrab]

That is nice but that is not the same as 5 million gallons a day of water that could be bottled as mineral water gushing out of a spring for you to swim in.

[sipi]

9 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Unfortunately Thai restaurants come and go here with reckless abandonment trying to cook Thai food to suit Americans. Nothing you would recognize maybe 1 place out of 25 you can get a good dish.

Sorry I must have misunderstood. 

Your post said that the house is full of Thai aromas, but now you say that restaurants don't know how to cook Thai food.

So you live on take-away?

[bwpage3]

8 hours ago, sipi said:

Sorry I must have misunderstood. 

Your post said that the house is full of Thai aromas, but now you say that restaurants don't know how to cook Thai food.

So you live on take-away?

I don't eat Thai food here at all, not even my wife's. Too many other choices.

[bwpage3]

16 hours ago, torrzent said:

So you are saying the minorities are the only dangerous ones, and the Jesse James type people/heroes carrying concealed weapons are the safe ones?  Wow, glad I don't inhabit a place with such twisted logic!

Actually Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville seems like 3 of the most liveable places there.  However, to be fair and throw a few facts on this and test your subjective views, here is a link which shows the most dangerous places,

https://www.roadsnacks.net/most-dangerous-cities-in-florida/

 

Happy concealing and enjoy your seniors' buffets!

 

Get some help!

[bwpage3]

15 hours ago, JLCrab said:

I like to swim and the natural springs in the Florida State Parks are unique in the world. You think this looks like Isaan?

You saying there are NO places in Florida that look like Isaan?

 

There are more scrub areas in the State of Florida than Natural Springs. You must be a few short asking if this looks like Isaan. Find other post to troll.

[bwpage3]

14 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

Thanks for that. I'll be sure to mention these prices to real estate bears in Canada who claim prices in USA are high just in San Francisco and NY....

 

 

However, I just noticed there are all 3 bedroom. You said 1 bedroom in your post,

Just gave you one example, was not writing a research paper

 

[bwpage3]

13 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Interesting post, but rather too long. While not an attempt to disparage you in any way, I have a couple of comments.

I have lived in Thailand for way, way longer than 10 years and find the idea that you did everything 100s of times and nothing left to see, frankly, ludicrous. I still find things almost every day here that are new and interesting, and even if I lived here 100 years I would not see everything by a long chalk

 

Given that most Thais get by on a tenth of that, I'd say rather more than "supporting". Giving them a whole new lifestyle would be more like it.

Good luck to you that you appear incredibly rich by ?most expat standards, but I wonder if you missed the essence of Thailand, which is not to be found, IMO, where rich people live. Perhaps that is why you think you "saw it all" when obviously you didn't. 

few things here

 

I know from the past you have a way of negatively commenting on anything you read, however, I will enlighten you.

 

I was not a school teacher in Thailand and I was not poor.

 

In fact, living in Isaan, Nong Rua, I am pretty sure I didn't miss the essence of Thailand by much if any. 

 

Having a new truck, I drove all over the country from North to South and East to West. 

 

How many temples or waterfalls or elephants or street vendors does a person need to see? 

 

Not sure what essence you are referring to? Monks playing with IPADS, shopping for electronics at Tesco Lotus, smoking weed?

 

Or maybe missed the Essence of Walking Street, Nana and Soi Cowboy?

 

Or maybe missed the essence of wacked out speed boat drivers in Phi Phi, Koh Chang, others?

 

Or maybe even missed the essence of Thai food when I decided to go to KFC or Pizza Company?

 

I know I missed the essence of never understanding one word of my wife's family Isaan dialect.

 

What you don't get is not everyone that lived in Thailand is in the same boat man.

 

Not everyone was uneducated, burned bridges and had no where to return to if their dream of Thailand ever worked out. When I moved to Thailand it did not take me long to figure out I wouldn't live there forever and I stayed many more years than I previously thought I ever would.

 

You don't have to be hating on me, you don't even know me. I am just telling you my story. If it is no interest to you don't read it, plenty of other interesting things to read.

 

It is a shame when the only good comments get sent in a PM because people don't want to get bitched at or railed for posting a true story.

 

It's my life, you don't need to fret and worry that I missed anything. 

 

I am not on here balling that I am divorced, teaching school or have no where to go. 

 

Just told the truth and yes, some people still do that.

 

Experience and lesson learned are a powerful tool. You never know when those and good personal contacts can come in handy in life

 

Don't be hating, it is just one man's story

 

 

[473geo]

I don't really know what to make of your post other than it appears you tired of Thailand, wanted a better education for your son and that you and your wife are doing just fine in Florida.

Your latest response however gives the impression that you saw many flaws in the Thai way of life, like quite a few more here, it looks rather like every day Thai life started to grate on you....I think you made the right decision

 

I hope all continues to go well for you, your wife, and son

 

 

[JLCrab]

3 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

<snip>Find other post to troll.

Why? All I originally said is that I lived for many years in Florida but never near the beach. You're the one brought up Isaan. And this ain't  your show.

[strikingsunset]

Really interesting, worthwhile and thought provoking post  IMHO    Thank you   OP