How did you go from living in uk/canada/usa etc to living in thailand?

Was it an easy process and did you save alot of money?

Sorry to ask about the money side of things,i know its a bit rude.

My problem?

Maybe is not to live in thailand yet but is to travel around lao,cambodia,vietnam and sri lanka then to spend a good 6 months in thailand.(ive been for 3 before)

Teaching is out of the question as my english is apalling.

I think i may have asked about this before a while back but im feeling quite desperate,im on a low wage(it will rise in march a little)but i am saving as much as i can,yet it seems its not near enough as i want to leave in april.

My friends who are travelling are at uni and have the gift of rich parents and to be honest it breaks my heart that they get handed these oppertunities on a plate yet i struggle everyday to save the money...can anyone offer me any advice?

I feel my life isnt as fulfilled as my friends as due to the money they have they are fulfilling my dreams already by the time they are my age (24)...

Any advice will be taken in and im grateful for any replies

Kitty, you should take pride in the fact that you are working hard so that you can travel. When you do eventually get over to SE Asia I am sure you will appreiciate your time there more than your friends as you have made sacrifices rather than receiving handouts from your parents.

My advice, dont feel jealous, keep working hard, save as much as you can and you will eventually get to where you want to be.

Edited January 2, 200521 yr by Pablo H

Sounds familiar and I'll bet I'm not the only one thinking that. At 24 I was just recovering from being run over and struggled for quite a few years to amass anything like a sum of money. Low wages and piss-taking bosses all make it hard to save in Blighty. Your mates with cash dumped on them are lucky, I know lots of people who NEVER get to do their dreams and it's all to do with the size of the wad.

For what it's worth my tenpenneth-worth is to go hermit and put every spare penny into the holiday fund. It's only a few months and you'll be surprised how quickly the mini-wad becomes a wedge.

Kitty darling- I know you want to leave in April for the new year, but no point if you dont have the dosh you need. I'd suggest pushing back your trip dates. No worries you'll have the satisfaction your mates don't have - you earned your way rather than had it paid for.

Kittty:

I came to Bangkok 2 years ago on a research grant. I then worked for 2 different NGOS and was quite stable finacially for the first time in my life. And then I took a risk and ended up working for an NGO that I hated. I made decent money (only by the local enconomy's standards), but was profoundly unhappy. Now I am unemployed because I quit, and am still unhappy, but at least I am free to find something else.

When I was 24, I had a job working with a university personnel office, and was completely underwhelmed. After a year, I quit, took my first pension ever of $1300, and moved to Europe. I stayed there for 2 years working menial jobs to get by and lived with squatter communities. I was still financially unstable, but I'll never regret the experience.

I think you have to do what your gut calls you to do, with a combination of common sense, adventure, and yes, some risk. At 24, you can risk a little more. If you know you are working your dull job for something much more interesting on the horizon, that will provide you with the motive you need. It's just a vehicle, not the destination.

And just about any native speaker with a pulse that is decently dressed can get a job teaching English in Thailand. If you brush up on your grammer and do a little research first, all the better. Otherwise, I'm afraid there are not that many opportunities, especially if you don't have a university degree.

Kitty many years back when I was on apprenticeship wages I wanted to go to Ibiza with my mate. These were the days before mass tourism and cheap prices. I gave up drinking for 9 months and had really cheap meals for the ones that I had to pay for. It was not too long until that little amount soon amassed to an appreciable amount!!

So keep your chin up and don't look to the people with silver spoons in their mouths.

Perhaps postponing you arrival time in Thailand may help although that is a hard decision to accept.

If you want to work in Thailand why not try scupa diving and get paid as a divemaster?? It will take some money to get qualified but you will get a wage at the end which will be enough to get by on in Thailand!!

PM me if you want some more info!!

Paul

PS I never have given up drinking for that long since

Edited January 7, 200521 yr by bodypaul