Why I Will NEVER Live In Southeast Asia
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- So after traveling through Southeast Asia for 6 months I realized that as amazing as it is, I will never move there to live. Today I talk about the reasons why I cannot live in Southeast Asia and Southeast Asia is not for me.
Why I Could NEVER Live In Southeast Asia
Why Most People LEAVE Southeast Asia
Why Most People Won't Make It In Southeast Asia
Why Living In Southeast Asia WON'T Work For Most People
Why Most People Living In Southeast Asia End Up Leaving
Why Most People End Up LEAVING Southeast Asia
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0:00 Intro
0:21 Pros
2:37 Infrastructure
4:10 Pollution
4:57 Dating
5:55 Passports
6:51 Cultural Differences
8:51 Language Barrier
9:52 Too Chill
10:25 Expats
12:44 Timezone/Weather
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Dude, have you been to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? The infrastructure there is top class, comparable to Western European cities, and Chinese cities. Your South Eas Asia is only 3 countries, they are the lesser developed ones.
Never drink tap water in any country brah.. heavily treated
Lol. U literally went to 2-3 countries and labelled all Southeast Asia as the same. It depends on where u go. Singapore is a top class city. Literally nobody owns a car except for upper middle income & rich people. Public transportation was way too good. Kuala Lumpur & Bangkok have pretty good public transportation as well. Malaysia & Singapore both have tap water that is safe for drinking. And Malaysia & Singapore & Philippines speak very good English. U don't need to speak the local language. Singapore & Malaysia are very multiracial. So it really depends on where u go.
And then when u mentioned Danang, Phuket, etc. These are comparable to cities like Birmingham, Alabama or Memphis, Tennessee when it comes to the US. U went to places where people are not ambitious. Try staying in Bangkok, KL, Singapore. It's completely different. As far as Asians only want to date White expats I tend to agree with u and it's quite a shame. However with a cute face like u, I am sure u can easily find a date. I know I will if I have the opportunity 🤭.
The reason you don't want to live in SE Asia is the very reason why I do. I'm in my mid 40's, I've hustled long enough. I want a laid back and stress free lifestyle that SE Asia has. Low cost of living so I can enjoy a better quality of life. It's very boring here in the USA, you work all week, then wait for the weekend, you can't have too much fun, if you do, then you'll be living paycheck to paycheck like 78% of Americans. SE Asia has a lot of free entertainment, and if you do spend, it's not going to be very much. Plus the most important thing is safely, something America does not have.
I"m Thai I love USA.
I'm 43 from Florida, Im here in Thailand on a 3 month trip to see if I want to retire here.
💯agree
@@lostboi3974im 34 living in Miami and went to check out Thailand and returned last month. Still don't know the answer hahaha Florida is also warm and sunny, has first world amenities, good economy and I own my apartment which I share so I live virtually rent free. Thailand is nice but I just don't know what would I be doing there permanently? Also visas are tricky
I think I'm more likely to retire in Europe since I also hold euro passport or Colombia/Brazil because I fit in that culture more and languages are more manageable
Agree
When you hit your late 40's/50's. Your perspective will definitely change.
Older than that - and I definitely disagree!
true that. When you're at that time to settle down age. Everything is going to come together.
You'll remember which place made you the happiest. Rather than which one was more
convenient or more practical. And it's rare to be a nomad forever. The process is tiring.
@@Dapper_Dean time to settle down? I feel the contrary. I don't want to live anywhere for too long anymore
I am a Mexican American male. I'm 26 years old been living in Vietnam since 2019 kaka.
I have a gf she's Indian British, we both work as teachers not ESL center.
Life is good here.
Food is good.
Vietnamese people treat us good.
Hi. How are you?
May I ask if you look indigenous like Azteca, or mestizo, or white? I wonder if mestizos like Uruguayan football player, Luis Suarez, stand out in South East Asian countries.
I was also wondering if it's true that most men in those countries can't grow a beard, if so, do men with beards stand out over there?
Can you speak/understand Vietnamese?
Are Christians a minority in Vietnam? Is there a Catholic Church in the city where you live?
God bless you, Luis.
I'm brown. I been told many times I look like a more dark Pablo Escobar 😂. I know a decent amount of Vietnamese. There are Christian/Catholic churches here. Most Vietnamese are atheists with Buddhist traditional beliefs. There's a good amount of christians here but you will only know when you see the occasional Christ on the wall.@@Dah42 dios de bendiga
I believe you have an identity crisis. I’m an Asian who lived in America for 50 yrs and love the USA but now I live in SE Asia. I find not being identified as an Asian all the time no matter where I go is comforting to me not to mention being safer here. You’ll need to find out where you belong. Love the vlog.
Agree 😄
I think the only Americans who use terms such as "Asian American" , "African American" , "Mexican American" etc, are precisely people who fall under each of those categories. For the rest of Americans, you're an American if you were born in this country.
Thanks for the video,so I went to Bangkok when I was 20, I got married a year later,now been married for 37 years,after visiting 154 countries and territories I think South East Asia is the only place to live,now living in Bangkok,Philippines is in my top 5,in Africa Namibia is my favourite,we are just so lucky to have all the options,one of my wife’s staff has just borrowed 30,000 Thai baht to to go back to Myanmar to take care of her sick father,maybe even burying him,we are so lucky to be born in the west
As a genuine thai person. I completely agree. I was grew up in a surrounding area near in bangkok which undevelopment. It takes atleast 1 hour to go to school everyday eventhough my school just located 4-5km far from my house. That's because of traffic jam and little tiny road. I need to wake up 5am everyday otherwise i'll late. Traffic jam cause air pollution too. Also, many of trash, strange smell and the tangling cable make the whole visual look bad. Those can affects the mental for living with those stuff everyday.
Also i've been to vietnam a couple times, i'm a little bit vietnamese. What i can see is vietnam faced traffic jam too, however lots of driver here like to honk the horn literally every minute which make noise pollution. Overall, i see your point why sea is not comfortable for living. Btw my english is bad, just wanna share some experiences haha😅🥹
You share a well thought out perspective, great video!
Wes, I agree with a lot of your points.
I married a woman from Brazil and the cultural differences are a constant struggle but she teaches me many things about myself and I appreciate her so much for that. She is very good to me and has a kind Brazilian soul that I find so different and attractive.
I grew up in Northern California and I also relate to a lot of Asian culture even though I’m a white guy. Most of my friends were Asian growing up and I’m comfortable with the mannerisms and interaction style of Asian culture. I notice this can be hard when mixed with Latin culture where they are more outwardly emotional. Realizing these things through experience have helped me grow and I’m grateful to my wife for bringing this knowledge to me.
Hold onto these good vibes while they last my friend. Cultural differences almost always win in the long run.
Fair points bro. White people and Asian people have a lot of similarities in culture actually and have coexisted well in many places in the world
Who is the most chill in America, Asians, you have to be blind not to notice. Why I'm moving to Asia, to get away from trash culture in America.😊
I really like how you really put emphasis on the language barrier and your willing of not wanting to be all the time around other expats and instead wanting to mingle a bit with the local population. I would also consider these 2 factors with special attetion if I would consider someday moving abroad. I felt that when I was in Peru. Since I'm from Spain son of Argentinians, it was sort of easy to me to mingle with the locals and make friends there, and understand their country from within. I loved that. I would definitely love to experience that again someday.
I've been to Thailand and Cambodia--and I've been doing Muay Thai for almost thirty years including living and training in their camps. So I'm in the club. But the culture is another universe. Saving face alone is something we will not understand if you are American---Asian or Polish descent. And if you are going to get married there beware---you are walking into another cultural expectations just like Latin America. Nice people, don't get me wrong---but there are many faces under the one you see.
Your perspective is appreciated. Thanks.
nice recap, you are getting so efficient, great edits. watching this a 2x speed and it is smooth af
I don't agree about digital nomads not being deep people. In my experience, the opposite tends to be true. Digital nomads challenge the status quo and look for answers abroad. I think the statement you said confuses people not being deep compared to just not being complacent and maybe a bit lost.
There's over 190 countries in the world. And the world is 2/3 water. Point being, it takes a lot of exploration to truly understand it, which is something 99% of us aren't going to do in our lifetimes. Yet, discovering new places helps crack this code little by little. The world is a book... not a page. I think seeing new places allows people to open their minds slowly and gain a better understanding.
Yes, there's more shallow ways to travel for sure. And I agree about locals/language opening up a place for you. I just think traveling sometimes makes you have more questions than when you left. Sometimes, it's a personal journey. And all of that is ok
Most DG nomads are outright frauds. They always try to talk to you and hype up some "courses" or some "book" they are selling. Another thing they are always in some hectic-jelous mode - like they sit in those coffee shops pretending like they are doing something - in reality they sit there to spy on each other hoping to see and copy what other people doing. Very often this coworks or how they call them its like a vulture den - they all sit there waiting for some one new to come in to tear him apart and copy his idea. It is madness. Also lying all the time.
Great video. Thanks for sharing
After listening to your videos, I feel that your mindset is still growing and later on in life you will look back and have a better and deeper perspective; especially, after having many children.
Very good list of reasons and well thought out video
It’s horses for courses mentality. If you really want to live somewhere, you learn language and integrate. If you have nomadic DNA you just want to hop around. If you’re not 100% invested you won’t assimilate and just hoping everywhere we go they auto speak English is a lazy outlook. The idea of travel is to embrace cultural differences and forego our western fast food mentality and safety blanket lifestyle.
Very well said ✌️
Great vlog! Important information!
Very useful - thank you.
You’re right on the language barrier. I love SE Asia and everyone thought I was Thai but the moment you speak English they treated me different. I thought it was just me but I’m glad others felt that too. My bf definitely looked American so they didn’t expect much.
I have lived in Saigon for 7 years. I plan on staying here long term. I love it here! The culture in the south of Vietnam is so chill. They do not stress the small stuff like Westerners. This has rubbed off on me big time. I am so much happier and more peaceful than when I lived in the country I grew up in -- Australia. Just be aware that there cultural differences in Asia. For example, in Vietnam the culture in the south is the opposite of the culture in the north. Totally different! There is not "one" Vietnamese culture!
I visited twice in the last year and am now planning to move there for a long-term stay by the end of the year. As a brown man of Asian descent born and raised in the UK, I found HCMC to be the place I wanted to be for pretty much the reasons you've outlined above. Nice one cobba
Great stuff @@Sa7biUK
My grandparents are from the north and when I visit Vietnam I can’t stand the culture in the south. Has nothing to do with the political division. I just don’t like the south, the people are rude, they embody the typical Asian stereotypes of wyt worshiping and they sell any and everything. In the north we have culture and dignity. And no, nobody in Vietnam is proud of the political rule.
Can you speak Vietnamese? I think English culture and language are very different.
Can you speak Vietnamese? I think English culture and language are very different.
Good video bro but let me add, try to stay from swooping generallities.
For instance in countryside the air qualitie is great. Make the distinction between crowed cities and smaller towns and cities
Hey Wes,
I'm in my early thirties and a Canadian women living in Colombia. I initially found your channel looking for information on Colombia.
A few notes:
A agree with the 'Middle class homeless". I mean it without offence, but I have also found this on my travels. I've never related to most of the expacts regardless of where I've been and have distanced myself from them this round of travel. As a generality I find thr Western and ocasdionally European forigners to hold a lot of entitlement and yet not have much to offer im return. Europeans less so but thats another conversation.
I appriciated this video as I've always been curious about South East Asia. Cambodia, Vietnam especially and this gave me something to think about.
Regarding the woman aspect, super uncomfortable as a single women to know so many men move to find wives or companions. In a sense, I understand it. Woman in the West have lost touch woth their feminity and are immensly demanding. On the other hand.. It does create a odd dynamic and pushes me more into local culture.
This is a roundabout way of saying thanks for the video and insight on your experinces!
I love South East Asia too, it's just so damn hot most of the time in that region, so it's South America or Europe for me in retirement(which is close)...good luck in your Journey!
yeah thats the only drawback for me. The heat 😓
It’s the pollution that keeps my away, air and water
Isn't south America also hot?
@@cocaineminor4420Not in the lower Lakes area of Chile around inland from Valdivia, those snowcapped Volcano's are a nice sight too, Also in Argentina around Bariloche are cooler places, with Peru, Columbia, Ecuador you have higher altitude livable cities that are cool, though Ecuador is a worry at the moment!
@@cocaineminor4420No, most big cities in South America have a temperate-oceanic climate, Bogota for example has the same climate as Paris or Amsterdam, Buenos Aires has the same climate as Sydney, Sao Paulo has a climate similar to Tokyo
$15 here for a banh mi is criminal
Welcome to London
I can get 2 banh mi for $6 in the u.s
Give it 15-20 years once most of SEA has signed on with China for infrastructure and you'll see both futuristic cities in SEA make all European cities look like they're from the distant past. Bangkok is already not far behind.
We shall see
Asian cities are too overpopulated to be orderly. Plus, they need a mass transport system like an underground rail system which I don't see being developed in too many places. Developing Asian countries are trying to be like Singapore, but most are failing miserably.
Agreed not to mention Thailand's aging population now averaging 41 years old, at least Japan got rich before it got old.
LOL Bangkok is far behind China and always will be. Corruption, scams, racism, Xenophobia, brothel of the world, Reckless Greed, worst standard of education in the world, lack of laws, rules and regulations, no equal rights for foreigners, dual pricing, Gambling, massive debt and backwards thinking.
@@WheresWes WTF do you mean ''WE SHALL SEE'' most US cities are s**'# hole already.. once the USD$ finally collapse the US will be on par with India.. and you are the a banana..
The title should change to "Why I Will NEVER Live In Thailand, Vietnam & Philippine" Not Southeast Asia which is unfair to Singapore, Malaysia & others.
100% agree. All southeast asian cities are so different
Dude, have you been to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? The infrastructure there is top class, comparable to Western European cities, and Chinese cities. Your South East Asia is only 3 countries, they are the lesser developed ones.
Yeah but he said he also likes four seasons.
KL infrastructure is top among South East Asia, biggest & highest with amazing views.@@leealex24
100%, he described such an incredibly limited and shallow life experience and acted like that was the entire experience of SE Asia from his "expert" opinion.
Great video! On pollution: some Colombian cities and some Thai cities (haven’t been to Philippines) have an issue similar to Los Angeles in the 70s and early 80s. The pollution gets trapped by the surrounding mountains. California basically fixed it with stronger standards for vehicle emissions, among other things.
Wes, you are hitting the nail on the head on so many topics! You are young but wise and mature in your views. The digital nomads and expats are so often just looking for cheap! Loser back home, haha, same people that go to Vegas and think they are high rollers. That was big time in Colombia! That doesnt bring the best people. I am American white, my wife is Latina black, we both speak Spanish and English and we are more on the upper middle class side, we have been all over the world, I also lived in Colombia, culture shock stuff does effect your experience. For us, in SA we felt good in Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, in Asia we liked Thailand, Philippines, and overall we have had the best experience in Europe. In Europe we were both accepted easily, England, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, etc... In the USA we easily can be accepted and get along anywhere, in the US there is a lot of BS about racism, in the US we have always felt the most free to go anywhere and do anything. But, we like the European lifestyle best. We have felt racism all over the world, but not in the USA. Also, the laid back lifestyle in many places seems so great as a fantasy, its not heathy beyond a short vacation! successful people need to have a purpose and need to around others with a purpose.. Also, dont smoke weed Wes, it breeds laziness!
Hello Wes,
Just discovered your channel today. You have a lot of interesting perspectives on SE Asia. I do share some of them. I think when you talked about being an outsider, I could relate a bit, but I believe that will be the case no matter where you go in the world that isn't where you are from (Heck, even in your own country you can feel that way, but I digress). That isn't necessarily a bad thing. When I lived in Japan, I never felt I completely belonged either, but I felt safe and peaceful. For me, those two things outweigh my sense of needing to not feel like an outsider so I was okay with that. In the Philippines, I felt the most welcome I have ever felt anywhere, but as you said, the Infrastructure over there isn't where I want it to be to consider staying there permanently. In a few months, I will be traveling to Malaysia as I hear the infrastructure there in the major city is great, the population is pretty diverse and the English language is spoken pretty broadly there.
This year I will also become an Expat Nomad (digital nomad?) hopping from country to country to search for my forever home. Honestly, I think it really all comes down to where you are in life, and what your purpose is going to be to determine if any place is good for you. Poland might be your home for the time being, but who knows if you will feel that way after a few months or years? I guess my TLDR to all of this is never say never, life has a way of making a fool out of us using the "never" word. Interesting content though, you got a new subscriber with me.
My 2 cents: check out Thailand. I would say better than Malaysia long term. Everyone has a different taste but I haven't met anyone who doesn't like Thailand. I used to live there and I miss it every day
It’s all good in Thailand, life is good, but are you making millions ?
I am from Vietnam and have been living in Canada for 22 years. I agree with your points even though I don’t have some of your obstacles (like language barrier). I love the cold too and 4 seasons. I also love to walk and take public transit. Southeast Asia is amazing nonetheless and I’ll be visiting for the foreseeable future
Good stuff, new sub here❤
Do you speak mandarin fluently? If so I'd be interested to hear your experience if you travelled to china.
My mandarin is 3/10. My hokkien is much better, 9/10.
I understand the deeper Asian of those who want to make a deeper connection, understanding others, and a level of work ethics. Thanks for this insightful video throughh your mindset, it was valuable.
With all the disadvantages in Thailand I prefer live in there than anywhere else. Iam from South America and women there prioritize money, In Europe and US the feminism movement are destroying the family values and that's why most marriages fail. So, Thailand for me all day.
Asian women are after foreign men's money/wealth. They are even more materialistic and have greater/higher expectations for men than women in the west. But I do not really blame them either. That being said, guys from the west go to South East Asia only to take advantage of the women, and it is never about 'traditional' or 'conservative' values.
I was hyped about Thailand after seeing your collaboration with Isaiah Ashley and some of his vids, to the point that I’ve considered spending a few months there. This dampens my enthusiasm somewhat.
Go and have your own experience don't let his opinion affect your
yeah agree go for see for yourself
👍👍 thanks y’all. Wes, was it easy for you to meet other “normal” expats around Pattaya… people like Isaiah? I suppose I’ll have to go back and re-watch your other Thailand vids.
@ElJefe0719 - Don't let this ignorant fool keep you from experiencing Thailand! Don't listen to him because he's a self-hating Asian man wanna be Latino. If you watch all of the UA-cam videos about Thailand, you will see that 99.999% are positive about Thailand. Last year in 2023, I went from the US to Thailand twice, one month in April and one month in November. Trust me, once you're in Thailand, especially in Bangkok, you don't want to go home and if you do go home, all you think about is going back to Thailand. The Thais are extremely nice and welcoming, the women are beautiful and down to earth, the culture is awesome and the cost of living is incredibly low! The only thing you'll hate about Thailand is constantly thinking about going back to Thailand. Don't let this fool keep you from having a fantastic time! I'm going back to Thailand this October for another month. Eventually, I will move there permanently for retirement!
@@ElJefe0719pattaya is Thailand's whorehouse. Spend a few days then bail out to chiang mai imo, or bkk if you like big city vibes
Great, candid discussion. Thank you!
Question, sir: what parts of the Phillipines were the ones you were referencing as having the best looking women?
Cebu
@@WheresWesold white passport bros love Philippines 😂😂😂
Good views...Favorite place to live in Asia and Europe? @@WheresWes
@@giomusah2155asia is so big and I need to explore more but in SE asia I loved Da Nang and Chiang Mai
Are you comparing between the 11 Southeast Asian countries or just The Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam?
@13;06 WHere was this? I see a lot of Japanese text
You can find some walkable cities in Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia (some parts of KL). I think Taiwan and Malaysia are the most underrated countries in Asia.
Vietnam and Thailand are great for short visits, I agree it's just too hectic and polluted to live there. I agree Vietnamese girls are very beautiful, but that's not good enough of a reason to make me want to live in Vietnam. Taiwan for example covers both of those.
Also as a ex digital nomad, I agree, don't take advice from any digital nomads. Their only factor is cost of living. No concern for anything else. It's also impossible to progress in your career or social life as a digital nomad who is constantly moving. I've solved my problems by setting myself up in 3 cities and moving only between those. That way i'm not forever wandering without a purpose.
Also if you really like Thailand/Vietnam but don't like living there there are also ways to navigate that such as living in Singapore and just flying in for the weekends.
Taiwan is the hidden gem of Asia. Awesome landscapes and people but I find the food pretty average.
Yeah the food there isn't anything special but my Taiwanese friends keep saying that. Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand way better@@JC-lu4se
@@JC-lu4se Taiwanese food sucks. Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, mainland Chinese a lot better
@@gotssssssbro Singapore and Malaysia food is like 10/10
@@cocaineminor4420 Yup those are the 2 best countries for food in Asia. Not only local food, but you can get pretty much anything else there and high standards.
Never been there, but i plan to go this fall. Everything you hear about the people makes me curious. But yes i have also heard about how difficult it is to get around by foot which i agree would be a nghtmare for me too.
Thank you for the accurate transparency. Being a Filipino American and going back to Philippines after so many years in Mass. was exciting at first then after awhile, I see so many disadvantages like the hot humid weather, ants/critters in the condo and house we bought in the Philippines, very slow services that even include government service. Just for simple name correction you need to bring so many documents for proof and justification that added so much weight in my luggage. I thought I can do this fast since I went in person but boy I was wrong. It took over 6 months that I had to have someone continue it for me when I get back to the US. So, yes I agree with all the things you said. Polish people are actually very family oriented and religious just like the Philippines. I know because we had quite a few AuPairs from there.
Awesome information; never been interested but this was a good rundown
Excellent video ! thanks for sharing 👍 you made your point very well
Suprised by the number of disapprovals on this video. A lot of people cry for validation and if you go against their own taste then they have a breakdown I guess 😂
Good points.
Great video and good perspective!
But the reasons why you won't live in Asia are why I want to go there. I'm an AA that grew up and spent most of my life in Asia, so what you said about not being a cultural fit is exactly how I feel in the US now that I'm back here. I speak a few Asian languages and look like them so I'm hoping I can move back there permanent!
Great Video Wes. Have you been to China, Japan and Hong Kong, it would be nice if you can visit those three countries when you get a chance.
Yes but not enough time to have an opinion. I was in Japan for 6 hours and for a week when I was like 12.
Hong kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore
These countries are not “relaxing” type of place. They have the highest suicide rate of the world. 😂
I am Korean and I have lived in many different countries.
Japan is good if you are a short term visitor but bad for long term living. There are numerous reasons why but I won't go into that.
East Asia in general is tougher to adjust yourself to than South East Asia.
I really love SE Asia, my fave is Indonesia, but then, I do speak Indonesian at a B2 level so can easily communication. Not as much English in Indonesia as there is in the Phillipines. I love the total chaos about their complete lack of infrastructure that makes any sense. Learning Asian languages can be brutal and difficult. Everything is so different especially those that use a differnt form of writing. What I did notice is that as a white American, I got hit on by both men and women who were interested but usually looking for financial support. I have no interest in being anyone's sugar daddy.
I see on the Colombian espat sites about people wanting to land in colombia and just plan on no learning spanish and stay entirely within an expat bubble. That to me is so freaking crazy. You limit your options across the board, for making friends, and possibly a potential partner. I love the term "Loser back home"
You said something that reall struck me, about what did you learn and most of them are just floating around on the surface. and never doing an in depth cultural dive. We're at different ages with me being almost 75. But If I can't get to know someone culture and connect on a deeper level, and push out of my comfort zone I'd just stay at home .
I was expecting to hate this video as I thought you were going to be another Millennial "expert", but I have to say I agree with your points. Perhaps you missed that there's not a lot to do as well. One can only see so many markets and temples before it gets old. Whilst Hanoi is an awesome city, most people just sit in a cafe drinking iced coffee watching the world go by. What's there to do in Bangkok apart from hang in department stores, eat street food and drink in bars? It all gets old pretty quickly. Much better to live in close proximity to nature and go for walks and bike rides.
Very true but hiking amongst ancient ruins is awesome however hot weather ( 20 C + depending on activity) kicks my ass.
There's events and parks like any other city in the world? I don't understand what you can do in European cities that you can't do in Hanoi or Bangkok?
@FSVR54 most European cities are much prettier than SEA cities and better to walk, more parks, sidewalks and beautiful architecture
@iclaudius9954 agree with cheaper and safer, friendlier for the most part as well. I love SEA for that. But unless you like Bladerunner, rather dystopian esthetics, you would prefer most European cities
@@sunjungsonne I prefer the way Bangkok looks than any European city.
Have you come to Indonesia yet? Jakarta maybe? or Bali?
I spent 4 months in Canggu, Bali. It's the concentration of the lowest IQs on earth, full of instagrammers, UA-camrs, crypto clowns. By the I fall in love with the balinese people they are the nicest people.
May I ask are you on a passive income to fund your travels , accommodation and food? I feel trap in a 9 to 5 , you seem to be so free travelling here and there...
Start your own passive income
Cool videos!
How old are you Wes?
29
I have to disagree with you when you say the only outsiders we accept are whites. My father is Vietnam and my mother is black. I have lived in Vietnam for a number of years, not one time did I have a problem with dating because of my black heritage. I did have an issue with a girl from the south but that had to do with my origins being from the north. Catholic Vietnamese have a preference for white just like Philippinos but I believe it has to do with your god being white and you want someone that resembles him. But the rest of us don’t care, that’s if the foreigner adopts our culture. We have a culture that’s thousands of years old so it would be impossible to give away our identity.
One unsolicited advice from a traveling Filipino hehe. Live with your people. Because its not about the place, the situation, the drive, the dream job, the dream business, or the infrastuctures, the weather, the language. 😊 Its who you share your life with. ❤ But of course, you do you. Great content! 🎉
Those r some bars
Thank you for your time and posting. So glad to hear about the cuisine, the second reason I am going there. The first is nice people. Lived in Germany for 3 1/2 years, still the best place I have ever lived, and that was 51 years ago, better than Maui HI, and better than Australia. Public transportation is incredible. I've been single for 70 years, why do I want to screw it up now. :) I tried Ecuador but it wasn't for me. Most expats complain about something. The biggest complaint when I was there about 5 years ago was they couldn't get the drugs free that they got in the US. In fact, the government changed the retirement visas, IMO, because of all the complaining the expats did.
Been in Thailand 13 years. I also lived in Hanoi 20 years ago.The biggest downside is not being a full citizen, as in you can’t vote, nor are you ever fully accepted, as well as the brutal humidity and heat. Oh yes, the pollution and traffic suck too.
I agree with you with regards to public transportation specially in the Philippines.
Yes, the language barrier. There's a difference between knowing conversational language vs. expressing ideas fully and exploring abstract concepts instead of literal meanings of everything. I don't know how more people in SE Asia aren't overweight because I saw a tremendous amount of sugary drinks and foods being consumed. Even fruit has a load of sugar. And the rice...
I can get where you’re coming from, lots of good points but if you intend to stay long term anywhere, expect to learn the language.
Interestingly the piece of SE Asia you missed and a very large part of it - Indonesia.
solid!
Will you talk about the special Polish long-term visa for Americans?
I fully agree with what you said as someone born in Hong Kong but living in North America for more than 35 years
I been to Poland twice, but I would never live there.
Why? Because the girls there are too educated for an average passport bro?
Wow interesting Wes! I was visiting VN it was low cost & good experience…. Yes you right if you don’t know How to speak the language good enough you wont fully understand the culture in reality. Only you can see it on the Outside… happy you are living in Poland… I. Read up that Asian males do better in Europe than in the US…
We do better here it is trueb
Man, I recommend you learn Asian and European languages such as Vietnamese, Thai, Filipino, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Polish. I am a polyglot who speaks 16 languages and I can guarantee
you can learn languages only by watching language course videos on UA-cam you can acquire languages very quickly! Languages will give you enormous access and advantage to explore the culture of any foreign country you visit. Just speak the local languages. It is fun.
If you truly speak that many languages you probably grew up bi or trilingual and you have a gift for languages.
I definitely cannot learn a new language just by listening to UA-cam Videos ( or TV ) despite watching them for years in Portuguese.
I have to be very actively focused to learn new stuff: listen then repeat then say phrases in Portuguese into Google translate to see if it understood my Portuguese and being taught by a tutor.
Eventually I hope to learn in a more passive manner like watching a video and understanding it.
Learning a new language isn't "quick" for most people unless it's a few basic phrases.
@@USA2Brazil How many languages are you learning right now?
Did you learn how to read and write in those languages as well or just how to speak it? Is it best just to learn how to speak it to save time and not learn how to read and write in that language, as its not so important. I knew a girl who just lived with her boyfriend and in 3 months could speak Japanese fluently but count not read or write in Japanese.
@@torres8988 When it comes to Mandarin Chinese and Japanese I didn't learnt their alphabets at the beginning because primary focused on learning vocabulary words, phrases and conversational speech after becoming fluent in those languages then I begin to learn those alphabets and the pictographic characters. It is completely normal not to learn alphabets at the beginning. Focus more on conversational skills and learn lots and lots words.
@ChicoLatino098 thanks for the reply and reassurance, thought it might have been best to learn everything all at once but I think I'll skip the reading and writing, that'd be twice as hard as it already is, just going to focus on the speaking side and master that :). Insanely impressed how you manage to learn that many languages thats awesome, good work, any tips that helped you? If you dont mind sharing, like do you use apps or just online tutors? Children's shows with captions? Or what way do you go about it, do you start with the absolute most basic conversations then just add on remembering different sentences stemming from that? What at the core motivates you as well? Your like Cristiano Ronaldo with your work ethic haha
Atleast you visited and experienced it. Thats the best part.
My biggest issue is 30 hrs on flights and layovers to get there. I would want to come home a few times a year. We need faster flights.
@JeffMathias - what airline are you taking that's taking you 30 hours to get to SE Asia??? Are you taking a sea plane or something similar? The majority of flights take about 20 hours to get to most SE Asian countries.
Just returned from holiday in Philippines. It also took me 30 hours. Amsterdam to Dubai, Dubai to Manila. Manila to Palawan. 30 hours….
I agree with most of what you said. However, there is an appeal to Cambodia that is hard to explain.
I will need to see for myself
Cambodia is my Favorite South East Asian Country, the widespread ability of most Khmer to speak some English puts it well ahead of Thailand or Vietnam in ease of visiting or staying there longterm, & as you said the people are real charmers too!
@@georgedickens261Yes true, except that there are very few places that are livable for an expat in Cambodia, I can only think of Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and some islands like Koh Rong for a vacation. Sihanoukville is no longer livable for the expat, it's now a Chinese city full of unfinished buildings.
obviously you have not been to Malaysia or Singapore
I have
Have you been to Malaysia & Singapore?
I have when I was a kid. I will go back eventually.
Singapore is so expensive so it's hard to compare.
KL is nice but it's too chill and slow, you will suffer if you are energized by big, vibrant, and fast moving cities @@WheresWes
Kudos Wes, your honesty, even when it flew in the face of some of my expectations (assumptions?) is much appreciated. I may be white as a freakin' sheet, but I have a strong attraction to, and comfort level with Asian people and their culture -- way more comfortable than say, American women(!). Still, as you point out, I can't assume it's going to be easy as I take a shot at assimilating into Thai society as a retiree. Thanks for the slap upside the head I surely needed.
i actually had a similar trajectory, and feel the same way. Lmk if you'd be interested in talking further or collabing.
Nice video, I'm black and speak Mandarin...I'm from near you hometown in California. Hoping to eventually chat with you some day 😎
Cheers bro
Would be nice to be able to split my time between South East Asia and Northern Europe.
Cultural differences are huge, but for me it's also part of learning and growing up. It opens widens your perspective. However, salaries for the most part are not good, and there are not so many job opportunities (at least yet) for tech workers.
There's a big contradiction when it comes to saving face in Thailand compared to Finland where people are brutally honest and direct. Also there's a wide gap in general knowledge and the way people approach problems. Freedom of speech and corruption are completely opposite.
My goal is still to be able to live in Thailand in my 40's or 50's.
You've basically summarised why i dont wanna be digital nomad in SEA countries - its too chill of a lifestyle and not to mention the types of foreigners you're hanging with are nicely put, not the quality you like them to be
Have you traveled to South Africa? They have higher human development index than the Phillippines. Rwanda is heard to become the Singapore of Africa.
I have not. I will eventually go but have no urgency for it. Wanna get my Europe situation sorted first.
And South Africa has an extremely high crime rate
South Africa is not a safe place... and Rwanda becoming Singapore? Not in a million years
@@chaoticheaven17if you avoid the shanty towns you will be fine
I am.63 years old can I retire armania colombia 1200 per month don't speak Spanish. I am originally from Africa live usa Texas for decades
Damn who do you talk to there?
I've have been in 🇧🇷 for 6 years while my Portuguese isn't great it's enough to get by.
Personally I can't imagine living here only speaking English but I agree the older you get the more difficult learning a new language is.
I started at 46 years-old now I'm 52.
I read the comments and Ive seen a few of your videos now. You seem to have a traumatized perspective. Im a bit older than you and love many of the things you dislike and we can definitely agree on some points. I went through a similar experience im puerto rican married a women from Cali colombia due to my immaturity which after hearing your story with your ex wife also happened to you mostly because of a lack of wisdom and maturity. I wouldnt live in S.E Asia for different reasons only place id consider is Malaysia. Definitely can agree with Europe points. Either way I hope you find yourself but most importantly i hope you understand you still are very inexperienced and have a lot to learn and as you grow your experience and perception and perspective will change.
For me, wintertime in SEA and summer in Europe is the best choice.
I have rented a condo in Bangkok and an apartment in Switzerland. So I can freely jump from one place to the other.
I have 95% Thai friends even if my Thai is not that good, but It's possible to integrate into Thailands society.
But I agree that the pollution and the traffic are really bad down here.
Greetings from Bangkok
That’s assuming you are single.
Healthwise, you can't judge south east Asia by their big cities alone. You been to the Philippines provinces. Huge difference right?
And public transportation is good in Metro Manila. You have so many choices. The problem is.
There's just too many vehicles in general. Blame the DOT for screwing that one up.
would you live there if you can speak one of the languages?
I have family in the Philippines and would love a nice life there but I would not go. I need to check out Malaysia and Singapore more because I already speak Hokkien
His opinion about SEA is only around Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines. Talking about pollution, dirtiness, lack of facilities, language barrier etc while being at those places. He never been to the 'upper' SEA like Singapore, Malaysia or Brunei where most of the facilities are at par or some much better than Europe, plus there is no language barrier as English is widely spoken in these 3 'upper' countries. If you wanna talk about SEA, you better experience at east most of those countries coz the different between them are huge.
Brunei is too Boring
Singapore shouldn't even count as part of it, it has a mostly Chinese culture and it's not that big city
@@sanexpreso2944Singapore is majority Chinese but The culture is Very different then mainland China
Dude, have you been to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? The infrastructure there is top class, comparable to Western European cities, and Chinese cities. Your South East Asia is only 3 countries, they are the lesser developed ones.
Kl is not a walk city, it’s a car city. Don’t listen to this guy .
@@alexandertraveler510 You don't walk because it's too hot. You are the one don't understand. Do you see cities like Dubai, people walking around the street? That's why the public transport and cars play pivotal role.
I think you jump to conclusions about Black people having difficulty dating in Asia. I worked in Japan and in mainland China. Never had a hard time dating. Wife is Japanese and ex-girlfriend. I had no issues with Japanese parents. My other Black friends who are well traveled would disagree with you as well.
I have been to Japan over 60 times and mainland China over 30 times. I have also been all over SE Asia. You should ask a Black man before you make assumptions about our cultural interactions.
Many Black men are former military and talking to other black men they always speak highly of being stationed in Asia.
I have heard that some people did not have the best interaction with parents but I also had a Korean friend who was not accepted by Korean parents of his girlfriend due to his socioeconomic status.
Vietnam is fine, but I would recommend a beach city like nga trang or a mountain, nature province like lao cai.
It has issues, traffic, some pollution biggest cities, but safe, and opportunities to find.
I did marry a vietnamese in 2020, white guy here, but I knew her since 2010, and built a house paid in full 2023. So can relax now, though I enjoy the busy, adventurous life.
You like Communist???
@@BigVtheVanity communist is just a term. Lots of variations. Iraq, Afghanistan are democratic and your point?
I agree. Too hot and humid, though I do love Thai food. The Phillipines might be possible, but I'm not into beach life as most people are. I prefer big cities outside of the USA and mountain towns.
What you mentioned in the video does not align with the reality of Malaysia. English is widely spoken, the infrastructure is excellent, and the people, including the Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Aboriginal communities, are kind and beautiful. This diversity is what makes Malaysia unique as "Truly Asia", offering a sense of identity and home to all who visit or reside here
Yeah seems like he just focused on 3 countries and thought that's basically southeast Asia lol... don't know how he missed Malaysia and Singapore
Well they have very good public trains in Bangkok. You make some points about how difficult it would be if somebody was India, or black but I don't see how that explains why YOU will never live in Southeast Asia. As far as dating goes. Yeah it's always difficult to date when somebody is just visiting. That applies to anyone anywhere in the world.
It’s easier if you are a tourist . Girls want no strings attached. Only in china the girls are conservative as heq
Guess you never visited Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore is almost perfect and Malaysia is way different from Thailand, Vietnam or Philippines.
I went when I was a kid
Singapore sucks 😂 I don't know why a lot of westerners & people who have been brainwashed by the western media have these ridiculous hype and fantasy about Singapore. You might want to visit there as a tourist (and I think once in life is enough) but for long term living other SEA countries win a billion times over.
Some points I get you, some I don't agree.
You ARE Asian. Nothing will change that regardless if you grew up in usa. So being multi lingual is beneficial when travelling.
Of course europe is better than south east Asia except it is not cheap. If you hv high taxes, the other facilities will appear in front of you.
Most digital nomads, without much money in the banks , will start in south asia or south east asia. But instead of enjoying their trip, they started to do things that will give like and subscribe from certain large populated countries. This benefit them as youtube will reward them later. So tourism was shaped by youtubers who may not give a correct picture of countries in asia but misinformation are given because like and subscribe is important (to save face and to avoid backlash by locals).
Except for a few english speaking countries, your American English is not appreciated generally. Because only 5 countries out of 11 can understand you.
They are singapore, philippines, Brunei, malaysia, Timor Leste.
The rest like Laos, Cambodia, vietnam, Thailand, myanmar(maybe burma can), indonesia do not use English in the general population.
Europe is better? Not for me cities in Europe don't look modern at all and are expensive. I'd rather be in KL or BGC Philippines.
@chaoticheaven17 cold during winter, taxes are crazy etc etc. Food sorry to say boring.
1. Cheese (what else)
2. Bread (what else)
3. Beef (what else)
4. Chocolates (but source countries are not European). 3rd world countries produce and grind it.
Asian food has varieties. Taste. Spices.
South Korea adores American English. Timor-Leste has zero connection with AE as I lived there for 5 years. Australian English is more familiar with them. Where do you get your information from? I agree with your comments regarding YT and Millennial and Zoomer wannabe travel "influencers". Most wouldn't have a clue and do everything for that "smash that subscribe button".
@@keangwooichoo6138Italian food is awesome also I personally don't like overally hot and spicy food because those spices were originally used to hide poor quality of the food. I guess you never visited the Mediterranean before?
Haha clearly you have never lived in South East Asia. Europe is "better" than SEA? Tourism maybe, but actual living? Hell no. The major South East Asian cities are much more modern and convenient
Thanks for sharing your honest experience, love your thoughts, will keep following you :) keep it up brother …
I am so happy that I found your video, you echoed my feelings exactly, I wish we have met in Danang, I am coming back to Portugal in a week. We quit our jobs to spend a year in SEA and check the lifestyle over here (I was really convinced SEA was the spot for me to set up camp for a couple of years) but the one thing I realized was that I already have everything I need back home. I didn't adapt well to the heat, polution and chaos of SEA but what bothered me the most was the rampant colonialism of certain places, the expact community in SEA is awful 😂 Losers back home describes it perfectly, yikes. The lowest type of people, intellectually and morally. Anyway!!! Thanks!!!
ever come to Malaysia??
I'm confused, in this video you say that you are from the Philippines, but in another video you said you were Chinese, at least that's what I think you said.
I'm Chinese Filipino.
Been here for 1 year and I support everything that you've said in this video. ( Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Phillipines all match what you said)
Honestly for me it's more the safety concern. Taking a bike everywhere is cool and fun but then these countries have the most deaths worldwide. I am not trynna die on a bike accident.
Then, the pollution... I also didn't quite feel it but I know for a fact my lungs are feeling it. Then I did some research, we lose like 10 years of our life for living on those countries.
Dating wasn't hard for me. I am white and "handsome", girls ask for my number often, especially in vietnam. I am portuguese.
But 100% sure the money does the speaking, many lies, many fakes, but if you are an inexperienced man it's so easy to fall for it. You see it all the time the "ugly" white guys with "beautiful" viet women - they pay for their entire lifestyle and get cheated on regularly.
Families approve the relationships if you can take them out of their "poverty". So number 1 advice is date a rich girl from that country if you want it to be more honest
Most rich local girls wouldn't contemplate dating a foreigner unless he's ultra successful. Any guy who's relatively in shape and wears nice clothes can get a local in Vietnam. I'm middle aged, and have zero issues getting girls in their 20s in Vietnam, and no, I don't pay them. Coffee shops near expensive department stores is where you find them. They are just curious but as you say, some have ulterior motives like having their Masters degree paid for. Only a fool would fall for that, though.
Did you ever go to South Korea Wes, and if not, would you like to?
haven't been yet but i would love to. didn't have time to do it this time but will go in the future.
Bro come to Singapore in South east Asia.
some ppl can't live in asia/s.e. asia long term but, since that region of the world is so dynamic they still go there annually, like maybe a month or two or three a yr.
@ 11:05 lbh heck yea 🤣
I am black American and have lived in Japan, S. Korea and now Thailand. I showed this video to my Thai girlfriend and thinks you are incorrect about your assessment of “passport bros”. 🤷🏽♂️
Were you able to smoke weed in the Philippines Wes?