Saturday Night in Bangkok

Weekend in Bangkok and Job Interview

0:19 Hey everybody, I'm coming to you from Bangkok, Thailand, and I'm just waiting for sometimes the timer resets and the stream starts. It's like, I don't know, 10, 20 seconds later than I thought, but yeah, open forum tonight, just enjoying my weekend here in Bangkok. It's been kind of a slow weekend; I've been pretty tired, been doing a lot of just running around the city this week trying to get some different errands done, trying to make some videos in different parts of the city to get some background footage in case I want to do a voiceover-style video where I show you some of the areas that I'm seeing, but then discussing a topic because I think the topics are helpful to illustrate a point or make some points.

1:21 We already got one person on the stream. This must be a good time for... oh, a couple of people on the stream. This must be a good time for all of you guys. Feel free to throw anything in the chat; I'm happy to discuss whatever you'd like to discuss. Not a whole lot going on. I had an interview last night for a job back in San Francisco. If I passed it, I'll move on to the third round. If I didn't pass, then that's the end of the road for that opportunity, and I'll have yet some more time here in Thailand, which I can't complain about. I love it here in Thailand so much that it's a win-win scenario.

2:02 You know, if I got it, well, that's going to allow me to invest aggressively and pour most of that salary, most of those paychecks into investments, which will help set me up to come back to Thailand later on. If I didn't get it, then ideally, I've got some I can finish out my time in Thailand and move on to the next opportunity out there for me. I have the option to extend my visa, and it's really tempting, but at the same time, there are some places that I want to see that I've never seen before. There's just so much to see in Asia; I could live my lifetime in this part of the world and not run out of things to see and do.

Exploring a New Bangkok Mall

3:01 I guess we could pull up a mall that I checked out recently. This was my first time in this mall; I think it's a new mall here in Bangkok. Let's pull up a tab. Probably many of you are familiar with it. Hey, hey, we got three viewers. Feel free to jump in with any thoughts or questions that you guys have. Let's share. Oh, that's what I wanted to do tonight, is check out the riverfront. Well, that's okay, maybe I'll get into that sometime this week.

3:44 What? Oh, Sam, so I checked out... I don't know how you pronounce it. Let me know, throw it in the chat if you know how to pronounce this, but my town, I just got off the phone with one of my Thai friends. We talked for a couple of hours. I should have asked her how you pronounce this. In fact, I'm gonna go ahead and message her that I want to know how a Thai person would pronounce it. I just know the San part, but the second part is a little bit tricky there.

4:27 So yeah, really cool mall, super modern, like most of the malls in Bangkok. Very cool artistic displays. I don't think I went to the upper floors, so I need to go back to this mall sometime this week. I was down there to look at some shoes. I saw some of what I wanted. I also checked out this outlet in MBK. They didn't have my size at the outlet, so I may loop back here and grab a pair of Adidas just because I find them to be really comfortable and I put a lot of miles on them.

5:05 I will say this latest style that I purchased in Pattaya last fall has lasted me a long time. It's a little bit sturdier model, I think maybe the sole is just made of a different material as opposed to having that kind of rubber sole that seems to wear out a bit more quickly. And I walk so much in Bangkok, so I really go through shoes very quickly and wear them out very quickly. And you may feel the same way that when you come over here, there's just so much to see, so much in the way of eye candy that it's just a visually stunning place.

5:39 Like I don't know what this design is or this piece is, but it's very beautiful. And they've got the Tim Hortons for those who are Canadian, perhaps watching the replay of this stream. Then, yeah, Tim Hortons is a popular Canadian chain, and I think this is the first Bangkok location. I don't know if I've had import before; you know, they're in America as well, but certainly interesting to see them halfway around the world.

6:22 This mall is really nice. They've got like a lot of fashion stores and then a lot of restaurants, and it's conveniently located here, not too far from Lumphini Park. I'm kind of wondering if this was under construction. Let me look this up: when was Samyan built? I'm getting in conclusion. Okay, so it was open. Maybe I had seen it before when I came here on my last trip. I was like, this doesn't seem super familiar on that trip. I was staying here near Lumphini Park and I would just come down here for just like walking.

7:18 Like, where am I? I mean, Bangkok back then felt so alien to me, and even now, at times, it feels alien in a good way. It's like it's just a sensory overload of the city.

Shopping at MBK and Platinum Fashion Mall

7:36 So I actually walked there from where I'm staying in Sathorn, and then came up past Thonglor. And where is it? MBK. Yeah, I think it was. So this is MBK. It's a great place, by the way, if you need to replace your phone battery. MBK is a great spot. They have like dozens of shops. Specific one that I like, I can't remember the name off the top of my head.

8:09 But we also got some language schools in here. And after that, I came to see... I don't know if it's gonna pop up. It's right around here, Platinum Fashion Mall. And this is an alternative to Chatuchak, in my opinion, if you're somebody who needs to get clothes. And I needed to get a dress shirt for my interview, and you don't want to make it up to Chatuchak, which can be a bit far if you're staying on Sukhumvit. That I think this is a great alternative. The selection's great; they have five or six floors.

8:45 It is packed, so I would say be prepared. It's one of the busiest malls I've been to in Thailand, and that's saying a lot. But if you're looking for clothes, I think it's a great place to even maybe even stock up. They had a deal. This shirt I got for... this is 300 baht. And I'm not going to put it on, but this red button-up shirt was 350 baht. And then she said if I get, I think she said four for a thousand, maybe four for 1100 baht, something like that.

9:32 And so if I get a job back in the States, I'm probably going to go stock up on a work wardrobe. Now, the sizes are Thai sizes, so be prepared to try things on. They don't have a dressing room, so you just have to kind of put it on over your clothes. I felt a little bit vulnerable in that position. I saw a Thai gentleman purchasing a pair of pants, and he was putting it over his pants, and his family started laughing, and then I started laughing, and we were all just laughing because there's not a dressing room.

10:07 So that was just so funny that I have so many moments like that in Thailand of innocent laughter. And having fun. And they have, you know, if you're hungry at Platinum Fashion Mall, they have some of the same chains you're familiar with throughout the city, like I like a lot. It's like Japanese rice bowls. And they, of course, they've got a KFC, and they've got a food court with like your standard Thai options and a smoothie spot, which I needed because I was cooking that day. This was the heat of the day in Bangkok, and it was such a relief to be able to grab a smoothie.

Bangkok Landmarks and River Views

10:58 And I think the designer of this building with the golden dome here is the same designer of the Baiyoke State Tower and the Sathorn Unique Tower.

11:37 And what else do I want to take a look at doing next week? Because even if I get this opportunity, which is not guaranteed, I've got to pass the third round. I'll still want to make the most of the time. So I want to come down here to see. I want to come see this. It is, I would say, fairly touristy, but if you've ever seen a view of Bangkok, especially the Chao Phraya River, and you see this Ferris wheel. This Ferris wheel is part of this spot they've got. I guess mostly it's food.

12:10 I meant to go there tonight, but I just felt so tired for some reason. And I'm kind of wondering if I have COVID-19. It's going around Bangkok right now. One of my friends actually just tested positive yesterday, and I think her mother is sick as well. So that's definitely going around right now. I recommend if you're coming here, just kind of keep that in the back of your mind.

13:11 It's not too far either from... I think you can get a free ferry from not too far from IconSiam. So I think you just hop on right here at the Sathorn Ferry Port and you can hop on it and come down here. I guess you get off of it here and then maybe walk down Charoen Krung.

Exploring Thonburi and West Bangkok

13:54 I love Thailand, just such a wonderful country. I can't say enough positive things about my time here.

14:35 I do apologize for not announcing this in advance. I know it's not exactly ideal when you all don't get advanced notice of these. It's a few things. One, scheduling can be a little bit tricky. Sometimes, just not feeling it. But yeah, it's also great, I think, to do this on the weekends where we have better odds of folks having time to join in.

15:24 Else, I did mention this temple on a stream a few streams ago. I do want to go back there. So that's something that needs to be added to my notes for this week is to get over to the Wat Arun. Spend time in the Brooklyn of Bangkok. Age with that sentiment. The more time I spend in Thonburi, the more I can see that it's like got the Brooklyn vibe. I do want to come out here to Thonburi. I don't know what's going on over here, but getting a bit further west of the river.

15:59 Might open up some interesting activities. None of my Thai friends have been over here, so I don't mean... okay, that's enough of this. Um, but you know, they've just never had any reason to go this far west of the river, and it's just so interesting to me. People that have lived in the city their whole life, but you know, it's probably similar in LA. I mean, there are certainly people in LA that haven't been to some parts of the city because there's nothing wrong with those parts of the city; they just haven't had much reason to go that far away from home.

16:38 I find that a lot of Thai people, their lives are much more family-centric, which inherently means that connection to home, more so than in the West.

17:09 Temple. I'm kind of wondering if I could grab a river. I don't know if they have them on the west side of the...

17:15 I've seen them a little bit around the temple, but I don't know if it's just to view the temple or if you can do a full-on trip. If so, I would take one all the way out to like, uh, Bang B.

Southern Bangkok and Botanical Gardens

17:56 Okay, also feel free to chime in with any questions or thoughts, anything that's on your mind tonight. I'm happy to chat about anything.

18:12 So this is actually like the general area, and I think it's fine for me to talk about this. I dated a woman that lived down here in Prang um a couple years ago, and recently I reached out to her just to see how she's doing and check in with her.

18:29 And, um, things didn't end on the best terms, and I'd like to take an opportunity to apologize to her. You know, kind of let her know I could have handled that a little bit better.

18:41 But yeah, she's down here in the south of the city. I haven't actually been over here, but I want to check that out. But I also want to check this out, like I don't know what all this is.

18:58 Um, okay. Park in Botanical Garden. Okay, so there's wow, that is gorgeous. Never been here before. This looks beautiful. I've got to make it a point to see this.

19:45 This, I may even need to bike for this one, just it seems like a lot of these folks are riding bikes. And to really see this big part, you could benefit a lot from having a bicycle.

20:03 Oh, and it's near this bridge. This is this bridge I want to see up front or see up close, and they have a floating market. Yeah, so this is wild. This will be, I didn't realize this is part of Samut Prakan as well.

20:24 Time has been spent east of the river, and I'm starting to west of the river and being, um, being near the river, like where I'm at right now, is definitely helpful for getting west of the river.

Green Lung and Seafood Exploration

20:39 See, I'm not going to put in my exact location, but, um, I'll put in a location near me. Yeah, here we go. So it is, it's a lengthy ride. Wow.

20:59 So I would need to ride over here down to opposite Three Chrome Village, and then, oh, you could take the long tail to the green line. Let me look that up actually after this.

21:21 Um, because that's something that I've heard a lot about. Haven't seen it myself. And they have a Hindu temple. Wow, very cool.

22:29 All right, all right. Let's check out the green lung because I want to see.

24:09 So yeah, that's I guess that's the green line. I need to make it a point to go check it out.

24:32 Oh, building material store. Not something that I'll be needing on this.

24:42 Okay, I'm all about the seafood, and this is something I have to check.

Terminal 21 Rama 3 and Central Rama 3

26:16 I checked out the Terminal 21, which is awesome, by the way. Hidden gem. Really quick, I'll show you, um, here. So if you like Rama, or if you like Terminal 21 and O, but you want a much more chilled out with a lot of the same stores, restaurants, conveniences, come to Terminal 21 Rama 3.

26:37 Of course, it's not quite the same level of convenience as that O location, but it's really nice. I mean, you get convenience, the variety, the beautiful decorations without the crowds. It was like so strange to be in a Terminal 1 that wasn't packed.

26:57 The BRM now, it is popular. See a lot of people there, but not near to the same extent that you'll see at the O branch. But let's go back to Rama 3.

27:07 Central Rama 3. Oh.

27:47 All been to so many Centrals in Thailand, but it's just such a lovely experience every time. I don't mind going to see some.

27:53 Looks like we got three viewers on here. Um, feel free, guys, to jump in the comments in the chat. I'd love to hear your thoughts or maybe share some ideas. Maybe there's some things you'd like for me to cover or I pull up and look at.

28:31 I heard they closed up the airplane graveyard in Boni, which is disappointing.

28:44 Did I make it to P Town where I'm come hang? I know that I've spent some time in the mall life.

28:53 Store, there's a lot of interesting. I think are a little underrated. Um, I walked around a lot out here when I was living out here and got to see a little bit of the less touristic side to the city.

29:29 Wow, okay, that's beautiful. That is so beautiful.

Chao Phraya River and Dragon Temple

29:44 They have soccer games here, whereas everybody else outside of America calls it football.

30:30 Oh, I know how far out I can go. Something that would be interesting to me. I don't know if you could do this, but taking a boat down the entirety of the Chao Phraya, all the way out to where the river feeds into the Gulf.

30:44 There's also, um, one of my friends wanted to take me here, and I think we'll probably try to go sometime in the next month or so. There's this, uh, in San, there's this Dragon Temple. It's this huge dragon.

30:58 May, s dragon.

31:18 Wrong. So I guess it's right. It's out here. Okay, I don't see the temple popping up.

31:35 Some, wow, you know, that's not really that bad time-wise. Like, an hour and 45 minutes to get all the way out here. We're not too far from Savan.

31:59 Poom. Hey Michael, how are you doing? Doing good to see you.

Bangkok Nights and Creative Parks

32:13 I'm just enjoying a chill night in Bangkok. Of course, I'm not feeling super tired because I woke up at like 11:00 a.m. today.

32:22 And when I because I stayed up last night till probably about 3:00 a.m., I had an interview at like midnight that went till almost 1:00 a.m.

32:32 And after that, I just couldn't get to sleep for a couple hours. So I woke up late. And so part of what I'm thinking is after the stream, I might go out wandering the streets of Bangkok. It's just such a vibrant city.

32:46 And there's just like buzzing energy there. And yeah, oh, I'm glad to hear you're doing well. Just chilling out. That's the best way to spend a Saturday night.

33:01 It's great. Wild times going out and doing and meeting interesting people. But this part of the world, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Philippines, also a place where it's so easy to recharge, right?

33:17 It's so easy to just stay at home and you're not going to face any judgment. Um, you can just relax, recharge. Whereas I feel like sometimes back home, there's this, uh, I, you know, maybe it's just working, maybe part of it's just having a full-time schedule where it's like, okay, I'm maximizing my enjoyment on Saturday and Sunday.

33:39 I've got to go take advantage of that time to go out and interact with other people and socialize, maybe go have some drinks, meet up with some friends. But here, I could do that any day of the week. So it is kind of a treat to have that time to just relax on the weekends.

34:11 So what else? I want to make it down to Huai but I don't know. Like, I'm having so much fun in Bangkok. It's just kind of hard to, like, you know, knowing that my time in Thailand may be coming to a close soon.

34:24 It's like, ah, there's so much you haven't seen in Bangkok. And always be there, but Bangkok is this dynamic city that's always changing. And every time I come to it, it feels like a different city. Like there's new buildings, there's new malls, there's new restaurants, there's new art to look at.

34:44 It's, it's hard for me to overstate the level of energy here. Like it's just constantly buzzing and there's motorbikes whizzing by and there's delicious food cooking up on every corner and there's Thai people going about their lives.

35:08 I'm dressed for the nines. People dress very well here. I feel like I'm always underdressed in Thailand. And to be fair, with the heat, you know, the heat not being something that I think as many Americans are used to, even being from the Southeast, it's still more hot and humid here that I'm always like, okay, well, if I dress up, I know my nice clothes are going to be soaked pretty quick just walking around outside.

35:56 Here. Okay, this is interesting. I just popped up on here, T-Wee Creative Park. Okay, that's cool. I love how they do this. There's an airplane. Um, I saw something similar in Paia, and they're just so cool to look at.

36:15 To go up to like an airplane. I don't know if this is an actual airplane or a model of one. Much visual simulation here. I love it.

Bangkok Museums and Cathedrals

36:24 Hey Matt, how's it going tonight? Checking out this place that popped up on Google Maps, Chong Chui Creative Park. That's something that I might have to add to my list and go check it out. It's in the north, the Northwest part of the city. I don't know, North mostly the West part of the city, like west of the Dent District, west of Long.

36:59 Flat. Oh, ology Center. Oh, that's got to be interesting. Learn about the history of Thailand.

37:09 I checked out this was on the top floor of Icon Siam. They had a really nice art gallery there to look at. Had a lot of Thai art and creative that I really, really enjoyed.

37:51 One that I want to do as well, I think, not too far from where I live, Bangkokian Museum. They turned this house, um, formerly belong to this family into a museum to show people the average high home is like on the inside.

38:07 And I think this is a very nice home, especially by Western standards. I know Thai standards are quite high in a lot of ways, but this would be like a multi-million dollar house back in California.

38:30 Tonight, Matt, how how's it going? Or I guess I should say morning, I guess it's morning, right?

38:40 Any, uh, any weekend plans for you this this weekend? I guess they have these. These are mosquito nets. So very cool. That would be definitely very helpful to have.

38:58 I I've definitely had a few mosquito bites when I had a more open air style apartment in Huai. My apartment was was a little bit open air style, not totally, but you could definitely definitely see where there was, uh, especially under the door, there was opportunity for mosquitoes to get in. I got bit a little bit more there.

39:19 Fortunately, I did not get Dengue. Is something that I am paranoid in the back of my mind every time I get bitten by a mosquito. I'm like, this is it. But fortunately, that hasn't happened. I don't know if it's my, I don't know if it's just luck or if it's my immune system that's honestly not that great, but I'm grateful to not have gotten Dengue.

Retirement in Thailand and Land Purchase

40:04 Oh, this is a beautiful cathedral. I don't think I've seen this one. It looks like something that came from like Spain or something that you would see in the Philippines. Wow, that is gorgeous.

40:30 That's really cool. Very nice to look at. It's like across the river from Icon Siam, I guess. I, you know what, I have probably seen it. I just haven't walked up to it.

40:43 Oh, you know what, maybe part of it is that it's behind the Mandarin Oriental, because I've seen this hotel plenty of times, but it's probably dwarfing everything behind it.

41:04 Up and giving everything away. So Matt, are you getting to your time, uh, to come over here? Is it getting closer to your exit date, leaving the United States and coming here to Thailand? Because that's a momentous occasion.

41:18 Like, I'm sure you've got a lot of mixed feelings about it and, um, maybe it's a big change for you, right?

41:28 I mean, I know you spent a lot of time here in Thailand, but yeah, you know, I just came here one year ago and it feels like a lifetime ago that I was living in America. And I'm not super looking forward to going back, but you know, I know I'll be able to come here long term eventually.

41:49 And talking to subs like you who have diligently saved, invested, worked really hard and made a lot of sacrifices to make your dream a reality, helps to inspire me to stay on the path and keep being diligent about working hard and grinding it out and moving toward my goal.

42:10 And I think mentally you're going to be in a great place, probably better than where I'm at, because you know, you're not going to have to go back.

42:16 You're not going to have to go back, especially if you're giving away a lifetime of toilet paper. I think during COVID, a lot of us stocked up on stuff like toilet paper, maybe more than we could use in a reasonable timeframe. Now we're heading out and we're having to get rid of those things.

42:48 Matt, you were just in Thailand a month ago, right? What was that like? I've always wondered why the east side of the Gulf of Thailand is so developed down to Pattaya. You can see this if you've ever taken a bus from Bangkok to Pattaya. It's quite developed, though it thins out a bit around the border near Chanthaburi and Trat. Then you get down here, for example, in Chonburi, and I talked to a woman who lived up there. They have a lot of Japanese businesses and manufacturing there. But over here, it's probably not as developed.

44:17 There's just not as much. You know, you get on to Hua Hin, and there's definitely development around Hua Hin, but it doesn't seem quite to the same extent as on the east side of the gulf.

44:38 I bought a building lot in Rayong Province. I retired from a paper manufacturer. Congratulations on your retirement; I know it's well-earned. You worked hard for many years and contributed a lot to American society and the economy. Your retirement to Thailand is well deserved and well-earned, and I think you're going to really enjoy it. You've been here quite a few times.

Thailand vs. Philippines and Financial Planning

45:12 I'm guessing you bought that with your Thai significant other, just because I've heard that Western people can't purchase land in Thailand. We can purchase condos, though.

45:33 Matt says the trip was good, mostly business. Well, I'm really glad to hear that. I can imagine your trips are different from someone just coming for vacation or tourism. You're trying to set yourself up for a successful retirement and going to have a dream home in the country.

45:55 The first woman I dated in Thailand was actually from Rayong, so that name sticks out to me. I remember asking her where she was from. At the time, I didn't know anything about Thailand; I'd only been there about a week. I was like, 'How did I get my bearings in this alien world?' So she and I communicated with translate, and I asked her where she was from because I thought everyone in Thailand lived in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, as those were the only two cities I knew.

46:39 She was like, 'Oh, I'm from Rayong.' I found out that in Chiang Mai, you have lots of students from the surrounding provinces. Chiang Mai is a business and education hub, but many people aren't originally from there. It's a dynamic, vibrant city with people from all over the north living there.

47:00 The YouTube algorithm sent me here. I've been watching your channel for a few days. Keep making content, my brother. I travel to a few places, and I'm a young dude who wants to try Thailand or the Philippines soon.

47:14 That's wonderful. Jay, you're already on it. I think some of the... I guess I don't know if there are ads running right now. I do apologize that it's interrupting this chat.

47:37 Yeah, Thailand and the Philippines are both great options, Jay. You can't go wrong with either. I think a lot of people should try both just to see what they're most interested in. There are tradeoffs. A lot of people ask me which is better, the Philippines or Thailand. I don't feel that either one is better than the other; they're just different flavors. It's like asking what's better, mangoes in Thailand or pineapple? Both are fantastic.

48:11 You can't go wrong with mangoes or pineapples. Getting a sense of what you like when you're young is great. I know some people want to move to this part of the world when they're young. I lean more toward getting my money in the West and then coming over here to have that financial ability because it's not a place where you can legally make money without a work permit. Beyond that, if you don't speak the language or aren't familiar with the culture, you'll have an easier time if you're not making your money in the West, at least getting your business established and then coming over.

Researching Expat Life and City Vibes

48:50 Some would disagree, but for me, I'm not counting on hitting the lottery or inheriting assets. So, the way I look at it is doing it with a bit more stability by earning my money in the West, saving, and investing. Also, doing these trips because there's no guarantee I'll make it to retirement age. My grandfather had a major heart situation at 38. I'm 31, and my concern is if I totally delay gratification and wait until I hit my FIRE number, I may have some health issue that prevents me from making it.

49:47 I don't want to be the person who delayed and delayed and then finally gets over here and a week later... So, I'm doing these trips to do more discovery and figure out what I like and don't like. Is the big city for me? Am I a Bangkok person, or am I more like Matt, who has found that the province is where he enjoys spending time, close to his significant other's family, and also has opportunities for business?

50:29 A lot of people, I think, want to move over here, and I think it's a good idea for a lot of guys. But I simultaneously think doing that research, spending... last year when I was working in the US, I spent the entire year researching. I spent tons of time watching YouTube videos from all the popular channels you can think of, like 'Retired Working for You,' and also watching 'Bangkok Pat' and 'Tyrus Times,' where I was interviewed.

51:08 You can't spend too much of your free time in the West learning and earning. Doing those two things will prepare you very well. If I hadn't come over here and done several trips, I wouldn't have been prepared for this year. So, I always suggest building up to it. You come on your initial vacation and think, 'Oh my God, this is amazing.' You wonder, is that just vacation mode, or do I actually want to live that way?

Language Barriers and Expat Choices

51:48 Yes, Michael, I'll definitely get into that. Michael says he's in the Philippines. So, you've also got a lot of guys for whom Thailand may not be for them. They may feel the language barrier might be an obstacle. They prefer to go to the Philippines. Others may feel, well, there's a lot to like about both. I mentioned before, but there's a lot I like about the Philippines as well.

52:23 I connected really well with the Filipino people. I connect well with Thai people as well. But if there's one thing that maybe I've struggled a little bit with in the last year, it's with the English. Now, I have found more Thai people than you would think have English. I've approached Thai people at temples just about what to do, and they spoke great English. And not even the people working there, but just Bangkokians visiting the temple.

52:53 Speaking of which, there's a podcast, I can't think of the name. He was on 'Tyrus Times' like a year ago. He did a great video on the Sathorn Idea Studio. He's great. I want to watch his stream; he does them every Sunday. So, it might be tomorrow that I watch him. I need to set a notification for myself.

53:18 Matt says, 'Make it in the West, spend it in the East.' I think that's a great attitude to have, Matt. You're going to be able to make money much more quickly in the West. And as far as the cost of living versus income ratio, it's still good, even though it's not as good as it was in the past. In Western democracies, it's still good. This sounds wild, but I'm willing to live in tiny apartments or my car or go to any length to put away as much money as possible.

53:49 Michael says another option is to learn the stock market and trading options, good dividends, and use this crypto bull market to secure your... I agree, Michael. I'm loaded up on Aloran. Anyone watching this live or watching the rerun, I don't give financial advice because I'm not licensed for that. But I am loaded up on Aland. This is not a suggestion to buy it; it's just the one that I'm holding a lot of.

54:16 And when I go back, ideally, I get a job in the coming months this fall, and I'm able to load up on some other cryptos. I'd like a little up on actual...

54:28 Cryptos I'd like a little up on actual Bitcoin and uh and get some dividends. My ideal Michael would be to collect about 2,000 a month or so in dividend income every month, and then use that as a base for my expenses, so paying my rent from that, paying for my food, paying for transportation, paying for clothes, paying for electronics.

54:54 And then, you know, if for some reason the Philippines ends up being my longtime home, which, being a single guy, that's probably going to be the big differentiator: do I meet and have a relationship, a marriage, with a Thai woman or with a Filipino? Because that's part of, now this isn't the only reason, but that's a legitimate way to be in one of these countries.

55:20 Am I getting rid for that visa? No. First off, that's illegal. Second off, that's a terrible reason to have a relationship with somebody. But I do know that I want to live in this part of the world. Of course, the Philippines visa is a little bit easier than Thailand's visa. With the Philippines, Americans get up to three years and can just leave and come back just as a tourist.

55:46 But Thailand being a little more challenging, I know that I'll eventually qualify for that retirement visa in Thailand. So that's another option, but that's, to me, also a signifier of love for the country, love for these places, is being willing to commit to them in any different aspects of your life.

56:05 And I undoubtedly know Thailand could be that for me after a year here. In the future, you know, I could spend a year in the Philippines. The Philippines could be that for me. In some ways, Thailand is easier. In some ways, the Philippines is easier. I find that the English in the Philippines is really fantastic.

Financial Independence and Lifestyle Adjustments

56:23 But yeah, back to investing, I think that sorting out your finances in the West will prepare you for a much more comfortable life in this part of the world. Knowing, hey, if something comes up and I need to pay for it, I can do so. It's not going to be a major issue if I need to pay for a doctor's appointment, or take the dog to the veterinarian, or if there are children involved, hey, we need to take the kids to the doctor, or you want to take a vacation.

56:50 For example, sometimes you just want to get out of your neighborhood, you just want to get out of your house, you want to go down to the islands. Or if you're in the Philippines, you want to go to a different island, maybe you want to go to the big city for a week or a weekend. All these things open up for you when you bring more money.

57:06 And I've really been grateful that I brought as much as I did for this trip because it gave me the opportunity to go and see several different parts of the country. One of my concerns with this lifestyle, and talking to people about this lifestyle, is they'll see my videos and they'll think, 'Okay, Bangkok, I got to go to Bangkok.'

57:31 Bangkok is awesome. It's, I call it to some extent, Thailand with training wheels if you stay on Sukhumvit, because you're going to have plenty of English, Western-style restaurants, very nice accommodations, all the Western brands you're familiar with.

57:47 Same with the Philippines. I haven't been to Manila, but I have been to Cebu. And in Cebu, you've got the same deal. You've got your Western-style malls, you've got your nice hotels. You know, in some areas, you're going to feel like you're in the West.

58:04 So, places like Cebu, IT Park, and you dip your toes in the water. But then you realize, you know what, I like a more country style. I like a smaller city. And you can also adjust your budget to that.

58:17 Because I think some people are like, 'Well, I've got to make enough to afford to live in Makati or BGC or the high-end areas of Bangkok.' But you may find that you don't want to live in these places. You love visiting them, but you're not really a big city person.

58:37 Or maybe you're not used to living in a city with, like, say, 20 million people in it. I think 18 million in Bangkok's case, 15 to 18 million in Bangkok's case. And then in the metro area, Manila is actually the most densely populated city in the world, so you've got 25 million people living there.

58:56 And while the Filipino people are lovely, not all of us are used to being in such a busy area with so many people. Because what I'm accustomed to in the West is lower population density. I grew up in a suburb of Nashville, and it was not uncommon to walk around the neighborhood and not see anybody.

59:18 Now, of course, if you're there like in the hours after work but before sundown in the summer, yeah, you'll see people mowing their grass. But people aren't really... In Asia, you have this vibrancy where people are just bumping into each other and talking to each other. It's just this very gregarious kind of social scene where you feel like you're always engaging.

59:44 Your environment is giving you feedback. And in the West, a little bit less so. I feel like sometimes the feedback we get in the West is kind of harsh.

Growing Up in Nashville

59:55 Great question, Michael. So I live... I know you mentioned that you lived in Nashville on one of the Philippines antic streams. So I lived in a lot of different parts of the city. It was kind of a challenging circumstance. So when I was born, we lived in Antioch, which is the southeast part of the city. And then my mom bought a house in Hendersonville, where my grandparents lived, and we lived there for a while.

1:00:23 And then my mom passed away when I was eight, and so we moved to the city. When I was, well, my grandma was seeing this guy in Green Hills, which is like the nicest part of Nashville, a professor at Vanderbilt. And he, uh, we lived with him for a while. So then we moved to Green Hills and lived with him for a few years, from like when I was eight to like 15.

1:00:53 Well, we stayed in Hendersonville during the week, and then we'd go to Green Hills on the weekend. And then right at the start of high school, right before I started high school... Wow, what a small world, Michael. I can't believe that.

1:01:12 That yeah, I can't believe that. What a small world that you actually went to Glencliff High School. I actually know, I grew up, I was babysat a lot in Antioch and the Glencliff area by this Afghan family. And they also went to Glencliff. What a small world. I can't believe that.

1:01:34 Yeah, that's shocking to me that you actually... I didn't realize. See, I was under the impression that you maybe moved to Nashville for work as an adult. I didn't realize you actually... Gosh, what a small world.

College and Moving to Colorado

1:01:46 Yeah, that's, yeah. And so, when I was 18, I ended up moving out to Jackson, which is like West Tennessee. I'll put it up on a map here. So I moved out to this town, which ain't my preference, but I moved out here and lived with him for under a year.

1:02:19 I went to community college and then I moved back to Nashville, went to college in Murfreesboro, went to MTSU for three years. And then for my last year of college, I moved back up to Nashville. I got the most rundown apartment I could find over on the west side of the city. It's actually got, right here, I was right around here, and it actually got torn down.

1:02:47 And last time I checked, I moved to Colorado after I finished my degree. I moved out to Denver. Lived in Denver for three years, and then I moved to the Bay Area.

1:03:14 Wow, that's such a shock. You're familiar with these places, Michael, and you've lived in them. And yeah, I hope we get to meet at some point in the future. I'm not sure what part of the Philippines you're at. I never caught that. And the Philippines antic streams, but yeah, that's mind-blowing to me that we're chatting halfway around the world. That's, yeah, that's mind-blowing.

1:03:42 Yeah, Jackson's got some colleges and there's now there's some manufacturing out there. They're actually building a Ford battery plant out there. And so, I was in Denver for a few years selling stuff on eBay. I'd go to this Goodwill Outlet World.

1:04:12 Here we go. Yeah, right over here. So I'd come here and pick up stuff and then sell it online. And I lived over, well, first I lived downtown. I lived here in Capitol Hill, and then I moved out to Lakewood. Moved out here near Golden, and really enjoyed this. This is like my favorite part of the city that when I lived out in Denver for a few years.

1:04:33 Really a convenient part of the city. And then I left Denver to go try the Bay Area out. So I moved out to the San Francisco area. I lived in Berkeley for, I think I was out there for like six months, and then I went back to Tennessee to try to get a computer science degree.

1:04:56 Because my first degree was a useless liberal arts degree. I wanted to go to law school at that time because I was listening to other people in my life, family, as to what I should do, instead of thinking about it internally. And now I regret that I regret getting that degree. I wish I'd got an IT degree. I'd be much further along. I probably would be retired in Thailand at this point.

Southeast Asia Travels: Cambodia and Philippines

1:05:21 But so I came out here and I went back to Jackson. I was in Jackson for a couple of years, but half the time I was in Jackson, I did a four-month trip to Southeast Asia. I started in Cambodia. Let's go back to Phnom Penh.

1:05:49 He was like, 'You should check it out.' And I don't know, I've ever heard much about it. I don't know anything about Cambodia. He's like, 'Come on, we'll have fun.' And he took me out with some of his friends, and we hit up some bars and had a blast. I mean, it was a wild introduction to a different part of Southeast Asia.

1:06:09 Because I had visited Thailand in 2018 for the first time. But this was at the end of 2019. And so then I spent a few, maybe two and a half weeks in Phnom Penh. And then after Phnom Penh, I went to Japan. Oh, did I go to... no, I went to the Philippines. So this was...

1:06:27 No, I went to the Philippines, so this was actually my first trip to the Philippines. My first trip to the Philippines was I flew from Phnom Penh to, I think it was Cebu. I think it was Phnom Penh to Bangkok, um, Bangkok to Cebu.

1:06:57 So then I landed in Cebu, but I immediately flew to Cagayan de Oro. So my first real taste of the Philippines was CDO. I had a virtual assistant that he still lives in CDO, but I think he's moving up to Malaybalay, which is, uh, yeah, Malaybalay.

1:07:15 So I didn't make it to Malaybalay. He wanted to take me up there because that's where he's working at the time and working now as well. He works for the local election commission.

1:07:26 And spent some time with him and his family in CDO, like learning about Filipino hospitality. They're so kind and warm. I had my first Christmas in the Philippines and really enjoyed it a lot.

1:07:41 CDO is a little bit different than a lot of places that people find themselves in the Philippines because a lot of people when they come to the Philippines, they're thinking about, uh, they're thinking about El Nido or Puerto Princesa. They're thinking about these gorgeous tourism destinations.

1:08:07 And CDO is a humble industrial city. And they might also be thinking about Manila, like the big city vibes. But Cagayan is much more like, it's people in the metro area. So you've got a lot of manufacturing there, like some bottling plants and maybe a couple of malls.

1:08:25 Like they have SNR, they have SM City, which this is probably the nicest, newest mall. They also have Gaisano. Let's see, Gaisano. So this is a different Gaisano. I was under the impression that there's a different Gaisano.

Camiguin Island Exploration

1:08:45 Okay, Malaybalay. Okay, Malaybalay is another one of these malls. But they have an interesting vibe in the Philippines, and people are super friendly. And they were curious about my vlogging. I think the vlogging has really grown a lot over the last five years.

1:09:08 But definitely a lot of people were smiling and friendly. And I didn't make it down to Cogon Public Market, something I want to check out next time.

1:09:17 So I spent about a week there and then I took a bus. I don't know where the bus terminal is in CDO. My buddy told me where it was, but I hopped on the bus or it's kind of a short van that you get in, and we rode up to here. It took about two hours to get to up here.

1:09:44 I think the ferry is in Balingasag, and then I took a ferry over to Camiguin Island. And it goes all the way around. So I'm thinking, oh, this is going to be like an hour ride, right? You can just see this doesn't look too far. But no, you go all the way around.

1:10:10 So I think it was over here, and so then I had to take a Jeepney or a trike all the way down. I think I booked in Green Sands. Yeah, I think I booked over here.

1:10:28 And I remember offering the taxi or the, so I bought a combo ticket. I was supposed to get the ferry ride and the ride and a Jeep ride, not a Jeepney, but a Jeep ride to my hotel. But then they were going the opposite direction.

1:10:40 So they're coming, they're the Jeep or not, but I'm going the opposite direction. I'm coming over here. When we get over there, they're like, yeah, just hop on a Jeepney and sort out your way from there.

1:10:54 And we pull up to this dark road, and I remember offering the Jeepney driver, oh, it's 20 pesos. He was like, no, it's 30. And been trying to take advantage in like 40 versus 60 cents.

1:11:09 Like, here you go, man. I was just grateful because I'm getting here at like probably 9:10 p.m. at night, and I have no idea where I am. It's not very well lit late at night.

1:11:21 And so you dropped me at the entrance to the road that had my resort and got off there. And fell in love with Camiguin. I recommend Camiguin for anybody that wants an intro to the Philippines that wants to do something a little bit off the tourist trail.

1:11:40 I mean, it is touristic, but maybe less so than like Boracay or, um, El Nido, like I mentioned before.

1:11:51 So on that week, I was seeing Camiguin for a week. We saw this, which is one of the most beautiful things. Beautiful places. They have this sanctuary, and so you're snorkeling over, hey, don't touch. Basically, the clams will close shut if you touch, so don't touch.

1:12:15 But they are huge. I mean, they are massive clams. And they show you too where they raise them from the younger ages in these tanks, and then I think they transport them out into the water.

1:12:33 And it's a great learning experience. I want to say it was like 500 pesos, maybe it was a thousand pesos. Well worth it to check this sanctuary out. And really an educational experience understanding the ecology of the Philippines.

1:12:49 It's such a special environment that, like, I could see why they want to be extra careful about protecting these beautiful places.

Camiguin's Natural Beauty and Wildlife

1:12:56 And I made my way around. I don't think I made it to Mantigue, I think that was the one thing I didn't make it to, and I'd like to do it next time I make it to Camiguin.

1:13:10 But yeah, so over here, I made it to the sunken cemetery.

1:13:17 Was I white? Is this what I was trying to show? Okay, White Island is one of the highlights of Camiguin, and you get on these boats, and they take you out from the island to this strip of sand that's shifting. It's just like the shape changes as, I guess, the water levels change.

1:13:35 And they have these vendors that will help set up these umbrellas for you to help cover you because the sun is so bright. I mean, it is just beating down. Like you really want to pack some sunscreen for your trip to the Philippines if you haven't been over here.

1:13:55 But yeah, so I got out in the water and was swimming, and the water is not too deep, and it's not cold either, so it's really comfortable. I saw a clownfish in the water. That was the most memorable thing of this, one of the most memorable things of visiting White Island was seeing a clownfish.

1:14:14 Because I've seen them in aquariums, I've seen them in zoos, but I've never seen one in person. And seeing one in its natural habitat was just mind-blowing to me.

1:14:33 And it's not crowded either. Like you can see there's maybe 10 people on this island. If it were more well-known, and I believe it will be in the future, I believe that Camiguin will be extraordinarily future just because of how beautiful it is.

1:14:48 It's out of everywhere I've been on Earth, like the Philippines, especially this part of the Philippines, is probably the most beautiful place I've been on the planet. And I know that I haven't been to that many places compared to some more well-experienced travelers, but it's just so stunning.

1:15:12 And it's not as well-known. It's, you don't have it built to go to, and have necessarily like the, you know, all the trappings of what you have at a more populous place. But it more than makes up for that local charm and the dramatic landscapes.

1:15:34 The volcano, there's like a dormant volcano on this island. And so being able to be in the water looking at clownfish, looking at this vibrant marine life, and then sticking your head out of the water and seeing this volcano and what looks like something out of a video game.

1:15:50 Like that's the, that's what I because it is so surreal and so beautiful to me. This island reminds me more of something you'd see or experience in a video game.

1:16:00 And the people are nice. On the sea, I mean, the people are just so nice, and they're, they just want you to enjoy their beautiful paradise.

1:16:09 Okay, here we go. Clownfish. So this is what I'm talking about that I saw here. They're just so beautiful.

1:16:22 And was there anything else I didn't, you know, I didn't get to check out the volcano up close. It was like a several-hour hike, and I wasn't, didn't have the time for it. I also, I think I had sandals with me. I don't know if I had proper hiking.

1:16:35 I've heard it can be kind of slippery, but you hike through the jungle. I've also heard there are some poisonous snakes or venomous snakes on Camiguin, so that was something I'm a little bit concerned about.

Camiguin Island Amenities and Dining

1:16:47 I know that they tend to have bright colors and they tend to not be aggressive, but you know, you're, you're not way close to a place where I think you get antivenom.

1:17:25 And then if you want, like, a kind of a, you do have that a little bit. They've got the Gaisano here if you need to get some basic stuff. I will say, you know, Camiguin de Oro, they, you know, this island, not sure what the population is.

1:17:48 So 74,000 people on this island. So, you know, you'll have a somewhat limited selection here, but still convenient to be in this what feels like a very remote and untouched place and yet still be able to go and get some clothing. You have some Western foods here.

1:18:06 You have some good restaurants too in Camiguin. I was kind of surprised, but they had some really fantastic Italian food. I can't remember the name of the restaurant. This was it. They'll say, 'Vaya.' Okay, yeah. So I think there's a similar restaurant in Dumaguete, though I haven't been to Dumaguete.

1:18:24 But this Italian restaurant is fantastic. Well worth it. There's another one I can't think of the name. There's a place that had Kenny Lao, and then there was another place that I had this, they had a breakfast buffet every day. It's like 150 pesos.

1:18:38 And they had all the different stuff. It was really close to my place. If I think of it, I'll try to, I'll try to discuss it in another stream. But yeah, Camiguin, super beautiful.

Mindanao Safety and Malaybalay

1:18:53 It's one of those places that if I recommended one place that is undiscovered, that I'd love for my subscribers to be able to check out before it just becomes super popular. Like, as soon as the word gets out about this spot, I think it's just going to be that much more popular.

1:19:10 It's already popular. It's already cool. I think a lot of people that have been here know about it. But I didn't feel unsafe at all. By the way, I know some people have some concerns about Mindanao. I never had issues in CDO. I did not go west of CDO.

1:19:24 I know some popular channels have been to, uh, different parts of Mindanao, and now it's a risk that I'm not super open to taking. My buddy that lives in CDO said CDO is fine. He works in Malaybalay.

1:19:45 There are some, uh, Nuer duels on the outskirts of Malaybalay, but from what I've heard, they're not really in the city.

1:19:50 I know you know some popular channels have been recently, and I'd like to check it out next.

Travel Delays and Bohol's Chocolate Hills

1:19:58 And I'd like to check it out next time I make it to is like, um, co-workers get to know that local kind of feeling. He said there's a lot of farms and, and, um, yeah, I'm also curious if it's a little bit cooler because I think that I've been shocked in the Philippines that I was shocked last to the Philippines at how much cooler it is up in the mountains and how it can just be, um, it can be a little bit different as far as temperature wise. Why so many people enjoy leaving the mountains?

1:20:46 Originally, I had plans to come back from Camiguin because I didn't have a six-hour trip from Cagayan de Oro to Camiguin, including the ferry. I had plans to come back to Cagayan de Oro and just come up here to the airport and fly out. But then my flight got delayed, and I thought, well, I didn't know this at the time, but I'm like, why don't I just book a flight off Camiguin? So I came here to the Camiguin airport, right across the street from this Italian restaurant, and hopped on a plane and flew to Cebu.

1:21:21 We were flying over the sea of Bohol, Bohol Sea, and we dropped, like, the plane, I don't know how far it dropped, but it just dropped. And I remember everybody in the plane screaming. I grabbed the arm of the person sitting next to me, just because I'm like, where's the handle? You know, the handle you grab when you have in your car, though, something happens, you have the 'oh crap' handle. Well, I grabbed it, and then the plane stopped falling. I think we hit some kind of air pocket that caused the elevation to just drop.

1:21:59 But I remember seeing the Chocolate Hills in the distance and being like, well, I guess this is the end. Like, you know, this is probably the most beautiful place I could have imagined to meet my end. There were several children crying, and there was a lot of everybody. I looked behind me because I was sitting in the very front row of the plane. Everybody looked shaken up and terrified.

Cebu City Exploration: Griffin Hotel and IT Park

1:22:26 But, um, you know, fortunately, that was the end of it. And then we got to Cebu, landed in Cebu, we were shaking up, but we made it. I stayed, let's see, Griffin Hotel. I stayed here at the Griffin Hotel, so I didn't stay in IT Park. I found that, um, one, I think, you know, this was a little bit better deal pricewise. I want to say it was like a thousand pesos a night back then. Now it's a bit more expensive, probably 30 bucks a night now.

1:23:05 But back then, IT Park was, I think I would have paid maybe 30 bucks or 40 bucks a night to stay in IT Park. And I'm like, I'm like, not that far from IT Park. And at this point, I'd spent a few weeks in the Philippines, and I was like, okay, I'm comfortable going a little bit off the beaten track. And so I stayed here, which is close to the capital, and you have a little bit different vibe. It's a little bit more old school in this neighborhood.

1:23:36 You have, um, I think you see more Filipinos in this area. IT Park is wonderful. I'm a fan. I actually went on some dates there and had a lot of fun, you know, meeting up with this Filipina I met online. And she showed me around IT Park. She was working there at a call center. I can't remember which call center she was working at, but I really, you know, got a good taste of Cebu meeting her. She was from Bohol and moved up there for work.

1:24:07 And, uh, yeah, we hit it off really well. One thing I regret, I stayed in Cebu for about a week, is that I didn't make it up to the hills. There's all these hills and mountainous areas over here, and they look beautiful. There's a Taoist Temple that I want to check out next time I go to Cebu. Look at that dragon. It's so beautiful. The Philippines is just such a beautiful country, alongside Thailand, two of the most beautiful countries that I've been.

1:24:50 Colors. Yeah, that's definitely something I want to check out next time. But IT Park, hey Tony, good to see you. Welcome to the stream. We're talking a bit about the Philippines tonight. IT Park, it's, you know, I look at IT Park as, you've got one foot in the Philippines, one foot in the Western world. That's the best way I conceptualize these kind of hotspots, particularly in the bigger cities.

1:25:21 Because here, everybody's going to have English. Like, all the people working call centers have great English because that's typically who they're serving. But all the people serving the people working in call centers also have good English because you also have people from different parts of the Philippines living here, and so they've got different dialects. And it's really a great place if you're like, well, I'm not sure if I'm ready to learn Tagalog or to learn Bisaya, and so I want to dip my toes in the water. I'll come here to IT Park.

Cebu City Transport and Dining

1:25:58 You've got the, um, you've got the popular Western brands here. You've got a lot of the skyscraper city vibe. It's very walkable. If you're a person like me who likes to walk around a lot, then I, and then after I learned the Jeepney, the Jeepney, but it was so, it was about a 40-minute ride from here. I walked all the way down to a really awesome burger spot. I can't think of the name off the top of my head. I think I mentioned it in one of.

1:26:29 my head. Oh, Burger Joint. Yeah, this place is open 9 AM. Back then, it seemed like it was open 2 or 3 AM. I remember going there, it had to be like midnight. But, uh, yeah, it had this kind of American diner vibe, and you had a lot of local people having good burgers there.

1:26:54 new system very well. At this point, I was just kind of not sure what to make of it because you kind of hop onto this vehicle and you're trying to squeeze in there, and you don't want to step on people's toes. And when I was in Camiguin, when I rode into a Jeepney, I accidentally stepped on this elderly lady's toes. I was so apologetic. I apologized. I felt like total garbage.

1:27:17 Yeah, this elderly lady who is just trying to her ER, whatever she's trying to do. But, um, yeah, even me being Asian-American, perhaps being smaller than some Americans, I still feel a little bit crowded on the Jeepney. But at the same time, like, it's, you know, it's affordable. It's a real taste of the Philippines when you're riding a Jeepney. You know that you're in the Philippines.

Iloilo City and Avoiding Expat Drama

1:27:49 And then all, um, so you got this mall that has all these western-style apparel stores, dining, a lot of great dining here in Iloilo. There's another mall I went to before I made it to that one. It was, I think it was Robinsons. Yeah, okay. It was Robinsons. So this was it, Robinsons Cybergate. So I needed to get a SIM card or I needed to top up my data, and I didn't really know how if there's a way you can do it online, but I also didn't know how to get my phone number.

1:28:27 And so I bought another SIM card here at Robinsons Cybergate, and I was able to, um, able to change that. And I remember I got a bubble tea. There were so friendly and giggling and laughing. Didn't know what to make of it. And like bubble tea, I used to have that in California, but they had bubble tea here. And the bubble tea was good.

1:28:50 I did go to a restaurant here. I'm not going to name it. It gave me a little bit of tummy trouble, but, uh, so that was a little bit of a downer, but not, you know, nothing over the top bad. Like I wasn't really badly sick or anything like that. But, you know, I don't know that I'd go back.

1:29:18 Tony says, watch out for all the Western expat drama in Cebu. Alex, you know, that's a great point, Tony. I really try to avoid the drama as best as I can because to me, I don't come over here to stress, right? Like in America, I'm grinding it out, working hard, I'm dealing with the challenges of life in the United States.

1:29:39 Um, I'm having to stress out, right, to earn the money that I need to live over here. But like, I want to leave that behind, right? I noticed a difference in myself when I first got to Thailand. I'm walking really fast, and like, I've got to get here, I've got to go here, I've got to go there, I've got to get everything done. And then I noticed after a while, I'm like, Thai people just don't, they're not in a hurry like that, and I need to just slow it down.

1:30:00 I need to calm down. I need to bring, I need to go from like a 10 to like a four, and I'll be much happier that way. But some Western folks, they don't give that up. They don't leave that behind. They bring it with them. I don't know if it's a habit thing, I don't know if it's an attitude thing. I don't know exactly if I could pinpoint to one thing, but I try not to engage in that at all.

1:30:26 I, you know, I had a few trolls try to hop on the channel, and I immediately block them. So that they're still able to comment, but their comments don't show up. And some people, nah, not on my channel. My goal is to bring an analytical mindset to living abroad. And I don't find it valuable to go back and forth with it. It's not productive, right?

1:31:00 Like I value my time, and because I value my time, and more importantly than my time, the time of everybody watching this, is that we're able to really provide value. Every single time I jump on here, I want to provide value, cover some things I haven't covered before, talk about some new things. And I just, yeah, I look at the drama as kind of ruining a good thing.

Positive Attitudes and YouTube Content

1:31:19 Like you're in this paradise, and some people disagree with me. There are people who say it's not paradise, but I would say, okay, the weather is gorgeous, it's tropical, it's sunny, it's warm. You have beautiful beaches all over the country. The people are generally friendly and easygoing. They laugh and smile all the time.

1:31:40 You have delicious tropical fruits that you would pay an arm and a leg for back in your home country. Not only that, but the fish is amazing too. And you can tell I'm getting a bit hungry. I haven't eaten much today. I ate a bit earlier, but probably after this, I'll go out and grab a bite to eat. But you have all of these different, um, wonderful things about Southeast Asia, right?

1:32:07 We put a lot of time and money into coming over here. It's like we're flying halfway around the world, and I think it's just important to maintain a positive attitude. And I know that may sound strange or conflicted because some of my video topics can be a little bit stressful or maybe a little bit negative. But, um, sometimes I'm just stressed about something else, and it comes out in a recorded video.

1:32:27 But then when I get in the stream and I have that direct feedback with everybody, it just puts me in a good mood to talk to all of you. Like, I find all of the people that.

1:32:34 I find all of the people that subscribe to my channel are positive-minded people and bring this great energy to the stream. I feel very fortunate to have cultivated this great group of folks. That's part of the beauty of YouTube for me; it allows me to filter through people more easily because some people that are not so great in person, they maybe are better at finessing or kind of sidestepping the truth or their issues. But online, especially on social media, they can't help but go for the attention.

1:33:16 Seeing some of the things that people do for attention was like, 'Wow, okay, that person is not somebody that I necessarily want to get along with.' Whereas you have other people like Michael Johnson. I saw him on Philippines Antics several times, and I thought, 'Oh, this guy's great.' He's not being critical; he's not judging. He's just here to enjoy, relax, and have a good time.

1:33:39 There's so much benefit in that. Plus, I think that's the beauty of me working toward financial independence. I don't want to be in a position to rely on online income. It's a nice bonus, but I don't want to be in a position where I feel like I've got to stir up drama or talk about stressful or difficult topics to keep attention.

Future Philippines Travel Plans

1:34:02 If I'm not providing enough value, then I need to figure things out, improve upon what I'm doing, learn better editing skills, and think of better topics. I need to change something about my approach to create more value for people. So, Cebu...

1:34:36 I definitely want to land in Cebu next time, just because there's some stuff I didn't get to check out. I would say Bohol is a big one. I want to take a ferry to Bohol and see that. I know it's a big island, but at least see the Chocolate Hills would be really, really nice.

1:35:00 I wrapped up here and then I flew to Japan. But in Cebu, I don't think I checked out Gaisano Country Mall. Oh, there was the SM City. SM City is I guess one of the newer malls. It's in the Reclamation area. I'm not sure how they build like how they do the reclamation.

1:36:06 This is a nice hotel, by the way, the Radisson Blu. Really nice place. So this is the name you want to grab a bite to eat. They had a lot of cool live music here. They have people singing and playing guitar, and there's a lot of really talented Filipino singers and musicians in general, which really threw me off coming from Cambodia, which could be a bit more introverted in some ways.

1:36:56 I definitely got the opposite vibe here and had heard a lot of great music. A lot of people, and this place is open pretty late. I think it was open till like 10 o'clock, maybe 11, relatively speaking for this kind of outdoor mall. I really, really enjoyed it.

1:37:27 I'll never forget getting my date in the rain here. The rain was coming down, started to pick up, and it started to come down. We're just sitting at this bench. There's a barber shop somewhere here. We were sitting by the barber shop, and I was just surprised that we kissed in public because I think a lot of people in this part of the world are a little bit more private about it.

1:38:01 But neither of us cared, I guess, because nobody could really see because the rain is coming down so hard and people are trying to get out of the rain. Neither she nor I cared. I don't think I had my laptop on me or any electronics, and so it was just a really, really special, romantic moment in IT Park.

1:38:26 I hated to leave, because I finally met a Filipina, but it was like a week before I was going to leave the Philippines. I'm like, 'Ah, I need to come back here, I need to stay here longer.' I tried to get back in touch with her, but she may have moved on. That's totally fine. I hope her life is going wonderful; she was a great woman.

Japan Travels: Osaka and Kyoto

1:38:57 And so then I flew, I think I had a layover. This might have been the layover. Fly to Bangkok. I flew from Cebu to, yeah, back to Bangkok where I'm at right now, and then flew up to Japan and started off in Osaka.

1:39:28 This hotel, really nice, great value for money. I got it for a great price too. Right now, it's like 90 bucks a night. Back then, I paid, this was four years ago, I think I paid 50 bucks a night. The location is fantastic.

1:39:46 I remember walking out of the hotel the first morning. I got there at night, came out the next morning, and I didn't really fully notice these creatures. There was some kind of worker in a vehicle, and I made eye contact with him, and then looked at these faces, and I was just like, 'I am in Japan. This is not Kansas anymore. I am somewhere entirely different.'

1:40:20 But great hotel. They were... And so I had some beer and some wine in Osaka. It's just such a cool area, and you really feel like you're in the middle of it here.

1:40:45 There's so much... I was not too far from this famous sign. If anybody's seeing photos of Osaka, then you've got this beautiful-looking Glico sign. This guy's triumphant ads in Japan are just wild. I mean, just some of the best advertising, maybe the best advertising in the world.

1:41:16 Still over the top, expressive. I didn't see this. Wow, talented. He can stand on the bicycle like that. I guess it's got a downside, but even so, this hotel, it may have a little bit of a, I don't know, kind of a red... and it reminds me maybe of like Lord of the Rings.

1:41:41 Mostly just wandered around Osaka. Osaka, and then I went up to... Oh, I got a really nice pair of pants, probably my favorite pair of pants in Osaka. I went to Uniqlo, and they did a fitting on me. They tapered the waist to my size, and really, really nice pants.

1:42:08 That was probably closer to Dotonbori, closer to the river. Here, wow, this is Osaka Castle, one of the highlights of the city. Gorgeous. Traditional side by side with the modern, really, really incredible, surrounded by this kind of park.

Kyoto Temples and Fukuoka Visit

1:42:45 And then from here, I went up to Kyoto. So I took a train, hopped on a train, stayed at... I don't know if this was it. I think I stayed at a different place, but this is a really popular walking street. They've got a lot of... there's a massage therapist focused on sports massage. Great, great goodies too.

1:43:13 So I stayed here, really, really nice. One of the nicest hotels I've ever stayed in. The room was huge, like huge, one of the biggest hotel rooms I've ever been in. Made it up to... and I may need to do a part two on this because my voice is starting to go a little bit.

1:43:58 But... came up here. I think I stayed at a different place, but this is a really popular walking street. They've got a lot of... there's a massage therapist focused on sports massage. Great, great goodies too.

1:44:16 Man, came down here to the Kinkaku-ji, beautiful temple, probably the most famous temple in Japan, or among the most famous temples in Japan. It was like pre-COVID, it was very busy back then. I mean, it was like, 'Whoa,' like a lot of people were trying to check this temple out.

1:44:59 So I checked the temple out, but then I did some walking. They've got trails back here, and walked around these trails. I don't know if I made it up here. I think I ended up coming out, it was getting dark, and it's not very well-lit up there. And I think they warn you too, they have signs up warning about the monkeys, like some of the monkeys can get a little bit aggressive, I think, or dangerous.

1:45:33 And then anything else I did there was... I think I checked out a mall there. There is an outlet I visited that was really nice. Yeah, really, really cool city. Kyoto is really special.

Thailand Visa and Vietnam Plans

1:45:54 And then I flew from Kyoto down to Fukuoka. I flew from Osaka, so I came back down to Osaka. I hit up a restaurant that's no longer there anymore, unfortunately. I think it must have closed during COVID. And then flew down...

1:46:26 Yeah, this is where my maternal grandparents... post World War II, stayed in... where did I stay? I stayed at like a serviced apartment. I think it may have been near Canal City. Really cool when I came. Canal City, they had this, they projected all over this wall. It was just so beautiful to look at.

1:47:12 Michael Jonathan, when do you plan to visit the Philippines again? You know, that's a great question, Michael. I'm kind of in this weird spot where I am interviewing for roles back home, and I don't want to leave Thailand because I just... I don't want to leave Thailand. But I am limited on my visa extensions. I can get one more six-month extension out of my current school.

1:47:38 I think that's going to be the end of what I'm allowed to do as far as education visas. I've heard of some people using them to stay like six years, but education visas aren't really designed for people to live long-term in Thailand. My visa for Thailand, my final visa extension, expires July 15th, so this is about two months from now.

1:48:05 If I extend six more months, it's probably going to push back my trip to the Philippines by a long time because I imagine in that six months, I'll probably get some kind of offer back home and need to go work.

1:48:33 So that would delay it. But what I feel like I should do, or a more efficient way to approach things, is to leave Thailand on July 15th, go to Vietnam because I haven't been to Vietnam. Everybody keeps telling me, 'You got to check it out.' Some of my friends that have traveled a lot have recommended Vietnam.

1:48:58 Why don't we... why don't jump off this? I'll pick this trip back up on the next stream. Please remind me, everybody, because after Japan, I went back to Cambodia, and then from Cambodia, I think I went to Malaysia, then to Singapore. Anyway, it was a long story, but we'll pull up to Da Nang. So I want to check out Da Nang.

Philippines Itinerary and Blogger Interviews

1:49:19 But part of me wonders if I'll enjoy it so much that I'll extend for an additional couple of months in Vietnam. And then after Vietnam, that's when I would be looking to come to the Philippines.

1:49:39 So this would look like... this is a scenario where I don't get a job back in the States until say, December. Like that. So then I'd come from Vietnam to the...

1:49:52 Then I'd come from Vietnam to the Philippines in October. If I stayed a month, I would come to the Philippines in August, about three months from now. If I decide to stay, this would push it back to October. So, my ideal circumstance would be coming somewhere from August to October.

1:50:19 I would probably start in Cebu because I've got a circuit I need to do of interviews with some people. I want to do an interview with John, who does the California Expat channel. I've been in touch with him for several years now. We connected because I knew somebody that would want his business services, and that worked out well. He and I also connected because I lived in the Bay Area for a while, and he lived in the Bay Area as well.

1:50:54 So, I want to do an interview on his channel, and then there are a few others. I think Mike's Philippine Retirement is one that I'm going to do an interview with. He's in Doag Getti. I say all this because there's one thing that I really love about the Philippines: the prevalence of English and being able to communicate with a lot of people.

1:51:19 Here, I sometimes struggle because I'm not necessarily assuming Western people in Thailand can speak English. There are a lot of people from Russia here who may not have any English. But when I think of a country like the Philippines, I think most of these people have some English because that's one of the biggest draws.

1:51:45 That'll be doing a circuit there. I wouldn't mind getting up to Angeles as well to chat with George and Heidi in person because I just really like their channel. I think they make some sacrifices to talk about some of the difficult subjects that provide a lot of valuable insight for people outside of the country.

1:52:06 Michael, you're boots on the ground, so you can see and engage with a lot of these circumstances in person and have that insight or knowledge. But for me, I've only spent a month or so in the Philippines, so I still have a bit of a tourist perspective on the country. In Thailand, my perspective has shifted from a tourist perspective to more of a long-stay perspective, more in line with what you're experiencing in the Philippines.

1:52:34 So, that would be the goal: come to the Philippines and do the interview circuit, this almost talk-show-like thing. It's like the modern version of the talk show. Mike also, Mark, I know Mark is a controversial figure. I'll say it just on here for anybody watching the replay as well. Mark's never done anything to me. I was interviewed by him about three years ago when I lived in Peru, and that interview went well.

1:53:06 I wouldn't mind doing an interview with him in person. So, this would be John, Mike, Mark, maybe George and Heidi as well. I haven't confirmed that with them, and I haven't made it up to Manila, so I'm not sure how scheduling that would work, but that's certainly something I'm open to.

Expat Stories and Financial Independence

1:53:26 I'm trying to think of anybody else. I wouldn't mind doing an interview with Paul. Paul, Old Dog New Trick, so I actually got in touch with him five years ago because he was just landing in the Philippines back then. He was just trying to kind of check it out and didn't fully know what to make of it.

1:53:51 It's been interesting to me to see his channel progress into what it is today, obviously a huge channel by expat blogger standards. He built up this audience, and I think part of what sold me on his channel is sharing his story, the tragedy in his life. There's this famous video, 'Tragedy to Triumph,' and being able to relate a lot to it.

1:54:17 Now, am I in the same position? No, I'm still in my working years. I'm not in a position where I can stay in the Philippines long-term, but there's a lot for me to learn from all of the expats.

1:54:44 Okay, I swapped to hello. Um, I may have to wrap the stream up because my AirPods have run out of battery, and I haven't figured out how to handle the settings on here when that happens.

Stream Wrap-up and Future Plans

1:55:45 Can you hear me now? I just want to check and see if you guys can hear me. I'm getting the green lighting up on my end, but I'm not sure if it's coming through for all of you.

1:56:39 The battery is pretty low on my AirPods. I'll try to just wind this one down, guys, because my AirPods are out of battery, and I don't want to keep folks waiting around. I do need to figure out how to sort that out. What happens when my AirPods die? I can switch my input source, but let's see here.

1:57:00 So, I'd probably start in Cebu, and then work my way down to do MTI. Maybe spend a week or two in MTI, maybe more, maybe two or three weeks in MTI. And then from there, do a day trip or something to Siquijor.

1:57:27 And then I'd like to go back to Manila. But it's like, do I go up to Manila? Maybe meet up with some Manila bloggers because there are a lot of bloggers in Manila.

1:57:47 And then, oh, but I want to go, you know, like I said, mentioned Mal Bai. I want to check out Mal Bai and Davao. It's definitely up there on my list because it's just got a different vibe, I think, from Cebu and from Manila.

1:58:02 Yeah, thanks so much for watching, everyone. I hate to cut it short, but I don't want to do these with audio issues where it's not a pleasant listening experience for all of you. So, if you're watching the replay, feel free to comment down below, share your thoughts, and I hope everybody has a wonderful rest of your weekend. We'll see you soon.