Who's Gained From Thailand

[Oleg_Rus]

London this, London that....

how about other countries and feeling of lost years? watching friends back home, parents getting older, being "strange man from the strange land" ?

come home and say to taxi "leo sai", see no thai smiles, act wierdly? Even in the native bar, where knew every one and everyone knew you, feels like alien?

what was worth it to come and stay, that is the question from gentleman with wide open eyes [ from Clockwork Orange, Mr Bkkmadness]

[bkkmadness]

well summarised Oleg, cheers.

[Patex]

Everything,

I gained, I gained by myself, no country involved.

Sentimental BS.

Patex

[Belfastboy]

All fair points from above....different people like different things.....im not even from london just talking about UK in general.....

well bkkmadness its up to u mate.....im the same age as u in the same boat but decided i wanted to live my youth in the UK and leave thailand for retiring.....UK has a fasr better social scene...great bands, dj's ..great friends that dont surround booze hookers and corruption...and oh yeah my family who are there to love and support visa verusa.....

so when the choice is moving to a country just because its cheap and sunny versus spending my life with my parents and family...well theres no choice.,...put it this way and i know its blunt...but if u are like me my parents are in there late 50's and well....i wanna be around with them for the best years of my life.....give those up for a saving a few pence and some sunny weather....the choice is simple....!!! depends on what u want out of life....

p.s. theres nothing like a good gig in the UK.....in the sweat pit.....!!!

something to think about bkkmadness......dont reget missing out on your family....!

[booma]

All fair points from above....different people like different things.....im not even from london just talking about UK in general.....

well bkkmadness its up to u mate.....im the same age as u in the same boat but decided i wanted to live my youth in the UK and leave thailand for retiring.....UK has a fasr better social scene...great bands, dj's ..great friends that dont surround booze hookers and corruption...and oh yeah my family who are there to love and support visa verusa.....

so when the choice is moving to a country just because its cheap and sunny versus spending my life with my parents and family...well theres no choice.,...put it this way and i know its blunt...but if u are like me my parents are in there late 50's and well....i wanna be around with them for the best years of my life.....give those up for a saving a few pence and some sunny weather....the choice is simple....!!! depends on what u want out of life....

p.s. theres nothing like a good gig in the UK.....in the sweat pit.....!!!

something to think about bkkmadness......dont reget missing out on your family....!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Whatever, just follow your nose.

Edited April 18, 2005 by booma

[Gary A]

I worked for over 40 years and simply got tired. The last five years of my working life was in S. California. I lived alone and hated it. I had a Thai girlfriend here in Thailand and decided to give the relationship a shot. I'm glad I did!

The fact is that retiring in S. California was not an option available to me anyways. I just could not afford to live there. I am able to live in Thailand quite well on my limited pension and savings.

My children in the US are both grown up and have their own families. I think they are actually happy to be rid of Dad because they don't have to have their holidays interrupted wondering what to do with me.

Thailand has given me a great life and I intend to enjoy to the fullest what is left of it. The minor inconvenience I put up with here are just that. MINOR!

[PeaceBlondie]

I feel a lot like the last poster, Gary A. Retired at age 56, and the 1 or 2 brief times I tried to find work back in Texas, it was boring, poorly paid, no respect. And once my kids grew up, although they love me and enjoy having me visit, American family life usually is so hectic that you barely have time for your immediate nuclear family, let alone the grandparents or the cousins. Many of my friends have moved on, or they're still stuck in the same boring lifestyle that never was interesting.

My few real friends have come to visit me, or they have me stay at their place when I come to USA.

Do I regret coming to Thailand? No; there wasn't that much to do back home (unless I'd stayed working hard in the ratrace, which wasn't worth US$50,000 per year plus a larger pension). Did I miss much in the USA? No. Did I gain great experiences in Thailand, Mexico and Nicaragua? Yeah, so much that my old coworkers are jealous. I just had dinner with an old coworker, and she's a nice lady, but she's still just old and a former coworker who's still working at one of the world's most boring jobs.

[Kringle]

Glad I came to Thailand as I now have a lovely wife and little girl and we have more than I would if I had stayed in the US. Only a few things worry me here, low value of life, corruption and the educational system. In a system where everyone passes and you have teachers that come here just for sex, it's scary.

Things I don't miss in the US (bigger cities mostly) is the crime, where you can be shot for just walking down the street. I do miss some friends but overall it's better to be here and when it comes to my little girl going to school, I'll take care as best I can to make sure she is in a good environment.

[PeaceBlondie]

C'mon, Kringle, I didn't SAY I came here just for sex. I didn't come here JUST for sex.

[Kringle]

PeaceBlondie, I did not say you or any other specific person and sorry if you took it that way.