Have you had a hard life?

[newnative]

     I would say, by western standards, my life was neither hard nor easy; rather, somewhere in the middle.  Never made a big salary--state job--but good benefits, good pension, and I could retire at age 53 after 30 years.   Worked part-time another 5 years to supplement my retirement.

    When my partner and I are driving around in our comfortable, air-conditioned car and we see an old, bent, weathered Thai pushing a heavy cart on the road trying to sell enough of something to eat that day, we look at each other and say, stop all the whining about this or that, we are so very, very lucky.

[swissie]

6 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

By "looking down on them" do you mean: buying them drinks, giving them tips, buying them gifts, marrying them, buying them a car, taking care of their family, building them a house,  and allowing themselves -naively - to be fleeced of everything by the cunning of the poor village girl?

Quite the opposite: The Farangs you describe are rather "looking up" to their Thai girls. For better or for worse.

 

[swissie]

6 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

I dunno.

 

My dad is a boomer. He grew up in a family with 9 siblings in (what was once) a slum area with no indoor toilets.

 

He didn't even have long trousers til he was 12 (living in a bitterly cold part of Europe).

 

Surely that's harder than a lot of Isaan people's lives, no?

 

Don't most boomers know poverty? The economy was not that great in the West back in those days, nor was sanitation, infrastructure, healthcare etc. etc.

 

Christ, my mate lost almost all his siblings to Diphtheria, like 6 of them. Boomers know hard times.

 

A sick buffalo ain't the greatest hardship.

 

 

Concerning your dad. In what time frame did this happen? Are you sure he qualifies as a "boomer"? In what country?

Surely it coulden't be Ireland, as the "great potato famine" happened much earlier.

[FruitPudding]

14 minutes ago, swissie said:

Quite the opposite: The Farangs you describe are rather "looking up" to their Thai girls. For better or for worse.

 

Precisely my point 

[FruitPudding]

14 minutes ago, swissie said:

Concerning your dad. In what time frame did this happen? Are you sure he qualifies as a "boomer"? In what country?

Surely it coulden't be Ireland, as the "great potato famine" happened much earlier.

Well, he's in his early-mid 60s now.

 

Is that a boomer? I think so.

 

In any case, the Thai girls love him throwing his cash around on them, yet I am sure he knows greater hardship than they do.

[swm59nj]

From what I read in these forums. And speaking to some expats when I was living in Bangkok.  Most of the expats had a hard life.  That’s why they moved to Thailand 

[bunnydrops]

Born poor, lived in a southern "Shotgun", no indoor plumbing, Grandfather would hunt rabbits for dinner. Been homeless, worked washing dishes, cannery, commercial fishing, Boeing, Crisis clinic. Started my own company, building log cabins, homes, doctor/ dentist offices, building custom cabinets. Never a "go getter" hit the Mexican beaches every winter for two months. Now 76, still work 6 months out of the year doing remodel work. still have my legs, so still do some work on the roof. I think this will be my last year, First and only marriage at 64. I loved my life.

[HuskerDo2]

Retired at 59 and lived off of savings until I started drawing social security and my pensions at age 62. I had a 37 year career in I.T. but if I had it to do all over again, I'd get a job at UPS. With their new contract the drivers make $170,000 a year (US) and that doesn't include all the overtime at Christmas. All for driving around and dropping off packages. Incredible.

[thaibeachlovers]

20 hours ago, Expat68 said:

I worked shifts in the printing trade virtually all my life:

Mornings, Lates and Nights

12 hour night shifts being my last ones.

Nickname graveyard shifts

Got out early as I could

I worked permanent 12 hour night shifts in Saudi, and loved it. Had loads of free time to relax and loved the sunrises. The dust in the air creates wonderful red sunrises probably don't get anywhere else.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

Retired at 59 and lived off of savings until I started drawing social security and my pensions at age 62. I had a 37 year career in I.T. but if I had it to do all over again, I'd get a job at UPS. With their new contract the drivers make $170,000 a year (US) and that doesn't include all the overtime at Christmas. All for driving around and dropping off packages. Incredible.

If I'd known, I'd have been a London tube driver. Waaaay more money than nursing, loads more holidays and free travel on London transport. All for sitting down and pushing a lever.

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, swm59nj said:

From what I read in these forums. And speaking to some expats when I was living in Bangkok.  Most of the expats had a hard life.  That’s why they moved to Thailand 

I had an easy life, with occasional bad bits, but I lived in LOS because I preferred it to back "home". Back home was expensive, over regulated, woke, boring and had no sex life.

[Muhendis]

I've had a tremendously hard life.

 

Have you any idea how hard it is finding a good butler house keeper these days ..........

[Celsius]

I am 49 and I look 50

[jaideedave]

On 8/11/2023 at 12:57 PM, Neeranam said:

Nearly 20 years retired sounds great. I hope to retire in 10 years, aged 67.

 

I had a hard life in some regards, 20 years as an alcoholic/drug addicts isn't easy. 

 

I feel lucky that after 5 years working in the oil industry, I decided to quit the rat race and come to Thailand, in 1992. 

Sounds similar to my path. I officially took early retirement in 2005 at 55yo.Move to LOS and was offered work in O&G.Made good $ for a few years then quit for health issues.

 

While working I bought a house here and saved a bit and didn't piss it all away.Now at 72 I receive pensions and actually consider myself blessed as I worked for 30 years cheque to cheque and hated that as now I don't have to count pennies anymore.

Quitting drinking a year ago paid huge dividends also.

[fondue zoo]

 

That's why you do the opposite and Amaze!  Tell them you're 20 years older than you are.. "are you a highlander or something??"

 

 

also, this...

 

 

 

[jaideedave]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I had an easy life, with occasional bad bits, but I lived in LOS because I preferred it to back "home". Back home was expensive, over regulated, woke, boring and had no sex life.

Ditto here, back home was/is a p___y desert or very pricey. Inexpensive female company was a huge draw for me to these shores plus 5 months of bone chilling winters didn't have any more appeal.

I love the tropical weather.

[Neeranam]

54 minutes ago, jaideedave said:

Sounds similar to my path. I officially took early retirement in 2005 at 55yo.Move to LOS and was offered work in O&G.Made good $ for a few years then quit for health issues.

 

While working I bought a house here and saved a bit and didn't piss it all away.Now at 72 I receive pensions and actually consider myself blessed as I worked for 30 years cheque to cheque and hated that as now I don't have to count pennies anymore.

Quitting drinking a year ago paid huge dividends also.

Wonderful, must feel good.

[georgegeorgia]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If I'd known, I'd have been a London tube driver. Waaaay more money than nursing, loads more holidays and free travel on London transport. All for sitting down and pushing a lever.

Try driving on Friday & Saturday nights to dodge drunks and idiots pisding under the driver's door so it rolls into your cabin ????

[jaideedave]

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Wonderful, must feel good.

Yes it does, but the urge to be frugal never leaves you,I still yack at the old lady to shut off the bathroom light when you leave the room.

[Expat68]

2 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I worked permanent 12 hour night shifts in Saudi, and loved it. Had loads of free time to relax and loved the sunrises. The dust in the air creates wonderful red sunrises probably don't get anywhere else.

Yes I understand, some of my friends loved them, I absolutely detested them

[Seamaster]

Semi retired 36, retired 42. Out of retirement and into teaching at 52 add more certainty to our old age, hope to save something for her when I'm gone. I'm done within two years and before 65.

 

Teaching a mixed bag, some of it exceptionally rewarding. Most of it ruined by other "teachers" and administration wasting my time.

 

It's been a good life overall but I've had some absolutely shi+ years and unfortunately those years were often a run of a few bad ones together.

 

Last few years have not been kind. Amazing what seriously horrible people in the world.

 

I've always felt I'd rather have my time over money. If nice things come great but I'm not sacrificing life for a shi++y condo or a low end 3 series Mercedes or BMW ????. Some people are absolutely insane with their pursuit of stupid brands or worse faux highso appearances. 

 

Thailand has great beaches, food, access to women. With a clean home and decent clothes - what more does a man need? Well, nothing.

 

My philosophy has always been to maximize my own time. Die with b50 in my pocket (not owe a satang to anyone).

[Walker88]

14 hours ago, swm59nj said:

From what I read in these forums. And speaking to some expats when I was living in Bangkok.  Most of the expats had a hard life.  That’s why they moved to Thailand 

Looking at the average retired expat I see in Bangkok and Pattaya, it does look as if most had a hard life. Most look beaten down by life, the majority are fat and out of shape, and few look happy---despite 'living the dream', at least when they email buddies back home..

 

No doubt members here are all happy and fit, but the expats I see out and about look like times have always been tough. One sympathizes.

[youreavinalaff]

On 8/11/2023 at 9:56 AM, Kwasaki said:

Well I enjoyed my job and had mortgage commitments so 55 was the target but as said 57 because my son lived with me and wanted to stay in same school not move to live with mum and start another school for the sake of two years.

Not a problem because my Thai wife was with me staying in England until we left the dump.

Sorry to hear you had to slum it in a dump.

 

The part of England where I am is glorious.

[georgegeorgia]

3 hours ago, Seamaster said:

Semi retired 36, retired 42. Out of retirement and into teaching at 52 add more certainty to our old age, hope to save something for her when I'm gone. I'm done within two years and before 65.

 

Teaching a mixed bag, some of it exceptionally rewarding. Most of it ruined by other "teachers" and administration wasting my time.

 

It's been a good life overall but I've had some absolutely shi+ years and unfortunately those years were often a run of a few bad ones together.

 

Last few years have not been kind. Amazing what seriously horrible people in the world.

 

I've always felt I'd rather have my time over money. If nice things come great but I'm not sacrificing life for a shi++y condo or a low end 3 series Mercedes or BMW ????. Some people are absolutely insane with their pursuit of stupid brands or worse faux highso appearances. 

 

Thailand has great beaches, food, access to women. With a clean home and decent clothes - what more does a man need? Well, nothing.

 

My philosophy has always been to maximize my own time. Die with b50 in my pocket (not owe a satang to anyone).

Great post , can't be easy now to work at your age and going back to work at 52

 

"Amazing what seriously horrible people in the world"

 

Not sure what happened to you to think that ,not everyone is bad but sometimes we see the worse in people,some people have jobs where they constantly see the bad in people

 

I just had a guy message me that he was a police officer in northern Ireland for 25 years ,he just seen horrible people everyday,  so he said he had a hard life as such....but ...is dealing with difficult jobs a hard life or is it the way you do it or think it ,?

 

[georgegeorgia]

2 hours ago, Walker88 said:

Looking at the average retired expat I see in Bangkok and Pattaya, it does look as if most had a hard life. Most look beaten down by life, the majority are fat and out of shape, and few look happy---despite 'living the dream', at least when they email buddies back home..

 

No doubt members here are all happy and fit, but the expats I see out and about look like times have always been tough. One sympathizes.

No ...your absolutely right , I feel the same way as you ,of course we are making assumptions but sometimes it's evident eg Farangs drinking outside the Nirun apartments at 8am ,but then again they may be ???? happy

[Hummin]

not harder than it should have been! Worked in many fields, won, lost and learned, and now living by my experiences. Life became easier after 50 and still gettting better. A few more ups and downs is expected as life goes on. 

 

We all going to die once, but today ,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,

 

Cherish the day

[Seamaster]

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Great post , can't be easy now to work at your age and going back to work at 52

 

"Amazing what seriously horrible people in the world"

 

Not sure what happened to you to think that ,not everyone is bad but sometimes we see the worse in people,some people have jobs where they constantly see the bad in people

 

I just had a guy message me that he was a police officer in northern Ireland for 25 years ,he just seen horrible people everyday,  so he said he had a hard life as such....but ...is dealing with difficult jobs a hard life or is it the way you do it or think it ,?

 

Thank you. The things I've accomplished are only between myself and the students and universities bc administrations don't care and the only reasons other teachers care is bc they didn't have to do "it" - not that they would have anyway! I feel so sorry for all students with farang teachers... While the Thai aren't any better at least they are their own come what may. These slackers came from other countries, took a job claiming they could impart skills and knowledge. It's just pure pain for most students, learn nothing

 

People..You've no idea. Don't be such a pollyanna.

[Kwasaki]

4 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

Sorry to hear you had to slum it in a dump.

 

The part of England where I am is glorious.

I aways know someone here will say that, good for you keep paying your taxes

[Eaglekott]

On 8/11/2023 at 11:30 AM, georgegeorgia said:

What about you ?

Has life been easy or hard 

.did you have a hard manual job ?

 Jail? Divorce? Gambling? Recession? 

I’m not sure why anyone should answer these questions in a public forum. It’s give Google and Metas crawlers free private information. I could tell you if we meet over a beer someday and if you wanna know. But on the other hand I will not. You might put my life story in this forum as well. 
 

Also not nice to tell your friends story. He might have told you privately because he wanted to ventilate a bit. Hope he is not suicidal and figure out his story is for everyone to read. 

[HampiK]

On 8/11/2023 at 6:36 PM, bignok said:

Rupert Murdoch is 92 or so still works.

 

Why retire at 50 or 55? Sitting on backside for 30 years.

 

 

Look it from the other side. Why working more, when you have enough money?
There are always people who think they need more and more money (strange, mostly the very rich).

 

I know of persons, who complain, how hard their life is, and how much they would love to enjoy life. Some of them would have more than enough money to stop work or at least work less. But many people can't. They don't know what to do with their time.
I many times hear from older person, when I am 65, then I will start enjoying life. But mostly (of course not always) people who never enjoyed life, can't start with 65 to change. Unfortunately, I know of 2 persons, who died shortly after retirement. As from my perspective it's much better to start enjoying life as early as possible (but of course not too early, so you have enough money to enjoy).
I read a few very interesting stories from people who retired early. And I think it's the best.

Of course, if you can retire with 45... then you have 20 extra enjoyable years till official retirement. This is something which nobody can take away anymore. Even when retire with 55... these extra years to enjoy I think is unpayable. But sadly, for this lifestyle you need saved money, which many do not have.