What Makes the Expat Lifestyle So Addictive?

[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

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

the only thing the west has is health care

[BenCrew]

Find out for yourself. ?

[sipi]

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.

I don't fit in either. It has more to do with being a teapot.

[Pheat123]

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.

Let's cut the bull

We are all here for the cheap pussy

[BaldPlumber]

Is it just me or does anyone else skip the posts that start with "I don't drink alcohol or chase women"?

[AZBill]

I couldn't wait to leave. Yes I made great money but I make it at home too and that's where I'd rather be. I didn't work all my life to end up in some third world country like Thailand. Love being a tourist but never an expat.

[MAJIC]

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

Or one who is too religeous!

[ResandePohm]

I do not understand this connection with alcohol and sex for an expat. That is ignorant tourist behaviour. To be an expat is a way of life. I have been an expat all my life. I am now chasing 70 and have lived and worked in many countries in Europe, in Central America and the West Indies, in India, in China and now Thailand. If I meet people I went to school with I find that I have nothing in common with them. Their idea of travel is a cheap charter flight to Majorca, get drunk and make a total fool of themselves. They are not interested in other cultures and are perpetually complaining that there is no decent beer and why cant they get their fish and chips. Ha ha. I guess, like many others, I just don't fit in any more.

When asked "Where are you from?" I never know what to answer. I think "What do you mean?" Where was I born? Where do I live now? Which country have I lived in the longest? What nationality passport do I have? So what does it matter?

I am not here for the alcohol nor the young bar girls. Consequently you will never see me in Pattaya or Phuket. Before coming here my impression of Thailand was sex trade and pedophiles and I had no desire to mix with people of that inclination. However on looking for a place to retire to I was persuaded by my family to look at Thailand. So i stuck a pin in a map and ended up in Isaan. I fell in love with the place and the people almost immediately. I find the Isaan people friendly, helpful and very generous. I love the Thai food, culture, music, festivals and easy way of life and I do not see me wanting to go elsewhere in the foreseeable future. I mix with very few expats. I have a mature but very beautiful girlfriend who has an excellent job. Most of my friends are Thai and yes we do have the occasional Lao Khao session but certainly not every day. I have no desire or need to frequent bars to seek out drunken farang company.

All in all I am very happy with my life here and I no longer enjoy and often regret my visits back to Farangland

[JLCrab]

My expat anthem except for the pouring of a double:

[oneday]

"...It is impossible to make a sweeping statement about the thousands of expats around the world..."

Yes.

[ChrisY1]

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.

When back in their own countries.....they drink....retirement for many can be very depressing, no matter where one lives.

Keeping busy is the secret for me, to expat life.

[AYJAYDEE]

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.

Let's cut the bull

We are all here for the cheap pussy

condolences

[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.

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.

Let's cut the bull

We are all here for the cheap pussy

Not all. Soi Biker, where are you?

[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.

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.

Note, I said "most of them"'

[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.

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

I have been here for nearly ten years and love it here.

[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.

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.

True, but is beer, just like cigarettes, not a lot cheaper here? Does that not cause a lot of expats to drink a lot more and end up with drink problems?

I wonder what the percentage is of expats here who drink every day. I believe those who do have a drink problem.

[micmichd]

You don't have a drinking problem if you drink a beer from time to time, you're an alcoholic if you can't stop once you started.

My magic word is "nit noy" - keep everything in limits, then you're off fine.

[overherebc]

Expat., (expatriate) n, A generally used term for British people who like to complain about where they have come from and where they are now with no particular blending.

I like the expression that was used in Rhodesia for the complainers, The Whenwe's.

'When we' were back home we didn't have to this, we could do that etc etc !!!!!

[Bernard Flint]

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 know guys who drink most days of the week, no gf, not even a lady for late nite fun. Why are they here, surely booze is cheaper in some other country?????

ADDICTION is the answer

[Muzarella]

I become an "expat" 5 years ago....I only regret not to have made that decision 10 years earlier.....

[JLCrab]

You don't have a drinking problem if you drink a beer from time to time, you're an alcoholic if you can't stop once you started.

My magic word is "nit noy" - keep everything in limits, then you're off fine.

MM says "I don't have a drinking problem ..."

https://youtu.be/hk1G9AGS6So?t=67

Edited June 28, 2015 by JLCrab

[Crazy chef 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.

Let's cut the bull

We are all here for the cheap pussy

Not all. Soi Biker, where are you?

and JT

[micmichd]

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 know guys who drink most days of the week, no gf, not even a lady for late nite fun. Why are they here, surely booze is cheaper in some other country?????

ADDICTION is the answer

Alcoholism can get a real problem if you're after girls and then get drunk before you go to bed, just saying.

The good news: even alcoholics can stop drinking, then they may get rid of 2 problems (maybe even more)

[JDGRUEN]

I think the description in the OP is much outdated. With the modern age being as it is - being an Expat has evolved.

Being an Expat is now many things to many different people... no one stereotype fits anymore. I would suspect there are dozens of lifestyles for Expats in Thailand - and hundreds of variations on the theme as to why we are here long term.

For myself - there is a number of reason mostly pragmatic and practical ... and a few that are political and philosophical.

Practical -- I can live better here in Thailand on the same money as the USA ... very common reason for being here. This concept could take up a 20 page article.

Women ... Middle age women in America are populated with post Feminist movement 'hate men' attitudes and menopause and post menopause emotional outburst and wacko emotion swings. Must of this can be avoided in Thailand due to choice.

Women in America are overly suspicious and demeaning of men, have a superiority complex over men, believe they must just 'tolerate' men and lord over them .. much of this can be avoided in Thailand -- much more to choose from and a greater age range from which to choose.

The woman part of motivation is another part of the practical and pragmatic. What am I suppose to do for companionship in America? If a man wants to maintain any self-dignity in a relationship in America - it is not possible. Being 'pussy' whipped is not appealing to me.

Personal Freedom ... despite Thai laws and the Junta after effects... personal freedom IMO is greater here for me in Thailand than in America. The plethora of municipal and country and state regulations in America wears me out ... The idea of living in a shop house in America and running a business out the front is not achievable in 90% of the USA do to zoning restrictions. How one conducts oneself at home is even restricted.. some cities in America have laws against parking your car backed into your driveway. The mania about having to wear a helmet - even for a bicycle -- sheer nuttiness ... Safe or not -- it should be freedom of choice. I do not smoke -- but I HATE the compulsion to regulate smokers in America... America has become a NANNY state on steroids. The list is endless.

In Thailand - I feel free to live my life without excessive restrictions on my comings and goings. Whatever such nanny state laws may exist in Thailand - whatever few they may be - do not affect me or are not enforced.

I could write a book as to why I am here ...but I will not ... just Lastly -- obama and his leftist control freaks and the damage they are doing to my country and I have next to no way to combat it ... except for the vote in 2016 ... obama has made America insufferable for a guy who grew up in the 50's and 60's and 70's with near total freedom of every kind ... What a shameful thing this lying jerk has done.

Living in Thailand and interacting with Thai women is far from perfect -- but it is way ahead of America as far as I am concerned.

[JLCrab]

Great -- next Presidential election maybe you'll be able to vote for your state-mate Rand Paul.

[JDGRUEN]

Great -- next Presidential election maybe you'll be able to vote for your state-mate Rand Paul.

Actually having lived in Texas for nearly 40 years I will be voting for Ted Cruz...

[AYJAYDEE]

Great -- next Presidential election maybe you'll be able to vote for your state-mate Rand Paul.

Actually having lived in Texas for nearly 40 years I will be voting for Ted Cruz...

lol!

[micmichd]

Great -- next Presidential election maybe you'll be able to vote for your state-mate Rand Paul.

Actually having lived in Texas for nearly 40 years I will be voting for Ted Cruz...

Ted who?

[AYJAYDEE]

Great -- next Presidential election maybe you'll be able to vote for your state-mate Rand Paul.

Actually having lived in Texas for nearly 40 years I will be voting for Ted Cruz...

Ted who?

believe it or not , even stupider than paul

[JLCrab]

Great -- next Presidential election maybe you'll be able to vote for your state-mate Rand Paul.

Actually having lived in Texas for nearly 40 years I will be voting for Ted Cruz...

So are you an over-educated Texan as well?