4 ms·

I think I'd rather live in a small town in Iowa than Vietnam for that price.

by campee 7y ago

peteretep 7y ago
I can only speak to Bangkok, but life in Bangkok will be cheaper, safer, more convenient, the food quality will be higher, medical and dental care will be much higher standards, public transport is better, than in Iowa. I’ve spent less time in Vietnam, but it seems to be hot on the heels of Thailand.
- pseingatl 7y ago
  Bangkok ain't cheap. The current Thai government discourages retirees. Those who have already retired there are moving to Vietnam, Cambodia or the Phils.
Barrin92 7y ago
May I ask why that is? I've travelled a fair amount of Asia and Africa over the last decade and I have to say many places are significantly more exciting than a rural or small town in the US. I have not so much personal experience with the US, but my family is from a rural German region and if the US is anything like it (and I suspect it's not too far off), there are many more exciting places out there. The cuisine and the culture in much of the developing world are superb, the cities are dynamic and young, transport and services are cheap, in contrast, going back to my parent's village feels like going to a whale graveyard. Now I'm far from retirement age and maybe I'll mellow out a bit but many western small towns I've seen are outright depressing to live in (and at this point lack basic services and public transport).
- glofish 7y ago
  > Now I'm far from retirement age that's why you feel this way. After you lived a life and developed social ties and relationships in place it would be impossible to rebuild those in a radically different country. Statements like "Retire to Vietnam!" are mostly absurd nonsense - really to go to a place you can't even read the signs?. The most valuable asset one has are the social ties - far easier to live in a boring German village where you know most people than in the most dynamic place on Earth where you never lived before.
  - Barrin92 7y ago
    >The most valuable asset one has are the social ties - far easier to live in a boring German village where you know most people the problem is though that this is an idealized version of traditional small towns. My parents are still doing fine, but my grandparents were very isolated at the end of their lives because most peers have died off, are too old or sick to go anywhere, and most young people have left too so it's a very, very insular and lonely environment. From the stories I read about the state of health, drug abuse and so on in American small towns it appears to be even worse. Boring life is not necessarily a good thing for older folks. The practical problems of being far away from healthcare and so on aside, I believe being in a young and dynamic environment is a good thing for you if you're old, it keeps people stimulated. People love painting the image of 'loneliness in the city' vs 'community in the village' but in reality, at least in my experience it's the other way around.
    - glofish 7y ago
      Everyone can end up lonely and forgotten. It is a problem that is solved by staying involved and becoming part of a community. Integrating into a foreign culture is orders of magnitude more difficult - for many perhaps impossible at old age.
  - mikekchar 7y ago
    I moved to Japan 12 years ago and while I love it and it's the only home I know, I agree with you. Retiring, picking up and moving to a new country with a new culture would involve pretty serious culture shock. Betting the farm, so to speak, on wanting to live there for the rest of your life is kind of crazy I think. I've also had some health issues while I've lived here in Japan and even though I speak Japanese quite well and the Japanese health system is quite good, it's incredibly frustrating having to deal with something so important in a way that is foreign to you. In kind of a less extreme situation, I've known several couples who retired in the UK and moved lock stock and barrel to Spain. Even there, I've heard horror stories of getting soul crush homesickness, not being able to sell the house, and eventually returning to the UK and living a very much reduced lifestyle thanks to all the assets being tied up in Spain. It's a massive risk.

I think I'd rather live in a small town in Iowa than Vietnam for that price.

by campee 7y ago

I think I'd rather live in a small town in Iowa than Vietnam for that price.

I can only speak to Bangkok, but life in Bangkok will be cheaper, safer, more convenient, the food quality will be higher, medical and dental care will be much higher standards, public transport is better, than in Iowa. I’ve spent less time in Vietnam, but it seems to be hot on the heels of Thailand.

pseingatl 7y ago
Bangkok ain't cheap. The current Thai government discourages retirees. Those who have already retired there are moving to Vietnam, Cambodia or the Phils.

Barrin92 7y ago

May I ask why that is? I've travelled a fair amount of Asia and Africa over the last decade and I have to say many places are significantly more exciting than a rural or small town in the US. I have not so much personal experience with the US, but my family is from a rural German region and if the US is anything like it (and I suspect it's not too far off), there are many more exciting places out there. The cuisine and the culture in much of the developing world are superb, the cities are dynamic and young, transport and services are cheap, in contrast, going back to my parent's village feels like going to a whale graveyard. Now I'm far from retirement age and maybe I'll mellow out a bit but many western small towns I've seen are outright depressing to live in (and at this point lack basic services and public transport).

glofish 7y ago
> Now I'm far from retirement age that's why you feel this way. After you lived a life and developed social ties and relationships in place it would be impossible to rebuild those in a radically different country. Statements like "Retire to Vietnam!" are mostly absurd nonsense - really to go to a place you can't even read the signs?. The most valuable asset one has are the social ties - far easier to live in a boring German village where you know most people than in the most dynamic place on Earth where you never lived before.
- Barrin92 7y ago
  >The most valuable asset one has are the social ties - far easier to live in a boring German village where you know most people the problem is though that this is an idealized version of traditional small towns. My parents are still doing fine, but my grandparents were very isolated at the end of their lives because most peers have died off, are too old or sick to go anywhere, and most young people have left too so it's a very, very insular and lonely environment. From the stories I read about the state of health, drug abuse and so on in American small towns it appears to be even worse. Boring life is not necessarily a good thing for older folks. The practical problems of being far away from healthcare and so on aside, I believe being in a young and dynamic environment is a good thing for you if you're old, it keeps people stimulated. People love painting the image of 'loneliness in the city' vs 'community in the village' but in reality, at least in my experience it's the other way around.
  - glofish 7y ago
    Everyone can end up lonely and forgotten. It is a problem that is solved by staying involved and becoming part of a community. Integrating into a foreign culture is orders of magnitude more difficult - for many perhaps impossible at old age.
- mikekchar 7y ago
  I moved to Japan 12 years ago and while I love it and it's the only home I know, I agree with you. Retiring, picking up and moving to a new country with a new culture would involve pretty serious culture shock. Betting the farm, so to speak, on wanting to live there for the rest of your life is kind of crazy I think. I've also had some health issues while I've lived here in Japan and even though I speak Japanese quite well and the Japanese health system is quite good, it's incredibly frustrating having to deal with something so important in a way that is foreign to you. In kind of a less extreme situation, I've known several couples who retired in the UK and moved lock stock and barrel to Spain. Even there, I've heard horror stories of getting soul crush homesickness, not being able to sell the house, and eventually returning to the UK and living a very much reduced lifestyle thanks to all the assets being tied up in Spain. It's a massive risk.