Thoughts on the PT Life

Stick to the West

The educated elite that stem from these kinds of countries do not send their sons and daughters back to third world/banana republics unless they have solid connections or are dishonest themselves.

But I personally kinda have issues with the west (I am not going to turn this into LiveJournal type post, but I have several issues with at least the US. The only Western country I wouldn't mind as much would be NZ). What if I honestly dislike most the west?

VIVO,

I think "socialentry" is assuming too much and inferring things from that.

The US has NEVER been the best at EVERYTHING. NO place has. And so I could understand the desire to travel at ANY time, and especially NOW. I have thought about that. I once resolved that I would every year, and didn't. Still, in many ways I would do better than most. ALSO I, like you, have been thinking more and more about this.

Of course, you want to make sure that you know the language, customs, law, etc... at least to a fair degree. Try to follow all the laws. MOST countries today are changing, and most are changing NOT for the better. So DON'T assume ANYTHING, even if it is 400 year law that BUILT the country and that it is known for.

Steve

I like to travel but I couldn't do it 24/7. I could do it seasonally - have one place for each season of the year. It would be hard to decide which countries I'd chose. If there was a country I knew I could be happy in right now full time, I'd go.......but I'd really miss my family. Wouldn't miss what this country has become, though. Wherever winter would be spent would have to be warm - after a few weeks of cold and snow, I can already be sure of that one.

EDIT: You're in Michigan? Well, okay - I'm FROM Michigan and that explains why you are thinking about that right now. Get the heck out of there, LMAO. Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon. You'll be quite a bit happier, I think -- except we have YOUR weather right now.

I am researching. And I understand the deal with the language barrier. Most of the places I would like to visit speak English or Spanish (me hablo un poco castellano ).
I am working on making money (first through a job just to visit, them through IM and other things to actually move), working on Spanish, and as far as geo arbitrage, I understand no place is perfect, and thus it would be beneficial to spread out your life over various places, taking advantage of each for each country's advantage. Like the US for good business climate, Mexico/Philippines for low cost of living/nice lifestyle, Brazil for partying, Hong Kong for asset protection, and other places for other things. Look up perpetual travel on Wikipedia for better understanding. In addition, you are not taxed as much (90k exemtpion).

When I got out of college I decided I didn't want to be in MI anymore. What I did was bought a van, sold everything that wouldn't fit in it - and my late fiancee and I took off cross country figuring when we got to where we wanted to be, we'd know it - but picked a destination to stop at for at least long enough to replenish funds if we decided we didn't like it there, either. Can't remember what that destination was. Got up a peak at the shoreline of Lake George in Colorado and said, oh yeah, let's stay in CO for awhile. I was there for around 10 years. I move fairly frequently now, but don't stray too far from the NW. I love the NW but local economics can throw you for a loop now and then. Also spent around 8 or 9 months back East - then came back West. Never know where I'll end up from one year to the next, but have made some good friends along the way and got out to a lot of rock/gem hunting fields that I'd never gotten to otherwise.

As far as travel goes, you can plan for it all you want, but you'll never know exactly how cut out for it you are until you actually do it. It will be fun for awhile at any rate, and you can always stop when you want to. Life's short -- rock it out.

well, I DID say "I THINK....". Although I admittedly hadn't checked out the term, I just did: Perpetual traveler - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia It wasn't TOO different from what I was thinking of NOW and YEAH, I thought of EXACTLY that ALSO! I even bought BOOKS on EXACTLY that, about 30 years ago!

MANY places will treat you as a mere VISITOR if you are there less than 3 months each year, so you would only have to go to 5 places each year. ALSO, there are minimums about how short the stay abroad can be. A day trip will NOT break the residency period, for example. Of course, at this time, the EU may have reciprocal agreements which make what WOULD have worked 20 years ago NOT work now, so your options would be limited somewhat. Still, I was thinking of areas OUTSIDE of simply TAXES.

Steve

Maybe you could join the french foreign legion.

Benefits:

-All expenses paid for (wow!)
-Lifestyle is unique in the world.
-You can invest every single penny you earn
-FREE exercice such as zumba 24/7 with dedicated and enthusiastic instructors.You will get abs of steel.
-FREE french classes
-You get to travel all around the world and interact with natives in non-tourist areas.
-Citizenship after five years
-The French do everything contrary to the US so you don't have to worry about politics.
-All of this for FREE

Downside:
-You have to go to France in person, you can't sign up over the internet, and they won't pay for your plane ticket either.
-Yes, it is a western country but you will spend most of your time jungles and deserts and such living the good life

Plus you get a new name when you enter the french foreign legion. They forgive all sins.