You are right. The eastern and central European regions are the safest places on this planet! I live in Slovakia, Kosice and this city is in a secure zone surrounded by hills so it protects against nature and weather disasters!
@@zoltanfabiansk5795 In a odd twist, the EU nations that will most likely survive and even thrive for the foreseeable future are Brussels' "problem childs": Bulgaria and Romania.
Good morning from John & Elsa living here in Davao Philippines. I am a retired british expat. A very good reason for living here is that my pension increases annually the only country in Asia that has this agreement with the Uk. The people here speak English. The beaches on Samal island are nice. Many types of fruit to eat here. The cost of living here is low. The sea is warm.
@@blackvise357 Won't work during rainy season, or during frequent power outages. I decided on Vegas Strip and Vancouver, for reliable business infrastructure.
All good points. As for my wife and I we retired to her home country (The Philippines) from Canada about two years ago and I absolutely love it. We're back right now for an extended visit in Surrey BC and I can't wait to get on a plane and back to our home there.
Im from the US and married to a beautiful and loving Russian woman. Guess where we decided to make our home, the Philippines. 7600 beautiful islands, live like a king and queen with $2k a month, most friendly, beautiful, kind, christan people in Asia and warm weather all year round. The best part is that everyone speaks english and all government offices and businesses, public signs are all in English making it very easy for me and my wife and little kids to go around and make friends in school. Foreigners especially westerners make this very big mistake of thinking that Manila is the Philippines, but thats very far from the truth. We live in Clark, Pampanga. Very clean, safe and everything we need is near. Even the newly built international airport is 5 minutes away by car from our house where we usually take flights when we go on vacation abroad and especially when we want to go to the different island paradise here like Boracay, palawan, Bohol and many many more. All countries have good and bad areas. Ever been to Los Angeles or Oakland? I'd say its even more unsafe there than it is in Manila. But where we live in Clark Pampanga, you can walk at midnight and it's completely safe. To each his own i guess. But for us, the Philippines is paradise on earth
Hi Eric and thanks for sharing. I`ve been considering moving to the Philippines. I`m 37 years old and have my own online business. How do you deal with things like pollution, brown outs, the rainy season, typhoons, very high temperatures, skin tax, scams etc?
I'm a Filipino making $2500 a month as a software engineer. I think I can make 3-5x more if I migrate to the US / UK / Australia / Canada, but I would have to rent and things will be more expensive. Would you still recommend it? I'm nearing 35 and I think there's less priority for people older than 35 in terms of migration.
I have travel Eastern Europe but i noticed that mostly people dont smile. As an Asian guy im scared to talk to and ask for directions. A guy scream at me in Romania for asking directions. I was in Saint Petersburg in Russia and my bathroom light wasnt working so i have to call a guy to fix it. I was so scared to talk to him because he looks very serious and dont smile. Being born and raised in South East Asia i felt comfort because people here are more welcoming, friendlier and greater smile than Easter European
@@AlinaMcleod Hmmm. I do not remember that about the places I visited in Bulgaria. When Alina was in Plovdiv the people she showed seemed very friendly.
Good point, only if you like what your western government is doing. She is Ukrainian I'm sure not a good place right now. White people are loved and welcomed everywhere. But they are the ones that colonized the world, killed many natives for their lands..So I do not get it.
That's just because you were socialized in Malaysia. I am Asian American and live on a 98% Jewish street in New York and I am totally oblivious to my race - no one treats me any different due to me being Asian. So you don't have to be around "your own kind" if you're referring to race. Alina is Canadian, there are people from all over the world in Canada, that's part of why she feels at home in SE Asia.
There is no perfect place. Anywhere that you go, you have to work and pay bills. People connecting are hard, especially if you're an adult, and especially if you're moving around.
For me, South East Asia is for retirement, no way on God's green earth could I work there. My Mrs is half Thai half Chinese, we're retiring to Cha Am Thailand 3-5 years time. Good luck in your search .
Just retired, I am going to Southeast Asia next year, and then to China the year after, just checking up. Yunnan in China is my favourite destination at the moment.
@@davidrichards1741 I only intend to live abroad about 6 months per year, spring/summer in old Blighty. Maybe I can go to Indochina and back again on renewed visa?
I really enjoy listening to what you have to say, you are very articulate and intelligent, and I learn something every time! You are open to new people, places and different cultures, and you give thoughts and opinions in a very clear and respectful manner, without passing judgment. I learn about places, but even more, I myself am learning from you the importance of speech, and to give thought on how you will word things before opening your mouth. Thank you!!!
Alina is a THINKER. I can't name anyone who thinks a problem in such detail and uploads video on UA-cam. They might be out there, but Alina attacks problems that interest me. Plus she has those two parents I find it easy to care about.
If I’d be moving anywhere- I’d move to Poland - incredible country with so much to offer, beautiful language which I’m learning now, beautiful cities, lovely people, reasonable prices and safety - it rocks 🇵🇱
She's absolutely correct about the heat, humidity. Don't forget the pollution. The best time to visit Thailand is October through February. However, the affordability, safety, food and just the shear beauty of malls, temples, countryside makes it worth it.
Alina is right to be concerned about heat & humidity in South East Asia for someone growing up in a cooler climate. Married travel vloggers Matt (British) & Julia (Russian - Siberian) struggled living in Bangkok due to the climate.
English is widely spoken in Malaysia. There are no Typhoons, no earthquakes nor volcanoes here. Earlier this year there was an exceptional heat wave but M'sia having seas all around was cooler. Maybe you didn't stay long enough but many youtubers have local friends. But it takes a bit more time.
I moved to Vietnam during covid- love it here- great food, lots of interesting places to visit, friendly people. Also a great hub to explore other countries from
Yes, that is so true. I am Asian born and live in Europe (not a Vietnamese). Next year I am planning to leave Europe and travel in Asia and mostly in Vietnam. I am so happy about it. 😊
Ever heard the phrase ' FOLLOW YOUR HEART (GUT)?' never underestimate this phrase, life gets WAY better after you do so, all the best Alina. Greetings from Tanzania
Enjoyed this video so much Alina and learned a lot from it. You are making the right choice for you and that's obviously what's most important. As always I am wishing you all the best!
Well, if you're looking at Eastern Europe please put Bucharest at the top of your list. Here are a few updates since you last been here (5 years ago?): 1. We have Uber and Bolt everywhere, even the smaller cities, no more taxies. 2. Public transportation works even better than before (and you can pay by card / phone everywhere) 3. City looks nicer now, they really invested in cleaning it up. 4. We have more and more expats living here 5. Internet is even faster, we have 5G on mobile and in some places 10 GBps cable. 6. The city is growing like crazy, there is a lot of new apartment buildings and very cool airBnBs. 7. There are more vegetarian options (even in MegaImage). 8. We are now in (air)Schengen which means no more passport controls when flying to other EU countries. 9. We have now even more low-cost connections than before. Not just to Europe but to Turkey, Israel and Dubai as well. 10. We have more shopping malls with all the brands in the world. (and if you need a city guide, just let me know :) )
Romania is linguistically Latin. Language is culture and plays a big role in shaping identity. Would Bucharest be the best choice for Alina, who is of Slavic descent?
their wokeness is not disturbing. they still calling their self as Ladyboy not pretending a real women n force other people call them women 😂😂😂@@self.destructr
Hi Alina.Thanks for your information. I have been to Asia a lot. For me Malaysia and especially Kuala Lumpur are the closest to the Netherlands where i come from. Malaysia has no natural disasters, the people are nice and can speak English. Cost of living is very affordable, good healthcare , great choices of food, good and affordable housing. Not so polluted as a lot of other Asian countries. For the climate look at how the locals are moving. Don t walk to much outside in the sun, make use of grab or just walk in the airco cooled pedestrian paths.Take the time to adjust . And at last. For me also as an introvert Malaysia and the people suite me.
Been in Phuket, didn't plan to move here but ended up staying after being here when the borders shut during covid. Easy to make tons of friends, with locals or the immigrant community (or as some call, expats). Absolutely gorgeous place, well connected airport, low cost of living, and honestly the language isn't that difficult to learn to speak, however, yeah, learning to read it and write it is much more difficult. I can't think of anywhere else in the world that combines such an affordable cost of living, such a diverse international social scene, and which has such stunning natural beauty nearby. That said, we all have our own preferences
I respect your decision Alina. The nice thing is you can get a lot of direct flights to Bangkok from Europe and it will only be a single 10 hour or so flight. Which is much more bearable than flying 18 hours from Canada with layovers. Plus you have easy access to all of EMEA within a 5 hour flight, which will add some variety to your channel. We will miss you in Southeast Asia though. Can't lie it would've been an exciting journey to follow your apartment search, networking, travel, events, foods etc in Bangkok. Also, Ive met 75 year old German grandmas happily living alone in Pattaya - if they can adapt with no issue, any Westerner can. It's really not that hard, there are tons of Westerners there too.
What is practical about streets full of water or volcanic explosions? She was in and out when nothing of the sort happens. But typhoons do happen. Wonder how North Americans handle the insane rainfall of a typhoon.
I'm a Canadian living in South East Asia since 2018. It's a great place to live, especially Northern Thailand. My roots are also from Eastern Europe, I fully respect your decision to go back to the land of your ancestors. I will always be an outsider here in Asia but at least I'm not in Canada anymore 😂
Wow, this will be interesting to see what you choose. I am from Poland and keep fingers crossed you will be heading to Poland 😀 Now I live in Canada, holding both passports. For obvious reasons the only country that I would choose is Poland! But I can see Baltics and Balkans good contenders. Haha can’t wait for your next video
Alina I think your channel is one of the best on YT for help with deciding where to retire to. I can really relate to you and your thought processes too! Subscribed!
Great video! I understand the language barrier however it’s a little easier in the Philippines as their second language is English so it’s easier to go there and live.
On the point about natural disasters, Singapore, Malaysia and southern Thailand don’t have earthquakes, volcanos or typhoons. The worst that the west coast of Malaysia would have are some flash floods lasting no more than a few days. Geographically, you can draw a “U” from Northern Sumatra, across Java and north back up to the top of the Philippines, and that’s where all the natural disasters are due to the tectonic plates.
@@AlinaMcleodI agree with you Alina having been in Thailand many times because my mom lived there. If Thailand and Vietnam had cool dry climate I would live there possibly.
@@kayflip2233 I think I've heard of that. I've been neither place. I wonder with such climate what huge cities smell like in hot humid weather. Humidity bothers me more than heat.
I've followed you during covid while you're in our country. Wherever you lived I wish you happy and healthy. Say hi to lovely dad too. With love from BKK.
as Indonesian, yes. i hate rainy season! i much prefer 4 seasons.... but Indonesia can give me "freedom" and adventurous.... systematic chaos that feeling life more alive. Been several times in Japan.... beautiful country, i love it.... but something missing, everithing organized, ruled... dificult to make a friend, i feel lonely in such a beatifull place.
Lots of beaches in Greece are more beautiful than any beach in Asia. Btw, I'm also a (naturalized) Canadian moving back to Eastern Europe, to Belgrade, Serbia, to be exact after a lifetime in Canada. The climate's too brutal (long, cold winters followed by hot, humid summers), the health care system's a joke (and at my age that's a serious issue), and the cost of living is becoming exorbitant. With a foothold in Belgrade, I'll be close to anywhere else in Europe I want to visit and, as my first statement tells you, I love the Mediterranean, and Greece and Spain in particular. Am looking forward to discovering Sicily and Sardinia over the next few summers.
I'm sure Greece is beautiful but the bit about having beaches better than the ones in (SE) Asia...I doubt that. But you're entitled to your own opinion, no hate. 😊
@@psyche9908 - Yes, I know what you mean and understand your point of view about the beaches in SEA and Greece. I spent time in both places in the past. I am Asian myself and live in Germany currently. I also like to add one more point and that is when it comes to food varieties, in Asia there is a bigger choice . I also like Greek food. Thanks for your perspective.
@@psyche9908 I probably haven't been to the SEA beaches you have in mind, as I suspect you haven't been to the Greek ones I know. The one thing I don't enjoy in places like Bali or Thailand is the very high humidity, something Greece and the rest of the Mediterranean countries are free of.
I left the States for Thailand primarily because we will have more wars and crises before the economic reset. The West (Europe, the U.K., North America, et al.) is clearly in decline, and it pains me to say that. Thailand is enough out of the way and pretty much self-sufficient. The combination of a lifestyle where I can be at the beach daily yet hop a short, cheap plane ride to Bangkok, the best value world-class city in the world, is the best of both worlds for me.
Young Thai students continue to stride to go to American and European universities and see them as the gold standard. Why? Because that's fact. The West is not in decline. Innovations continue to come from the west. Indian and Chinese students and engineers do their best work in a western environment. There are a lot of problems in the west that need to be resolved and we'll solve them.
You’re talking about things that might not even happen in your lifetime. U.S. and Europe are still the gold standards for universities, research, jobs and economy. Thailand is a great retirement plan but this doesn’t work for people trying to climb up in their career or business.
@@ChasingBogeys The East Asian economy is bigger than the US and EU combined. No one is moving to Europe for job opportunities over Asia. You can make way more money for the same white collar job in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai vs Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam etc.
Interesting to hear about your concluded experiences. Thanks. And also interesting to hear about your decision for next future. Looking forward to follow you there.
@@AlinaMcleod I have rooted for some place like Plovdiv or Burgas in Bulgaria. Never been to SE Asia, but most of it doesn't appeal to me. Hope you find a durable home base. But fly to see Mom and Dad. Both of them seem to really care about your happiness.
Andrew Henderson's "primary home is Malaysia", where he spends more time than anywhere. He and his wife, who's from easter Europe. Nomad Capitalist Live is permanently in Malaysia too. Same for me, but what's best for us may not be best for you. Nobody can say but you.
I'm also Canadian living in Tbilisi and I love the weather here, yes they have winter here but it's nothing like Canadian winters and it's a nice break from the hot summer's here and of course it's inexpensive to live here as well.
my spouse is from thailand and its fun to visit once a year, but we would never live there full time. I come from the northern US and I love my seasons. I"ll take snow over humid , sticky hot , uncomfortable heat all year. Plus if you enjoy any thing outdoors or running outside like I do, forget about it in Thailand. Maybe I could do a snowbird situation but nothing more than that.
But it's not hot and humid all year though? We have raining season and cold seasons the heat season is between February and May after that its raining season to around November and after that its cold season
I was born in Pangasinan, and grew up in Oahu, Hawaii. During my military career, I lived in different states/countries. After completing my career, I have been traveling/cruising, and spent couple years in Baguio City during the lockdown. It’s best to travel and visit places to learn if it’s the right place for you before committing to long term IMHO. Thanks for sharing!
Once again, dear Alina Welcome to Serbia to Belgrade, Niš (my city), Novi Sad, Subotica ... ! You will feeling here as in your real Slavic homeland! Who is by the way pretty close to visit when you wish. Dobro nam došla! Bol'shoy serdechniy Privet! 😊🤗
Hello Alina great video and i 100% agree with you in your reasoning not to move to Asia / Southeast Asia. I've living here in Asia / Việt Nam for 7 years now and in first two years I had a lots of fun and wanted to make it my base, but after the rosy glasses came off and the honeymoon period end, it wasn't what I thought it was because the reality of where I was started to sink in day after day along with all of the daily nuances and bureaucracy of the living in Asia, started to became a daily challenge also as time went by many of the local friends I made started to open up to me about what life is real like for them here in Việt Nam and wondered why I would choose to live here, their words started to make more sense as time went by, so now after 7yrs I've also decided to move to Europe more specifically Eastern Europe, I will be embarking on my journey in October of this year and will be base in Ljubljana Slovenia for a while as I journey around trying make a decision on where to call home in Eastern Europe, I've got a few places in mind so far like Slovenia, Croatia, Albania and Hungary, which I'm all going to be visiting while I'm there. So great video once again and happy journeying who knows we might even cross paths. Peace out.
@@MikeTruth-rr6zo Lol, hahaha 😂 well I'm not going promote my channel on Alina channel, because she's been a inspiration to me and my small growth so far, since I came across her a few years back in her Albania travels. But as for me, after many years of living here in Southeast Asia and doing UA-cam, I've come to understand one thing, which is if you're not selling the dream, by sensationalizing and generalizing or at least giving the armchair travelers some local eye candy to look at, it's going to be a slow growth plus most of people who gravitate to SEA are of the weird type 🤣 and I'll leave it at that, an that's not my style as I've come to realize, I have got more in common with European UA-camrs because I'm a big history and culture guy, plus I also have respect for the locals in my surroundings, overall I will be changing my channel name so it can appeal to a broader audience once I start doing my European vlogs and travels. I'm currently preparing to head to Europe in October, which is in few weeks to get a feel for the place and find a home base somewhere in Eastern Europe, so far Slovenia is on top of my list and where I'll be my temporary base for awhile as I visit other countries in the area. Peace out and be safe out there.
i feel bad for people who have to move and have no real home and/or roots. Being surrounded by family, friends, and community that you grew up in is a real blessing. Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home.
I was nomadic as a child. I just never had friends like my wife who never traveled. In fact, being forced to move over and over affects ability to have friends. For about 10 years, Alina stayed put in Saskatchewan. She had more stability than I had. But she also has a warm personality (I think), so she's done better. In ancient days, whole families migrated, not just individuals . My "tribe" did that, too.
Not everyone wants to stay in the place you grew up and also a lot of people’s family and friends move all over. I don’t have one place where the majority of my family and friends are, so have to find the one where I’m at least close to a majority but also works for what I want out of life.
@@AlinaMcleod When you and your parents get together, the three of you appear to make each other happy. That wasn't true for my nomadic family. So I assume there will be family get togethers no matter where you make your home base.One thing to visit Calgary, different to incur the cost of living over time.
@@Nedofaust Cheaper than Bulgaria? Where? I toured every part of Bulgaria from the Rhodops to Velika Tarnovo. Alina spent even more time than I did. Anyone who's never spent a day in Bulgaria can speculate, but Alina and I have the actual experience. I got a bug and my tiny grasp of Bulgarian permitted me to buy medicine from a pharmacy. Alina knows Russian. Learning Bulgarian (she knows Cyrillic) will be far easier than any Asian language. I await her processing of her near global experience to finally choose a base.
Hey Alina.. great points raised in this video and the answer is always to follow your heart. As for Malaysia specifically where language wouldn't be a barrier, I hope you give it another chance with another visit in the near future. The place I highly recommend would be Penang Island with her own international airport. Perhaps if you are ever making this trip again to Kuala Lumpur where I live, do look me up and I'll gladly take you around.
Japan is a better place to live than south east asia: safe, relatively cheap, people mind their own business, amazing food, great quality of service, lots of nature
@@ardi08 if someone decide to move and live in a place, it makes sense to learn the language. Imagine some immigrants in the UK complaining having the need to speak English…
@@ardi08I've been a tourist in Japan twice speaking no Japanese and only English. It's totally workable. The only countries in SEA that exceed their English skills are Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
@@phoenix5054 Thais speak better English than Japanese. Also over 100 million Indonesians speak English. You can get by on English almost everywhere in Asia.
Greetings from Calgary! I enjoyed your video today Alina. Your not having an easy time with your choices! I wish you well in the decision you arrive at and hope that when you’re there, it meets most if not all of your expectations.
I love the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. They are the only SE countries I’ve visited. Singapore is expensive. While I enjoyed visiting, I wouldn’t want to live there. Filipino people are so kind. That’s a bonus. Both the Philippines and Thailand are beautiful and have great food. Not to mention cheaper to live than North America. Good luck choosing your new home.
When it comes to infrastructure, I find that Southeast Asia generally surpasses Canada in many aspects. Once you step outside of Canada's major population centers like the GTA or Greater Vancouver, you'll notice that many smaller towns lack basic amenities such as sidewalks.
Why being so fussy and complaining about these warmth tropical weather? I thought the west loved Florida, Hawaii, the Caribean, Bali, Maldives to name a few that they call paradise? Those in the tropics just climatise and having an easy life without worrying the extreme cold or extreme heat of the dry desert area. Without money you can't live even indoors for the heating. Except for the occasional rain, tropical climate allow all year freedom and outdoor activity with little money. Overall life is simple and cheaper..
The Philippines also has volcanoes and earthquakes. Also, you're right about the economic potential. Southeast Asia, collectively, will be the fourth largest economy by 2030 and will only be getting bigger. It is also relatively young.
However, the transportation factor you mentioned isn't entirely correct as China is building a high speed rail to Bangkok. Now the train goes from Kunming to Vientiane in 4.5 hours (also known as the Lancang Train) and will soon continue to Bangkok. It should be open in 3 years.
I live in the Philippines Alina most people know how to speak and understand English as well as Malaysia. Have you ever been to BGC in Manila? It's very modern but is also a somewhat pricey but it's a great place to live. Yeah malls here are huge here in Asia I just wish they had more American and Canadian stores and yeah very friendly people in Asia almost everywhere. Good luck to you
here comes the BGC eejit. these BGC eejits are all over social media nowadays. it is really stvp1d that they would think a person who has traveled all over the world would be impressed by BGC. m0r0n
You won't miss the Asian food, when you will be living in Eastern Europe. You will find Vietnamese restaurants in every big city. This region is a good choice, I live in Slovakia. But there are even cheaper places than my country, e.g. Hungary, Bulgaria. Good luck with your move!
Summarizing 20s Ukrainian influencer: 1. Easier to visit European countries 2. Easier to integrate with Europeans 3. Doesn't like tropical weather, afraid of rain and volcanos and motorbikes. 4. Must have sidewalks 5. Visas are hard 6. Time is different from Europe ... So going back to the Eastern Soviet block.
The only problem with your argument is that - 'Eastern Soviet block' does not exist. You may have missed it but most of the so called 'Eastern European' countries are actually Central European countries. They are all part of the EU and NATO, with capitalist economies. There is no more Soviet Block dude. Look at your watch. It's 2024. P.S. Russia is crap though. And it is Eastern.
Glad to hear that you have made up your mind where to settle down. Your choice is great one and I also love Europe. I haven't been to Eastern Europe. Look forward to the videos of Eastern Europe. Alina my friend thanks for sharing your thoughts and video. Keep smiling.
Malaysia is great. I quite liked Kuala Lumpur. Cameron Highlands is beautiful and a lot cooler - different kind of rainforest. The island offerings come without the commercialism that exists in Thailand or Bali. Langkawi is absolutely fantastic as far as I am concerned. They manage the island very well without commercialism and seemingly with very good consideration for the environment. Very unlike Koh Samui where you see sediment everywhere from the very poor planning of cutting and stripping mountainsides all to create more and more tourist development.
Kuala Lumpur is a dangerous place to live with their sinkholes. Excessive of skycrappers with poor sewage system make the soil of the city in bad condition especially if there are floods. I advice if there is floods and non-stop rain in KL you should'nt go outside. The whole soil of KL is not good due to the poor planning. Imagine an Indian fell into a modern walkthrough and she was not found. That means the soil is deep and that there is danger in the soil of KL.
Great video presentation and you are right on target on every point you made . To live permanently in Southeast Asia is not the same as spending a few weeks in vacation , it is much more than that .
Bulgaria offers a blend of traditional charm and modern convenience. With its attractive cost of living, welcoming atmosphere, and beautiful landscapes, it's no wonder expats find Bulgaria a nice place to live.
@@ibizawavey8630 I didn't make any claims about Poland. However, the population of Poland has been stable at about 38 million since 1990. While the population of Bulgaria has fallen from 8.8 million to in 1990 to 6.8 million in 2024. Bulgaria is also politicly unstable, having great difficulty to form a government. It's had 7 elections in 3 years and is having yet another election in a desperate attempt to form a government. Many Bulgarian politicians are also controlled by Russia, such as Bulgaria's president Radev.
@@JimMork-r9u Some small amount of people may have moved to Bulgaria, but that doesn't change that there has been a reduction in population by over 23% of the population since 1990.
I tried very hard to listen all the way through this but i couldn’t. I have the completely different experience. It’s far easier to integrate in SE Asia than the US. People are far more outgoing and helpful. Regarding the climate, there are cooler cities that are so beautiful and college towns full of events. The transportation is excellent and very inexpensive compared to the US. I spend most of my life as a SE Asian slow traveler. I’ve been all over the world. I wouldn’t live anywhere else. The quality of living is so much higher, it is a fraction of the cost of the West, people are wonderful, life is amazing in SE Asia. It almost seems like you were there as a tourist and didn’t connect. The cultures are each so rich. Maybe you’re just too young to see the things most people do
Of course it’s better for those things than the US or Canada lol, that’s why I’m moving. I was comparing it to Europe and speaking only for myself that I would integrate better in Europe because I’m originally from Ukraine.
Hi Alina, Don't get lost in decision making this is your own life. Every country has both good and bad. I will pray for you and like to see you have a good luck and happiness. Watching from a Bangkok.
Congrats on your decision. I’m so happy for you. You make some very good points and I’m sure you will really enjoy your new life near family and network of friends.
Youre looking for a "perfect country", "perfect weather", "perfect structure", "perfect everything".... good luck, your gonna need it. Hello from the Philippines..😊
Retired in Asia. Becoming healthier and happier every day. There is no perfect place to live. They all have there pros and cons. For me Asia is my paradise. It is obviously not your paradise Alina because of the requirement for your idea of Paradise. Don’t knock something because it doesn’t work for you. As for safety, depends on which Asian country you are referring to. Thailand is one of the safest country in the world if you respect their laws. I’m tired of reviews by whining West Coasters who spend only a bit of time in the area. I really think you might be happiest in Woke Canada. Bangkok is not Thailand. The rainy season is actually a great time to be in Thailand. I write this today in the midst of a day in the rainy season. By the way, I have 34 years experience in Asia.
If you’re family with kids or pensioner, MALAYSIA is the one! • Safe, modest & slow pace lifestyle. • Many recreational & educational parks with reasonable prices. • International schools with various curriculums from around the globe. • Cheap, convenient & advanced in medicals. • English as their second language. • Multiculturalism aspects & nutritious foods/produces. • Reasonable rental rates for spacious units. • Reasonable car price (local car). • Cheap gas.
Oh, I am quite happy to have you close. So, if you choose Romania, welcome! Perhaps there should also be: Ukraine, Bulgaria or Montenegro and Albania with good potential to grow, Great to validate this once again :).
@@canalesjuan356 not for now, just being close to her relatives and with lot of regional opportunities once UKR is reconstructed, anyway pehaps some place with Russian speaking population, some voices believe that Russia will be also a good place on long term
Asia is rising fast economically, while the EU is already facing significant issues because of geopolitical problems. The 21st century will certainly be an Asian century.
@@grddavisglobalization will not end completely, Asians countries will still trade among themselves and they will trade with Russia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, if North America, Europe cut themselves from global economy this will not end globalization..
@@IsmailFakri globalization could change into something looking like the Red Sea currently, with attacks on shipping happening from a group with an axe to grind and nothing to lose by being violent. China and Russia are in demographic and economic decline right now and war could end up breaking out in east Asia like it has in eastern Europe and the middle east. It is far from a sure thing that Asia will become an economic powerhouse
@@grddavis Russia is on the demographic decline?.. You will see in the coming decade Russia population will recover, lots of immigrants wants to immigrate to Russia and specially from the western countries, though Russia doesn't allow open border policy as the west does, China is on the demographic decline? How so, the Chinese themselves wanted to put brakes on population growth, they did that with 1 child policy in the 1980, I think the number of the Chinese is enough to sustain themselves economically, the aging population will replaced with younger ones, they are more nations who are in more dire situations than Russia or China, India for example it is in dire situation, Pakistan, Bangladesh, African countries, Latin American countries.. Neither Russia nor China are in dire situations, on the contrary they are better off with fewer population than lots of population..
Hi, I have lived in italy (Milan, for years), Sgp, KL, Pattaya, Seoul, Yanbu (Saudi Arabia), LA, London, North England and yes, Vybourg, Russia. I have to say, you are correct. In every country there are pluses and minuses, subject to your culture, mentality, custome etc and there is NO one place perfect! I found myself living back in my country, Jakarta, Indonesia, and am very happy because there's everything here. Yes, I do not enjoy the humidity, the unability to stroll in the street and stopping at side street cafe and drinking my prosecco or sprits or wine witn my meal every time, but I LOVE living here in Indonesia. Malls, selections of food, services, gentility,, slow=paced relaed life, being spoiled ( I can order anything at beck and call even 24 hours and it's delievered!) It's the best here! So, there! That's my take based on my experiences of having been blessed to live in various countries.
Yes, great points about living in other places and moving back to your home country Indonesia. I love Indonesian food and warm and caring Indonesian people. I will visit your country soon in the future. 👍💯👍
@@clairechloe5294 So kind of you, thank you. Please drop me a line if you come to Indonesia and Jakarta is a place you’d stop by. You could come over and also, I do my own B&B in my own house as a leisure side business so, hope to hear from you soon.
Hope you liked today's video! Check out Level8 travel luggage by clicking the link: www.clkmg.com/LEVEL8/AlinaMcLeod
Use code MCLEOD10 for 10% OFF!
You are right. The eastern and central European regions are the safest places on this planet! I live in Slovakia, Kosice and this city is in a secure zone surrounded by hills so it protects against nature and weather disasters!
But unfortunately EU is going in the same direction as Kanada, same madness, green deal, censorship, dictatorship...
I think Taiwan might be a good place for you - many people there speak English.
@@zoltanfabiansk5795 In a odd twist, the EU nations that will most likely survive and even thrive for the foreseeable future are Brussels' "problem childs": Bulgaria and Romania.
@@CarsandBikes Taiwan may become Ukraine 2.0, at any time.
Good morning from John & Elsa living here in Davao Philippines. I am a retired british expat. A very good reason for living here is that my pension increases annually the only country in Asia that has this agreement with the Uk. The people here speak English. The beaches on Samal island are nice. Many types of fruit to eat here. The cost of living here is low. The sea is warm.
@@JohnM-y2s What a bout rainy season and power failures?
As a digital nomad, I require excellent infrastructure.
@@ViceCoinwhy, other countries no power failure?
@@alfedofive6292 Since I eork online, reliable power and broadband access are my top priorities, not beaches or young women.
@@ViceCoin installing a solar panels and starlink for internet will give you a piece of mind
@@blackvise357 Won't work during rainy season, or during frequent power outages. I decided on Vegas Strip and Vancouver, for reliable business infrastructure.
All good points. As for my wife and I we retired to her home country (The Philippines) from Canada about two years ago and I absolutely love it. We're back right now for an extended visit in Surrey BC and I can't wait to get on a plane and back to our home there.
👍👍👍
Im from the US and married to a beautiful and loving Russian woman. Guess where we decided to make our home, the Philippines. 7600 beautiful islands, live like a king and queen with $2k a month, most friendly, beautiful, kind, christan people in Asia and warm weather all year round. The best part is that everyone speaks english and all government offices and businesses, public signs are all in English making it very easy for me and my wife and little kids to go around and make friends in school. Foreigners especially westerners make this very big mistake of thinking that Manila is the Philippines, but thats very far from the truth. We live in Clark, Pampanga. Very clean, safe and everything we need is near. Even the newly built international airport is 5 minutes away by car from our house where we usually take flights when we go on vacation abroad and especially when we want to go to the different island paradise here like Boracay, palawan, Bohol and many many more. All countries have good and bad areas. Ever been to Los Angeles or Oakland? I'd say its even more unsafe there than it is in Manila. But where we live in Clark Pampanga, you can walk at midnight and it's completely safe. To each his own i guess. But for us, the Philippines is paradise on earth
Hi Eric and thanks for sharing. I`ve been considering moving to the Philippines. I`m 37 years old and have my own online business. How do you deal with things like pollution, brown outs, the rainy season, typhoons, very high temperatures, skin tax, scams etc?
agree, my fave place to visit in the Philippines is Palawan, Cebu and some parts of Mindanao, it is always the beaches for me
I am in Europe
❤
I'm a Filipino making $2500 a month as a software engineer. I think I can make 3-5x more if I migrate to the US / UK / Australia / Canada, but I would have to rent and things will be more expensive. Would you still recommend it? I'm nearing 35 and I think there's less priority for people older than 35 in terms of migration.
Oakland and LA are crime ridden, it is wayyyyy worse than Manila. People aren't getting murdered every day in Manila.
I have travel Eastern Europe but i noticed that mostly people dont smile. As an Asian guy im scared to talk to and ask for directions. A guy scream at me in Romania for asking directions. I was in Saint Petersburg in Russia and my bathroom light wasnt working so i have to call a guy to fix it. I was so scared to talk to him because he looks very serious and dont smile. Being born and raised in South East Asia i felt comfort because people here are more welcoming, friendlier and greater smile than Easter European
Very sorry about your experience! 😅 that is sadly how they can be sometimes in Eastern Europe and it’s not just to you, it’s to everybody lol
You'll be treated better if you were a blond girl.
@@AlinaMcleod Yup, Racist and Asian Hate. That is a fact.
Close to Ukraine: great idea /sarc
@@AlinaMcleod Hmmm. I do not remember that about the places I visited in Bulgaria. When Alina was in Plovdiv the people she showed seemed very friendly.
Lady, go with your heart. We all find comfort in our own kind. It's not racism. It's natural.
Love from a Malaysian
Good point.
Your extremely mature and sweet comment makes me consider relocating to Malaysia 😊
Respect from Greece 👍❤
Good point, only if you like what your western government is doing. She is Ukrainian I'm sure not a good place right now. White people are loved and welcomed everywhere. But they are the ones that colonized the world, killed many natives for their lands..So I do not get it.
That's just because you were socialized in Malaysia. I am Asian American and live on a 98% Jewish street in New York and I am totally oblivious to my race - no one treats me any different due to me being Asian. So you don't have to be around "your own kind" if you're referring to race. Alina is Canadian, there are people from all over the world in Canada, that's part of why she feels at home in SE Asia.
I recently received the Thailand DTV visa. I'm so happy to make Thailand my home base for the next 5 years.
Congratulations!
There is no perfect place. Anywhere that you go, you have to work and pay bills. People connecting are hard, especially if you're an adult, and especially if you're moving around.
For me, South East Asia is for retirement, no way on God's green earth could I work there. My Mrs is half Thai half Chinese, we're retiring to Cha Am Thailand 3-5 years time. Good luck in your search .
Just retired, I am going to Southeast Asia next year, and then to China the year after, just checking up.
Yunnan in China is my favourite destination at the moment.
A agree. But sadly we can't retire and live in China, unless you marry a Chinese national.
@@davidrichards1741 I only intend to live abroad about 6 months per year, spring/summer in old Blighty. Maybe I can go to Indochina and back again on renewed visa?
@@davidrichards1741maybe you can check the possibility of getting a identity of Hongkong or Taiwan, then you can live in China mainland.
作为中国人，我想推荐云南，我刚刚从那里旅行回来，云南常年气候都非常好，四季如春，不热且不潮湿，阳光充足，很多中国人会在那边买房子过冬天。并且饮食丰富，风景很漂亮，对于喜欢咖啡的朋友也很友好，因为它生产中国最好的咖啡。交通也非常方便，租房、租车选择多且价格合理。最重要的是非常安全。（云南离东南亚也很近，与缅甸、老挝、越南接壤，所以你还可以体验独特的边境生活）
但是我不太了解外国人长久居住的条件，这也可能是唯一的问题。
Wear an oxygen tank. That relentless traffic won't treat your respiratory system well.
I really enjoy listening to what you have to say, you are very articulate and intelligent, and I learn something every time! You are open to new people, places and different cultures, and you give thoughts and opinions in a very clear and respectful manner, without passing judgment. I learn about places, but even more, I myself am learning from you the importance of speech, and to give thought on how you will word things before opening your mouth. Thank you!!!
Aw that’s so kind, thank you!
@@AlinaMcleod You’re welcome! 🙂
Totally agree with what you wrote. She's very articulate and thoughtful.
Alina is a THINKER. I can't name anyone who thinks a problem in such detail and uploads video on UA-cam. They might be out there, but Alina attacks problems that interest me. Plus she has those two parents I find it easy to care about.
These vlogs are very educational. I am far from any desire to travel or relocate, but the vlogs remind me of the writings of explorers long ago.
If I’d be moving anywhere- I’d move to Poland - incredible country with so much to offer, beautiful language which I’m learning now, beautiful cities, lovely people, reasonable prices and safety - it rocks 🇵🇱
lol beautiful is definitely not the word I would use to describe the Polish language :D :D
She's absolutely correct about the heat, humidity. Don't forget the pollution. The best time to visit Thailand is October through February. However, the affordability, safety, food and just the shear beauty of malls, temples, countryside makes it worth it.
Go up north to Chang Mai and Chang Rai , very nice places and cooler temperatures than Bangkok.
@@flyinphil42 Yes I travel everywhere. All over Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, etc.
Alina is right to be concerned about heat & humidity in South East Asia for someone growing up in a cooler climate. Married travel vloggers Matt (British) & Julia (Russian - Siberian) struggled living in Bangkok due to the climate.
Malls!!!?? Hmmm no thanks. Not everyone’s cup of tea. I’d take nature over a mall any day!
Coming from the heat and humidity of Texas, I'd welcome the access to beaches, great food and affordable living.
English is widely spoken in Malaysia. There are no Typhoons, no earthquakes nor volcanoes here. Earlier this year there was an exceptional heat wave but M'sia having seas all around was cooler. Maybe you didn't stay long enough but many youtubers have local friends. But it takes a bit more time.
I moved to Vietnam during covid- love it here- great food, lots of interesting places to visit, friendly people. Also a great hub to explore other countries from
Yes, that is so true. I am Asian born and live in Europe (not a Vietnamese). Next year I am planning to leave Europe and travel in Asia and mostly in Vietnam. I am so happy about it. 😊
The most important thing is to be in a place that makes you happy. Good luck!❤
Stop the war in Ukraine, I bet she'd be VERY happy there.
Ever heard the phrase ' FOLLOW YOUR HEART (GUT)?' never underestimate this phrase, life gets WAY better after you do so, all the best Alina. Greetings from Tanzania
I have lived in Saskatchewan my entire life. I am so tired of winter, I think I will go elsewhere in winter when I retire.
Enjoyed this video so much Alina and learned a lot from it. You are making the right choice for you and that's obviously what's most important. As always I am wishing you all the best!
Thank you so much!
Alina makes me proud to be Southeast Asian with her last 5 points 😊
lol
Good choice Alina. I’d do the same in your shoes. Been in SE Asia for 8 years and I’m ready to move.
Where do you want to move to?
@@VladislavBabbitt What about Greece or Bulgaria?
@@VladislavBabbitt good question! Somewhere clean and orderly. Low cost of living. Nice climate. Any suggestions?
Well, if you're looking at Eastern Europe please put Bucharest at the top of your list. Here are a few updates since you last been here (5 years ago?):
1. We have Uber and Bolt everywhere, even the smaller cities, no more taxies.
2. Public transportation works even better than before (and you can pay by card / phone everywhere)
3. City looks nicer now, they really invested in cleaning it up.
4. We have more and more expats living here
5. Internet is even faster, we have 5G on mobile and in some places 10 GBps cable.
6. The city is growing like crazy, there is a lot of new apartment buildings and very cool airBnBs.
7. There are more vegetarian options (even in MegaImage).
8. We are now in (air)Schengen which means no more passport controls when flying to other EU countries.
9. We have now even more low-cost connections than before. Not just to Europe but to Turkey, Israel and Dubai as well.
10. We have more shopping malls with all the brands in the world.
(and if you need a city guide, just let me know :) )
Romania is linguistically Latin.
Language is culture and plays a big role in shaping identity.
Would Bucharest be the best choice for Alina, who is of Slavic descent?
Poland is an up and coming economy, close to Ukraine too for easy commute and with family.
Which is the best “sector”
There are much nicer places in Romania than its capital.
@@khenglim Poland is way too close to Belarus and Kaliningrad.
SE ASIA is not for everyone its for mostly everyone, it amazing! No Wokeness, Good Healthcare, Cheap Cost of living, Growth and Future.
If you're so triggered by Wokeness - stay away from Thailand 🤣🤣
Ahmen, you are totally right on all points, Wokeness is a self inflicted disease in the west, born out of stupidity
their wokeness is not disturbing. they still calling their self as Ladyboy not pretending a real women n force other people call them women 😂😂😂@@self.destructr
@@self.destructr Tahiland is not WOKE , they never push into politics
@@self.destructrwhy lady boys in Thailand don’t believe they are women they ain’t mental like the west
Respect any decision you make and wish you all the best, Alina.
Hi Alina.Thanks for your information. I have been to Asia a lot. For me Malaysia and especially Kuala Lumpur are the closest to the Netherlands where i come from. Malaysia has no natural disasters, the people are nice and can speak English. Cost of living is very affordable, good healthcare , great choices of food, good and affordable housing. Not so polluted as a lot of other Asian countries. For the climate look at how the locals are moving. Don t walk to much outside in the sun, make use of grab or just walk in the airco cooled pedestrian paths.Take the time to adjust . And at last. For me also as an introvert Malaysia and the people suite me.
What a wonderful video. Hope that you have had a good time and a pleasant stay the last time you were in KL, Malaysia.
Talking about the malls in SEA, on your next visit to KL, do check out the latest mall in town, the TRX Exchange Mall with a beautiful rooftop garden.
I live in Vietnam and love it, the people are friendly,welcominng and love the heat. Alina follow your heart
I've lived in Prague for 11 years now, I'm leaving, there's so many things that show over time, crack start to show slowly, good luck though
you lived there for 11 years dumdum. how dvmb are you to realize the "cracks" only after 11 years
Thanks for sharing. It's good to know about pros and cons of Eastern Europe.
Like what?
Bad urban planning/development there. I suggest Slovakia or Bulgaria for Alina.
I personally prefer Greece or Bulgaria.
I come from Europe but am living in Thailand now. Thailand is a paradise if you have enough money. 🎉
Most of the world can be paradise when you have enough money.
@@Oliwer_M Not really.
everywhere is paradise if you have tons of money
@@user-chris_zervakis Mongolia? Somalia? Libya?
@@vaska1999 except Somalia the rest if you carry lots of money with you , you are a king
Great analysis, Alina! Your videos are always so organized and well thought out. Look forward to following along on your journey.
Thank you so much!
Been in Phuket, didn't plan to move here but ended up staying after being here when the borders shut during covid. Easy to make tons of friends, with locals or the immigrant community (or as some call, expats). Absolutely gorgeous place, well connected airport, low cost of living, and honestly the language isn't that difficult to learn to speak, however, yeah, learning to read it and write it is much more difficult. I can't think of anywhere else in the world that combines such an affordable cost of living, such a diverse international social scene, and which has such stunning natural beauty nearby. That said, we all have our own preferences
It is so very wise to choose to be where you would be most happy and comfortable for all the right reasons!
Well said. 👍👍👍
I respect your decision Alina. The nice thing is you can get a lot of direct flights to Bangkok from Europe and it will only be a single 10 hour or so flight. Which is much more bearable than flying 18 hours from Canada with layovers. Plus you have easy access to all of EMEA within a 5 hour flight, which will add some variety to your channel. We will miss you in Southeast Asia though. Can't lie it would've been an exciting journey to follow your apartment search, networking, travel, events, foods etc in Bangkok. Also, Ive met 75 year old German grandmas happily living alone in Pattaya - if they can adapt with no issue, any Westerner can. It's really not that hard, there are tons of Westerners there too.
Absolutely 🙂 Europe is just so much more convenient for flying all over.
SEA is just way more convenient. Life is practical and easy. Everything is easy to get or easy to get access.
Only because you have money from the West. If you have to struggle there, it won't be fun.
What is practical about streets full of water or volcanic explosions? She was in and out when nothing of the sort happens. But typhoons do happen. Wonder how North Americans handle the insane rainfall of a typhoon.
Very true. From an Asian living in Germany. There is literally zero flexibility with life choices in Germany. I am planning to move to Asia.
@@clairechloe5294 I couldn't do it, but an Asian? If I reversed my Norwegian father's migration, I'd be mentally comfortable.
@@clairechloe5294 Going back to the root :-)
I'm a Canadian living in South East Asia since 2018. It's a great place to live, especially Northern Thailand. My roots are also from Eastern Europe, I fully respect your decision to go back to the land of your ancestors. I will always be an outsider here in Asia but at least I'm not in Canada anymore 😂
I bet you its harder to integrate in Eastern Europe than SE Asia, even though your heritage is Eastern European.
@@kayflip2233 what makes you think that?
Wow, this will be interesting to see what you choose. I am from Poland and keep fingers crossed you will be heading to Poland 😀 Now I live in Canada, holding both passports. For obvious reasons the only country that I would choose is Poland! But I can see Baltics and Balkans good contenders. Haha can’t wait for your next video
Alina I think your channel is one of the best on YT for help with deciding where to retire to. I can really relate to you and your thought processes too! Subscribed!
Great video! I understand the language barrier however it’s a little easier in the Philippines as their second language is English so it’s easier to go there and live.
On the point about natural disasters, Singapore, Malaysia and southern Thailand don’t have earthquakes, volcanos or typhoons. The worst that the west coast of Malaysia would have are some flash floods lasting no more than a few days. Geographically, you can draw a “U” from Northern Sumatra, across Java and north back up to the top of the Philippines, and that’s where all the natural disasters are due to the tectonic plates.
THIS! The Philippines is described by some as the "Tropical Cyclone Capital Of The World"! 🤣🙈
Just came back from SEA. The heat is unbearable. +35 degrees Celsius. Thailand would be the place to live in. Love the food there
It is intense 😅
I don't know how she enjoyed her time there. Seems to me she had better experience in places like Bali.
@@AlinaMcleodI agree with you Alina having been in Thailand many times because my mom lived there. If Thailand and Vietnam had cool dry climate I would live there possibly.
I am from NYC and don't find SEA to be too hot. It gets just as hot as that here in the Summer.
@@kayflip2233 I think I've heard of that. I've been neither place. I wonder with such climate what huge cities smell like in hot humid weather. Humidity bothers me more than heat.
I've followed you during covid while you're in our country. Wherever you lived I wish you happy and healthy. Say hi to lovely dad too. With love from BKK.
as Indonesian, yes. i hate rainy season! i much prefer 4 seasons.... but Indonesia can give me "freedom" and adventurous.... systematic chaos that feeling life more alive. Been several times in Japan.... beautiful country, i love it.... but something missing, everithing organized, ruled... dificult to make a friend, i feel lonely in such a beatifull place.
Lots of beaches in Greece are more beautiful than any beach in Asia. Btw, I'm also a (naturalized) Canadian moving back to Eastern Europe, to Belgrade, Serbia, to be exact after a lifetime in Canada. The climate's too brutal (long, cold winters followed by hot, humid summers), the health care system's a joke (and at my age that's a serious issue), and the cost of living is becoming exorbitant. With a foothold in Belgrade, I'll be close to anywhere else in Europe I want to visit and, as my first statement tells you, I love the Mediterranean, and Greece and Spain in particular. Am looking forward to discovering Sicily and Sardinia over the next few summers.
Great idea and choice. 👍💯👍
I'm sure Greece is beautiful but the bit about having beaches better than the ones in (SE) Asia...I doubt that. But you're entitled to your own opinion, no hate. 😊
@@psyche9908 - Yes, I know what you mean and understand your point of view about the beaches in SEA and Greece. I spent time in both places in the past. I am Asian myself and live in Germany currently. I also like to add one more point and that is when it comes to food varieties, in Asia there is a bigger choice . I also like Greek food. Thanks for your perspective.
@@psyche9908 I probably haven't been to the SEA beaches you have in mind, as I suspect you haven't been to the Greek ones I know. The one thing I don't enjoy in places like Bali or Thailand is the very high humidity, something Greece and the rest of the Mediterranean countries are free of.
I left the States for Thailand primarily because we will have more wars and crises before the economic reset. The West (Europe, the U.K., North America, et al.) is clearly in decline, and it pains me to say that. Thailand is enough out of the way and pretty much self-sufficient. The combination of a lifestyle where I can be at the beach daily yet hop a short, cheap plane ride to Bangkok, the best value world-class city in the world, is the best of both worlds for me.
Well said.
@@kayflip2233 Thank you.
Young Thai students continue to stride to go to American and European universities and see them as the gold standard. Why? Because that's fact.
The West is not in decline. Innovations continue to come from the west. Indian and Chinese students and engineers do their best work in a western environment. There are a lot of problems in the west that need to be resolved and we'll solve them.
You’re talking about things that might not even happen in your lifetime. U.S. and Europe are still the gold standards for universities, research, jobs and economy. Thailand is a great retirement plan but this doesn’t work for people trying to climb up in their career or business.
@@ChasingBogeys The East Asian economy is bigger than the US and EU combined. No one is moving to Europe for job opportunities over Asia. You can make way more money for the same white collar job in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai vs Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam etc.
Interesting to hear about your concluded experiences. Thanks. And also interesting to hear about your decision for next future. Looking forward to follow you there.
Thank you for your insight, the best choice is the one that makes you happy 🙂 Exciting times ahead!
Absolutely!
@@AlinaMcleod I have rooted for some place like Plovdiv or Burgas in Bulgaria. Never been to SE Asia, but most of it doesn't appeal to me. Hope you find a durable home base. But fly to see Mom and Dad. Both of them seem to really care about your happiness.
Or, heck, if Gordon wants a warm winter, you can meet in some such place.
Very honest and straightforward video! congrats!
Tbilisi Georgia. Highly recommended.
You qualify for te 1% tax. Been there for almost 3 years, best choice ever
Glad you’re enjoying it!
Nomad Capitalist approves.
Andrew Henderson's "primary home is Malaysia", where he spends more time than anywhere. He and his wife, who's from easter Europe. Nomad Capitalist Live is permanently in Malaysia too. Same for me, but what's best for us may not be best for you. Nobody can say but you.
I live here for almost 6 months as a romanian. It’s very expensive and other inconveniences. I will leave soon 😌
I'm also Canadian living in Tbilisi and I love the weather here, yes they have winter here but it's nothing like Canadian winters and it's a nice break from the hot summer's here and of course it's inexpensive to live here as well.
my spouse is from thailand and its fun to visit once a year, but we would never live there full time. I come from the northern US and I love my seasons. I"ll take snow over humid , sticky hot , uncomfortable heat all year. Plus if you enjoy any thing outdoors or running outside like I do, forget about it in Thailand. Maybe I could do a snowbird situation but nothing more than that.
But it's not hot and humid all year though? We have raining season and cold seasons the heat season is between February and May after that its raining season to around November and after that its cold season
Australia is very nice especially in Spring and Autumn
I was born in Pangasinan, and grew up in Oahu, Hawaii. During my military career, I lived in different states/countries. After completing my career, I have been traveling/cruising, and spent couple years in Baguio City during the lockdown. It’s best to travel and visit places to learn if it’s the right place for you before committing to long term IMHO. Thanks for sharing!
Once again, dear Alina Welcome to Serbia to Belgrade, Niš (my city), Novi Sad, Subotica ... ! You will feeling here as in your real Slavic homeland! Who is by the way pretty close to visit when you wish.
Dobro nam došla! Bol'shoy serdechniy Privet! 😊🤗
Hello Alina great video and i 100% agree with you in your reasoning not to move to Asia / Southeast Asia.
I've living here in Asia / Việt Nam for 7 years now and in first two years I had a lots of fun and wanted to make it my base, but after the rosy glasses came off and the honeymoon period end, it wasn't what I thought it was because the reality of where I was started to sink in day after day along with all of the daily nuances and bureaucracy of the living in Asia, started to became a daily challenge also as time went by many of the local friends I made started to open up to me about what life is real like for them here in Việt Nam and wondered why I would choose to live here, their words started to make more sense as time went by, so now after 7yrs I've also decided to move to Europe more specifically Eastern Europe, I will be embarking on my journey in October of this year and will be base in Ljubljana Slovenia for a while as I journey around trying make a decision on where to call home in Eastern Europe, I've got a few places in mind so far like Slovenia, Croatia, Albania and Hungary, which I'm all going to be visiting while I'm there.
So great video once again and happy journeying who knows we might even cross paths.
Peace out.
@@MikeTruth-rr6zo
Lol, hahaha 😂 well I'm not going promote my channel on Alina channel, because she's been a inspiration to me and my small growth so far, since I came across her a few years back in her Albania travels.
But as for me, after many years of living here in Southeast Asia and doing UA-cam, I've come to understand one thing, which is if you're not selling the dream, by sensationalizing and generalizing or at least giving the armchair travelers some local eye candy to look at, it's going to be a slow growth plus most of people who gravitate to SEA are of the weird type 🤣 and I'll leave it at that, an that's not my style as I've come to realize, I have got more in common with European UA-camrs because I'm a big history and culture guy, plus I also have respect for the locals in my surroundings, overall I will be changing my channel name so it can appeal to a broader audience once I start doing my European vlogs and travels.
I'm currently preparing to head to Europe in October, which is in few weeks to get a feel for the place and find a home base somewhere in Eastern Europe, so far Slovenia is on top of my list and where I'll be my temporary base for awhile as I visit other countries in the area.
Peace out and be safe out there.
i feel bad for people who have to move and have no real home and/or roots. Being surrounded by family, friends, and community that you grew up in is a real blessing. Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home.
I was nomadic as a child. I just never had friends like my wife who never traveled. In fact, being forced to move over and over affects ability to have friends. For about 10 years, Alina stayed put in Saskatchewan. She had more stability than I had. But she also has a warm personality (I think), so she's done better. In ancient days, whole families migrated, not just individuals . My "tribe" did that, too.
Not everyone wants to stay in the place you grew up and also a lot of people’s family and friends move all over. I don’t have one place where the majority of my family and friends are, so have to find the one where I’m at least close to a majority but also works for what I want out of life.
@@AlinaMcleod When you and your parents get together, the three of you appear to make each other happy. That wasn't true for my nomadic family. So I assume there will be family get togethers no matter where you make your home base.One thing to visit Calgary, different to incur the cost of living over time.
People are looking for a better (and cheaper) life, but family and children are expensive.
@@Nedofaust Cheaper than Bulgaria? Where? I toured every part of Bulgaria from the Rhodops to Velika Tarnovo. Alina spent even more time than I did. Anyone who's never spent a day in Bulgaria can speculate, but Alina and I have the actual experience. I got a bug and my tiny grasp of Bulgarian permitted me to buy medicine from a pharmacy. Alina knows Russian. Learning Bulgarian (she knows Cyrillic) will be far easier than any Asian language. I await her processing of her near global experience to finally choose a base.
Hey Alina.. great points raised in this video and the answer is always to follow your heart. As for Malaysia specifically where language wouldn't be a barrier, I hope you give it another chance with another visit in the near future. The place I highly recommend would be Penang Island with her own international airport. Perhaps if you are ever making this trip again to Kuala Lumpur where I live, do look me up and I'll gladly take you around.
Thank you! Yes, would definitely like to visit again!
Japan is a better place to live than south east asia: safe, relatively cheap, people mind their own business, amazing food, great quality of service, lots of nature
But, they speak English less there, and not really safe of earthquakes.
@@ardi08 if someone decide to move and live in a place, it makes sense to learn the language. Imagine some immigrants in the UK complaining having the need to speak English…
@@ardi08I've been a tourist in Japan twice speaking no Japanese and only English. It's totally workable. The only countries in SEA that exceed their English skills are Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
@@phoenix5054 Thais speak better English than Japanese. Also over 100 million Indonesians speak English. You can get by on English almost everywhere in Asia.
Greetings from Calgary! I enjoyed your video today Alina. Your not having an easy time with your choices! I wish you well in the decision you arrive at and hope that when you’re there, it meets most if not all of your expectations.
I love the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. They are the only SE countries I’ve visited. Singapore is expensive. While I enjoyed visiting, I wouldn’t want to live there. Filipino people are so kind. That’s a bonus. Both the Philippines and Thailand are beautiful and have great food. Not to mention cheaper to live than North America. Good luck choosing your new home.
Thank you so much!
Eastern Europe is a great place! No one will think badly if you prefer it over SE Asia.
I'm in Romania right now and don't want to leave! Can't wait to come back. I feel so comfortable here as a Virginia, USA lady.
love southeast asian food! so flavorful and affordable. .
Good luck with your plans, Alina! I'll be looking forward to hearing about the country you choose.
When it comes to infrastructure, I find that Southeast Asia generally surpasses Canada in many aspects. Once you step outside of Canada's major population centers like the GTA or Greater Vancouver, you'll notice that many smaller towns lack basic amenities such as sidewalks.
Oh certainly. One of the main reasons I find living in Canada difficult.
Great video Alina! Thank you for sharing your new adventure in Europe! 🍀💕🪻
I love SE Asia and Thailand, but the relentless heat and humidity is hard to deal with day after day.
You get used to it though :)
Why being so fussy and complaining about these warmth tropical weather? I thought the west loved Florida, Hawaii, the Caribean, Bali, Maldives to name a few that they call paradise? Those in the tropics just climatise and having an easy life without worrying the extreme cold or extreme heat of the dry desert area. Without money you can't live even indoors for the heating. Except for the occasional rain, tropical climate allow all year freedom and outdoor activity with little money. Overall life is simple and cheaper..
The Philippines also has volcanoes and earthquakes. Also, you're right about the economic potential. Southeast Asia, collectively, will be the fourth largest economy by 2030 and will only be getting bigger. It is also relatively young.
However, the transportation factor you mentioned isn't entirely correct as China is building a high speed rail to Bangkok. Now the train goes from Kunming to Vientiane in 4.5 hours (also known as the Lancang Train) and will soon continue to Bangkok. It should be open in 3 years.
You can also explore South Korea in the future. I enjoy watching your UA-cam channels and support your journey around the world.
Would love to visit South Korea!
I live in the Philippines Alina most people know how to speak and understand English as well as Malaysia. Have you ever been to BGC in Manila? It's very modern but is also a somewhat pricey but it's a great place to live. Yeah malls here are huge here in Asia I just wish they had more American and Canadian stores and yeah very friendly people in Asia almost everywhere. Good luck to you
BGC was very nice!
here comes the BGC eejit. these BGC eejits are all over social media nowadays. it is really stvp1d that they would think a person who has traveled all over the world would be impressed by BGC. m0r0n
Why would they have Canadian stores in Manila? Like Zellers, Eatons and the Bay? They don't even have those in Canada anymore. 😂
Another great video my friend. 💕👍🏼 Cheers from 2 Canadians 🇨🇦 living in Mexico. 🇲🇽🥰✌🏼
You won't miss the Asian food, when you will be living in Eastern Europe. You will find Vietnamese restaurants in every big city.
This region is a good choice, I live in Slovakia. But there are even cheaper places than my country, e.g. Hungary, Bulgaria.
Good luck with your move!
Thank you! Great to hear EU has more Asian options!
budpest has the most viet food options
Serbia too :) )) Welcome Alina! :) ))
Slovakia is a dump.
Because Asia is only Vietnam😅😅😅lol
On point! Thanks Alina, been watching ur vlogs since last year... greetings from🇵🇭
Summarizing 20s Ukrainian influencer:
1. Easier to visit European countries
2. Easier to integrate with Europeans
3. Doesn't like tropical weather, afraid of rain and volcanos and motorbikes.
4. Must have sidewalks
5. Visas are hard
6. Time is different from Europe
... So going back to the Eastern Soviet block.
?
@@hollydavid69 Did she hurt your feelings maybe? 😅
thank you chatgpt
@@aoznes Much obliged - formica. 🌴
The only problem with your argument is that - 'Eastern Soviet block' does not exist. You may have missed it but most of the so called 'Eastern European' countries are actually Central European countries. They are all part of the EU and NATO, with capitalist economies. There is no more Soviet Block dude. Look at your watch. It's 2024.
P.S. Russia is crap though. And it is Eastern.
Glad to hear that you have made up your mind where to settle down. Your choice is great one and I also love Europe. I haven't been to Eastern Europe. Look forward to the videos of Eastern Europe. Alina my friend thanks for sharing your thoughts and video. Keep smiling.
My pleasure, thank you!
I love how you explained this, really helps for us who thinks of moving in SEA.
I’m glad!
Great series with breaking down your considerations, Alina!
Can't wait for the great finale of what country you have chosen as your new home.
Спасибо!
Пожалуйста 😊
Malaysia is great. I quite liked Kuala Lumpur. Cameron Highlands is beautiful and a lot cooler - different kind of rainforest. The island offerings come without the commercialism that exists in Thailand or Bali. Langkawi is absolutely fantastic as far as I am concerned. They manage the island very well without commercialism and seemingly with very good consideration for the environment. Very unlike Koh Samui where you see sediment everywhere from the very poor planning of cutting and stripping mountainsides all to create more and more tourist development.
Kuala Lumpur is a dangerous place to live with their sinkholes. Excessive of skycrappers with poor sewage system make the soil of the city in bad condition especially if there are floods. I advice if there is floods and non-stop rain in KL you should'nt go outside. The whole soil of KL is not good due to the poor planning. Imagine an Indian fell into a modern walkthrough and she was not found. That means the soil is deep and that there is danger in the soil of KL.
Great video presentation and you are right on target on every point you made . To live permanently in Southeast Asia is not the same as spending a few weeks in vacation , it is much more than that .
It's not that different really as long as you have money.
Bulgaria offers a blend of traditional charm and modern convenience. With its attractive cost of living, welcoming atmosphere, and beautiful landscapes, it's no wonder expats find Bulgaria a nice place to live.
If Bulgaria is so great so many people would not have left.
@@Stefan_Mileski what about poland lol
@@ibizawavey8630 I didn't make any claims about Poland. However, the population of Poland has been stable at about 38 million since 1990. While the population of Bulgaria has fallen from 8.8 million to in 1990 to 6.8 million in 2024. Bulgaria is also politicly unstable, having great difficulty to form a government. It's had 7 elections in 3 years and is having yet another election in a desperate attempt to form a government. Many Bulgarian politicians are also controlled by Russia, such as Bulgaria's president Radev.
@@Stefan_Mileski People have left FOR Bulgaria. When I was there, lots of Europeans were around.
@@JimMork-r9u Some small amount of people may have moved to Bulgaria, but that doesn't change that there has been a reduction in population by over 23% of the population since 1990.
And another thought for you.
I’ve seen a small but dedicated bunch of You Tubers going to Albania and loving it!
I tried very hard to listen all the way through this but i couldn’t. I have the completely different experience. It’s far easier to integrate in SE Asia than the US. People are far more outgoing and helpful. Regarding the climate, there are cooler cities that are so beautiful and college towns full of events. The transportation is excellent and very inexpensive compared to the US. I spend most of my life as a SE Asian slow traveler. I’ve been all over the world. I wouldn’t live anywhere else. The quality of living is so much higher, it is a fraction of the cost of the West, people are wonderful, life is amazing in SE Asia. It almost seems like you were there as a tourist and didn’t connect. The cultures are each so rich. Maybe you’re just too young to see the things most people do
Of course it’s better for those things than the US or Canada lol, that’s why I’m moving. I was comparing it to Europe and speaking only for myself that I would integrate better in Europe because I’m originally from Ukraine.
Hi Alina, Don't get lost in decision making this is your own life. Every country has both good and bad. I will pray for you and like to see you have a good luck and happiness. Watching from a Bangkok.
Thailand would have been nice. Good Luck on you next chapter on your life journey!
Thanks! ☺️
Congrats on your decision. I’m so happy for you. You make some very good points and I’m sure you will really enjoy your new life near family and network of friends.
Bottom line is, people are never happy and contented with what they have. They will keep looking for perfection and utopia and will never find it.
Disagree, I live in NYC, work from London 6 months of the year and visit Bangkok twice a year and those places are perfect to me.
Thanks for sharing Alina ❤. Enjoy your journey!
KL is not Malaysia, like New York is not the USA. There's a myriad of places in Peninsular Malaysia and not ever forgetting Sarawak and Sabah.
Youre looking for a "perfect country", "perfect weather", "perfect structure", "perfect everything".... good luck, your gonna need it. Hello from the Philippines..😊
You are from Eastern Europe and still young. Of course EE is a good choice for you where you can live in a culture and people alike.
Similar culture
Thanks for the insightful video!
My pleasure!
Retired in Asia. Becoming healthier and happier every day. There is no perfect place to live. They all have there pros and cons. For me Asia is my paradise. It is obviously not your paradise Alina because of the requirement for your idea of Paradise. Don’t knock something because it doesn’t work for you. As for safety, depends on which Asian country you are referring to. Thailand is one of the safest country in the world if you respect their laws. I’m tired of reviews by whining West Coasters who spend only a bit of time in the area. I really think you might be happiest in Woke Canada. Bangkok is not Thailand. The rainy season is actually a great time to be in Thailand. I write this today in the midst of a day in the rainy season. By the way, I have 34 years experience in Asia.
How do you get money from your retirement account in homeland.
she didn't knock anything
Thailand is garbage
What is so great about the rainy season, is it just that you like rain?
lol you didnt watch the video obviously...or...
Your videos are so good, love from Kenya 🇰🇪 Africa
A real home is where your loved ones are. Family is a little world created by love.
Shhh, don't say this here: benefit, income, comfort, beaches, food...
If you’re family with kids or pensioner, MALAYSIA is the one!
• Safe, modest & slow pace lifestyle.
• Many recreational & educational parks with reasonable prices.
• International schools with various curriculums from around the globe.
• Cheap, convenient & advanced in medicals.
• English as their second language.
• Multiculturalism aspects & nutritious foods/produces.
• Reasonable rental rates for spacious units.
• Reasonable car price (local car).
• Cheap gas.
Oh, I am quite happy to have you close. So, if you choose Romania, welcome! Perhaps there should also be: Ukraine, Bulgaria or Montenegro and Albania with good potential to grow, Great to validate this once again :).
If i didn't make it wrong She's from Ukraine originally. I don't think she'll be back.
@@canalesjuan356 not for now, just being close to her relatives and with lot of regional opportunities once UKR is reconstructed, anyway pehaps some place with Russian speaking population, some voices believe that Russia will be also a good place on long term
I’m sorry to see you go 😢 come back soon and often.
I definitely will!
I love my country Indonesia.. a country full of ethnic, religious and cultural diversity, beautiful nature 🇮🇩❤️
nah its full of extremist muslims
Gue sayang suka lihat demo 😅 warna warni nya 🇲🇨❤
A LOT TERORRIST ISLAMS
Very interesting information. Thank you.
Asia is rising fast economically, while the EU is already facing significant issues because of geopolitical problems. The 21st century will certainly be an Asian century.
Not with the end of globalization it won't
@@grddavisglobalization will not end completely, Asians countries will still trade among themselves and they will trade with Russia, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, if North America, Europe cut themselves from global economy this will not end globalization..
@@IsmailFakri globalization could change into something looking like the Red Sea currently, with attacks on shipping happening from a group with an axe to grind and nothing to lose by being violent. China and Russia are in demographic and economic decline right now and war could end up breaking out in east Asia like it has in eastern Europe and the middle east. It is far from a sure thing that Asia will become an economic powerhouse
@@grddavis Russia is on the demographic decline?.. You will see in the coming decade Russia population will recover, lots of immigrants wants to immigrate to Russia and specially from the western countries, though Russia doesn't allow open border policy as the west does, China is on the demographic decline? How so, the Chinese themselves wanted to put brakes on population growth, they did that with 1 child policy in the 1980, I think the number of the Chinese is enough to sustain themselves economically, the aging population will replaced with younger ones, they are more nations who are in more dire situations than Russia or China, India for example it is in dire situation, Pakistan, Bangladesh, African countries, Latin American countries.. Neither Russia nor China are in dire situations, on the contrary they are better off with fewer population than lots of population..
💯👍
Hi, I have lived in italy (Milan, for years), Sgp, KL, Pattaya, Seoul, Yanbu (Saudi Arabia), LA, London, North England and yes, Vybourg, Russia. I have to say, you are correct. In every country there are pluses and minuses, subject to your culture, mentality, custome etc and there is NO one place perfect! I found myself living back in my country, Jakarta, Indonesia, and am very happy because there's everything here. Yes, I do not enjoy the humidity, the unability to stroll in the street and stopping at side street cafe and drinking my prosecco or sprits or wine witn my meal every time, but I LOVE living here in Indonesia. Malls, selections of food, services, gentility,, slow=paced relaed life, being spoiled ( I can order anything at beck and call even 24 hours and it's delievered!) It's the best here! So, there! That's my take based on my experiences of having been blessed to live in various countries.
Thank you for sharing!
Yes, great points about living in other places and moving back to your home country Indonesia. I love Indonesian food and warm and caring Indonesian people. I will visit your country soon in the future. 👍💯👍
@@clairechloe5294 So kind of you, thank you. Please drop me a line if you come to Indonesia and Jakarta is a place you’d stop by. You could come over and also, I do my own B&B in my own house as a leisure side business so, hope to hear from you soon.