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Black expat. Thailand going 4 years. Vietnam just under a year. Both places excellent to live. Finances go very far. Extremely easy to get along with people.

Black expat. Thailand going 4 years. Vietnam just under a year. Both places excellent to live. Finances go very far. Extremely easy to get along with people. Never experienced racism. Cops have been super friendly. Been a lot in Indonesia also… very very good for expats and extremely friendly people. Japan was the least friendly and I would probably never live there for a long stretch of time. Dating was easiest in Vietnam followed by Thailand. Hard in other places. Never really encountered the “farang” tax in Thailand. Really it mostly comes up when you go to official tourist sites. For normal everyday encounters like markets, stores, street stuff - it really does not exist. If you dress like a clueless farang who left their balls at the airport people will try to extract more from you. Overall based on my talk with Thai friends and foreigners, it seems I am treated a lot better than most white foreigners. Go figure.

jamal-kumar 4y ago
The general lack of pervasive, systemic racism in much of the rest of the world is like breathing fresh air
- kyriakos 4y ago
  as opposed to where?
  - eric4smith 4y ago
    Correct. Racism is everywhere. It depends on what you do with it and if you spend your life being a victim. I’ve chosen to not even notice it my whole life and so I don’t feel disadvantaged oppressed in the slightest on any part of the globe.
distantaidenn 4y ago
> Japan was the least friendly and I would probably never live there for a long stretch of time. This. Whenever I hear a young Black person saying they want to move or visit Japan, I say one thing: "Don't. Go to Korea instead." Japan is just not a friendly place. Yes, people will be polite and kind -- but friendly...hmm...This is coming from a long time resident. I met more long term close friends in 1 year in Korea than 10 in Japan. I'm talking people that I consider family. Of all the countries I have visited, Korea has been the most warm, welcoming, and overall fun. When I hear my White friends discuss their experiences in Japan, it literally feels like they are describing a different country. I tell them sometimes: "We live in very different Japans." Haven't been to Vietnam, yet. But I have heard good things.

jamal-kumar 4y ago

The general lack of pervasive, systemic racism in much of the rest of the world is like breathing fresh air

kyriakos 4y ago
as opposed to where?
- eric4smith 4y ago
  Correct. Racism is everywhere. It depends on what you do with it and if you spend your life being a victim. I’ve chosen to not even notice it my whole life and so I don’t feel disadvantaged oppressed in the slightest on any part of the globe.

distantaidenn 4y ago

> Japan was the least friendly and I would probably never live there for a long stretch of time. This. Whenever I hear a young Black person saying they want to move or visit Japan, I say one thing: "Don't. Go to Korea instead." Japan is just not a friendly place. Yes, people will be polite and kind -- but friendly...hmm...This is coming from a long time resident. I met more long term close friends in 1 year in Korea than 10 in Japan. I'm talking people that I consider family. Of all the countries I have visited, Korea has been the most warm, welcoming, and overall fun. When I hear my White friends discuss their experiences in Japan, it literally feels like they are describing a different country. I tell them sometimes: "We live in very different Japans." Haven't been to Vietnam, yet. But I have heard good things.