One year back

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hhfarang
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One year back

Post by hhfarang »

Today marks one year back in the U.S.A. after living ten years in Thailand with only two short holidays outside that country. I flew back on Christmas day last year. I know everyone is different but for me it's the best decision I ever made.

Anyone who knows me or has read many of my posts knows that I had a long list of negatives and a short list of positives after a few years of living there. After living here for a year there are two negatives, the cost of health care, and property taxes. Those two things were better in Thailand. Literally everything else, except for missing my friends there, falls on the positive side living here.

Life is so much better, more comfortable, more convenient, cleaner, quieter, more interesting, more active, with more variety, and less frustrating and less of a hassle here.

I've lost 30 pounds, am much more active, more social, have reconnected with friends and family, and generally have a much better attitude now.

I know most of you love Thailand and will defend moving or living there in your perfect paradise until the day you die, but for those of you who, after a while, are disillusioned with life in the "Land of Smiles" consider moving back to your home country. It has changed my whole outlook on life.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and happy times wherever you live. By the way, it's 75 degrees (24c) here today and sunny; pretty perfect weather for me!

p.s. When I moved there I wasn't a rookie expat either. I've also lived in Saudi Arabia and Germany, but I was working then so it was a bit different. I actually enjoyed both of those experiences.
Last edited by hhfarang on Fri Dec 25, 2015 10:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Bamboo Grove
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Re: One year back

Post by Bamboo Grove »

It's good to hear all has been going well for you. It makes me happy to see people are content with their big decisions in life, whether the decision was to move to Thailand (or any other country for that matter) or away from there. I have now been back to Finland for almost eight years and see this country in more positive way that I did when I lived in Thailand. From some other social media, I can see that the most critics of Finland and things happening here don't live here. That is strange, imho.
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Bristolian
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Re: One year back

Post by Bristolian »

No need to make any apologies for being happier now, back in the USA, than when you lived in Thailand.

I believe that life is a compromise at best and if we have the choice and we have the funds, then we have the ability to make choices.

I have been working in this region for the last 30 years (Hell... that's a long time). I came first to experience something different, was captivated, and can not see the day I would move back. I am still discovering.....

Different Strokes :-)

Enjoy all of the conveniences that the USA offers.

Merry Christmas
"'The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." - Mark Twain
SydneyGuy
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Re: One year back

Post by SydneyGuy »

Happy to hear that you made the right choice, as life is ultimately about choices.

I have only been living here now for 6 months in Hua Hin, and yes there are plenty of strange customs to deal with, but i am far happier here than i was in the concrete jungle of Sydney, Australia. I feel safe when i walk the streets (other than the traffic to deal with) during the day and at night.

i always keep telling holiday makers i bump into that the life here is not for everyone, and some people will find it too different to their own country and culture. I find people that focus on the positives of living here rather than the negatives are generally much happier.

Good luck!
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Re: One year back

Post by caller »

It was a big decision HH, and it's good to hear it's worked out for you. Good that you're still here as well.
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Re: One year back

Post by flossiebear »

Really good to hear about people who have moved back to their home country. Glad you are still enjoying the USA and have made the right decision. For us it was a dreadful mistake. We lived in Thailand for a year and became homesick and moved back to the UK. We found it hard to fit back in again and suffered culture shock in reverse. After the honeymoon period of about 3 months we were home sic for Thailand. We have had to go back to work in the UK as it is so expensive to live. The weather is dreadful, the food awful, we really miss Thai food, and we have been nothing but sick with one health problem after another. We decided to move back to Thailand next year! It has been a very costly mistake. It would be good to hear of other people's experiences both good and not so good.
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Re: One year back

Post by oakdale160 »

What about your Thai wife, how is she adapting to life in NC?
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Re: One year back

Post by hhfarang »

So far she loves it here. She got a good job right away and already has lots of friends, both Thai and otherwise. She did live in the U.S. before for 8 years (4 in California and 4 in Florida), so nothing new to her. I got her a car with a GPS when we got here and it has all the shopping mall addresses in it! :D
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pharvey
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Re: One year back

Post by pharvey »

That year seems to have gone at a rate of knots!! Great to hear it's all gone well for both yourself and your good lady - the GPS having the mall addresses is fine.... it's just when the credit card does!! As for supplies, how's the wine??!!

Hope the New Year and those to follow bring you both of you health and happiness.

:cheers: :cheers:
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oakdale160
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Re: One year back

Post by oakdale160 »

HHF, the 30lb weight loss is impressive, I know you were held a prisoner in your house bythe heat, now I assume you are more mobile--is that responsible and what about dietary changes. I am sure that you keep up with Thai news, the politics must look even more bizarre from a distance.
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Re: One year back

Post by lindosfan1 »

I retires and moved to Thailand with my Thai wife. I could not stand he corruption, dirt, driving standards and petty bureaucracy and the noise levels. I noticed more when we decided to visit friends in Rhodes Greece. Prior to that I was helping Dawn with her dog rescue, while I was in Greece the Thais closed her place down. That was the final straw. We moved to Rhodes where I had a lot of friends. We spent 3 years there, became bored with life on a small island and moved back to the UK.

We knoqw both work in the UK and are happier here, We have been here for 3 years and having spent 33 years visiting parts of the UK are now looking at vIsiting various parts of Europe. Living in a small village in Kent suits us.

My advise is yes the Thais and Thailand are wonderful, but before moving the visit first to see if you can adjust to that way of life. Rent first we did and our moving was not affected by the difficulties of buying and selling.
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Re: One year back

Post by oakdale160 »

I have a friend here from the US. It was always their plan to move back to Thai when he retired, in fact it was a non-negotiable condition by his Thai wife, who had lived in the US for 25 years.. After 18 months they are panning on returning to the US ina few months time. Interestingly, he was adapting but his Thai wife found the lawlessness and govt corruption and inefficiencies hard to handle and insists on going back.
I'll miss her, whenever I had a problem with a store or worker, she would intercede for me and scream and shout at the offender. On one occasion ina computer store she had the staff cringing and on the edge of tears. Her comment, another hundred or so like me we could turn this place around.
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Re: One year back

Post by hhfarang »

As for supplies, how's the wine??!!
That's one of the best things about being back. No more wine in a box! By buying sale wines at the supermarket, buying at the big box store (Costco), and by joining 3 wine clubs I pay between $5.50 and $9.99 per bottle for excellent wines that normally retail for $15 to $20... so I'm drinking less, but much better quality wines... and don't get me started on the craft beer selection!
HHF, the 30lb weight loss is impressive, I know you were held a prisoner in your house bythe heat, now I assume you are more mobile--is that responsible and what about dietary changes. I am sure that you keep up with Thai news, the politics must look even more bizarre from a distance.
I'm more mobile and have more dietary choices, plus everything you buy here to eat has a nutritional label so it's easy to keep track of your calories, which is all I have done aside from being a bit more active. I simply make sure I stop at 2k calories per day. Yes, Thailand seems to become more bizarre by the day under the current leadership. :D
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Re: One year back

Post by hhfarang »

LaughTilIDie wrote:
hhfarang wrote:
LaughTilIDie wrote:hhf you go back to the states?
Yes, for a year and a half now.
So you enjoying it back home? California I think you said or out west?
I wish I could afford to live in California, specifically the SF Bay area, but I can't so we have been in North Carolina for the last year and a half, and yes, I'm enjoying it so much that I'm angry with myself for wasting the first ten years of my retirement in Thailand. I still read this forum every morning while having my coffee and can't believe I put up with the filth, noise, heat, inconvenience, and corruption over there for so long. I have now realized just how unhappy I was as my life is back to normal; many more friends, much more active, not a care really other than paying the inflated health care prices here. That really is my only complaint.

:dance: :dance: :dance:
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Re: One year back

Post by dundrillin »

There is an interesting article in today's Independent (online UK newspaper) about the Amish communities inter-action with the American health care system. They are able to negotiate very impressive discounts. Also they have discovered a new procedure for treating burns injuries.
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