How To Make A Living In Paradise: Southeast Asia Edition Southeast Asia ed. Edition

RECONNAISSANCE
Many escapees take an initial reconnaissance trip to
their favored destination before actually relocating. This
strategy allows you to plan your escape with minimal risk
before making any major life decisions. A 2 – 3 week
trip may be long enough to establish contacts, arrange
long-term accommodation and investigate local work or
business opportunities.

The main advantages of a reconnaissance trip to paradise
are listed below:
– Avoid quitting your job or business before you have the
confidence to turn your dreams into reality
– Identify what you need to take to “paradise” when you
finally leave
– Establish a monthly budget for your living expenses
– View rooms and apartments available for rent (on a
monthly basis) and collect contact details of suitable
landlords
– Meet the local expatriates and learn about visas, work
permits, work and business opportunities
– Identify products for sale locally which would sell for a
good profit in your home country (to finance the trip)
– Estimate how much money you will need until you support
yourself in paradise
– Arrange for a sponsorship letter from a suitable organization to enable you to apply for a one year business
visa (if appropriate)
– Make some friends and enjoy your holiday!

The main disadvantage of the reconnaissance trip is the
initial additional cost.

Preparation
Research the countries you are most interested in, and
plan your itinerary. Read about the culture and customs of
the countries you will visit.

Store your possessions with friends or relatives and arrangem a mailing address. Throw away your junk and sell
or give away whatever you don’t need. Avoid spending
money on storage because the service is expensive. If you
own your home, find a reliable property management agent
to take care of it and bank the rental income into your bank account; otherwise instruct your real estate agent to sell your home.

Cancel all unnecessary standing orders and direct debits
which are no longer required. Axe all recurring expenses
unless absolutely essential. For example, cancel your
subscription to your local dvd club. Free yourself of all
financial limitations!

WHERE IS PARADISE?
Your idea of paradise is probably different from mine.
Your paradise depends you’re your values and priorities.
Your choice of destination depends upon many factors
such as climate, work, business and educational opportunities, exchange rates, political stability, level of crime, language issues, expat community, state of the country’s development and environmental factors.

Your choice of destination also depends on visas and
immigration policy. Some countries are more receptive
to foreign immigrants than others. Foreign policies are
continuously changing.

Social Life
Do you need an expat social life or can you blend into
the local culture and easily adjust to a completely different lifestyle? Some countries such as Singapore and Thailand have a large expat population offering unlimited luxuries and social activities for expatriate night owls and socialites.

Other countries such as Myanmar, which are less developed,
have a smaller expat community.

Singapore and Thailand each offer limitless social networking opportunities. Most of the major cities in Southeast Asia offer expat clubs and networks. For a list of social clubs, refer to the Southeast Asia Directory.
Climate If you are sensitive to climatic conditions you should research the weather in your preferred country.Consider whether you need to bear
the additional cost of air-conditioning, or will electric fans suffice?

Cost of Living
Despite the weakening of the dollar, many countries
are considerably cheaper to live in than America. Part of
your homework is to estimate your monthly cost of living
in your preferred country. Cost of living surveys are published by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.If money is not a limiting factor, focus on locations offering the best quality of life. Mercer Human Resource Consulting also publish the Worldwide Quality of Living Survey.

Can you live without Starbucks and McDonalds? If
not, you need a much higher income. A local cup of coffee
may cost one quarter of what Starbucks charge. Similarly
a nutritious local meal usually costs a small fraction of
what McDonalds charge.

Economy
If you want to own a business overseas, your success
will be influenced by the local economy unless you sell to
overseas markets. Many expats living overseas own guesthouses and hotels, bars, restaurants, cafes, mini-marts and internet cafés. These businesses are usually dependent on tourism, which is sensitive to news about terrorist activities, crime or disease. Businesses in tourist locations need to make enough profit during the peak season to survive the quieter periods.

Employment
If you need to work there are many opportunities to
teach English around the globe. Schools in some countries,
such as Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, enable
teachers to save money, though there are fewer opportunities in Southeast Asia. However, these same countries have a high cost of living so part-time work is not usually an option. Some expats save enough money for a 6 month holiday after completing their twelve month teaching contract.

For more information about teaching English as a foreign
language, refer to Chapter 7 (Popular Ways To Earn
A Living).

Health & Safety
Health and safety is another important factor which varies
between countries. Ensure you are protected against
any prevalent diseases wherever you stay.