What Makes the Expat Lifestyle So Addictive?

[Acharn]

I have a distant friend. Born in New Zealand to Hungarian parents. Now living in Australia. His aging mother addressed him as a man without a home. Neither Hungarian, Kiwi nor Aussie. She is right. Frankly he just doesn't fit in.

I want my wife to adhere to her Thai heritage no matter where she lives.

I can only guess that expats should keep some identity with their homeland. Otherwise they might become 'homeless'.

I can't tell if I'm somewhere on the autism spectrum or just socially inept. From the time I was a child I have not known how to go about making friends, and I have not felt the kind of bonding that other people claim to feel. When I was in high school I found an analogy. I was like an actor in a play where everybody else had a copy of the script and I didn't. I dreamed of living in a place with beautiful temples and exotic women -- or was it beautiful women and exotic temples? Whatever. Now that I live in Thailand I have objective reasons to feel like an alien, but I feel more like I understand the people around me. When I lived in the U.S. I felt like an alien, and didn't have a reason for it.

Also, too, it's all about the sex and drugs and rock and roll.

[rocketboybkk]

ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, Where do i start, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh forget it, too busy drinking and fornicating

Agree, is there anything else?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[chicowoodduck]

I enjoy my nomatic lifestyle without alcohol and drugs and steer well clear of the folks who do.....can easily live on my own and don't need a prop (coin operated girlfriend or wife) to keep me happy. Most of the expats I see out and about use booze as their crutch and are hopeless at taking care of themselves. Sad, really. ?

[ghworker2010]

The best part about being an expat is you donot need a single thing other than money. You can live out of a suitcase,eat in restaurants,never cook,clean or launder, have women as whim and be mobile go where you want when you want. Thailand today,Phillipines tommorrow. Do what ever you want just keep the wallet full. A gypsy with no home. It is total freedom.

I had this life and now have a family life with a baby, job, car, nanny and dog. I think Im happier now. Just a different stage of life in my expat life

[nithisa78]

[NoshowJones]

The biggest majority of men probably from most countries are addicted to alcohol. they meet other expats and cannot go a day without alcohol.

They have all day to themselves most times with good pensions, and a wife who only married them for their money. There are exceptions to this.

The expats I have known over here for years who are still alive like a drink, there is nothing wrong with that, and I have never seen any of them drunk, and

I'm proud to have them as mates, but I keep hearing from this one and that one about someone being drunk.

Without alcohol the expat lifestyle would not be addictive, and as I said, most of them need to be near beer all the time.

You mean like, you and your friends are superior to all that other expat scum?

I have no doubts that I will recognize you in the unlikely event that we would be at the same place.

Just because some people may have drink problems does not make them scum, also, do you think you would recognise me? if you see a tall,slim, handsome guy

with no tattooes, and walking in a straight line, that could be me.

[fred Kubasa]

I can only speak for my "shallow" lifestyle and find alcohol a great diversion to reality and, as for

being addicted to sex, I have "accepted" reluctantly, that final curse ! Course I could be in Florida, on a sunny front

porch, slumped over in a wheel chair, while some fat, ugly, underpaid ,angry minority tried to spoon baby food into my sagging mouth. Choices, choices !

[nottocus]

Thought of going back to where I was born makes me think of suicide through boredom.

[nithisa78]

People retire they move to warmer climate or this or that.

I don't read a whole lot into it. People retire move to another country, etc etc.

You can drink and screw almost anywhere. If we're called to Thailand, so be it.

Give peace a chance.

"If you would guide others into the kingdom, you must yourselves walk in the clear light of living truth."

Arjuna said, My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.” (Bhagavad-gita, 18.73)

[nithisa78]

I can only speak for my "shallow" lifestyle and find alcohol a great diversion to reality and, as for

being addicted to sex, I have "accepted" reluctantly, that final curse ! Course I could be in Florida, on a sunny front

porch, slumped over in a wheel chair, while some fat, ugly, underpaid ,angry minority tried to spoon baby food into my sagging mouth. Choices, choices !

Arjuna said, My dear Krishna, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.” (Bhagavad-gita, 18.73)

[chrisinth]

The biggest majority of men probably from most countries are addicted to alcohol. they meet other expats and cannot go a day without alcohol.

They have all day to themselves most times with good pensions, and a wife who only married them for their money. There are exceptions to this.

The expats I have known over here for years who are still alive like a drink, there is nothing wrong with that, and I have never seen any of them drunk, and

I'm proud to have them as mates, but I keep hearing from this one and that one about someone being drunk.

Without alcohol the expat lifestyle would not be addictive, and as I said, most of them need to be near beer all the time.

You mean like, you and your friends are superior to all that other expat scum?

I have no doubts that I will recognize you in the unlikely event that we would be at the same place.

Just because some people may have drink problems does not make them scum, also, do you think you would recognise me? if you see a tall,slim, handsome guy

with no tattooes, and walking in a straight line, that could be me.

If you're walking a straight line b o l l o c k naked to prove no tats, then you might be recognizable in the crowd.....................

Edited June 27, 2015 by chrisinth

[Saan]

I enjoy my nomatic lifestyle without alcohol and drugs and steer well clear of the folks who do.....can easily live on my own and don't need a prop (coin operated girlfriend or wife) to keep me happy. Most of the expats I see out and about use booze as their crutch and are hopeless at taking care of themselves. Sad, really. ?

While you use your nomadic life to avoid normal social contacts.

Some of my best friends are tosspots and they are the nicest, caring people you could meet.

Not a sociopath amongst them.

[Stan42]

The carefree lifestyle and the chance to do what you want, whenever you want. I am unproductive but happy, and I think happiness in one's life counts the most.

[rgs2001uk]

Please define Expat.

Some pensioner from Nakon Nowhere living upcountry with his tee lak on his pension from the Ole Country, or a professional sent here by a MNC, who will move onto better things in places such as Singapore, Honk Kong or Sydney.

I dont know about the former but I know about the latter.

[smotherb]

The description couldnt be further from the truth. In many respects the easy life would be to stay in your home country as the expat life is far from easy. It may be for the sudo-expats that companies send to othr countries but the expats who work contract have a hard time of it despite what people think. Yes there is a big uplift in salary but most of the places are less than desirable and I am sure you wouldnt take the family to them for a holiday.

We enjoy the money of course and we enjoy the travel. That is my opinion but I am sure there are others on here that will totally disagree with me

While I am sure there are expats who would claim to have had a hard time of it working contracts overseas.but I surely am not one of them. I was family accompanied, enjoyed numerous benefits, and earned good money. I liked every contract I worked and made the most of them. A simple philosophy of life has served me well--I see all working situations as having two buckets; one for money and one for shit. When one gets full, no matter which one, it's time to leave.

[lostoday]

My doctor told me I had to walk two miles a day and eat low fat food. I could not get motivated. So I came to Thailand and bought a house two miles away from my favorite brothel with a Japanese restaurant next door.

[smotherb]

I never drank until I became an expat..and met expats

I drank before I was an expat, and I was an expat at 20. After 50 years, I still drink, but rarely if ever drink alone--at home or out and about.

[rgs2001uk]

The description couldnt be further from the truth. In many respects the easy life would be to stay in your home country as the expat life is far from easy. It may be for the sudo-expats that companies send to othr countries but the expats who work contract have a hard time of it despite what people think. Yes there is a big uplift in salary but most of the places are less than desirable and I am sure you wouldnt take the family to them for a holiday.

We enjoy the money of course and we enjoy the travel. That is my opinion but I am sure there are others on here that will totally disagree with me

While I am sure there are expats who would claim to have had a hard time of it working contracts overseas.but I surely am not one of them. I was family accompanied, enjoyed numerous benefits, and earned good money. I liked every contract I worked and made the most of them. A simple philosophy of life has served me well--I see all working situations as having two buckets; one for money and one for shit. When one gets full, no matter which one, it's time to leave.

A simple philosophy of life has served me well--I see all working situations as having two buckets; one for money and one for shit. When one gets full, no matter which one, it's time to leave.

Never a truer word spoken, been there done that.

Turned down a well paying job recently, two problems, first, unaccompanied, second only 20 days holiday per year, no thanks, leave it to some Young Turk trying to get a foot up the ladder, been there, done that, dont need the hassle.

My philosophy these days, is it accompanied, does my mrs want the hassle, pay and location are secondary, although ceratin hot spots around the world wont even be considered these days, when I was young and stupid I worked there, not these days.

[rgs2001uk]

My doctor told me I had to walk two miles a day and eat low fat food. I could not get motivated. So I came to Thailand and bought a house two miles away from my favorite brothel with a Japanese restaurant next door.

These days, personally, I would rather move to Japan and have a Thai resto next door.

[razer]

Expat lifers simply broke the bonds of their cultural prison.

[ableguy]

The biggest majority of men probably from most countries are addicted to alcohol. they meet other expats and cannot go a day without alcohol.

They have all day to themselves most times with good pensions, and a wife who only married them for their money. There are exceptions to this.

The expats I have known over here for years who are still alive like a drink, there is nothing wrong with that, and I have never seen any of them drunk, and

I'm proud to have them as mates, but I keep hearing from this one and that one about someone being drunk.

Without alcohol the expat lifestyle would not be addictive, and as I said, most of them need to be near beer all the time.

If these friends were at home in their own country all their disposable cash would be spent in a pub. You do not start drinking simply because you are an expat. If they need to be near beer here they need this where they came from.

[StreetCowboy]

The biggest majority of men probably from most countries are addicted to alcohol. they meet other expats and cannot go a day without alcohol.

They have all day to themselves most times with good pensions, and a wife who only married them for their money. There are exceptions to this.

The expats I have known over here for years who are still alive like a drink, there is nothing wrong with that, and I have never seen any of them drunk, and

I'm proud to have them as mates, but I keep hearing from this one and that one about someone being drunk.

Without alcohol the expat lifestyle would not be addictive, and as I said, most of them need to be near beer all the time.

If these friends were at home in their own country all their disposable cash would be spent in a pub. You do not start drinking simply because you are an expat. If they need to be near beer here they need this where they came from.

I think the issue is that beer allows us to numb ourselves to the cultural gap between ourselves and our neighbours. I would have grave doubts about sending anyone overseas who was not an alcoholic

[rgs2001uk]

^^^^, I dont trust any man who doesnt take a drink.

[Kanthralak 1]

The biggest majority of men probably from most countries are addicted to alcohol. they meet other expats and cannot go a day without alcohol.

They have all day to themselves most times with good pensions, and a wife who only married them for their money. There are exceptions to this.

The expats I have known over here for years who are still alive like a drink, there is nothing wrong with that, and I have never seen any of them drunk, and

I'm proud to have them as mates, but I keep hearing from this one and that one about someone being drunk.

Without alcohol the expat lifestyle would not be addictive, and as I said, most of them need to be near beer all the time.

I disagree. There are many other reasons to being an expat. Without thinking about it to much, Weather, Politics, Women and Escape could easily trump alcohol. Being that alcohol is available in most countries around the world. No alcohol certainly isn't keeping me addicted to expat life. Maybe being the center of attraction, when you are in a crowd of nationals, most of us stand out.

[StreetCowboy]

^^^^, I dont trust any man who doesnt take a drink.

I'm not sure about that. I'd look askance at any man that took my drink

[rgs2001uk]

^^^^, I dont trust any man who doesnt take a drink.

I'm not sure about that. I'd look askance at any man that took my drink

Cant be assed googling askance, much better to give him a Glasgae kiss, then tell him to get his hand in his pocket, will make exceptations for the Holy Month.

[AYJAYDEE]

probably an aversion to tribalism

[StreetCowboy]

probably an aversion to tribalism

Speak for yourself. I didn't get to where I am today by turning my back on my tribe's tradition of expattery.

[AYJAYDEE]

probably an aversion to tribalism

Speak for yourself. I didn't get to where I am today by turning my back on my tribe's tradition of expattery.

thats quite obvious

[StreetCowboy]

probably an aversion to tribalism

Speak for yourself. I didn't get to where I am today by turning my back on my tribe's tradition of expattery.

thats quite obvious

I'm working with a compatriot now who is renovating his future home back in the Old Country, and waxing lyrical about his parochial cultural references. His predecessor in the previous job where we worked together, some years ago (another compatriot), also reptriated for his retirement, and a bit of forestry.

When I was much younger than I am today, I thought I would repatriate and take up lawn bowls, but I'm not so sure now.

SC

Edited June 27, 2015 by StreetCowboy