If You Could Live Again - Come to Thailand Younger?

[ravip]

I like thailand, but staying in Thailand doing nothing all day is hard...

hard for your brain. you will become an idiot at the end...

how a 20 or 30 yo guy will finish if he stay in Thailand all his life and do nothing....?

If you replace "Thailand" with any other super country, would this sentence make sense?????

Guess it had happened already...

Edited July 1, 2013 by ravip

[ravip]

i see many farangs having many things and many problems, 6 to 12 millions bahts house not even fully paid , kids in nice farang school, their lady playing madam, and the poor guys are drunk all day long, walking like zombies along the sukumvit or metro area of pattaya.... thinking "my god what should I do now at 55 with my 2 children , I m running low on cash soon and I have debts to pay, , who want me at 55 in UK to pay me peanuts?" then some jump from their balcony or pushed by their ladies to get life insurance. some are fighting with thai neighbour or lost all their saving in some dodgy business. they came to Thailand too early with millions of bahts and now are destitute because they wanted play the rich farang who can buy anything they wants. thailand can be tricky, you need to be very mature before establishing yourself in Thailand if you are young . the system can trick you, ladies will trick you. I know guys who have lost more money than if they have stayed in UK...

But at least in Thailand you are really living.

Whereas in the US I was merely waiting to die (I'm guessing UK same).

That's the way I feel my friends in the UK are - living a miserable life earning money with a dream to retire to Thailand. As I said before, they might die at 60.

How could this be?

Thailand... where the scammers are, where everyone try to rip you off your money, etc...

UK, US - thats where the pot of Gold is, isn't it?

Very confusing....

[Cheapcharly]

so tell me? what you do all day long at 30yo?

live with your mom money, or you got 1500euro monthly from the French government which suppose to help you to find a job and not spend with gogo ladies.... .

retired at 30? , and what were you doing before being retired, studying? this is how guys finish like zombies in Pattaya .

why not teaching English? I know plenty of young guys who do that across Asia and are very happy. they don't make lot of bahts but they stay active. their brain stay focused on something they like instead to abandon them self and selling their soul in gogo clubs...

[BlackArtemis]

Came here at 23 in 2005 as an exchange student. Moved back here and did the ESL thing for almost 3 years. Went back to the US and became a certified teacher and moved back a bit over a year ago. 5+ out of the 8 years have been spent in Chiang Mai, but decision ever. However, I am the only child and my father is declining in health, so I will return to the US in May/June and teach there.

Plans are to rack up some years in a school, get a Masters or possibly PHD. I am leaning towards environmental science/Natural resource management/Sustainable Design to round out my Biology education degree.

We'll see where it goes from there. I know I'll be back. Thailand will still be here in 5 or so years, I can't say the same about my father.

[ghworker2010]

This is an interesting topic to read.

Last year on this forum I remember reading a thread 'biggest mistakes you have made in thailand' and someone replied that I wish that I had come to thailand 20 yrs earlier. At the time I had to agree 100% with this.

Despite some of the drawbacks of living in the LOS its a great place to reside. If you dont like your own country then its a fantastic option to consider making a life here.

[TheSpade]

the question is what you do all day when 28?

hang out drink beer, then what?

stay on Internet, go out a little see what s going on, then back in room watch TV, go eat, get a beer, then come back, watch picture on dropbox, then what? date a lady, speak with friends you meet in the lobby of your 5000 bats hotel.

best is to work in Thailand, make plenty of money then retire. ...

are you lazy?

What would you do all day when you are 58 or 68?

Can do more when you're younger, more active, fitter, healthier etc.

Best to work in Thailand to make plenty of money? Doing what? Most people can only get crappy paying English teaching jobs in Thailand.

Work is load of <deleted> for most people. Everyone knows it. People should spend more time doing the things they love rather than working.

[MaximT]

the question is what you do all day when 28?

hang out drink beer, then what?

stay on Internet, go out a little see what s going on, then back in room watch TV, go eat, get a beer, then come back, watch picture on dropbox, then what? date a lady, speak with friends you meet in the lobby of your 5000 bats hotel.

best is to work in Thailand, make plenty of money then retire. ...

are you lazy?

What would you do all day when you are 58 or 68?

Can do more when you're younger, more active, fitter, healthier etc.

Best to work in Thailand to make plenty of money? Doing what? Most people can only get crappy paying English teaching jobs in Thailand.

Work is load of <deleted> for most people. Everyone knows it. People should spend more time doing the things they love rather than working.

Talk about <deleted>, most people in the world would be very grateful to be able to get a job that does more than just cover their bare survival.

What are you a trust fund baby? Or you think "big daddy" your nanny state is going to make sure you have shelter and don't starve when you're old?

Don't count on it.

Anyone who is blessed with the opportunity to bust their butt and accumulate enough to have a chance of not eating dog food for the last fifty years of their life should jump at it make the best of it and find their bits of "happiness" in their day to day normal life.

Obviously the 1% of the world that can actually make a decent living at something they don't actually hate doing is blessed indeed and should thank their lucky stars every day.

[smooth expat]

I moved to Pattaya full time when I was 27. I wish I came here sooner and lost the big V at 18 instead of at 25. I missed about 7 years of my life fooling around and not achieving anything. I was not so comfortable around women which is why I was still a virgin. I dropped out of college and mostly gambled money away during those years. Now I focus on relaxing in Pattaya and around SEA rather than doing the 9 to 5 thing(which I find incredibly boring).

[simple1]

About 20+ years ago I had the opportunity to work in BKK for a major international software vendor. When comparing my salary in Australia and quality of life decided to decline as the hassles of working in Thailand, having 7 days or so to re-organise if I lost my job etc did not stack up. At the time it was easy to find good looking sexy female company in Australia, so access to Thai females was "so what". The foreign Country Manager informed me one of his biggest headaches was managing senior Thai staff by working out their family connections and how it impacted inter staff working relationships, creditable death threats when letting go staff and so on. Sounded like a nightmare to me.

I have now retired in Thailand, with my Thai wife, but will return to Australia from time to time for a "refresh" as some aspects of living in Thailand we find wearisome.

[Neeranam]

I moved to Pattaya full time when I was 27. I wish I came here sooner and lost the big V at 18 instead of at 25. I missed about 7 years of my life fooling around and not achieving anything. I was not so comfortable around women which is why I was still a virgin. I dropped out of college and mostly gambled money away during those years. Now I focus on relaxing in Pattaya and around SEA rather than doing the 9 to 5 thing(which I find incredibly boring).

I guess some people are not happy doing nothing but work hard all their life so that they can do nothing at 65 or so. The old story comes to mind.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch. “How long did it take you to get those?” he asked.

“Not so long,” said the Mexican.

“Then why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was quite enough to meet his needs and feed his family.

“So what do you do with the rest of your time?” asked the American.

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evening, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”

The American interrupted. “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“With the extra money the bigger boat will bring, you can buy a second boat and then a third boat, and then more until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants. Pretty soon you could open your own plant. You could leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York! From there you could direct your whole enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty — perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? Well, my friend,” laughed the American, “that’s when it gets really interesting. When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” said the Mexican.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a beautiful place near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

***

The moral of the story… Know where you’re going in life — you may already be there.

[SteeleJoe]

I moved to Pattaya full time when I was 27. I wish I came here sooner and lost the big V at 18 instead of at 25. I missed about 7 years of my life fooling around and not achieving anything. I was not so comfortable around women which is why I was still a virgin. I dropped out of college and mostly gambled money away during those years. Now I focus on relaxing in Pattaya and around SEA rather than doing the 9 to 5 thing(which I find incredibly boring).

I guess some people are not happy doing nothing but work hard all their life so that they can do nothing at 65 or so. The old story comes to mind.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch. “How long did it take you to get those?” he asked.

“Not so long,” said the Mexican.

“Then why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was quite enough to meet his needs and feed his family.

“So what do you do with the rest of your time?” asked the American.

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evening, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”

The American interrupted. “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“With the extra money the bigger boat will bring, you can buy a second boat and then a third boat, and then more until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants. Pretty soon you could open your own plant. You could leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York! From there you could direct your whole enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty — perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? Well, my friend,” laughed the American, “that’s when it gets really interesting. When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” said the Mexican.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a beautiful place near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

***

The moral of the story… Know where you’re going in life — you may already be there.

That (old) story is cute and without some real truth within but it hugely oversimplifies, doesn't it? And in ways that get right to the crux of the OP...

The's a massive difference between living in a beautiful place near the coast that has 4 bedrooms and ever convenience and living ina one room shack. There's a massive difference when you can sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends knowing that you have money for your children's education, and means by which to cover any medical emergencies for them, your wife or yourself and waking up late to play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends while not knowing how you will provide for such things.

I mean hate to be so literal about a joke but like I say, it's relevant: it's easy to say material wealth isn't important and that one can be happy with a simple and modest life in a place that is pleasant but the cold hard truth is having money can absolutely add TREMENDOUSLY to the quality of life for you and your family. And if you have kids, or at least in my case, you find that there's virtually never a point - short of being a multi-millionaire - where you think, I have everything I could possibly want to offer my kids now and in the future.

[JLCrab]

A little shorter line from that great American philosopher Sophie Tucker (1884 - 1966):

-- I've been rich and I’ve been poor -- and believe me, rich is better.

[SteeleJoe]

Only people who have money say that it doesn't matter. (Or those who are less than honest with themselves and/or others).

And I'll add to Ms. Tucker: I've been poor and happy and poor and unhappy. I've been rich and happy and rich and unhappy.

In all cases, I preferred being rich.

Edited July 2, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I moved to Pattaya full time when I was 27. I wish I came here sooner and lost the big V at 18 instead of at 25. I missed about 7 years of my life fooling around and not achieving anything. I was not so comfortable around women which is why I was still a virgin. I dropped out of college and mostly gambled money away during those years. Now I focus on relaxing in Pattaya and around SEA rather than doing the 9 to 5 thing(which I find incredibly boring).

I guess some people are not happy doing nothing but work hard all their life so that they can do nothing at 65 or so. The old story comes to mind.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch. How long did it take you to get those? he asked.

Not so long, said the Mexican.

Then why didnt you stay out longer and catch more? asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was quite enough to meet his needs and feed his family.

So what do you do with the rest of your time? asked the American.

I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evening, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs. I have a full life.

The American interrupted. I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.

And after that? asked the Mexican.

With the extra money the bigger boat will bring, you can buy a second boat and then a third boat, and then more until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants. Pretty soon you could open your own plant. You could leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York! From there you could direct your whole enterprise.

How long would that take? asked the Mexican.

Twenty perhaps twenty-five years, replied the American.

And after that?

Afterwards? Well, my friend, laughed the American, thats when it gets really interesting. When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!

Millions? Really? And after that? said the Mexican.

After that youll be able to retire, live in a beautiful place near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.

***

The moral of the story Know where youre going in life you may already be there.

That (old) story is cute and without some real truth within but it hugely oversimplifies, doesn't it? And in ways that get right to the crux of the OP...

The's a massive difference between living in a beautiful place near the coast that has 4 bedrooms and ever convenience and living ina one room shack. There's a massive difference when you can sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends knowing that you have money for your children's education, and means by which to cover any medical emergencies for them, your wife or yourself and waking up late to play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends while not knowing how you will provide for such things.

I mean hate to be so literal about a joke but like I say, it's relevant: it's easy to say material wealth isn't important and that one can be happy with a simple and modest life in a place that is pleasant but the cold hard truth is having money can absolutely add TREMENDOUSLY to the quality of life for you and your family. And if you have kids, or at least in my case, you find that there's virtually never a point - short of being a multi-millionaire - where you think, I have everything I could possibly want to offer my kids now and in the future.

But while you were trying to make all that money, your wife divorced you, took (your) her children with her, and you died of a heart attack after all the stress of the job and the divorce.

I actually had that dream (millionaire), and while pursuing it, suffered exactly that fate ...... didn't die, obviously, just wished I had.

Got the money, lost everything else. It wasn't worth it!

Edited July 2, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[SteeleJoe]

I moved to Pattaya full time when I was 27. I wish I came here sooner and lost the big V at 18 instead of at 25. I missed about 7 years of my life fooling around and not achieving anything. I was not so comfortable around women which is why I was still a virgin. I dropped out of college and mostly gambled money away during those years. Now I focus on relaxing in Pattaya and around SEA rather than doing the 9 to 5 thing(which I find incredibly boring).

I guess some people are not happy doing nothing but work hard all their life so that they can do nothing at 65 or so. The old story comes to mind.

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his catch. How long did it take you to get those? he asked.

Not so long, said the Mexican.

Then why didnt you stay out longer and catch more? asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was quite enough to meet his needs and feed his family.

So what do you do with the rest of your time? asked the American.

I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evening, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar and sing a few songs. I have a full life.

The American interrupted. I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.

And after that? asked the Mexican.

With the extra money the bigger boat will bring, you can buy a second boat and then a third boat, and then more until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants. Pretty soon you could open your own plant. You could leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York! From there you could direct your whole enterprise.

How long would that take? asked the Mexican.

Twenty perhaps twenty-five years, replied the American.

And after that?

Afterwards? Well, my friend, laughed the American, thats when it gets really interesting. When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!

Millions? Really? And after that? said the Mexican.

After that youll be able to retire, live in a beautiful place near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.

***

The moral of the story Know where youre going in life you may already be there.

That (old) story is cute and without some real truth within but it hugely oversimplifies, doesn't it? And in ways that get right to the crux of the OP...

The's a massive difference between living in a beautiful place near the coast that has 4 bedrooms and ever convenience and living ina one room shack. There's a massive difference when you can sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends knowing that you have money for your children's education, and means by which to cover any medical emergencies for them, your wife or yourself and waking up late to play with your children, catch a few fish, take siestas with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends while not knowing how you will provide for such things.

I mean hate to be so literal about a joke but like I say, it's relevant: it's easy to say material wealth isn't important and that one can be happy with a simple and modest life in a place that is pleasant but the cold hard truth is having money can absolutely add TREMENDOUSLY to the quality of life for you and your family. And if you have kids, or at least in my case, you find that there's virtually never a point - short of being a multi-millionaire - where you think, I have everything I could possibly want to offer my kids now and in the future.

But while you were trying to make all that money, your wife divorced you, took (your) her children with her, and you died of a heart attack after all the stress of the job and the divorce.

I actually had that dream, and while pursuing it, suffered exactly that fate ...... didn't die, obviously, just wished I had.

I'm not expressing any position on whether a person should work to make a certain amount of money. I merely point out the inherent fallacy in the implicit moral of the story - it's a popular canard among the relatively wealthy west: that there is intrinsic virtue and nobility in the simple, poor but happy lives of the developing world and our ridiculous notions of success and what's important pale in comparison in the light of their superior way of life.

In reality, the Mexican would happily change places with the rich American. It's pretty much a paternalistic view of the "noble savage" to think otherwise. (He doesn't want all the nice things we do for himself or his kids but is happy just taking naps, drinking etc? Nice stereotype).

I never had the dream of sacrificing the majority of my life to the goal of making money. My heart is pretty healthy, as far as the doctor can tell, and my marriage even healthier (yeah, I know what you bitter folks always say to that...go, ahead and project if it makes you feel better. I'm sincerely sorry for your misfortune but the fact is my wife and I have been together through homelessness, relative wealth, relative poverty, and things far worse. Our relationship after 20 years is stronger than ever. But if it ends tomorrow, I'll survive as she would never take my kids but would never be able to either.)

[SteeleJoe]

Someone PMed me about a previous post and I think I will clarify:

Given a choice this is my order of preference:

1) Rich and happy.

2) Poor and happy.

3) Rich and unhappy.

4) Poor and unhappy.

At this point, I'm slightly closer to 1 than 2...I feel pretty confident that 3 and 4 are in my past.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Hanging onto your kids, after divorce, can be very hard, if not impossible.

I hope you never have to play that game.

[SteeleJoe]

Hanging onto your kids, after divorce, can be very hard, if not impossible.

I hope you never have to play that game.

Not that hard in Thailand. And, while I realize many have probably said the same - perhaps even you - there's just virtually no chance my wife would do that.

I obviously share the same hope. My parents divorce and the subsequent struggle over who I would live with - and being taken 3,000 miles away from my father - scarred me for life. I'd NEVER let that happen to my kids.

[Neeranam]

The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money.

[SteeleJoe]

The real measure of your wealth is how much you'd be worth if you lost all your money.

It's been a long day so I think for now I'll just address this short and easy one rather than the one previous...

That's ostensibly very pithy but it makes no sense to me:

my worth - to me or anyone that cares about me - has nothing to do with money. It's true that when I was poor and homeless, I often felt badly about myself but probably not as much as I should have and my incredible wife somehow saw me as someone of value despite zero material wealth and no visible potential for much improvement if any. At times since then, I have occasionally gotten down on myself for not having more to offer my family - especially at another low period almost as bad as the first - but that was not because I thought money or lack thereof would be what made me a worthy person or not. And again: the woman I love never wavered in her devotion, support and love.

My children - who are the ones who matter far, far more than anything ever did - don't know or care how much money I have. True they are occasionally faced with limitations due to us not having unlimited funds, but I am still their hero and beloved role model...and they know that I work very hard for them, and do everything I possibly can for them and always will.

[TheVagabond]

Neeranam, awesome topic. I am 28 turning 29 this week and moving to Thailand in September. So, I have thought a lot about this very question. Not sure I'll be there forever, but have no set return date and we'll see where the journey takes me!

I've had the good fortune (haha) of almost dying on many occasions and really savor every day. Every single day that I'm spending NOT doing what I want, for my reasons, makes me feel physically ill! I've conditioned myself on purpose to be that way.

I've worked myself into a "fever-pitch" of intensity to design the life I want. I've made the arrangements needed to make it happen, and I'm jumping off the cliff!

While planning and leading up to this transition, I have listened to Pink Floyd's song "Time" hundreds of times (as a part of my daily morning/ night routine) to remind me of the pain of wasting the next 30, 40, 50 etc years doing what someone else expects of me (but what I don't want to do).

And I'll finish with a quote from that song: "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking, racing around, to come up behind you again... And the sun is the same, in a relative way but you're older, shorter of breath, and one day closer to DEATH!"

-with Gratitude

Edited July 3, 2013 by TheVagabond

[Nana Cowboy]

41 was plenty young for me to come here. I used my 20s and 30s to accumulate great wealth and retired here. Coming here younger would have been extremely foolish as this isn't exactly the land of great wealth accumulation. I also LOVE having sellers show me the prices of items on a calculator. That way I know for sure what the price is that I will be paying. nope I dont think it is wise for anyone to come to Thailand young to attempt to become wealthy. However if one enjoys living with no cash than by all means knock yourself out

[Nana Cowboy]

Neeranam, awesome topic. I am 28 turning 29 this week and moving to Thailand in September. So, I have thought a lot about this very question. Not sure I'll be there forever, but have no set return date and we'll see where the journey takes me!

I've had the good fortune (haha) of almost dying on many occasions and really savor every day. Every single day that I'm spending NOT doing what I want, for my reasons, makes me feel physically ill! I've conditioned myself on purpose to be that way.

I've worked myself into a "fever-pitch" of intensity to design the life I want. I've made the arrangements needed to make it happen, and I'm jumping off the cliff!

While planning and leading up to this transition, I have listened to Pink Floyd's song "Time" hundreds of times (as a part of my daily morning/ night routine) to remind me of the pain of wasting the next 30, 40, 50 etc years doing what someone else expects of me (but what I don't want to do).

And I'll finish with a quote from that song: "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking, racing around, to come up behind you again... And the sun is the same, in a relative way but you're older, shorter of breath, and one day closer to DEATH!"

-with Gratitude

my father told me long ago that "life is long". I think I was 23 and took my savings to move to california. he was right

[Neeranam]

 

Neeranam, awesome topic. I am 28 turning 29 this week and moving to Thailand in September. So, I have thought a lot about this very question. Not sure I'll be there forever, but have no set return date and we'll see where the journey takes me!

I've had the good fortune (haha) of almost dying on many occasions and really savor every day. Every single day that I'm spending NOT doing what I want, for my reasons, makes me feel physically ill! I've conditioned myself on purpose to be that way.

I've worked myself into a "fever-pitch" of intensity to design the life I want. I've made the arrangements needed to make it happen, and I'm jumping off the cliff!

While planning and leading up to this transition, I have listened to Pink Floyd's song "Time" hundreds of times (as a part of my daily morning/ night routine) to remind me of the pain of wasting the next 30, 40, 50 etc years doing what someone else expects of me (but what I don't want to do).

And I'll finish with a quote from that song: "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking, racing around, to come up behind you again... And the sun is the same, in a relative way but you're older, shorter of breath, and one day closer to DEATH!"

-with Gratitude

Good post, The Vagabond, ,I identify a lot with it.

I know that great song too. Reminds me of a miserably cold January in 1990 when in a rehab centre. I was earning a fortune working as a Condition Monitoring Engineer in the North Sea but deep in my inner being was a void that I could only fill with alcohol and drugs. I had a Jaguar XJS and a beautiful girlfriend and a promising future, or so I was told. I felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole in my native Scotland. There was a song playing on the radio, 'Always the Sun' by the Stranglers, on of my favourites

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um9kd-mhhK4"

and I decided then to leave for India to study yoga, meditation and Hinduism/Buddhism to try and find a way out of my suffering. This then led me to coming to Thailand and althogh it took m another few years to escape my addictions, I've never looked back.

it is only by dying that you can awaken as I heard whilst staying in the temple of the famous Thai monk Buddhadass Bikkhu, or as St Francis of Assissi said - "it is in dying that we are born to Eteranal life.

I consider myself fortunate to in see the darker side of life and being near death - most people are unconscious to their real being there whole life until very near their deathbed.

Good luck with your move and remember what the Thais say - whatever happens is meant to happen.

Edited July 3, 2013 by Neeranam

[JLCrab]

What if whatever happens wasn't meant to happen? I used to listen to this song by Simon & Garfunkel from the 60s of a famous poem they adapted and set to music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fAGKpoVFbmw#t=2s

Edited July 3, 2013 by JLCrab

[TheVagabond]

 

Neeranam, awesome topic. I am 28 turning 29 this week and moving to Thailand in September. So, I have thought a lot about this very question. Not sure I'll be there forever, but have no set return date and we'll see where the journey takes me!

I've had the good fortune (haha) of almost dying on many occasions and really savor every day. Every single day that I'm spending NOT doing what I want, for my reasons, makes me feel physically ill! I've conditioned myself on purpose to be that way.

I've worked myself into a "fever-pitch" of intensity to design the life I want. I've made the arrangements needed to make it happen, and I'm jumping off the cliff!

While planning and leading up to this transition, I have listened to Pink Floyd's song "Time" hundreds of times (as a part of my daily morning/ night routine) to remind me of the pain of wasting the next 30, 40, 50 etc years doing what someone else expects of me (but what I don't want to do).

And I'll finish with a quote from that song: "And you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking, racing around, to come up behind you again... And the sun is the same, in a relative way but you're older, shorter of breath, and one day closer to DEATH!"

-with Gratitude

Good post, The Vagabond, ,I identify a lot with it.

I know that great song too. Reminds me of a miserably cold January in 1990 when in a rehab centre. I was earning a fortune working as a Condition Monitoring Engineer in the North Sea but deep in my inner being was a void that I could only fill with alcohol and drugs. I had a Jaguar XJS and a beautiful girlfriend and a promising future, or so I was told. I felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole in my native Scotland. There was a song playing on the radio, 'Always the Sun' by the Stranglers, on of my favourites

"

"

and I decided then to leave for India to study yoga, meditation and Hinduism/Buddhism to try and find a way out of my suffering. This then led me to coming to Thailand and althogh it took m another few years to escape my addictions, I've never looked back.

it is only by dying that you can awaken as I heard whilst staying in the temple of the famous Thai monk Buddhadass Bikkhu, or as St Francis of Assissi said - "it is in dying that we are born to Eteranal life.

I consider myself fortunate to in see the darker side of life and being near death - most people are unconscious to their real being there whole life until very near their deathbed.

Good luck with your move and remember what the Thais say - whatever happens is meant to happen.

Neeranam, what a great story, thank you for sharing. Glad to hear you "woke up".... I have had the same thought often, that a lot of people are unconsciously living. As Joseph Campbell would say "You must give up the life you planned in order to have the life that is waiting for you."

The documentary about his work called "Finding Joe" made an impact on me and in there was one of the first mentions of Thailand that caught my attention. I've got the same desire to study yoga, meditation, and Buddhism to find peace with my own experiences. So, different journey, but same journey! It's all one journey we all are on!

Thank you for the well wishing, and a great note you ended on, I have started to embrace that more and more over time. It's with that in mind that I'm happy about all the bumps in the road, because they jolted me awake. Take care

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[seajae]

came here in my 50's. totally pissed off I didnt come sooner. Definitely would have moved here a lot earlier but I was a worker until an injury stopped it so I just have to accept that I probably would still not have come over until I retired.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

What would you do all day when you are 58 or 68?

Can do more when you're younger, more active, fitter, healthier etc.

I can answer this one,

I start most of my days with a run from the zoo up to Wat Doi Suthep and back, about 2 and 1/2 hours.

Then the coffee shop for an hour followed by lunch in town.

Back home for the afternoon nap, bit of TV, read a book.

Bit of exercise, 30 mins of situps etc.

Dinner, more reading, movie then bed.

I don't repeat the exact same activities every single day, sometimes cycling, sometime out with the guys.

But loads to do in later life, and I'm far fitter and more active now than I ever was when young.

Now I have the time to do what I want to do, before work and family got in the way.

[TheSpade]

I concur on the work part......but doing the 'things you love' hardly ever make any money...unless the stars are aligned of course

In this modern day and age with the power of the internet at our finger tips many of us young guys are turning our passions into money makers.

Or at least carving out our own economic (and location) independence so we don't have to slave away at a job we hate working for someone else.

[Cheapcharly]

nice thing with thailand... it s cheap. but you need not be careful.. cheap doesn't mean you can do whatever you want.

if it was like Europe, or usa, everybody would have to leave.

money makes your life much easier.

once you got some cash, you can invest and live on interest only... until economical crash happen.

all guys I know in Thailand, got 1 million $ in business they sold.

some have been smart,. saving,. not spending too much. living under their mean.

some are f... d,. spent all the money they got in a few years.

I think the guys who lost their money, got money from parents or grand parents and never learned to manage money. these guys are at risk in Thailand.