Rainy Day in Bangkok

Audio Quality and App Recommendations

0:05 Okay, please let me know how the audio is. I'm hoping that this is an improvement. I do apologize for the audio issues; this may be a situation where I need to buy an external microphone. That's this may be a situation where I need to go ahead and pick up an external mic, which I'm happy to do. I can check some out on Lazada, just because I don't want anybody to suffer through bad audio, and I know a lot of people have better things to do than listening to not very good audio.

1:00 Okay, great, thank you, Mitch. I'm wondering if it's my AirPods. I have normally used these, and I'm wondering if, just for whatever reason, due to age, they're a couple of years old, that they're just good for listening but not good for doing streams. So yeah, it may be a case where the MacBook, the internal mic, is actually good quality, and it's the AirPods that are giving that bad quality that just doesn't sound very good.

Travel Apps and Internet Services

1:31 But I really appreciate you letting me know, just because I know everybody wants to have good audio. But what are some other apps that I think are helpful? Of course, your standard banking apps are great. I have my Chase app, I also have my MX app.

2:00 Messenger, like for Facebook Messenger, the Facebook app is useless, but the Messenger tool is great just to stay in touch with some folks. But that's something you should already have, so that's probably not as relevant. Airbnb, I don't know if you're booking an Airbnb or you'll be booking Airbnbs, but the Airbnb app can be helpful there. Probably another one you already have.

2:33 Yeah, that's most of them that I can think of. Grab really covers a lot, to be honest. Depends on which, oh, by the way, depends on which internet service that you want to use. I use AIS in Thailand, and so it might be helpful to download. I'll just throw it in the chat here. My AIS is the kind of primo service, not expensive by American standards.

2:57 I use mine as a hotspot and for my phone data, and I spend like $35 equivalent for unlimited usage, basically per month. And I found that to be, maybe it's $38, it's pretty reasonable. Usually, the first payment is like eight bucks, and then I pay 10 bucks per week because I usually use that first allotment in a week and then go back and do it three more times.

3:35 But yeah, my AIS can be helpful. There's also True, and TR is fine too. I use AIS just because there's some things that I do, like streaming, where I'm really concerned about the quality, and they haven't let me down at all.

3:54 But how's the weather in the Philippines today? Michael, are you guys getting rain?

4:06 Today, I think the Philippines has, oh yeah, it looks like, just pull this up here. Oh, nice, no rain. That's good to hear. I'm really glad to hear that.

Friend in Cagayan de Oro and Malaybalay

4:22 I've been talking to my buddy in, he's from Cagayan de Oro, and why don't we pull that up actually? Let's see here and share the screen. So he's from here in Cagayan de Oro, and this is where I started my Philippines journey. I mentioned this on the last stream, but he's actually working up here. And just for reference for everybody that's just tuning in or maybe rewatching this, this is in mind now, and he's actually up here though, working in Malaybalay.

5:14 And so, he's convincing me, like just with that Filipino hospitality and kindness, like visit. You know, so we talk probably, I'd say every few months. He's a busy guy, he's got a family there in Cagayan de Oro, and he's got a full-time job. But at the end of it, he kind of, in a respectful way, in a warm way, wraps up a lot of our conversations by saying, you need to come here.

5:37 And whenever COVID happened and I was in Bangkok during March of 2020, he was like, man, if you need a place to stay, just like fly to Davao and hop on a bus, come to CDO, you can just crash here, like it's totally fine. I didn't end up doing that for various reasons. But yeah, he's like, man, you need to come up to Malaybalay. He wanted to bring me up here last time because he was working up here last time with KC. I think it's like called, it's like short for the election commission, so he helps with voter registration and stuff like that.

6:13 Nothing that's relevant to me personally. I totally avoid getting involved in anything like that, but just to kind of give some of the background on him. And so he's in Malaybalay City, and this is, I don't know how you feel about it, Michael. I don't know if you've been to Baguio, but I'm hearing like Malaybalay might be the next Baguio in a way.

6:40 I personally haven't been to Baguio. It's high on my list just because the idea of a cool weather city is super appealing to me. To me, it's like almost like a secret. You can live in Southeast Asia and you can still have a little bit milder weather. And of course, like in a place like Damagetti, I've heard about Valencia having that milder temperature because you're up in the mountains.

7:06 But yeah, it's just a cool city. And you know, I'm not a regular watcher, a regular guy, but he came through Malaybalay recently. And you know, signs like that tell me that really the word is going to get out about this city and people are going to know more and more about it.

7:28 I've only been in a few places in Luzon. Yeah, I feel like you can't go wrong in Luzon because you have Manila, right? So you have the big city vibe, and if you need to do shopping or you need to fly or whatever it is you need to do, you can just go to Manila. So like if you're based in Manila, there's maybe a little bit less reason to run around the Philippines. I might disagree with that.

7:59 I personally haven't spent time in Luzon. I've flown through there. But for me, especially these days, my first connection to the Philippines is actually my friend who works here in Malaybalay and is from CDO. And so that's why I was drawn to Mindanao. I know some people are concerned about the safety.

Bukidnon Province and Pineapple Plantations

8:24 There are, let's see here, I'll get into that a little bit. I did want to share some more photographs, but it's just like, ah, it's so beautiful. I need to, let me pull up some images of Malaybalay here. So this is showing the city. I was hoping for, I guess I should be looking for Bukidnon Province.

9:09 It's not showing the province as much. Why don't I do this? Why don't we pull... You know, these photos aren't necessarily... Okay, so this is a good picture. This is Cagayan. I've been to Cagayan, but I'm maybe just typing in Bukidnon.

9:54 Yeah, it's so gorgeous. I'm just, you've got the fog there, and it's just so lush. I'll turn the aircon down a little bit, feeling warm in here.

10:27 Okay, that's not what I'm looking for. Google.com/fles. There we go.

10:41 Okay, yeah. So I think this gives a better sense. Like you see in the distance with the rice fields, those look like rice fields. Malaybalay is like the farming capital, one of the farming capitals of the Philippines. And here we go, these are the pineapple plantations.

11:07 My buddy Z was telling me that there's like these Dole pineapple plantations here. And I was reading online, the pineapples are like 20 pesos each, or you could get like three for 60 pesos or something like that. And just the color and they look perfect, like they look like AI pineapples. They might be AI pineapples, but either way, they're just so picturesque. And there's a lot of produce in Malaybalay. It's just a really great location for for that.

12:01 Farming. And I also saw in Malaybalay, there's like a mushroom farm. And so they have like a restaurant where they serve up, yeah, this is it. They serve up their the mushrooms that they grow in this restaurant.

Safety Concerns and Mindanao

12:34 And what else did, oh yeah, I guess we could, this tab instead. So some people might have some concern about safety. Most of that is like Western Mindanao, just broadly speaking. This part of Mindanao does not seem to have a lot of the issues.

12:56 My buddy said it's safe. I did not feel unsafe when I was there last time, although it is a risk that I do accept just by going down there. But there's so much to see here. We go. Yeah, that's just stunning.

13:20 Of course, I'm not that adventurous, so I'm not going to be doing this. I don't like heights. I might do the hike, but I won't be sitting on the edge there.

13:40 Let's go back. Wow, okay. This looks, this is more in line finally. The pictures I'm looking for. So you have these beautiful valleys in between the mountains, the waterfalls.

Philippines Beauty and Luzon

14:12 And absolutely, I agree, Michael. Like there are unsafe areas everywhere in the world. There is no guarantee of like, oh, just do this and you'll be fine. In every country I've been to, there's unsafe areas. There's also unsafe circumstances. There's also unsafe weather. Unfortunately, we can't control everything, right? So we do take that risk on by traveling, but I think it's a calculated risk, and it's well worth it to see some of the stuff.

14:41 It's beautiful over pictures, but like in person, it's just a whole another level. Like the Philippines is a beautiful country, but actually being in Luzon, seeing the cityscape of Manila, going to the beaches of Batangas, there's nothing like it. You know, there's a lot to see in Luzon, and I definitely plan to make it up there in the future.

15:09 Because from what I've heard, and I could be wrong about this, but well, I've heard that they don't get hit by certain weather patterns, at least in the eastern part of Luzon, that the western side gets hit with. Like, like Candon, the surfing capital, is more prone to some of the inclement weather than the eastern parts of Luzon. And there's a lot of development in the western parts of Luzon.

15:46 I got those mixed up. There's a lot of development in the western part of Luzon. I think Manila is actually on the west side. Let's back up here. Yeah, so Manila is on the west side here and is going to probably get buffered by like these islands. And yeah, definitely a great location.

Batangas and Travel Logistics

16:06 But yeah, I'm definitely careful, and I'm not going into the kind of the hotspot areas. I never had issue in Cagayan de Oro, and I don't foresee Malaybalay having as many issues. He said you'll be fine, you know, don't worry about it. He's been working up there too for like five or six years and never had any issues. It's like the thing I may have to do, and I don't...

16:33 Westside gets less bad weather. I agree, they're it's so beautiful and I hear a lot of great things about Batangas. I was talking to a Filipina maybe six months ago, and her family is from Batangas. She recommended Batangas; she said it's really nice.

16:54 It's supposed to be like, we can check that out too after we check out a little bit more. It's not a big city; I want to say it's like maybe a couple hundred thousand people, maybe the size of Chattanooga. You can see it here, this is not sure exactly where this is in the city, but yeah.

17:31 He said they have lots of fun. I love the flora as well; the plants are just so beautiful with the fog and the altitude there. That's like something out of a movie where you've got the rolling fog in the valleys and the mountain peaks and the trees. It looks like something out of it reminds me a bit of Colorado, a bit more tropical.

18:10 And of course, the Jollibee, something that everybody has to be familiar with.

18:28 The one thing that I have heard to be a bit concerned, okay, Sanza. Okay, very cool, very cool.

18:45 It's like a pyramid. Yeah, let's pull up. I don't want to go down to Batangas and I can come back down here to looking at Mindanao now a little bit later in the video.

Manila and Bangkok Traffic

19:02 Wow, okay. I did not realize. I never really looked at the pictures of Batangas, and they're developing a lot there. I could imagine it's a weekend getaway for Manila. I think it's like what, a couple hours, maybe an hour and a half by bus from Manila.

19:18 I did some mapping it out like what would it look like if I were to go to Batangas from just coming from outside the country. I think I'd need to fly into Manila and then hopefully they have like a bus service from Ninoy Aquino Airport down to...

19:53 Stunning. It's like I've never been to Hawaii, but it looks just like a lot of the photos I've seen of Hawaii.

20:16 Resort. The colors too, like all the red and green roofs.

20:32 Three hours, so not too bad. A little bit longer than I thought, but not too bad. And I think if you're south of Manila in Tanaza, then you should be able to get there even faster than somebody having to navigate out of places like Makati or BGC or the old city.

20:49 Manila. Definitely, I think Manila is one of those mega cities where it's nicer to be a little bit further out unless you're just like a super city person. Then being on that, like a little bit further out, you get more peace and quiet. You still have those urban conveniences, but you don't feel like you're dealing with commuter traffic as much.

21:10 I know being here in Bangkok, it can definitely be a little bit disorienting to see all these commuters in the city of 18 million. So there's like tons of commuters and the traffic is just crazy here. I was riding on a bus the other night from...

21:28 I was coming from the Platinum Fashion Mall, and it's like a 45-minute walk from my apartment. But I'm sitting on the bus for like an hour and a half and still not at my apartment. I'm like, okay, it's going to take another 40 minutes to get closer to my apartment. I'm just going to get out of here and walk.

21:47 It was like maybe one and a half kilometers or something like that, and that turned out to be a good decision. I think I beat the bus home.

22:02 And I love the boats. These are very similar in design, Cigan, with the kind of, I don't know what you'd call those sticking off the sides to help with the stability, but it makes for a more comfortable ride.

22:26 Stunning. And with the volcanic sort of rock here too, that looks like volcanic rock. Anyway, the kind of the...

Drivers, Grabs, and Catamarans

22:39 Sound. Something I want to see. It's gonna sound sketch, but oh, let's see. Maybe two hours for me. Okay, very good.

22:45 Michael, depends on traffic, time of day, and whether going by bus or hire a driver. I have a local driver here that I hire. Great guy and very affordable.

22:55 Catamaran. Okay, yeah, that's great if you have a driver that's like reliable, you're not having to wait on calling up a Grab. I was listening to George and Heidi's Philippines stream earlier today, and they mentioned depending on the circumstance, you can really end up waiting a long time for a Grab.

23:14 Like you can wait sometimes a couple hours depending on where you're at in the Philippines. I didn't have issues in Cagayan de Oro, but Cagayan de Oro is a much, much smaller city than Manila, where you have so much more need for drivers.

23:29 And if it's somebody you know, you can have banter and joke around with them, and you make a friend that way. It's just so easy to make friends in the Philippines. Being able to connect with the driver and having somebody to kind of take your mind off just sitting in a car for long distances, like, are we there yet? Are we there yet?

23:47 That could get a bit old. And it's good business for him too, right? Like he's got a consistent customer that he knows is going to be able to cover his wage for that time allotment.

23:59 And then maybe depending on where you're going or how long you're going to be there, maybe he can wait and then help you hoof it back, get back to your house or go on to the next destination or wherever you need to go.

24:12 So I think it's a great option to have a driver. And yeah, hey Tony, good to see you. Just enjoying a rainy day here in Bangkok, doing a live stream showing some stuff from the Philippines. I'm hoping to get over there later this year.

24:33 And yeah, just chatting with Michael a bit about some of the places that he's excited to go to. Batangas is on his mind, and I think he's going to really have a great time in...

24:49 Batangas. And these are called catamarans. So these catamarans are just so much fun. And like, I love the viewing from it. I've been on a ferry in the Philippines from like mainland Mindanao to Cagayan de Oro, and I feel like your field of vision, I don't know how to explain it, like being lower to the water, maybe you feel a bit more connected to nature.

25:15 Maybe it's also not having quite as many people. Like the ferries tend to be quite busy, and so you're also trying to navigate, okay, where am I going to sit? How can I make sure people are able to get through? Whereas if you're on a small boat like this, then you feel closer to nature.

Philippine Resorts and Making Friends

25:30 Of course, you're closer, lower down to the water, but the viewing is great, for sure. It's just like one of those quintessential Philippines experiences to ride on one of these, and that's something I really look forward to the next time I'm over.

26:05 And this is like a Philippine-style resort. They, you know, what I stayed in in Cagayan looked very similar to this. They have this, like, I don't know how you describe it, but it's like you've got your rooms, but then the public spaces are bigger than the rooms.

26:24 And so you have all these public spaces. When I was staying there, I met some interesting people from Sweden, actually. And it was really, I wasn't expecting to see other foreigners. I think being in CDO, it's not really a touristic city; you don't really see a lot of foreigners there, at least I didn't back then.

26:46 I think there's maybe a bit nowhere now, but it was, yeah, it was interesting to see other tourists there. And seeing people enjoy it, yeah, it's like something out of a screensaver or a movie.

27:07 Uh, just watching your newly dropped video on tempering your expectations. Thank you so much, Tony. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

27:14 Yeah, you know, coming over to this part of the world, my expectations were very low because before I came to this part of the world, I'd always been told everything outside of America is Armageddon, you shouldn't go there, you should stay here. And then I came to Thailand and I was like, oh, this is amazing.

27:28 Like this is like, I don't know why more people don't come here. And I'm so glad my buddy Justin has actually made plans. He's going to be coming here in a few months. Unfortunately, by then, I think I will be headed out from Thailand. I'll likely be elsewhere by that point.

27:47 And yeah, and then, you know, and I'll get to your comments in a moment. Having a good driver and being friends makes it good. We're now friends on Facebook, so I just message him and ask him if he's available on a certain day.

28:05 Yeah, that's perfect, Michael. And that helps him plan out his schedule too, so he can maintain being booked and have that more consistency in his schedule where he's like, okay, awesome, I'm working like this many days this month, so I know I'm going to earn this much. I'll be able to help out my friends and family.

Motivations and Peruvian Traditions

28:23 People's motivations are more clear in a country like the Philippines. Like when I was approached by people wanting to drive me around, for example, I'm like, you know, they had their family with them, and they're telling you, look, I want to work just because, like, you know, I don't know, sometimes it's not always spoken, but it's like obvious, like, hey, I want to work because, like, you know, I got my family on my motorbike here, and working would help me to take care of them.

28:57 I had similar experiences in Peru, meeting a guy named Freddy, who I recommend for anybody that goes to Cusco. Freddy was a wonderful guide. He showed me around some of the ancient sites and taught me about their traditions. He told me how he and his family are moving back toward those Inca traditions from the more modern traditions.

29:18 And I thought it was just really, really interesting to learn about his perspective about how it seems like in the modern world, some of us are rediscovering those traditions that help us feel grounded.

29:35 Hi Tony, great advice for traveling and life more generally. Thank you so much, Tony. I really appreciate it. Yeah, I wish I could apply that same feeling back home sometimes when I'm back home and I'm paying so much. I'm like, look, I'm paying a lot, so I expect a lot. But realistically speaking, my expectations should remain low.

29:53 One of the things that really sticks out to me, a piece of advice that Naval talks about is have very low expectations for other people, have very high expectations for yourself. And I think that's a healthy way to go about things because...

Phnom Penh and Anglo Boomers

30:06 This is a healthy way to go about things because then you're not let down and not just for other people but other places. I had low expectations when I went to Phnom Penh because so many people that I talked to or read about online were like, 'Ah, don't go there, there's not much to do there. It's just not as good as some other place.' And then I went and I loved it. At the time of my life, I was like, 'Wow, people know how to have fun in this city.' This reminded me of New Orleans, down to the French Colonial architecture, the walkability by the Riverside, the Rivertown kind of vibe. Of course, you know, time and just charming, it really charmed me in a lot of ways.

30:54 The only reason I'm not going back on this trip is just timing. I'm already squeezing so much into this trip that I don't know if I can do that again, but I'd be happy to go back in the future to Phnom Penh. But what's your thought on rude Anglo Boomers in Thailand?

31:09 Well, I think, you know, just avoid them. Not all people that are of that demographic are necessarily rude. I mostly find all of my friends through online, so I don't really approach or talk to expats much outside of the context of people I know online. Because when I go online, it may be helpful for you too to document your experiences and try to connect with other people. Because I feel like, look, online, I'm able to see how people conduct themselves, and those are the people that I want to be friends with. And plus, if somebody likes my channel, then I figure they like me as well, so it's going to be a better experience. We're going to have more in common.

31:56 But I don't let people like that bother me. I'm having such a good time over here. It's just hard to ruin it. I feel like here I just don't have bad days. I might have a bad hour or two, or like an experience that didn't pan out the way I thought it would. But the weather is usually pretty good over here, the people are always friendly. It's hard to put into words, but I just feel like I'm in such a good mood here. It's harder to bring me down over here as much as it is back home, where you feel like society is constantly throwing up roadblocks.

Collectivist vs. Individualistic Societies

32:46 Because in an individualistic society, you have to have tons of rules because people would just be at each other's throats without them. But in a more collectivist society, where people are more interested in cooperation or getting along, people just don't need as many rules. That's just my personal opinion, my personal experience here is that people don't really have to be taught how to behave over here near to the same extent that they have to in the West, where people are going to do whatever it is they want to do unless they're expressly told it's not allowed by the law. And even then, many people do break the law, whereas here, the behavior just seems to be better overall on average. Am I going to say everything's perfect? Not at all, but that's just been my experience.

33:40 Meeting expectations for life is a good practice, kind of Buddhist. Yeah, you know, Tony, I think that's a good point too. Just like you don't want to have such low expectations that it's condescending or dismissive or rude. I think that's the other side of having low expectations; if they're too low, then maybe it could turn into cynicism a little bit. So, kind of that middle road is a good way to approach things.

Thailand Tourism and Transient Populations

34:11 Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world. Pre-COVID, Bangkok was the most visited city in the world, and Thailand has an interest in having a healthy tourism industry. I think that Thailand will continue to get tons and tons of tourists because it's wonderful. They want you to come here and have a good time. Part of what I do is I select where I want to go in Thailand to avoid some of that tourism. Do I think that there are wonderful touristic parts of Thailand? Absolutely. But where I have an issue, and some people will say, 'Oh, it's a hipster attitude to not go to a touristy place,' I don't feel that way at all.

34:54 I think there's a lot of really cool touristic parts of Thailand, and what I struggle with is where an area has a super transient population. Being in certain parts of any country where people are constantly coming in and out like a yo-yo, I struggle with that because you have people that are not as interested in building community. If I'm coming for just a week, do I really have time to get to know people? Do I really have time to build up being a regular at certain establishments? Do I have time to get to know my neighbors? Not really. I'm coming in to have a good time. So I think these countries will always be popular for short-term visitors. It's going to be harder for long-term visitors to afford it until they get to more retirement age.

Retirement Age and Cost of Living

35:41 So a lot of the subscribers that I have are more like in their 50s and their 60s. Well, it's kind of a split. So a lot of the guys living in Southeast Asia are more in their 50s and 60s because they've had that time to build up investments, they've had lengthy careers, they've put in their time, they put in their work, and they're enjoying the rewards. So there's a lot of guys that, like me, can afford to come vacation here, but we're not at a point where we could live here long-term. And so the cost over the long term is going to naturally disqualify a lot of people because these countries are getting more expensive. There is some level of inflation.

36:21 And not only that, but to actually have an enjoyable life is cheaper to exist than in the West. But if you want to like have a driver you can call up, if you want to have a steak occasionally or have a seafood dinner occasionally, if you want to visit a different part of the island, that adds on top of your rent cost, your electric cost, your basically cost of life. It's not quite the same as your cost of living. And I think they're going to be more popular too because it's a combination. There's push factors and there's pull factors. People are getting pushed out of the West because the civilization is not doing very good. People are also being pulled over here because when they're sitting at home after work, trying to figure out where they want to go on vacation or watch some good YouTube, like I've done on many occasions after a tiring workday, I'm like, well, I'm in this big city in the West like the San Francisco area, and what's it called? You know, I want to see what all is out there.

Filipino Hospitality and Virtual Assistants

37:41 And you hear about the Philippines. Of course, I'd be happy to share more about it. Michael, I absolutely agree. Filipinos are very nice, kind, and helpful. They've all been really nice to me in my experience, and the hospitality is there, the welcoming nature is there. I remember my first Filipino Christmas. How I actually became familiar with the Philippines was I was living in San Francisco and I started a business selling online. And I knew this guy, Jeff Hunter. He was a project manager at a tech company and then he decided to start his business. So he started this virtual assistant business and he was doing a seminar in San Francisco talking about his virtual assistance, catering more to larger businesses and selling packages of teams of VA help. And a lot of virtual assistants are from the Philippines, right? Because they have great English, of course, the wage expectations aren't the same as what they would be for a VA in the West.

39:08 And I was like, well, I just need like one right now. So I'm going to go in these groups that he's talking about, Facebook groups, and I'm gonna find a virtual assistant. And then somebody recommended my buddy Z. I brought Z on board. Z is based in Cagayan de Oro, and he worked for me. He was working overnight, so like when sales would come in, sometimes he'd work overnight in the Philippines. And so when I was working on other stuff, he would be fielding sales and communicating with customers and did a wonderful job. And I asked him, I was like, 'How much money do you want me to pay you? Just name whatever price you want.' And we agreed on a price that was generous for Philippine standards, quite generous, and then also agreeable with me.

39:56 Eventually, I closed the business for various reasons, but I stayed in touch with Z. And I decided to visit him right before COVID. I was like, 'Okay, Z, I want to meet you. I know that we're not in business together, but I really appreciate the help that you've offered me, the work you've done for me, and I want to just meet and thank you and hang out.' So I hung out with him and his family in Cagayan de Oro, and it was just mind-blowing how kind they were, trying to give me the shirt off his back, offering to pay for this nice meal that was expensive by Philippine standards, and trying to take me to Starbucks. It was a very humbling experience.

40:44 When I came to the Philippines almost five years ago, it was just extremely humbling, and it taught me a lot about the quality of character of a lot of Filipino people. And it taught me about their motivations. Like he would show me every time I would send him a paycheck, that he would show me he went.

41:07 He went and bought construction supplies, so he bought like the skeleton of his house. Kayan deoro, you've probably seen him, Michael, in the Philippines. And every time I'd send him a check, he'd be like, 'Okay, I went and got concrete,' or 'I went and got this or that.' He would build a little bit more on his house on the weekends or his time off, and it was just so humbling. I don't know how else to put it.

Filipino Christmas and Family Ties

41:29 And then when I got there, he told me about Keman, and we had such a fun time. He invited me to Filipino Christmas, which was amazing. Filipino Christmas was so much fun. I'd had so many lonely Christmases in America by myself, sitting in an apartment, not knowing anybody that I could spend time with.

41:55 There were like 30 or 40 people that came through his mother-in-law's house, where we celebrated. I met some of his cousins; people had flown in from America. It was simple, like we didn't have, you know, there were some basic cakes and we were drinking Red Horse, but it was just such a wonderful, close feeling of connection and joy and family closeness.

42:21 After we were done, it was maybe 10:00 or so. He gave me a ride back to my hotel, and I'll just never forget that. I'll never in my entire life forget that Christmas, probably the best Christmas I've ever had, if I'm being honest, was with his family in the Philippines in 2019. I had no idea COVID was coming around the corner, but that really solidified my love for the country and my love for the people.

42:50 I've got to push back on that. So, a few things: I've got a lot to say about why I disagree, respectfully. First off, a lot of Americans have smaller families. A lot of Americans don't have kids, so a lot of people my age don't have children. I don't have children, and children are something that does tie people to a place. Like, I look at the people I went to high school with; very few of them have kids.

43:20 Even the people that could afford to have kids are like, 'Nah, I don't really want to do that.' And so when you don't have kids, you have more free time and you have more flexibility of schedule, and you can travel a lot more. You can save and invest a lot more. You have this freedom that, unfortunately, especially in the West, because in the West, it's different than a place like the Philippines.

Childcare and Single Men Abroad

43:43 We, in the Philippines, you've got your extended family to help out with childcare. You've got the country, the Philippines, is much more geared toward people raising families. But in the West, it's not like that. I had a buddy who has a bunch of kids in the US; he's a rare exception. He said part of what makes it so difficult is that because so few people do this, then you don't have economies of scale.

44:06 So diapers are super expensive, baby food is super expensive, childcare is astronomically expensive. And so when people don't have those ties, like they have that free time to look around. I mean, I'm not going to name him by name, but my manager at my last job, I don't think he'd ever been out of the country. Me and one other guy on that team had spent considerable time abroad.

44:35 So my manager then goes down to Colombia for, I think he was down there for a week, maybe 10 days or something. He was blown away. He was like, 'Wow, I did not know it could be this amazing and this economical.' And there's tons of people, like tons of young men. Two-thirds of young men are single in America.

44:51 So when you say, like, the majority of people have families, like, yeah, they may have parents, parents, but you can't expect people to give up like a beautiful life elsewhere to stay in America where it's depressing. It's just depressing in general, and they're discovering and seeing all this content online like, 'Oh wow, so he was miserable in the United States just like I am.' And yet he went over there.

45:22 You look at some of these videos; they've been viewed hundreds of thousands, if not millions of times. And so it's like getting, like, 'Passport Bro' that's like common culture. A lot of guys are thinking, 'Wow, I'm single.' Which, like I said, two-thirds of men in Western countries are single, but I can go to this other country, whether it be in Colombia or Southeast Asia, Latin America, parts of Eastern Europe, and I can have a relationship, a meaningful relationship with a woman that may be open to having a family.

Cost of Living and Wage Dependency

45:57 She's closer to her family. She doesn't think, you know, she does. People are not corrupted by like the greed and the money-oriented culture of the United States. And I speak as a straight guy that's dating straight women, but I imagine a lot of women are also not exactly satisfied with the Western cultures, just the painful cost of living.

46:22 There's probably a fair amount of women out there that are like, 'Wow, I'd really like to have kids, but it's just cost-prohibitive for me.' Let's see what else. Yeah, congrats, Code. If you've been over here for six years, like, definitely congrats to you. You figured out things way before I did. I've spent maybe like a year and a half total in this part of the world, so, you know, nowhere near six years, but I've loved every minute of it.

47:07 America does feel like prison. I mean, it's wage dependency. If you lose your job, you're very quickly so. And so when I got laid off, I bought a one-way ticket to Thailand like 12 hours later because I knew I was going to start hemorrhaging money very quickly. I'd rather go over there. The industry is not doing too good, and that was a great decision.

Storage Units and the American Dream

47:31 I've been so glad with my decision to come over here. I've spent a fraction of the money I would have spent in the US, and I'm far happier. Yeah, Michael, so in code, I've got a storage unit. I'm strongly thinking about just giving up with all the stuff in it. A lot of the stuff in it belongs to, you know, my mom, and, you know, who passed away when I was eight, and my grandfather.

48:02 But it's like, you know, paying close to $200 a month just feels like throwing money away. And I'm not going to ever see them again; they're gone. And I don't know, like I'm trying to rent small apartments in America when I'm there and working because I don't want a big house. I don't want to buy a house in America ever. I don't want a mortgage. I don't want to pursue the American dream, whatever that means these days.

48:30 And so, like, I don't really feel like I have much attachment to America. Now, if I were to relocate long-term to the Philippines, it would be economical to throw all that stuff in boxes or get like one of these big storage containers and just put it on a boat. That's something I might do, depending on how my long-term move goes. But yeah, I don't want to be paying that when I make my long-term move because that's just chewing up money.

Maintaining Relationships and Unhappiness

49:08 Wow. Um, oh, nice. You sold all your stuff? Yeah, I need to sell a lot of that junk or throw it away or give a lot of it away because see, yeah, if you can't sell something, give it to charity. That's a good idea, Michael. That is a really good idea. And plus, Michael, like, if you're happy, you know, you can always go back. Manila's like a 12-hour flight to the West Coast, and then you can fly a few more hours from there.

49:43 So this idea that you're like on another planet, not the case at all. You can definitely go back. And, you know, anytime you want. It's, you know, I feel like with technology, you can maintain a lot of those relationships. Well, anyway, you can pick them up and call them anytime you want. You can, you know, you can video chat. Like you're able to maintain more contact.

50:11 And also, I feel like I'm in a better mood for those relationships. I've been off and on no contact with some of my family. It's a different scenario, Michael, but, you know, if I'm working 40, 50, 60 hours a week, and I'm sleeping, you know, 40, 50, 60 hours a week, there's not a lot of time in there to be social, right?

50:31 Like there's a lot of days where I've worked so much and talked to so many people in sales, I don't really want to have a conversation. I'm just not really in the mood to have a conversation. If the day, you know, if I've gotten rejected 30, 40 times, having conversation on top of that can just be exhausting.

Societal Decline and Argentina

50:54 And if you're happy, that's what's important. Life is too short to be unhappy. And I think a lot of people are in the West feeling unhappy. And, you know, I think it depends, Code. Like, yeah, yeah. Okay, that's a fair point. Latin America, Eastern Europe. Yeah, I mean, this is the thing: as the United States gets worse, and a lot of people are saying, 'Oh, collapse, collapse,' I don't think it's going to collapse.

51:19 I think it's just going to decline to a point where it's not as appealing. You know, you look at certain countries that are not doing as well as maybe they were in the past, like Argentina. Argentina was one of the wealthiest countries in the world a hundred years ago. Not the case today. And you can survive in Argentina; there's plenty of people that are surviving.

51:41 But the poverty rate went from like 2% around the year 2000 to now it's around like 35%. And so there's going to be a lot of people that, if they've got resources, they're going to be like, 'Okay, do I want to stay here where there's all these issues? I still have my house, can still get food, but like, uh, you know, it's not exactly safe to go out at night. I can't really, you know, I have to build a tall fence in front of my house.'

52:08 Which, you know, America is just going through some rough times, and it's kind of a slow ship in the sense that it's not going to be fixed overnight. And I think a lot of people feel that way now, where it's like hard to deny some of the deep-rooted issues in America, especially for young to middle-aged people. America's in this situation where a lot of the older people are happy, and a lot of the younger people are unhappy.

52:37 And a lot of young people being unhappy, like, you know, a lot of them work really hard. A lot of young people.

Layoffs and Shelter vs. Happiness

52:41 A lot of young people work really hard at their jobs. Michael says, "I'd love to comment on this. Same story, I got my notice of layoff in July 2023. I was on a plane at the end of June, so after I got noticed but before it was official, I was on an airplane coming over here. I had to stick around until September 25th because of severance pay obligations."

53:23 People look at it like just salary versus material goods. In America, can you live in a nice house and drive a nice car? Absolutely. But living in a nice house and driving a nice car don't necessarily make people happy. Having safe shelter is important, but safe shelter doesn't necessarily mean a big house. Reliable transportation doesn't necessarily mean owning a nice car; it can mean having a driver or living with a significant other who has one.

Golden Handcuffs and Weekend Chores

54:07 So, you still have shelter, Michael. I've seen part of where you live, and it looks like a lovely place. You also have transportation. Can I really say that because Michael doesn't live in the United States and drive a brand new pickup truck every day, he's living in terrible conditions? Not at all. I think the big house and the fancy automobile loan are handcuffs. A lot of what people have in the West are golden handcuffs, tying them to material objects and living above their means, which leaves them with no free time to enjoy anything.

54:55 That was what I noticed when I was working full-time in the US. I was making money, but I was so tired on the weekend with chores to do that I didn't really get to enjoy anything.

55:15 It's also about options. If I'm in the United States, I can't control the weather. If it's winter, dark at 4 p.m., rainy, and cold, I can't just turn it into a sunny day. If it's 100 degrees plus humidity in the southern US, I can't just dress in shorts and a t-shirt for work; I still have to dress appropriately. If I feel sick, I have sick days, but realistically, if I'm being judged on performance, I can't just take the day off.

Minimalist Travel and Financial Freedom

56:04 I live out of one backpack. When I first traveled, I brought a suitcase and a big backpack, but now I just use a standard backpack. If I need anything, I'll buy it when I get there. Clothes and toiletries are accessible here, and it's just so much easier. It can get heavy with electronics like my laptop, iPad, and DSLR camera, but I usually leave it at my accommodation and just carry what I need.

56:53 Michael, if you've moved into the financial stuff, that's part of the freedom plan: make money from Western economies and enjoy it in an economy that doesn't have the artificial inflation that makes your money disappear as fast as you earn it.

Upwork and Crypto Investments

57:24 I would really appreciate it if you could share more about Upwork. Upwork could be a ticket for me to not have to go back, because I don't really want to go back. I'm in a midpoint where I'm part of the way to where I need to be financially to never go back, but I'm not quite there yet. I have sales, computer science education, and some crypto investments.

58:07 I've got one crypto I'm loaded up on, Algorand, though its performance has been terrible. I sold a crypto to fund my Latin America trip, which wasn't ideal, but that's what happened. I'm hoping you know I've got one crypto that I'm loaded up on.

58:31 When you came over, you just brought a school backpack. That's a good call. It's definitely reaffirming because sometimes I don't, to be honest, miss things back home as much as I thought. There are mainly a couple of things, like I wouldn't have minded bringing a better audio setup; I have a nice microphone back home that would have been nice for interviews.

59:10 You do copywriting and marketing, social media manager work. You can earn $15-$20 an hour depending on your skill set. Upwork clients are looking for value and scrape the bottom of the barrel. That makes sense because they are hunting for a deal, and we're hunting on there to have that geoarbitrage, to do the work but not pay those crazy Western prices.

Remote Work and Minimum Wage

59:39 Thank you. I definitely want to learn more about it and wouldn't mind exchanging communications with you at some point to learn more about what you do. I'm not asking to copy what you do; I've got my own skill set. But yeah, I think part of me is just nervous about it.

1:00:02 No American minimum wage is not $17 per hour. California is trying to get $15 an hour passed. In my home state, it's $7.25 per hour. If you are a waiter or waitress, it's more like $2.25 an hour, but it's probably going to go up because you can't really live on $7.25 an hour, maybe if you're living in your car or a van.

Grayscale Trusts and Crypto ETFs

1:00:59 My friend, look into the Grayscale trusts LTCN and BCHG for this crypto run. They can potentially outperform the underlying coins by a lot due to premium. That makes a lot of sense because a lot of people are afraid to buy individual crypto, don't know how to store it, and are concerned about security. Those ETFs give that exposure without the perceived risk, which could be more popular for institutional investors.

1:01:47 Where I live, minimum wage is $1 per hour, so making $15 to $20 an hour is good. No, code, it's not $7.25 an hour plus tip. The minimum wage for waiters and waitresses is $2.25 an hour plus tip. If your tips don't hit the $7.25 threshold, the restaurant has to make up the difference, but I'm not certain on that. They can make good money on tips, especially with food inflation. If people are tipping based on a percentage, they should be getting 15 to 20% of the total bill.

Discord and Casino Poker

1:02:28 I was on your Discord, but nobody was chatting, so I left. Discord is kind of slow; I haven't really activated it in the same way I would like to. It's something that could become more relevant as the channel grows. I started it when I had like 200 subscribers.

1:02:51 It's interesting, and I'm just not exactly sure how to utilize it properly. YouTube is something I'm a lot more familiar with; I've been watching YouTube for 17 years. I started watching it in middle school, and it's a tool I'm very familiar with, whereas Discord, I'm just not as familiar with it. I was playing poker in a casino for a living for five years. I tipped the waiter $5 a day, paying $50 a month in tips. That's a good point because if he had you and maybe 20 other customers paying him a similar amount, he could make a decent living.

Remote SDR Jobs and Sales Operations

1:03:37 Back then, I mean, now of course, the cost of living is higher, so the tips are probably higher. That's an understated thing. If I can't get back into tech, maybe I could go into the service industry and just dash away all my money and get to the point where I've got that monthly income.

1:03:58 So there are remote SDR jobs. I need to look more into those. My idea would be making Western SDR wages, but I don't really want to work overnight. That's where compromising and being willing to work for lower wages, getting more experience, comes in. It's not a bad idea; I'll think about it. I kind of want to get out of sales and apply my sales skills to other roles.

1:04:29 With sales, it may just be the roles that I've worked, but yeah, I was an SDR before, a senior SDR, and before that, I did sales operations work. I wouldn't mind getting back into sales operations work because it's more my speed.

1:04:45 Because it's more my speed, it's more, you don't have the pressure of quota, or nearly as much quota pressure. You get to do more tech stuff as opposed to cold calling and cold emailing. You know, there's some elements of sales that I don't really agree with as much.

Sales Skills and YouTube Channel Offers

1:05:11 It's, you know, there's a propensity to try to get the meeting or the sale at any cost. And with a tech set of skills, then, so yeah, ideally, I'd like to take my sales skills and pivot from there.

1:05:30 Okay, that's a good point. I'll learn more about it because I wanted to go into that anyway, and I would have if I didn't get laid off. I was hoping to move into those roles, like, you know, more along the roles of marketing or something like that.

1:05:44 And yeah, being a sales manager, I mean, you know that you're not beholden to a quota. You are beholden to team performance, but you don't have that quota like hanging over your neck.

1:05:56 I don't know, I just struggled with a quote. I know that's a common thought process when it comes to sales, but it's, sales can feel like a, what have you done for me lately type of a job, which is fair. I know the compensation is high, so the expectations are high.

1:06:36 And I guess I could throw my resume up on there too, you know, explain like, hey, I've got this set of skills. I've also, you know, have some exposure to YouTube, and you know, could always throw the offer out on my channel.

Systems Engineering and Quality of Life

1:06:53 Like, hey, you know, if you're interested in these skill sets, just, you know, no pressure, but I've got them on offer. Because that's not something I thought about before.

1:07:10 Michael says, I know you're not asking systems engineer. Okay, very cool. Michael, and then this is kind of the long shot, but it's tough because I don't really want to go back.

1:07:19 But part of me thought, why not instead of finishing the Bachelor's in computer science, you know, get a Master's in it? Which I looked at some programs, and then, you know, maybe try to find like a totally remote systems engineer job.

1:07:35 I've heard of some people in the United States having a process where the company says, okay, you got to stay here in person for six months, then you can go fully remote after you show that you're able to handle the responsibilities of the position and you're able to stick with it, you're able to meet our expectations, and we'll turn you loose.

1:07:55 So that's something I've thought about. Of course, that's an expensive investment. That's like a couple of years of time, probably 30, 40K for tuition. But, you know, that sounds like an awesome job.

1:08:06 Michael, like I regret not studying it. I originally thought I wanted to be a lawyer, and then I spent time around lawyers and realized I don't want to do this. And as a lawyer, you're kind of bound to your home country to some extent.

1:08:20 I know there's one lawyer that I can think of that breaks that rule. I can't think of his name, but all of you have probably seen his videos. He's in Minda now, or his wife's from like, Deval, Dr. La La, or something like that.

1:08:37 He's a lawyer, but he pivoted to where he's got like a firm back in Nashville, actually, of all places. He's got his business in Nashville, but he works for Mode. So he has somebody, I think in Nashville, another lawyer that does court appearances, handles admin work and that kind of thing.

1:08:58 But you know, he prefers to live in the Philippines, and so he doesn't make as much money as he'd make if he were based back there. But what he does make, of course, goes way farther in the Philippines, has a way better quality of life.

Data Security and Financial Technology

1:09:12 Yeah, I think it's a, it's definitely the ideal is to make, you know, if you're not financially independent, like in your case, Michael, or Tony's really close, I think Tony's like a few years out from hitting that point.

1:09:28 Then, if you're not at that position, then making US wages and then living in the developing world is a better call.

1:09:43 Yeah, yeah. You know, American companies, they're really concerned about data security and privacy, and especially with, like, I worked in financial technology before I left, and the financial technology companies and the banks are super, you know, there's a lot of pressure on them from a regulatory perspective to lock up that data, to control who can access that data.

1:10:07 I need to keep scrolling to give you guys something else to look at, but to, you know, to just have that security because there's, you know, as soon as they make a mistake, you know, there's going to be a lawyer going after them, 'Hey, you exposed my client's data,' or something like that.

Litigation Aversion and Bangus

1:10:23 Which is fair. But that's, that's partly why is in the United States, they're extremely averse to litigation. 95% of the lawsuits in the world are filed in North America, and they would have no problem going after technology professionals, businesses, for missteps or mistakes.

1:10:50 Yeah, Bangus looks beautiful, and I think you're going to have a wonderful time, Michael. And I look forward to hearing about it. Yeah, hearing about your experience.

1:10:58 I love how the water is not too deep there. Like, you see, they're maybe a little bit above their knees, and they're just enjoying that tropical paradise.

Dating in Thailand and Visa Requirements

1:11:22 My dating life in Thailand, it's been okay. It hasn't been as much of a priority for me. I've, you know, I used Tinder like I've had some fun here, just like, you know, casual hanging out and stuff like that, nothing serious.

1:11:40 Because, you know, I don't want to rush into getting married, and getting married is one of the only ways you can really stay long-term in Thailand. The other ways would be for somebody under retirement age would be the Elite visa, and I'm not really interested in making that kind of commitment now.

1:12:00 I'd be more open to it because I've spent a year in Thailand, but with the visa process in Thailand, I don't want to be in a situation where I tie my relationship into my visa at this point because I'm still learning a lot.

1:12:13 I'm still early on, I still have been figuring out, is this right for me or is it not right for me? Because I wasn't sure, like, hey, if this doesn't work out, I go back home, go back to work. But if I like it, I've got to have the research and the understanding in mind to make this a thing in the long term.

1:12:37 So that's, yeah, I mean, in Thailand, I could be in a relationship. I was supposed to have a date last night, but I didn't sleep well Sunday night, so I just canceled it.

1:12:47 The language barrier is difficult in Thailand, so it's fine for having fun. Like, if I want to meet somebody and have fun, that's very easy. To have a meaningful conversation or meaningful connection is a bit more difficult.

1:13:01 It's just a bit more difficult when you, you know, you can't have that same depth of conversation there. I do have some Thai female friends that, you know, I'm fairly certain would be open to dating me.

1:13:16 But, you know, I just, I don't know. When I went to the Philippines, I dated a bit there, and I don't know if it's the culture. They're heavily influenced by American culture. The Philippines is a former American colony. I don't know if it's the language. A lot of Filipinos, especially in the big cities, speak great English.

1:13:43 But I felt this special kind of connection to them. Like in Thailand, sometimes it feels very carnal. If I, you know, be a bit brash about it, it feels a bit like more physical oriented, like, hey, I think you're attractive, you think I'm attractive, let's have fun.

Philippines vs. Thailand Dating Culture

1:14:00 Whereas in the Philippines, when I dated, it felt like there was this genuine connection there. And, yeah, I just connected really well with them.

1:14:10 Yeah, I wouldn't want to make a local wage in Thailand. I mean, you need a work permit, by the way. They bust people all the time working without permission here. And if you want to start a company here, you've got to hire Thai people.

1:14:30 It's, you know, it's not exactly easy to do that long term. Thailand Elite visas, 25K or so, kind of brutal. I mean, it is, you know, it's expensive. If you don't speak Thai, for example, I don't speak Thai, you don't necessarily get access to some of those other layers of Thai society.

1:14:53 You can't really connect as deeply as you can in a place where you have the same language and similar culture. Like I talk to Filipinos about basketball. I don't really get to talk to Thais as much about sports. Like I like Muay Thai, but, you know, Muay Thai is a niche thing here.

1:15:09 Whereas in the Philippines, you do see a lot of gyms in Thailand, but in the Philippines, you see basketball courts everywhere. You see people wearing basketball jerseys, people follow the NBA. It's very much part of the culture.

1:15:20 And Muay Thai, it seems more niche, underground. Like, none of my Thai friends are into Muay Thai, whereas all of my Filipino friends have some interest in basketball.

Country Hopping and Relationship Challenges

1:15:38 Hey, sounds good. Take care, Michael. I'll see you later. I hope you have a wonderful day and a very successful, fruitful day as well.

1:15:45 If you don't mind country hopping, you can live three months in Japan, three months in South Korea, three months in Thailand with that sweet Western passport.

1:15:55 Yeah, you know, that's a possibility. But like, if I'm interested in pursuing a relationship, which I am, if I go to the Philippines, it makes that kind of cycle harder. And if you have a US passport, you don't really have to do that in the Philippines, right?

1:16:12 And currently, it may change in the future, but currently you can stay up to three years on tourist visas. You know, fly to Bangkok for a day or a weekend, fly to Korea and go right back and start that process over again.

1:16:26 Where if I was in a relationship with a Filipina, I don't think it'd be fair to them to be like, hey, I'm dipping out to Japan or here or there. And they might not want to travel, they might not want to be away from their families.

1:16:41 I may not want to cover the cost of all that, right? Because, you know, it's expensive to travel as a couple or with a family internationally.

Travel Luggage and Minimalism

1:16:50 A family internationally, do they have a passport? Okay, let's get them a passport. Are they going to get stopped at the airport because there's some issues that everybody can be familiar with? As far as Filipinas not being allowed to leave, and for a good reason, I respect all the rules and regulations, the requirements. I have no problem with any of that. That's what they've determined makes the most sense, and I support that. But you know, if you're having a relationship, it's not as friendly to the travel lifestyle. I do see a fair amount of traveling couples break up because they just have different interests, they're going in different directions. One partner wants to go back home, one partner doesn't, and that can throw a wrench in the plans.

1:17:42 All I'm going to say about that is that was not my experience. Personally, I have preferred to date more professional women, women who are career-oriented. Sorry, Bob S, I'm going to respond to your earlier comment because I knew you said something, but it just slipped my mind. Did I hear you're down to just a carry-on and have been able to stay that way?

1:18:12 Yeah, so I just do a carry-on. There's a few things like if clothes wear out, like I don't, this shirt is a little bit worn out. I just go and buy a little bit more, throw the old clothes away and keep on rolling. I prefer just a backpack because it's a lot easier for me to move around. I find when I bring too much stuff, I forget stuff. So like I'll forget something in a taxi, or I'll forget something on the train, or I'll forget something on the airplane. When I have just one backpack, it's like, okay, everything I own is in this thing. As long as everything goes in this thing and I keep this thing with me, I'm good to go. When I've got two bags, okay, now do I have my backpack? I have this. What's in this? What's in that? And it just gets to be stressful.

Dating Career-Minded Women

1:18:58 It took me a long time to build up to that. When I first started traveling, I traveled with a lot of stuff. I'd go for a week and bring stuff for like I was moving there almost. I just found it to be time-consuming. It's also expensive, paying an additional $25, $35, $50, maybe $60 or more dollars these days for that extra piece of luggage. I wouldn't use that stuff, right? I just felt like it was overkill. But they don't blame people when they're still getting in the swing of things to overpack. It's a natural thing for a lot of people, but it's something that has phased out.

1:19:43 Back to what you said, I was saying, yeah, I prefer to date women that have some kind of job or career, and they tend to be more concerned about that. I think some guys that may be interested in totally provincial people, that may be a bigger risk. I struggled to relate to those totally provincial people. I'm not here to dump on them, I'm not here to talk down about them. Country people can be wonderful, but as far as shared experience goes, I think it's important if you have a relationship to have some amount of shared experience. I found that when I was dating more career-minded women, then we had more shared experience, like both of us having gone to college, both of us having worked with a lot of English speakers. So we're able to converse at a higher pace. We're exposed to certain jokes that maybe somebody who hasn't grown up in a larger city is not familiar with.

1:20:34 I found the best connection to be with women living in cities in the Philippines, from like say one to three million people, so like Cagayan de Oro, Cebu. We just have more in common. We've been exposed to international culture, international cuisine, international entertainment. There's a lot of movie theaters in Cebu. So yeah, that's just where I would struggle. I don't down the guys that want to date a more country woman, but I feel like I kind of run out of stuff to talk about faster than if I was dating a woman that has more in common with me. I'm not opposed to it either. If I meet a nice woman that's lived totally provincial and we hit it off and things go well, that sounds great too.

Georgia and Philippine Visa Extensions

1:21:33 Georgia has a one-year visa for Western passport holders, no fee. Yeah, that's definitely appealing. Where I struggle with Georgia is the cold winters. That's something that I'd be a little bit put off by, but I've heard a lot of popular things about it from digital nomads. It's somewhere I'll go eventually. In fact, depending on the circumstances, whenever I go back to America, I'm not sure when that will be, but depending on the circumstances, I wouldn't mind stopping through Georgia, stopped through there for like a week, maybe a few weeks, and check it out. I'd be looking at Tbilisi. I even looked at buying a condo in Batumi before the circumstance that happened recently, the conflict. I had looked at condos in Batumi, but everybody was saying they're overbuilt, there's too many of them. That turned out, I probably should have scooped one up because they were like, you could get condos in Batumi for like $20, $30k.

1:22:29 And yeah, you can stay in the Philippines for years without a problem. It's wonderful for Americans who want to make it their long-term home. They want to visit for a long time. That's a bit more challenging in Thailand because in Thailand, I have the education, I've got to do extensions every three months. I didn't do my 90-day reporting last time, so there's an extra $60. You don't have to make the visa runs to immigration if you hire an agency. So if you hire like JRC, a really popular one, all the Dumaguete vloggers talk about it. And I don't want to go through Suao and Manolo Fortich to Cagayan de Oro City. Then I can just hire JRC and I can just stay up here, I guess. I mail it to him, I'm not exactly sure how that works, but they do all the work.

Vietnam and Southeast Asian Travel

1:23:25 They handle it. I think you pay them. I just talked to JRC today, they were like, '1,000 pesos and that's our fee, and we'll handle the extension for you.' That could be nice because I'm going to have to sort out when I land here, you know, getting the immediately extending the visa. Because you get 30 days on arrival, but if you want to get your extension, you have to send in your passport, you have to do some stuff. You can do it at the Manila Airport, but I'm not sure that I'll land in Manila. I may be landing in like Cebu or in Davao where I don't have that airport service. So that's where I'll need to do it a little bit differently. That would be amazing if I landed in Manila. I think it's on the third floor, and you can go down there, pay, I think it's 2,000 pesos, like $35 equivalent, something like that. And they extend it, so now you've got 60 days. That'll give you a bit of a runway to sort out your next extensions.

1:24:25 I think they stopped doing six-month extensions, so it may be you may have to do it two months at a time. But that's what I'm looking at after Vietnam. I'm tempted to like skip Vietnam. So I go back and forth on Vietnam because Vietnam is where I'd like to go after Thailand. It's a short flight. I've never been there before. It's one of two countries left in Southeast Asia that I would consider living in long-term or staying for a long time that I haven't been to. I haven't been to Laos, but I don't ever really see myself living there. Haven't been to Myanmar, not a good decision right now. Haven't been to Brunei, but it's a very small country that, as far as I know, doesn't have very many expats. So Indonesia and Vietnam are the two that I have left.

Vietnam's Sinosphere Influence

1:25:14 Vietnam, a lot of my friends have recommended it to me. A lot of my traveling friends are like, 'You got to go to Vietnam.' Do the ride? I'm not doing the ride. That's a bit of a big commitment for me. The idea of landing in Hoi An City and taking a motorbike all the way up. But yeah, Vietnam is supposed to be awesome. It's in the Sinosphere, so it's got a lot more interest. It's got a lot more influence from China, and so it's quite different from Thailand. Thailand is much more influenced by India.

1:25:56 Yeah, starting a family in the Philippines, maybe even get a second citizenship. PH Xat Prepper, he's got an interesting channel, and I see him in the chat and some of the channels I follow. He's actually getting close to his citizenship. He's been going through part of the process for like two years. It's just working its way through the courts, but he's actually planning on getting Philippines citizenship in the near future. I think he's fluent in Tagalog, and he's an American, and he's just a really interesting guy. I think that sounds ideal, having a second passport, having a second citizenship, having that sense of peace and security that, hey, Philippines, they may get tons, they may get so many visitors in the future. Their goal right now for this year is 10 million. They want 10 million tourists this year.

1:26:47 They may reach a point where they feel like, hey, this tourist visa, it was something that we needed in the past, but now that we've drummed up all this interest, maybe it's something that we don't feel as confident in moving forward.

Philippines Tourism and Fatalistic Attitude

1:27:02 Carrying a big, huge hiker backpack, I think it also makes you stick out. There's some bad guys throughout the world, and when they see somebody with a big, hulking backpack on, they immediately know this is a tourist, and they might try to target you, they might try to pickpocket you. It's also kind of hard to navigate with.

1:27:28 Do you feel safe in the Philippines, like around Cebu? Yeah, I've never been to Manila, so I have not heard the most...

1:27:33 Manila, so I have not heard the most flattering things about Manila. I've flown through there, and my experience in the airport, to be honest, I walked through the terminal, and there's this food court area, and there's this guy mopping. I have to walk through there because where else am I going to get through the terminal? He gives me a dirty look and a toot-toot or something like, 'I've got to get through here, I don't care that you're cleaning.' No offense, but this is one of the busiest airports in the world, in a city of 25 million people, one of the most densely populated cities in the world. I got the sense that Manila is just very, very busy, and I don't know that it's for me. So I didn't go to Manila at all.

1:28:16 I have interest in some of the surrounding areas, but Manila proper, I think that it would be a bit too overwhelming for me, just based on the population density and how many people live in Manila. I think it would be too much for me. Do you feel safe in the Philippines? I feel safe in the Philippines. I'm not super worried about my safety to some extent. I have a what could be described as a fatalistic attitude about travel.

Life Expectancy and Travel Safety

1:28:45 This attitude is part of why people in the Philippines are cheerful. If something bad happens, it's up to the Creator, and if something bad happens, so be it. That's kind of how I feel about it. Like, I'm doing what I love, and if it's the end of me one day, so be it. I know that may sound crazy or unfortunate to some people, but I'm so grateful for the time that I've had and the experiences. If it has to come to an end, I compare that to how family members of mine came to an end in the states, and they went out very unhappy with their lives.

1:29:36 I don't want to go out sitting in an office chair 30 years from now with a big bank account, being a big shot sales guy or professional. When my dad was a kid in India, the average life expectancy for a young man was like 30 years old. The average over the course of human history is something like 10 years old. So I'm not super worried about my safety.

1:30:14 I will say I didn't feel super unsafe there. I was cautious. I didn't go to some of the more rough areas. I did go to one area that was edgy, but I went with a buddy, and he said, 'Look, you're fine here with me. You might not want to come down here late at night,' which is something I don't really do anyway. I'm more of an indoor cat in some ways; I like to live outside during the day when I can see well and get a sense of the area before I get into it.

1:30:47 I'm cautious, I try to research. Plus, a lot of the rough areas around the world don't have a lot of businesses. If an area doesn't have a lot of businesses, it doesn't make a lot of sense for me to frequent it. I do my best. If something happens, something happens, but I'm not a drinker, and I think that helps a lot. I'm not in scenarios where I'm around a lot of dangerous people. I'm inside after dark almost every night in a lot of places.

Walkability and Vietnamese Cuisine

1:31:14 Thailand is an exception, but most places I go, I'm so active during the day lifting weights, exercising, walking a lot. And you said I might not like Vietnam. If it's not walkable, that's a downer because I like to walk around a lot, get that exercise, and stretch my legs. I like to see life from that angle, like, 'Oh wow, I can stop and look at this beautiful tree or examine this building.'

1:31:53 I've heard that in Vietnam, they ride on the sidewalks. So if you want to walk on the sidewalk, you have to be aware that people might be coming down it, and they have the right of way because they have the bigger vehicle than your legs. That's the thing. I'm a bit of a foodie and I love Vietnamese food. I used to eat Vietnamese food all the time in America, and I'd like to try it in person, like banh mi and pho. Being able to try Vietnamese coffee would be amazing, even though I'm not really a coffee drinker anymore. The cuisine is a real big appeal to me for Vietnam.

Philippines Tourism Costs and Population

1:32:48 I've eaten a lot of these dishes in America, but being in a country that is more influenced by China would be interesting from a cultural perspective, quite different from these countries influenced by India. I've heard English is more limited there. I've never been there, but the Philippines is the least visited Southeast Asian country by tourist volume.

1:33:31 I'm okay with that. I think part of what affects Philippines tourism is cost; it's one of the most expensive countries in Southeast Asia to visit. It's not part of the mainland; you're flying out to the middle of the ocean. The mainland infrastructure means everything has to be flown or boated in. You have high population density and a high birth rate, so some countries have declining populations, which takes pressure off real estate. It's hard to charge a lot for real estate when you've got fewer people each year putting pressure on it.

Family Meals and Philippine Playgrounds

1:34:22 In the Philippines, tons of people are having kids. When I was there four or five years ago, there were kids everywhere. The cities are designed around it; they've got play places, family meals, all these things that are very uncommon in the US. It's rare I see a family meal in the United States when it's McDonald's. Many McDonald's I've driven by in the US have closed down their playground areas because people just don't use them.

1:35:01 Bob Saget asked if I rent motorbikes or rely fully on public transportation, bolt, taxi. I'm all in on public transit. I don't rent motorbikes; that may change depending on where I go. The Philippines, Thailand is not the place to learn, in my personal opinion. I tried when I came six years ago, but it was just so overwhelming. I started driving on the wrong side of the road. I can't really operate it because I was trying to learn in Chiang Mai, which is the second-largest city in Thailand, very dense, and not a good place to learn.

Motorbike Rentals and Public Transportation

1:35:34 Whereas in the Philippines, I think if you found certain areas that are much less population-dense and you have a friend with you that speaks English that can teach you, I'm not saying it's safe because it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when you wreck. But you have more things working in your favor there. I'm still hesitant to do it. I may do it if I go on an island tour or if I get my buddy to give me lessons for several weeks straight. It's something I'd want to ease into.

1:36:04 But no, for the most part, I rely on public transportation, walking, taxi, private taxi, or Bolt Grab. I just trust the local drivers a lot more, especially in the cities. I won't drive at all because it's not patterns that I'm familiar with or feel comfortable or confident in operating safely in that kind of environment.

Siargao Island and Natural Beauty

1:36:38 It seems like the Xats are old, looking to live there. Yeah, I mean, I visited there because I was curious about hiring a virtual assistant, and then I saw pictures of it, and I was like, 'This is like the most beautiful country I've ever seen.' I still stand by that as far as natural beauty and what I personally experienced. It may have been an age thing too; when I went to the Philippines, I was 27, and I could fully enjoy it. I was shocked. I'll pull up Siargao.

1:37:27 When I visited there, I'm like, 'I can't believe this place is real. I can't believe this is Earth right now.' It's just so perfect, and there's nobody here. You feel like you won the lottery. That's how I felt when I came to Siargao. There's 75,000 people on this big island, and it's just stunning. It's just so beautiful and peaceful. To me, it reminded me of the Far Cry video game series.

1:38:02 The people are super friendly too, very cheap. Like back then, now it's a little bit harder. Back then, I was paying like $10 a night for hotels on this island. I couldn't believe that. They're Filipino-style resorts, not exactly what a Western person might conceptualize of a resort, but yeah, it's stunning. You ride over here on a catamaran, and there's like 10, maybe 15 people, but you find your own stretch of sand.

1:38:46 You go out in the water, and I watched a video where somebody saw a banded krait, one of the most venomous sea snakes in the world. But they won't bite you unless you really mess with them. It's very rare for somebody to get bitten by them, but this guy, this...

1:39:04 This Australian guy saw one in these waters at this island. I saw seahorses, and I also saw clownfish in these waters. I wish I had the proper camera equipment back then, but if I go back here, I'll bring that stuff with me. It's just totally stunning.

Philippines Tourism Challenges

1:39:29 So, back to reasons why the Philippines doesn't get as much visitors. Expense, right? It's more expensive than Thailand, more expensive than Vietnam, more expensive than Malaysia. Malaysia can offset some of their costs because they're in the oil and gas business, which brings down transportation costs.

1:39:51 And you know that's part of it. You're not connected to the mainland. So if you come to the Philippines, you're not going to just get on a bus and go from Bangkok to Phnom Penh or Phnom Penh to Saigon. You're also, I would say, Filipinos like the country hasn't focused as much on tourism as Thailand, where Thailand, after the Vietnam War, went full on into tourism.

1:40:20 Like you look at the development in Pattaya over the last 30, 40 years, it's incredible. They've transformed into this, in many ways, a world-class destination. I feel like in the Philippines, they're starting to understand how much demand there is for a place like that.

Filipino Humility and Pristine Waters

1:40:38 Like my buddy said, "Oh yeah, it's beautiful." He didn't tell me, "This is the most beautiful place that you will see in your life." He was humble about it. He's from not very far from here; his mom is from Dumaguete. You're living in this beautiful place and yet you have so much humility about it.

1:40:53 Not to say other countries aren't humble as well, but the humility in the Philippines is especially pronounced. The people have so much to be proud of, but yet they have a sense of humility. And I think that's part of it.

1:41:06 But now the internet's gotten a hold of the Philippines, and people are seeing world-class, what I call world-class beaches and beautiful water that's like perfect temperature. It's not cold like California. You don't get even in LA, I've tried to swim on the beach in LA, it was cold. Not here.

1:41:25 And the water is pristine. It's clear. It's not over-touristed, at least where I was at was not over-touristed. I saw coral. I felt comfortable navigating in the water, being able to get a little bit further away from the beach and yet still be within eyesight of it. I didn't experience any crazy currents.

Mount Pinatubo and Vibrant Colors

1:41:47 I want to do more research just to be careful about that, but I didn't feel any danger here. The Philippines' nature is gorgeous, and I think that contributes to the happiness. How can you be unhappy looking at these palm trees, looking at the beautiful water?

1:42:21 There's something I didn't do that I'd like to do next time: hike Mount Pinatubo volcano. You have to be careful from what I've heard about the Philippines, cobras are extremely dangerous. But I mean, look at that, it's like volcanic jungle, and you see the clouds like hanging around the top.

1:42:59 The colors, it's just such a vibrant country. A lot of countries in Southeast Asia have beautiful colors. Thailand is gorgeous. It's just this amazing display, but this is also quite beautiful.

Ease of Navigation and Travel Time

1:43:17 And I also say ease of navigation. Like in the Philippines, in Thailand, there's trains, there's buses, you can get a taxi anywhere in the country from anywhere in the country, except for the islands. The infrastructure is there. Whereas in the Philippines, you can't drive from like Manila to Davao, for example. You're going to have to fly.

1:43:42 You can't get from mainland Mindanao to like, I'll show you, I had to, so to come to Siargao, I had to take a bus from here, Cagayan de Oro, come all the way up here through all these towns. It was like a three-hour shuttle ride to Bingan, and then I had to take a ferry from Bingan all the way around here.

1:44:06 So it was like, just to go from here to here was like a seven-hour journey. And if you're coming for a week or something like that, I mean, seven hours is like half a day. You can fly there, and I recommend that for people to come for a shorter time.

Philippines Costs and Discoveries

1:44:26 But it requires a bigger time investment. But I think it's well worth it. I mean, it's just so gorgeous. Yeah, the Philippines, it's not, you know, I think it sometimes gets this reputation for being cheap. Your rent can be affordable, but everything else can be quite expensive.

1:44:46 And Manila can be just, you know, very expensive. And so that's part of what people are concerned about, is like, hey, if I'm coming and I'm super budget-conscious, you know, the Philippines can be budget-friendly. But if I want the most budget-friendly options, I wouldn't call it the most budget-friendly place.

1:45:12 But I love it. I mean, I love it, and I learned so much from the people there, just about the way they operate and what they prioritize, what they think about, what drives them. It's such a beautiful place, and there's a lot to discover.

Variety in the Philippines

1:45:30 It's deceptive in that people think, like, oh, it's islands, so it's small. But there's 7,000 islands, and they're different from each other. So Mindanao is different from the Visayas region, different from Luzon up here in the north. The weather's different, the activities are different.

1:45:51 You have a lot of variety in the Philippines. Like if you want to have a party-like experience, you've got parts of Angeles City here. If you want the big city, you've got Manila. If you want this tropical paradise, Bohol is awesome, Siargao is awesome.

1:46:09 If you want a modern city, I've heard Iloilo is like really, they've done a lot with urban planning there. And you see here, like, I mean, that's a nice-looking bridge there. That looks like a really nice bridge, and I've heard it's quite orderly in Iloilo.

Remittances and Transportation Costs

1:46:35 This is a beautiful footpath. I'd love to go walking on that sometime. And some of what makes it expensive is the remittances. So like 10% of the Philippines' economy is like people sending currency from outside the country. And so when you're looking to exchange your currency in-country, you don't have the same level of demand for it as you do in a country that doesn't send quite so many people abroad.

1:47:05 Like your exchange is going alongside niece Josephine who's working in Dubai, or nephew Jeffrey who's working in the United States and sending money back. Whereas in countries like Vietnam, you don't have quite so many overseas workers. And so that money, I think this is part of what contributes to the higher cost.

1:47:27 There is you've got a lot of money coming from outside of the country into the country, and that's part of what drives up costs. The costs are not directly tied to local wages. Another expense is just transportation.

Steak Prices and Imported Goods

1:47:44 Like if you want to have, I remember when I was there five years ago, I was in Cebu and I was just curious what does a steak cost at this restaurant. I think I was at Robinson's Cybergate. So I was at this mall, and there was a steak restaurant in here, and it was like, a steak was like $25 equivalent. I'm like, that's more expensive than what I pay back home.

1:48:24 And then you find out, well, they've got to fly this steak from Australia. So not only do you have all the normal costs of making a steak in Australia, but now it's also got to be flown over here. And so there's things that because so much has to be brought in from elsewhere, it also drives up the cost there because the price of oil factors into all of those things.

1:48:55 It looks like they've done some updating. It was a nice-looking mall back then, but it looks like they've added some more decorations. Maybe it's just a Christmas time thing.

Camera Gear and Friendly People

1:49:10 What camera do you have now? So I'm shooting with a DJI Osmo Action 4. I'd like to, it depends on what my budget money is looking like before I leave Thailand. I'd like to get an Osmo Pocket 3. I used to have a Pocket 2, but I fried it with water. It got wet in my backpack. Just the ice from an iced coffee in my backpack melted and it ruined the Osmo Pocket 3.

1:49:42 But it'd be nice to be able to get that, and then maybe like a plastic case or something like that to help you shoot underwater with it. But yeah, I think they are Filipino people are very friendly, and the Cambodian people are very friendly too.

Cambodian Hospitality and Filipino Food

1:50:01 I want to give Cambodians some credit here. Cambodian people were super friendly to me. Like I had one woman that was like, "Hey, I'm happy to be your guide, show you around Phnom Penh." I had another woman that, you know, came over and we hung out and had some fun, and she was like, "Look, I just want you to have fun here."

1:50:23 I had another woman who was telling about her hotel. Like I went and had chicken soup at her restaurant. Her restaurant's like right next to the Phnom Penh airport, and she was super friendly. We've stayed in touch ever since. She's gorgeous, like I have no idea how she's single. She is like, there's a lot of beautiful women over here.

1:50:43 She's gorgeous, like, but the Filipino people are super friendly. You got to fly all the foreign food in. The Philippines, I like Filipino food. So I'm one of those strange foreigners that really enjoy the food in the Philippines. It's, you know, it's different.

1:51:03 I'll say it's not what a lot of Western people are used to, but I loved it. Of course, I like seafood. I'm used to Asian foods. I like rice, I like eggs. I like chicken adobo.

Chicken Wing Prices and Developing Countries

1:51:19 Like there was a bunch of places I went, it was like 200 pesos for all you can eat chicken wings. And there's a place like that in Malibay, too. But you could, I mean, in California, it's $3 for one chicken wing if you buy 12. So I looked at what a dozen wings and fries cost in the Bay Area, and it's like they want $35 for a dozen wings and fries.

1:51:42 That's no chickens aren't that special. Chicken meat isn't that luxurious. But yeah, so let's see, you know, is it more developing? Yeah, I think it is. The Philippines is more developing, especially outside of like Manila, BGC, than a country.

1:52:03 Manila, Global City, than a country like Thailand. But the people's friendliness combined with the English, like people in Thailand are friendly, but sometimes you can't really speak to them. I've had a bunch of experiences in Thailand where people are super nice and helpful, but we could really communicate. Even have plenty of dating experiences in Thailand where we didn't speak English and I don't speak Thai, we still had fun. But combining that friendliness with the English makes for a lot of magical experiences.

COVID Impact and Filipino Malls

1:52:32 I did have a lot of magical experiences in the Philippines. I went to the Philippines in April 2022, just after COVID lifted, but it was dead. But now I look, they walk around the Philippines mall and it looks really live and nice. Yeah, you know, I think COVID really hit the Philippines hard. A lot of people left because they weren't sure when the restrictions would lift.

1:53:08 And there's also some cool stuff on Mton. Like where did I go? I had this awesome tuna. I went to this spot and it was a really, really nice spot. This is my picture. I had this same dish and they've got the tuna. Look at how beautiful that tuna looks with the cucumber and the sauce and the sea. Absolutely delicious. Like, you know, Filipino food, people hate on it, but I found great stuff to eat over there.

1:54:14 DJI Pocket is great. I like it. They are a little bit sensitive to water, but you know, definitely gets a great picture. Take some lift off of your cell phone from having to do a lot of photography.

DJI Pocket Camera and Chicken Quality

1:54:34 Oh wow, I didn't see this. Very cool. And then let's see, Atarus says, 'Hey, I just discovered your channel. Love your content. How long have you been in Thailand for?' That's a great question, Atarus. So I actually got here end of June last year, so I'm coming up on 11 months. In about a week, it will have been 11 months in Thailand, and it's been wonderful. I love Thailand. Can't say enough good things about my experience here.

1:54:57 I am moving on soon, but not due to any negative reason. I hope to come back to Thailand many more times in the future, but I'm looking to mix it up and do a little something a little bit different. So I'm looking at going to Vietnam next.

1:55:14 $3 for a chicken wing? It is ridiculous. It's hilarious. I mean, it's just so painfully expensive. Maybe it's $2 in the Southeast. Chicken ain't that special. Like, I love chicken, it's delicious. It's not worth paying steak prices for because I know it doesn't cost as much to raise a chicken as it does to raise a cow. And it's not like the best chicken you've ever had, like they're getting heritage breed chickens.

Teaching English in Thailand and Vietnam

1:55:45 The chicken in the Philippines, I think, is better. They're smaller, but I think that's because they're using less hormones, less GMOs. Somebody pointed out that when they look at the chickens in America, they've been artificially blown up, and that's why they are so XL. The Philippines chickens are more modest, but they're more natural, and the flavor is better. So yeah, I prefer to have the chicken. And the wings in the Philippines were pretty freaking awesome.

1:56:18 And if it's all you can eat, you could sit there and eat like two dozen. People are nice, but yeah, that's what I'm trying to figure out next. I'm probably gonna land.

1:56:38 Atarus says, 'Great to hear. Do you have any female expat friends? My girl and I are headed to Bangkok to teach English. Do you know of much of the female expat perspective living in Bangkok? I'm a female as well.' I'll be honest with you, Atarus, I'm not as familiar with the female perspective. You know, in Chiang Mai, there are quite a few. I'm more familiar with their experience in Chiang Mai. When I first came to Chiang Mai six years ago, there was a group of girls that my buddy was friends with, and they loved it up there. They had a great time teaching at different schools.

1:57:18 I feel like they had a good experience. Bangkok, you're probably, what's the word I'm looking for? It's not going to be as quite interconnected like Chiang Mai in some ways. It feels like a small town if you're coming from a really big city because it's like maybe two million people in the metro. So I think the teachers stick together more, just because it's easier to get around town and the schools are not as far apart. Bangkok, you know, being such a large city, then you may feel like, hey, I want to get together with people, but it's a 30, 45-minute train ride, maybe an hour bus ride to the other part of the city.

Dating in Bangkok and LGBT Acceptance

1:57:55 So I think she's in a relationship. So I think Atarus has a girlfriend already, and won't be looking to date. And speaking of that, I don't mean to assume, Atarus, you may be within the LGBT group. I think that's very welcomed here in Thailand. I don't have that preference, but at the same time, I don't see any issue with it. I don't think anybody here is going to judge or mistreat you for that. I think you'll blend in. There's so many Western people here, and Thai culture is very open-minded, non-judgmental, very Buddhist, such that I think you and your girlfriend will have a wonderful time here.

1:58:40 I would say checking out Meetup.com could be helpful. Like if you and your girlfriend have a certain activity that you're interested in, maybe you're into coding, or you are interested in painting, or you have some kind of hobby, then you'll want to be more, what's the word I'm looking for? You may need to do a little bit more legwork. Like in Chiang Mai, it seems like in some cases the social scene...

1:59:11 Oh, okay, okay. You're not LGBT. Okay. Oh, you're so it may be your female friend is... uh, yes, that is what I've heard. We are Lebanese, no, not LGBT, but just touched the topic I wanted to speak about.

Dating Pool and Socializing Habits

1:59:39 Yeah, you know, personally, I've heard that the dating pool is smaller. My buddy that talked me into coming to Thailand six years ago, he preferred to date other Western people. So he was dating Western expats in Chiang Mai. He felt the language barrier was not going to be an issue. A lot of these women were also from the Seattle area, so he wanted to meet a woman in Chiang Mai that he might be able to date back in Seattle. Like, 'Hey, we're here for a year teaching English. When we go back to Seattle, I'd like to continue that relationship.'

2:00:21 Whereas some other guys are thinking more like, 'Hey, I want to date Thai women because I'm going to stay in Thailand forever. I don't want to go back to America.' So, yeah, you know, I think there is a smaller dating pool there. I think that's quite busy, you know, five, six days a week. That's quite a busy schedule.

2:00:49 And you know, you may just keep an eye out. You know, it doesn't hurt to introduce yourself to other people. Although, post-COVID, it feels a little bit strange to do that because we all got in the habit of keeping to ourselves a bit, following those COVID protections.

Female Expat Experiences and Heartbreak

2:01:08 Thailand is fantastic. But, and I've heard that too, to add to what Cod is saying, Atarus, I've heard similar things or read similar things online, more specifically on Reddit. I think, like, you know, going on Reddit and reading some of the threads from female expats, and I also consider, I'm sure on Facebook now. I don't know because I'm not female, but, you know, going on Facebook and searching 'female expats Thailand,' you should be able to find some groups on there from other female expats living in Thailand that can share more about their experience and help to inform you of the dynamics and what it's like to date as a female expat in Thailand.

2:02:06 I think there's potential out there. I think also, like, how do I put into words? Some guys may assume that, you know, if some guy, there are some guys that come to Thailand to date, and that's not top of mind for me. But there are some guys that might assume, 'Oh, hey, she's Lebanese, maybe, you know, she's from a western country. You know, I struggled with dating back home. Maybe I would struggle dating her as well.' So you might have guys that are interested in you, but they feel like, 'Well, you know, a nice gal like her, wouldn't give me her number back in the West, so why would she give me her number here in Thailand?'

2:02:56 So you also have some people that have Western guys that may have been burned by negative experiences, that may be single and may be attracted to you, but maybe a little bit, you know, once bitten, twice shy about approaching you and having interest. And there are guys that are open to that, are interested in that because, wow, exact words. Yeah, that may be interested. They may have had a negative experience with a local lady. I mean, I know that after I had the end of a relationship last year with the Tioman, like I was like, 'I don't want to date another Thai woman' because it was very passionate, but it ended in heartbreak.

Thai-Western Relationships

2:03:46 And so after that, I was like, 'I just can't do this again.' Like there was so much attraction, and I broke it off with her just for the sake of discussion, but it was just like, 'I don't want to feel that way again.' Like I was so attracted to her, and it didn't work out, such that I don't want to repeat that experience. And so, yeah, there's that.

2:04:20 Locals. And also, for what it's worth, I have a friend of mine named Matt. Matt's from Bangkok, he's Thai, and he's dating a Western woman. They've been in a relationship for like, gosh, like four or five years. They lived together, they seem very happy together. She's from the United States.

2:04:42 The United States, but she's like, I'd rather live in Thailand, and I love Matt. They're very happy together. There's also Lily. I don't really closely follow her channel just because there are so many channels, and I've also got to work on my own channel. But Lily is married to a Thai man. I think they have a child or maybe multiple children, so her channel might be worth looking at. I think it's like Lily's Life in Thailand or something like that. Her channel is much bigger than mine. She's probably got over 100k subs.

English Proficiency in Thailand

2:05:13 But she certainly gets a lot of Okay, so you're familiar. Yeah, so she's one of the people that comes to mind when I think about a woman from outside of Thailand, a Thai man. And I did interview my buddy Matt, actually, but the audio was just not so great. I didn't have the mics that I have now. I'd like to go back up to Chiang Mai at some point and interview Matt again. I'm not sure if I'm gonna swing it before I leave, but that would be really interesting because I think there are a fair amount of women from outside of Thailand that are like, 'Hey, I...'

2:05:43 Yeah, so I do. That's a great comment. I do want to comment on that with Matt. He grew up on Western entertainment, and in his own words, by the way, he's told me many times, I don't come from a rich family. So I think a lot of people assume, 'Hey, if a guy speaks great English, he's probably coming from an affluent background.' In Matt's own words, he didn't. And so with his girlfriend, she's not like, 'Oh, I'm dating this high-society guy.' He's just like a normal guy. He teaches English.

2:06:21 And he, what's the word? Like, so yeah, so he just learned English through watching English entertainment and then taught himself. And then dated a Thai woman or dated an American woman. And so there are Thai guys. The level of English is increasing and improving in Thailand, and there are going to be some guys that they're curious about dating a Western woman. They've learned English.

Dating Apps and Friendships

2:06:42 I would say your luck increases in cities like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, where there's a lot more Western tourism. There's a lot more people coming through from, you know, from other countries. Yeah, and you know what? I'll take a look. I'll take a look at my clips because I may just upload it anyway and just say like, 'Hey, you know what? Audio is not perfect.' You know, let me know what you think. If this audio is crap and you don't want to listen to it, I'll pull the video down because I still have those clips on my hard drive.

2:07:19 But yeah, there's, you know, there's, I think you'll definitely find there'll be more, you know, more guys in a Bangkok or Chiang Mai. And you might try some of the dating apps as well. I know people have mixed feelings about the dating apps, but you might throw in your profile, 'Hey, I'm interested to meet a Thai guy. We can, you know, we can speak in English.'

2:07:47 You may, you know, with Matt, like he communicates very, very well. He, you know, I can joke around with him and I enjoy talking with him. He's such a calm person. He has just such a relaxed and peaceful demeanor. I feel like there's a lot of depth to that friendship for me, anyway. I trust Matt really well. Like we've never argued, we never thought about anything. We don't ever have a difference of opinion.

Loneliness and Social Demands

2:08:16 Like he understands. I love Thailand. I think it's one of the best countries in the world. I don't think of it as a contest, but it's among my favorites. Yeah, and I could see why people would leave. I mean, even I feel lonely at times in Southeast Asia because I'm so far away from the United States. Where in my home city back home, I just call up a friend and drive over to their house. Here, I don't really have that as much, especially in Bangkok.

2:08:49 My friends live in different parts of the city. One of my friends lives far north of the city. Another friend of mine lives probably like 45 minutes away by public transit, and she works all the time. So, you know, the bigger the city, the more demands are put on people's schedules, making it harder to socialize.

Southeast Asian Travel Itinerary

2:09:16 Yes. So, uh, let's just, um, back up here a little bit. So I started off. First Southeast Asian country was Thailand. I went to Thailand in 2018 for one month. I went up here to Chiang Mai. Still have my home address in Shanghai. And I stayed for months. Loved it. Came back the next year in 2019, started in Phnom Penh. So I've been to Cambodia. After Cambodia, I went to Japan. Up here. And then I, no, no, I went to the Philippines. So I went to the Philippines after Cambodia.

2:09:52 And then after the Philippines, I went to Japan. After Japan, I came back to Thailand. After Thailand, I went to Malaysia. After Malaysia, I went to Singapore. And then after Singapore, I came back to Thailand. So the countries I haven't been to yet in Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Indonesia. And Brunei. But Brunei is pretty small on there. So most of them, Indonesia, I haven't been to for mostly because by the time I wanted to get to it last time, they closed the borders. This was around COVID.

Ease of Travel in Thailand and Malaysia

2:10:36 And then Vietnam, the visa is a little bit trickier. So with Thailand, Americans can just show up, we get 30 days. Vietnam, you have to apply, apply in advance, and it's really tricky if you don't get approved because a lot of people, they book their flight, and so then they're having to pay for a rush visa. But Thailand, to me, is what I would call one of the easiest, if not the easiest country in the region to visit because, English aside, there's tons of tourism infrastructure. There's, you know, it's well-worn. So anywhere you go in the country, anywhere that you're going to want to go in the country, there's going to be, you know, transportation. Going to be easy. Food's going to be easy. Accommodation going to be easy. It's just so easy.

2:11:22 Cambodia took a little bit more effort, a little bit more legwork. You know, Malaysia was awesome. Malaysia's like the underrated gem in the region, in my opinion, because it's not really a party destination, and there's a lot of English there already. So teaching English there is not going to be valued in the same way that it'll be valued in Thailand or Vietnam. But Malaysia's really developed, really, really nice.

Online Businesses and Vietnam Wages

2:11:49 I don't know any English teachers currently in Thailand and Vietnam. A lot of my friends that were doing that have started online businesses or gone back to the United States just to pursue careers or other opportunities back home, or they're in e-commerce, or they're, you know, doing some other kind of work.

2:12:13 It seems to be something like, you know, I've heard Vietnam has the best wage-to-cost-of-living ratio. I can't speak to that from personal experience, but I've heard they have higher wages and then lower cost of living. Thailand may not be as lucrative in that way because everybody wants to live in Thailand, right? Everybody's familiar with Thailand, and so Thailand tends to get a lot of people who come for a lifestyle as opposed to maximizing an earnings-to-expense ratio.

Vietnam's Growing Tourism

2:12:43 Vietnam, not quite as touristed yet. It's definitely growing in that regard. But yeah, I'm not, you know, I'm not familiar with any. I know some people will do it a little bit online, but it's not the same as having like an in-person role and more consistent hours. I know there's platforms out there that are popular.

2:13:15 But yeah, feel free to share code, just like about, you know, kind of what you're doing in the region.

Live Stream Schedule and Audience

2:13:47 Will you be doing much more of these lives? Yeah, it's kind of unpredictable. Today is a rainy day in Bangkok, and I decided not to go out. I'll probably order some takeout after this stream. And I don't schedule them in advance because YouTube's interface is a little bit tricky with scheduling them. But yeah, I'm happy to do more of these if there's interest. It seems like I catch different people depending on the time I do them.

2:14:16 It seems like this time of day is the most optimal for my audience because it captures a lot of my subscribers that are here in Asia, where they're done working for the day at this hour. But it also gives an opportunity for my friends back in the US who want to come over here to be able to hop on because it's their morning.

2:14:45 Yeah, yeah, code, feel free to share. Like, happy to have your perspective. You have more time than I have in Southeast Asia. I'm grateful that you've joined us for a long time tonight and you're willing to share your insight and your thoughts on life over here. It's certainly appreciated.

Somal Island and Severance Packages

2:15:08 Now, give me a second too. Like, if you engage that question to, um, to kind of do some more digging, I want to check out down here at near Deva. I want to check out some all. Somal is like a 30-minute ferry ride, really close. I'm sure there's somebody that swam from the coast of Deva to Somal, but I've heard it's really beautiful.

2:16:08 Beautiful. Oh, input. Yeah, so with code, you know, he does marketing and social media management and that kind of thing to help fund his experience. For me personally, I got laid off last summer. I got a substantial severance package, and I'm just now getting to the end of those funds after, and I really haven't gotten through absolutely all of them. I'm getting toward the end of those funds almost one year later.

Monthly Budget and Basic Interests

2:16:40 I would say I budgeted around like, I'm living on around $1200 per month now. Some people will say, 'Oh, that's super low. I couldn't live on that.' Other people will say, 'Oh, that's frivolous. I could live on half that.' That's about what I found to be convenient, including visa fees, including flights periodically. I'm flying like usually every other month in the country. It's going to cost a bit more to fly out of the country.

2:17:06 That also includes, you know, I'm a meat eater. Meat is certainly more expensive than vegetables. That also includes doing some attractions and things like that. But I also, I'm a cheap date. Like, I have pretty basic interests and I'm here to like participate more than I am to consume necessarily. Like there's so much to see and do that are things that I would enjoy more than doing something that's expensive in my home country.

2:17:38 That's expensive in my home country. I like going to Buddhist temples; there's no cost. They're stunning, and there's a cultural element there. I go there with my Thai friends and kind of observe how they practice. There's so much to learn from living halfway between a local and a Westerner. Not having to pay a car payment, like a lot of my Thai friends have cars, is a benefit. But on the other hand, a lot of them are not paying what I'm paying in housing.

Dating Challenges in Bangkok

2:18:14 I have another girlfriend living in Bangkok for about a year now, and she tells me her dating life is nonexistent. I was curious to know if that was just her situation. No, I think that's normal. I think a lot of women from Western democracies will struggle to date in Bangkok because of the language barrier and cultural differences.

2:18:55 It's tough. I don't want to speak about something that, if I'm being honest, I can't relate to as much. I haven't struggled to date here; what limits me is more a matter of time. But I don't think that's going to be your experience here.

Living Costs in Bangkok

2:19:25 I think 35,000 baht is livable if you have roommates, though you'll probably be in a smaller place. I'd bring savings on top of that. If you're working, that's going to take up a lot of the time you would normally have to spend money.

2:19:49 I go a bit above that in Bangkok because of a few things. One, when I come to Bangkok, there are a lot of nice international restaurants I like going to. Two, I come here for visa extensions, so I'm usually paying several thousand baht for that. Three, there are activities like my friends wanting to do fun or nice stuff.

2:20:25 We went up to this coffee shop that was like 40 or 45 stories up off Sukhumvit. The coffee was like 250 baht, so about $7 for that coffee. Of course, you're not paying for the coffee up there; you're paying for the view.

2:20:47 So that's where Bangkok can add up. It's not so much your baseline cost, which is always expensive, but there are so many opportunities to spend money. Just walking down the street, you're going to run into vendors, pass by 7-Elevens, or see an art gallery.

Western Food and Air Conditioning Costs

2:21:08 If you like Western food, that adds up a lot. That's probably what makes up the bulk of my spending or budget: periodically, I like to have Western food and go to Western-style restaurants.

2:21:28 Also, air conditioning. I like to run the aircon a lot, and that can add up. I was paying a jacked-up electricity price, and one month I paid 4,000 baht for my electricity. That is very high; I paid as little as 500 baht in the cold season.

2:21:51 A female friend in Bangkok is a good representative of female expats, but I'm sure you'll find someone nice at Thai venues, even though it might be tougher. And you know, if you're Lebanese at Thai venues, I don't know how else to say this, you may not have the same perception as, say, an Irish or English woman would have.

International Vibe and Dating Perceptions

2:22:25 If you have an international vibe, like you give off a more well-traveled, maybe open-minded vibe, you may have more luck in that regard. I think some guys have struggled with dating women in the West and have a negative perception.

2:22:50 I know I dated exclusively Western women until, well, part of it is the replay. Like I get taken out of context all the time. When I was on Tyrus Times, I said, 'Dating in the West sucks,' and people in the comments immediately said, 'This guy is an inkwell.'

2:23:21 It's one of those insults where, on one hand, it's meaningless because it gets thrown around so much. On the other hand, you also feel like it's this indivisible thing.

2:23:45 So I was on Tyrus Times, I think it got published a month ago maybe. And I feel like I can express problems.

Dating Issues in the West

2:23:58 The profile name was literally Karen. Code, I can't make this up. I got called that by a literal Karen. And to me, I don't need to attack to make a point. Can I tell the truth without belittling someone?

2:24:20 Some guys will say, 'Oh, it's all women in the United States.' No, no, no. I look at it like a lot of the dating issues in the United States are broad. Men and women struggle with the extraordinary cost of living, having to prioritize work over a relationship, and often working multiple jobs.

2:24:52 When I say dating sucks in the West, I don't mean Western women suck. I dated tons of Western women and had many girlfriends. The issues I had became more a result of the stress. Some women I did date in the West had a bad attitude.

2:25:27 My dating issues in the West were not related to not being able to get anyone; it was not being able to get a relationship. I had so many casual experiences in the West, one after another. Yet when I would talk about a relationship, they'd say, 'Oh no, I'm just having fun.'

2:25:56 I did a woman for several years and didn't meet her parents. Some of that is on me; I should have moved on. But I had a lot of experiences where I was looking for an LTR, and they just wanted to have fun.

Casual vs. Serious Relationships

2:26:16 That's not what a lot of guys in that negative category say. They say, 'I can't get a woman to talk to me at all.' That wasn't my issue at all. As I get older, I am looking for something more serious because it's a time thing for me.

2:26:34 I dated so many women and had so many short-term relationships that I was like, 'I'm spending so much time on this.' Not necessarily money, just like, 'Who am I going to date this weekend? Who am I going to invite over?'

2:26:57 Oh, okay, she doesn't have a car, she's really attractive, but she lives in the city, so now I'm driving. And but then, you know, after we have fun a few times, she's like, 'I don't really want to do this.'

2:27:12 So that was my issue. That's why when I complain about dating in the West, people immediately think, 'Oh, that's because you can't get any, dude.' It's like, no, that's the opposite of my problem.

Honesty in Dating

2:27:27 But here's the other problem: when I've come out and said that, then I get people saying, 'Well, of course, dude, you're a player.' So on one hand, I get called an inkwell, and on the other hand, I get called a player. I've been called both numerous times.

2:27:44 Trying to be honest, if I tell people I had a lot of fun dating in the West, well, I'm just a player and I'm mistreating these women. And then if I say I had dating problems in the West, 'Oh, that's because I can't get any.' Which is it?

2:27:56 I've also had people tell me I'm poor and other people in the same conversation tell me I'm rich. So that's why I try not to be ugly; I feel like my message...

2:28:13 Yes, yes, Atarus, that's been my experience as well. I have met some women in Southeast Asia where it almost seems like sometimes in the West, I get led on by the intrigue of a potential relationship that turns into just a hookup. In Southeast Asia, I'll have hookups that have the potential to turn into a relationship where the woman is looking for a relationship, and I'm just traveling through.

Long-Term Goals and Relationship Compatibility

2:28:42 So for me, it's like, okay, I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I'm going to be here forever. Like there was a woman I was interested in in Cagayan de Oro.

2:28:59 We went out to this solid place; it was really nice, and I was interested in her. Then I asked her, 'Where do we go? Let's see the mall.' Did we go to Gaisano? I think we went to SM City.

2:29:20 So we went to this mall, and we were on the date, and I tried to give her a kiss on this escalator, and she's like, 'We're not in a relationship.'

2:29:32 Then I asked her, 'So what's your long-term goal? Where do you want to live?' And she was like, 'Well, I want to live in Australia. I want to move.'

2:29:41 I want to live in Australia, I want to move to a Western country and just work and live over there. I was like, well, long-term, I don't want to live in the West at all. I want to live in Southeast Asia. My goal is to move over here long-term.

2:29:54 She was like, well, I guess it's not going to work out because you're looking to live here and I want to live there. Sounds like what Cod is saying is true, is the opposite for females in Thailand. I think that is the case.

Romantic Culture and Honesty

2:30:09 It's a struggle. And what Cod said too, it's so easy to have fun. That's you have to really try to not have romance in Thailand. I mean, the people are romantic in general, in my personal opinion. The people are just like, I hear love music all the time, I see couples out on dates. It's just a romantic culture, and that's what I prefer to be.

2:30:43 I think it's more wholesome. So that was the experience I had in Southeast Asia, women that were willing to have fun with me, looking for a relationship. But I don't want to be in the position where I'm lying to this poor woman, saying I'm going to be here forever, and then a week later, after we've had some fun, oh, looks like it's time for me to fly to the next country. I'll see you later.

2:31:12 I'm honest with them, like, hey, I'm just here for a month or I'm just here for a few months. And I think they're thinking, well, maybe I'll convince him through having fun. I'm very clear and upfront with them, like, hey, this is how long I'm staying here. We have fun anyway because that's just what happens.

Financial Independence and Long-Term Relationships

2:31:33 This is just a man's perspective. I can't speak from the perspective of a woman. There are quite a few, more and more people trying to share the perspectives of women, and more often Filipinos, just because Filipinos tend to speak English. But yeah, I just prefer to be honest as much as I possibly can.

2:31:57 It does make it tough. There are some other women that I've talked to, like most of the women I meet don't want to live in the Western democracies, but some do. But a lot of them don't. They'd like for me to live over here, but I don't want to be in a position where I live over here and I've got, let's say, five or 10 years worth of money, and then I spend my money and I go back and I'm 40 years old with no recent work history, no recent experience, penniless, and I'm trying to restart.

2:32:34 I'd rather get to the point where financially I can come over here and tell them, hey, I'm now here for good. I'm happy to date you indefinitely. I'm happy to pursue a long-term relationship. I might even be open to marriage down the line, a year or two years from now, if things work out, if we're compatible, if we get along well, if we enjoy each other's company, if we're not having pointless squabbles.

Mistreating Women and Finding Expats

2:33:00 I don't want to be the guy that because there's a lot of guys that mistreat these women from an honesty perspective, where they mislead them to have fun and then they move on. Then they hurt people, they leave a lot of hurt people in their wake, which is wrong. A lot of these women are gems and they're fun people.

2:33:26 I don't know, there's some, there was one lady on Quora, I think her name was like Vanita Bloom. She's a female expat married to a Thai man in Bangkok, and she's a little bit older. But you know, I would look up here, I'll even do a search here.

Female Expat Groups and Asian Dating

2:33:56 I'll throw a link in the group on Facebook. You mentioned you're in your 20s. Facebook, I think of it as more for, like, old men like me. I'm 31. But groups, groups, I'm trying, I'm on a different page right now. I don't even think there's a page here that's surprising. Like, I'm looking for female expats Bangkok, and I don't see it.

2:34:34 Yeah, I'm just not seeing it. Women expat Bangkok. I'm not... Oh, here we go. Okay. Yeah, I'll copy this group link and you may check it out. This looks like a female expat group for Bangkok that may be of value to you.

2:34:55 But yeah, I try to filter what I say because part of my goal with this channel is to normalize expat life. And I feel like you get a lot of strange characters in expat communities that have a bone to pick, and I don't. When I came to Southeast Asia, I briefly dated a Vietnamese woman when I was in high school. She's Vietnamese American, I don't know that she's ever been to Vietnam.

Cultural Barriers and Asian Relationships

2:35:30 Dating Asian women was the first time for coming to Southeast Asia. It was my first opportunity to date Asian women, and I found that there was less of a cultural barrier there. That was one of the issues when I dated American women or European American women of European descent, is that there's just this cultural barrier because I come from this Japanese cultural background. I was raised by my grandmother from Japan.

2:35:55 A lot of them are coming from a European, American, European background, and so there's this cultural difference where, you know, I think more Asian culturally. And so when I dated Asian women in Southeast Asia, I was like, wow, there's so much of these beliefs that I don't have to explain.

2:36:17 I don't have to explain respecting older people. I don't have to explain eating rice. I don't have to explain much. I mean, there's some things, but there's just not really a lot where I feel like I'm having to explain myself or explain why I think the way I think. And so it was really refreshing for me to date over here.

2:36:37 That's part of the reason I don't date in the West. It's like there's just so many cultural issues there that are not going to, or cultural differences there, that just are much lower or don't exist in Southeast Asia.

Ethnicity and Agreeable Personalities

2:36:56 Code, so since you're multi-racial, do you identify yourself with a specific ethnicity? So I don't. I tell people I'm Indian, Japanese. My dad was from India, my mom was half Japanese, half English, Irish. But being raised by my grandmother from Japan, I found that I best relate to other Indian people, and then to a lesser extent, other Japanese people.

2:37:21 I have a Japanese buddy now I met in Krabi. But those are the people that I can kind of identify our best, understand their cultures. But it's kind of like, it's kind of just like a broad. I look at myself as like, almost like a Pan-Asian person in a way, where I enjoy all the Asian cultures that I've gotten to experience over here.

2:37:41 I look at them as different views of kind of the same picture. Like they're looking at the same thing, but from a different angle. And there's things that I value and can appreciate in all of them. I find that some of the things that I like about my friends in Southeast Asia is that they tend to be agreeable.

2:38:03 So I find with a fair amount of Western people, they just love to argue. They want to argue all the time. They want to argue about dumb stuff. They don't want to just have an argument in good faith to learn something new. They're going to tell you why they're right, and if you agree, they win. And it just gets tedious.

Christian Normative Lens and Intellectual Curiosity

2:38:21 And it's also they're pushing things through. Some of them are pushing things through a Christian normative lens. I don't have an issue with Christianity. I think that if a person has faith in that, that's fine. But they look at it like, what's wrong with you is that you don't follow a Christian set of ethics? You need to stop looking at things through a Buddhist lens and through my lens. And that's where there's this cultural issue.

2:38:51 And so that's where I get along well with my Asian friends over here. A lot of them value things like education, respecting the elderly, enjoying a nice meal. You know, there's just this kind of intellectual curiosity that is lacking in the West unless you're in a very big city.

2:39:14 And then it's pretty good. But if you're not in a big city in the West, it's just hard to find intellectually curious people. But yeah, so that was my ethnicity, Indian on my dad's side, Japanese on my mom's side.

Bitter Expats and Personality Disorders

2:39:28 There are many bitter people in the expat community because men in their 30s, 40s, 50s live in the third world, leaving the first world behind. I mean, you've got a lot of people that they can't function in the Western democracies, and I don't blame them. Sometimes I don't feel like I can function as well over there either.

2:39:49 But they think that coming over here will solve that for them. For me, I look at a lot of pull factors. I feel pulled here at least as much as I feel pushed away from the Western democracies. I feel like it's a new lease on life, the beautiful weather, the friendly people, the interesting scenery, in some, the cultural cohesion. I like that people just get along here.

2:40:13 It seems like much better over here on average than a lot of people in the Western democracies, where they seem to be at each other's throats a lot more. But a lot of people bring those attitudes with them. They bring that frustration that they feel. They bring those hard feelings. They bring some personality pathology, right? They have some, they have like a personality disorder where they cannot function in relationships back home.

Bossing People Around and Cultural Norms

2:40:41 And so they come over here because their small amount of money allows them to boss people around, allows them to tell people what to do in a hospitality setting. And so you've got a lot of people that, yeah, they just, they take advantage of the kindness over here. They take advantage of the goodwill of the many people over here, and it's very unfortunate to see.

2:41:13 Because I find so many gems of people over here. And yeah, they get trapped because, you know, they come over here on a thousand a month, and then, you know, the cost of living in the West keeps going.

2:41:27 The cost of living in the West keeps going up, like it just keeps skyrocketing. Because the Western democracies keep printing a lot of money, they find that they can't go back. So, a thousand a month, maybe 10 years ago, they owned a house, or their parents had a house or something. Then the cost gets so prohibitive, they get tired of living over here because culturally, they're Western, they're not part of what makes it easy for me. I'm an Asian person, so I look at this part of the world as having a much more normative existence.

Stuck in Between and Financial Security

2:41:57 I think of it as more normative, and the West as being culturally messed up. Whereas deep down, they're not accepted over here because they don't really think like the people think here. But they've been rejected back home, so they can't really go back home. They're stuck in this in-between space where they don't fit in over here, but they can't go back home financially.

2:42:20 And that's the last thing I want for myself. I am happy here, but if I were to run out of money here, I wouldn't be happy. So my long-term goal is to get to the point financially where I can live in this part of the world in perpetuity, never have to go back. Because a year later in Thailand, and I love it more than I did a year ago. You know, I was warned by a lot of people, 'Oh, it's going to be this, and oh, it's going to be that.'

Love for Thailand and Homelessness

2:42:43 And I love it. I mean, I love it more than I did a year ago because I respect the Thai people, I love the Thai culture, and Thai food is among the best cuisines in the world. It's world-class. When I go out in Bangkok, I rarely see a person struggling with homelessness. I don't see people arguing and fighting like is very common in the Bay Area. I don't feel unsafe like when I was living around San Francisco. You feel very unsafe at night; it's just not a safe place to be. You see vagrants.

2:43:20 I mean, it got to the point, and I lived in a very expensive neighborhood in the Bay Area, one of the more expensive neighborhoods in the San Francisco East Bay. Occasionally, there'd be like a homeless person leaned up against the door of the apartment building. So you would try to leave the apartment building and have to be like, 'Dude, get out of here, like get out of the way of the door, I need to leave.'

Bad Policy and Empty Storefronts

2:43:47 So I lived in downtown Berkeley, and Berkeley, you know, is a beautiful city. There's a lot of beautiful nature there, a really cool vibe. It's interesting, but it's been just ruined by bad policy, bad, terrible policy. And the countries in Southeast Asia haven't adopted those policies. They don't permit this recklessness, this disgusting behavior, this 'oh, it's okay to steal.' It's not okay to steal over here.

2:44:19 Whereas in living in San Francisco, I saw people steal all the time. It was very common to go to a store and there'd be shoplifters there, so much so that a lot of businesses have closed. They can't afford it anymore. So then you walk around a neighborhood and like half the businesses are just empty storefronts, and that gets to be depressing. Whereas I rarely see empty storefronts in this part of the world.

Vibrant Cities and Night Safety

2:44:43 You see them some, but you don't see them all the time. And because rent is not astronomical, and because the system hasn't been gamed, a lot of landlords in the Bay Area, the appreciation is so high, they'd rather keep rent up here and have an empty storefront for 10, 15, 20 years and just get the appreciation. Who cares if it's empty, who cares if it's blighted, who cares if it's an eyesore? Whereas here, somebody else is going to rent that place and turn it into a restaurant or a massage shop or an office space.

2:45:19 If it's an older building, they're going to come in and update it because there's so much foot traffic, so much street activity. It's such a vibrant and dynamic city, there's so much going on that people feel safe. People feel safe to go out at night here in a way that they don't in the Bay Area. I mean, I remember on the odd occasion I'd go out at night, my friends that were Bay Area locals would be looking over their shoulder, 'Oh gosh, better make sure nobody's going to try to con us or rob us or whatever it may be.'

Thai Timing and Flexible Schedules

2:45:53 So yeah, very, very different culturally. And Thai timing is a real thing. I remember when I was going to meet up with one of my friends last fall, maybe it was December. I get to where we're supposed to meet up, and she's like, 'Still working out.' So, you know, she's like, 'Hey, I'll be there after I finish up my workout.' So I just walked around for like 15, 20 minutes, and yeah, there is definitely a Thai timing thing where timing is more flexible here in Thailand.

Bangkok Malls and Shopping

2:46:55 Siam Paragon is a really beautiful mall in a city full of beautiful malls, and it's like it's near Siam Square. And you've got all these malls here: Siam Discovery, Siam Center, you've got MBK. This is where I like to, if I need to get my phone battery replaced, I'll come down to MBK. They've got this really cool art museum I've been to. I really like it.

2:47:40 So there's just this rich culture that you experience here in Thailand. It's there's nothing like it. Rolex at Bangkok malls, there's a lot of interesting shopping. Yeah, if you're a shopper, you'll have really have to be careful because here there's so many malls and so much to buy. This mall, Sunday, it's packed, but I came over here to get a shirt and got one. It was like $10, no, it was like $99.50 equivalent, but there's six stories of clothes. You got so much shopping here.

Kiosks and Ice Cream Shops

2:48:28 It's just kiosk after kiosk after kiosk, all the different things that you could want. This looks like an ice cream shop. Um, yeah, you know, bags, like everything you could want.

2:49:08 thirsty. When are you planning to get here? Atarus and also code, you may now want to answer, but what country are you in at the moment? Are you in Thailand? Code, you don't have to specify city or anything like that, but I'm just curious about where you're located.

Con Con Park and Vietnam Insights

2:49:36 But, um, yeah, there's so much to see and experience. I want to go to, I want to check out this park later this week, maybe. Con Con Park, and you can rent a bike for 60 baht and ride it around here. It's just gorgeous. I've heard it called the Green Lung. I don't know if that's the proper name for this spot.

2:50:22 Oh, so you're in Vietnam. Okay. Um, yeah, thank you for your insight on Vietnam. Like I said, I've never been there, so it's really helpful to hear about that. Who knows, maybe if I'm over there at the same time you're at, end up in the same city, be happy to meet up and chat.

Damage Control and San Francisco Neighborhoods

2:51:15 beautiful. But, um, feel free. Code, no, I haven't. Um, I've seen it. There's a map for it too. Definitely seen it. And to give Barry a little bit of credit, it has escalated. It wasn't always this extreme like it is now. It just is a problem that was left unaddressed and just kept getting worse and worse and worse.

2:51:48 And it's mostly concentrated in a few neighborhoods. So like in San Francisco, I guess I could pull up. Don't want to look at it, but I'll pull it up anyway. It's mostly concentrated down here. So it's mostly concentrated in, this basically like this. So Tenderloin is the worst of it. I don't know why they, okay, I was about to say they call it edgy. This is the worst neighborhood for it, of course.

2:52:25 I don't know, maybe it's Google wanting to do damage control, but maybe it's certain photographs are not. Yeah, they're doing some kind of astroturfing here because this neighborhood does not look like this. Maybe these are pictures from COVID times where the city was empty. You can see here though, you look at this street level, like these are all metal grates up, but they're not. That's crazy, that's not even in this neighborhood.

2:53:01 These are, yeah, they're trying to cover this up. This is called the Palace of Fine Arts. It's a crime hotspot, but it's nowhere near the Tenderloin. Yeah, they're not. That's crazy to me that they are not allowing people to actually, okay, so maybe why are they? I guess there's money in it, there's tourism.

Crime Hotspots and Reviews

2:53:26 So they're not wanting to show it, but it's worst in Tenderloin, Soma. This is called South, so this is Market Street right here, south of it. So South of Market Street is the worst, alongside Tenderloin. Mission is okay, like Mission is kind of an up and down kind of neighborhood. Some years it's good, some years it's not so good.

2:54:12 But yeah, enough. Okay, good, good. Code, yeah, because I was about to say, like, they're running some damage control because that's not what any of these neighborhoods look like. It's seriously not. Maybe we pull up a review here. Maybe they'll allow.

2:54:35 Okay, there we go. Yeah, yeah, you see homeless. They mention homeless, homeless, homeless, homeless, homeless. Like, I mean, so they can't hide the reviews. Fortunately, they cannot address reviews. And I have concerns about it because it's a safety issue. It's wrong to tell people, 'Hey, come here and spend money,' and then not allow people to see photographs of the reality.

Public Safety Concerns and Enabling Homelessness

2:55:02 It's a reality, and if the city doesn't address it, yeah, look at this. I mean, come on. This was seven months ago, so it's not like it was 10 years ago. No, these are realities, and people are paying a lot of money. You see 9,000 baht. People are paying $250 a night to have this.

2:55:33 It's embarrassing, and I'm a shareholder. I own stock in Google, like I want them to have some concerns about people's well-being because if people come here and have a bad time, they're not going to come back. And they're going to tell their friends not to go there. And the city can only improve if people take address these issues head-on and address the public safety concerns.

2:55:56 Actually go in and clean the city up and try to do something to make it livable. I'm not, I don't have a problem with people being

Hoian City and Bangkok Development

2:56:03 I don't have a problem with people being homeless. I understand it's a real issue. A lot of people struggle with it. It's the idea that you're helping them by not helping them, by enabling them, and enabling the issues. It's just a tragedy. I mean, that's what it is. It's a tragedy.

2:56:26 But I want to get off the subject because it is kind of depressing. Hoian City is wild and crazy. Thailand is more developed, but Bangkok is a much, much better city these days.

Stream Wrap-up and Future Plans

2:56:53 I'll be honest, we're closing in on three hours. I may be wrapping up soon just because my voice is starting to go a little bit, and I'm getting kind of hungry. I need to get on some tax stuff.

2:57:06 But thanks so much, Code, for joining me tonight. I really appreciate it. You've been a great conversation partner and helped me a lot to discuss these topics. And yeah, I need to do these more often. I didn't realize there was that much interest in me doing these.

Farewells and Thank Yous

2:57:26 Maybe I could do them like three days a week. I know Heidi and George do theirs three days a week. But yeah, I hope you have a great rest of your week in Hoian City and hope to catch you on the next chat. Have a good one, Code.

2:57:41 All right, thank you. I'll keep that in mind. All right, bye-bye. Take care. Thanks so much, everybody, until next time.