Did you sell up everything in your home country, stop renewing the driver's license, give up your phone number? I'm just saying I would feel extremely vulnerable had I done all that. I keep a personal residence, pay property taxes, keep a car in the garage, have a current DL. 

 

On one hand giving up the life in home country must be a huge sense of freedom. Some would consider the move to be brave, while others would call it naive. 

 

Just wondering how many regret putting all the eggs in one basket.

When I left the States to move to Asia, I bought a one-way ticket.

I sold off all my assets, I said goodbye to all my friends, kissed what family I still had, and closed the door on my US life. My US driver's license expired in 1995.  In the past 35 years, I have returned 2-3 times for family business, but family is gone now, and I haven't been back in almost 15 years.  I maintain a mailing address with a freight forwarder just for any US companies that won't ship internationally.
With the current situation in the US right now, there is no way in hell that I would even consider a visit.
Thailand is home.

I don´t deal with eggs. They are fragile.

I renew my license as I visit there yearly to see my kids, their families, and go hunting, fishing and shopping, at least until we move back there for good. 

35 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

Did you sell up everything in your home country, stop renewing the driver's license, give up your phone number? I'm just saying I would feel extremely vulnerable had I done all that. I keep a personal residence, pay property taxes, keep a car in the garage, have a current DL. 

 

On one hand giving up the life in home country must be a huge sense of freedom. Some would consider the move to be brave, while others would call it naive. 

 

Just wondering how many regret putting all the eggs in one basket.

 

Life if fickle.  Think you've got it all planned out, then one day a tuk tuk comes out of nowhere and hits you in a zebra-crossing and you end up needing a Go Fund Me pages to pay for your long term medical expenses in your home country for the rest of your life.  Or the United States decides that China can't be allowed to be Number 1 on the Global Economic Hit Parade and starts are war with the Chinese on their home turf, which in turn sucks you in like a vacuum cleaner as you become incarcerated indefinitely, or a meteorite hits you in the head in the ultimate of freak accidents. Or you die an early death boom-booming the maid while the Mrs is away on a shopping trip.

You think you've got it all sorted out - and then you don't. 
My advice: Don't worry, be happy!
 

 

Totally burned my bridges when I left Oz 16 years ago, sold my house, car etc and never been back. Don't regret any of it.

65% of my assets are still in Australia. I sold my house, but can live with my son if need be.

 

My driver's licence has expired. My medicare card has another 3 years to go.

 

A driver's licence is not a problem. I can get an International Driving Permit here, which is valid in Australia for one year. I rent a cheap car.

 

I guess I could say I am a fence-sitter, even though I am almost exclusively in Thailand.

 

One thing is for sure. I tense up when I land in Australia, and can feel myself relaxing when I land in Bangkok.

1 hour ago, EVENKEEL said:

Did you sell up everything in your home country, stop renewing the driver's license, give up your phone number?

No to all the above. Keeping the properties, vehicles etc, one property stays empty for the annual few weeks return and a family member lives at the other. And will hold on to it in case things go south here or at least until old age makes it impossible to deal with. 

kept my houses and renew my driver licence.... thats bout it.

11 hours ago, Lacessit said:

A driver's licence is not a problem.

 

If you don't renew it for X number of years, you have to take the exam all over again.

 

 

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Did you sell up everything in your home country, stop renewing the driver's license, give up your phone number? I'm just saying I would feel extremely vulnerable had I done all that. I keep a personal residence, pay property taxes, keep a car in the garage, have a current DL. 

 

On one hand giving up the life in home country must be a huge sense of freedom. Some would consider the move to be brave, while others would call it naive. 

 

Just wondering how many regret putting all the eggs in one basket.

Did you sell up everything in your home country, stop renewing the driver's license, give up your phone number?

... yes yes & yes

 

Just wondering how many regret putting all the eggs in one basket.

... no regrets, as knew I wouldn't be returning to stay, maybe a visit, but doubt that now.

 

Keep my brother's address & ph #, for my brokerage account, where the company pension goes.

USA Soc Sec, and I think, IRS has my TH address on record.

 

TH feels like home to me, not the USA.  Especially since I've decided to stay, after daughter was done high school.   That was a major deciding point, before building our present house & buying last 2 cars.

 

Really can't think of another place I'd rather be 

Have nothing back in the UK. For me this is home and to be honest I love being here.

2 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Did you sell up everything in your home country, stop renewing the driver's license, give up your phone number? I'm just saying I would feel extremely vulnerable had I done all that. I keep a personal residence, pay property taxes, keep a car in the garage, have a current DL. 

 

On one hand giving up the life in home country must be a huge sense of freedom. Some would consider the move to be brave, while others would call it naive. 

 

Just wondering how many regret putting all the eggs in one basket.

 

 

No way Guiseppe!

 

Only thing I sold was a car......still have house, home, licences, utility bills, UK phone number, bus pass, London Freedom pass, keep regular doctors appointments.....the whole lot.

 38 years living here now , never been back ,ain't going back ,especially with

the way things have become there, happy to end my days here.

 

regards worgeordie

i want to go back. i wish i still had my home, car, all of it still waiting for me. unfortunately, i can't afford to live in two places at once.

2 hours ago, save the frogs said:

 

If you don't renew it for X number of years, you have to take the exam all over again.

 

 

Do you have a problem with reading comprehension?

 

As long as I have a current Thai driver's license, I can get an International Driving Permit for Australia, valid for one year.

2 hours ago, Will B Good said:

keep regular doctors appointments

You must spend a fortune on air fair back and forth keeping those appointments..!!! 😋

2 minutes ago, johng said:

You must spend a fortune on air fair back and forth keeping those appointments..!!! 😋

 

Only twice a year.....mainly bloods and stuff......but it stops me getting red flagged.

Just sold my house in the states. - check

Haven't renewed my license in over 20 years - check

I keep  US phone number for less than $8 USD/month for maintaining US bank accounts. - pass

 

Not full blown native but fo sho never going back.

1 hour ago, Mark1969 said:

i want to go back. i wish i still had my home, car, all of it still waiting for me. unfortunately, i can't afford to live in two places at once.

You have to live where you and yours are comfortable, safe and where there's a bright future. no matter where that might be. People can adjust to many things,  but there's a difference between living and just existing. Some love it here and that's where they should be. If back home is calling you, and you miss it, going back might be where you should be. It's surely where I should be, and a much better place for my daughter. Starting all over isn't easy, but it's worth it if where you're at doesn't feel like home. 

2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said:

You have to live where you and yours are comfortable, safe and where there's a bright future. no matter where that might be. People can adjust to many things,  but there's a difference between living and just existing. Some love it here and that's where they should be. If back home is calling you, and you miss it, going back might be where you should be. It's surely where I should be, and a much better place for my daughter. Starting all over isn't easy, but it's worth it if where you're at doesn't feel like home. 

i'm working on it...

Mostly, don't miss missing the orange plague and the gulags.

12 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Do you have a problem with reading comprehension?

 

As long as I have a current Thai driver's license, I can get an International Driving Permit for Australia, valid for one year.

 

Oh yeah, I didnt consider that scenario. 

 

 

 

Just now, save the frogs said:

 

Oh yeah, I didnt consider that scenario. 

 

Might not need it, Thai licenses are dual language

1 hour ago, Will B Good said:

 

Only twice a year.....mainly bloods and stuff......but it stops me getting red flagged.

I get my bloods done every 6 months, 1200 baht at Mengrai labs in Chiang Mai. Cheaper than an airfare.

 

Red flagged for what?

2 hours ago, Mark1969 said:

i want to go back. i wish i still had my home, car, all of it still waiting for me. unfortunately, i can't afford to live in two places at once.

I tried that for several years.

 

I got sick of going back to Australia, only to have to catch up on a month's worth of house and female maintenance.

6 hours ago, FolkGuitar said:

When I left the States to move to Asia, I bought a one-way ticket.

I sold off all my assets, I said goodbye to all my friends, kissed what family I still had, and closed the door on my US life. My US driver's license expired in 1995.  In the past 35 years, I have returned 2-3 times for family business, but family is gone now, and I haven't been back in almost 15 years.  I maintain a mailing address with a freight forwarder just for any US companies that won't ship internationally.
With the current situation in the US right now, there is no way in hell that I would even consider a visit.
Thailand is home.

I feel the same zero desire to ever set foot again there.

I was surprised how much more settled I felt and relaxed when I severed the ties with the homeland. Making that commitment that this is it now changed my views on many things and indeed my attitude toward them. too. I didnt just wake up one day and think, 'That's it; I phased out the homeland over 10 years.

Interesting stuff, least it is to me. Been here part time while working and full time for some years now. I'm not able to look at Thailand as my home. Not really. More like a long term tourist.

 

I like the feeling I can go back to something that belongs to me. It's easy and tempting to sell but prices on real estate increase so rapidly it's not easy to buy something at a later age.

8 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

Did you sell up everything in your home country, stop renewing the driver's license, give up your phone number? I'm just saying I would feel extremely vulnerable had I done all that. I keep a personal residence, pay property taxes, keep a car in the garage, have a current DL. 

 

On one hand giving up the life in home country must be a huge sense of freedom. Some would consider the move to be brave, while others would call it naive. 

 

Just wondering how many regret putting all the eggs in one basket.

On one hand giving up the life in home country must be a huge sense of freedom. < I’d find it pretty terrifying to depend entirely on a place like Thailand.