I left the United States and I'm NEVER going back!
Summary
TLDRThe speaker candidly shares their experience of living in Southeast Asia after quitting their job and leaving the US. They highlight the lower cost of living, friendliness of people, and sense of safety as stark contrasts to their life in the US, expressing a reluctance to return due to these improved quality of life factors.
Takeaways
- 🌏 The speaker expresses a strong desire to not return to living in the United States, despite acknowledging the potential backlash.
- 🏠 They quit their job in January and have been traveling since February, currently in Southeast Asia, experiencing the region's affordability and hospitality.
- 💵 The cost of living in the United States is criticized for being excessively high, with the speaker noting the stark contrast in prices for everyday items like groceries.
- 🍉 Specific examples are given, such as the price difference between a watermelon in the U.S. and Southeast Asia, highlighting perceived economic disparities.
- 🏰 The speaker recounts a family trip to the zoo, noting the significantly lower costs compared to similar outings in the U.S., and the reasonable pricing of food and souvenirs.
- 🏖️ Personal experiences in Southeast Asia have led the speaker to believe that people are generally nicer and more welcoming, contrasting with their perception of the U.S.
- 👨👩👧👦 The speaker observes that children are treated more warmly in Southeast Asia, receiving compliments and gifts from strangers, unlike in the U.S. where they feel children are often seen as a nuisance.
- 🚫 The speaker mentions concerns about safety and cleanliness in the U.S., such as finding drugs or needles in public places, which they have not encountered in Southeast Asia.
- 🏙️ Despite acknowledging the presence of poverty and trash in Southeast Asia, the speaker notes a sense of cleanliness and order, with daily sweeping of sidewalks and a general lack of littering.
- 🌱 The speaker reflects on the absence of visible homelessness and drug addiction in Southeast Asia, contrasting it with the severe issues in the U.S.
- 🔒 The overall sense of safety in Southeast Asia is emphasized, with the speaker feeling more secure and less worried about potential threats compared to their experiences in the U.S.
Q & A
Why does the speaker express a reluctance to live in the United States again?
-The speaker feels that the cost of living in the U.S. is too high, people are not as friendly, and there are issues with homelessness and drug use that make them feel unsafe.
What was the speaker's initial skepticism about before traveling to Southeast Asia?
-The speaker was initially skeptical about the claims of how cheap and safe Southeast Asia is, as well as the friendliness of the people.
How long has the speaker been traveling in Southeast Asia?
-The speaker has been traveling in Southeast Asia for about a month and a half.
Which countries in Southeast Asia has the speaker visited?
-The speaker has visited Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and is currently in Bali, with plans to go to Malaysia.
What is the speaker's main concern about the cost of living in the United States?
-The speaker is concerned about the high cost of groceries, food, and housing in the U.S., and questions why things are so expensive compared to Southeast Asia.
How does the speaker compare the cost of visiting a zoo in the U.S. versus Southeast Asia?
-The speaker finds that the cost of visiting a zoo in Southeast Asia is significantly lower than in the U.S., both in terms of entrance fees and food and beverage expenses.
What is the speaker's observation about the friendliness of people in the U.S. versus Southeast Asia?
-The speaker observes that people in Southeast Asia are generally more friendly and welcoming, especially towards children, compared to the U.S.
How does the speaker describe the cleanliness and safety in Southeast Asia compared to the U.S.?
-The speaker finds Southeast Asia to be cleaner and safer than the U.S., with less visible drug use and homelessness, and a greater sense of community care.
What is the speaker's experience with feeling safe in Southeast Asia?
-The speaker feels much safer in Southeast Asia, noting that they have not felt the need to worry about issues like pickpocketing or mass shootings.
What are the speaker's thoughts on the cultural differences between the U.S. and Southeast Asia?
-The speaker believes that the cultural differences, such as the friendliness of people and the sense of community, contribute to a higher quality of life in Southeast Asia.
Why does the speaker feel that their money goes further in Southeast Asia?
-The speaker attributes this to the lower prices for goods and services, as well as the stronger purchasing power of the U.S. dollar in these countries.
What are the speaker's concerns about the environment in the U.S., particularly regarding plastic waste?
-The speaker is concerned about the high levels of plastic waste and littering in the U.S., despite the country's wealth and resources.
Outlines
🌴 Traveling Southeast Asia: A Cost of Living Comparison
The speaker expresses their initial skepticism about moving away from the United States and their subsequent realization of the stark differences in cost of living between the US and Southeast Asia. They recount their travels through countries like Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali, noting the affordability of daily necessities and attractions compared to the US. The speaker is particularly struck by the high prices in America for items like groceries and zoo visits, and contrasts this with the reasonable costs they've encountered in Southeast Asia. They also touch on the broader economic and social implications of these differences, including the role of corporate greed and food waste in the US.
🌏 Cultural Contrasts: The Warmth of Southeast Asia
The speaker reflects on the cultural differences they've observed between the United States and Southeast Asia, particularly in terms of interpersonal interactions. They lament the perceived coldness and busyness of people in the US, especially in big cities like Seattle, and contrast this with the warmth and friendliness they've experienced in Asia. The speaker notes how people in Asia, whether locals or expats, have been exceptionally kind and welcoming, especially towards their children. They also discuss the cleanliness and safety they've found in Southeast Asia, despite the region's reputation for plastic waste, and compare this favorably to the issues of homelessness and drug use they've encountered in the US.
🏡 A Safer and More Welcoming Environment
The speaker continues to share their observations on the safety and welcoming nature of Southeast Asia, contrasting it with the concerns they have about safety in the US. They mention the absence of visible homelessness and drug addiction in the places they've visited, and the sense of security they feel, even in large cities. The speaker also discusses the lack of fear they have for their children's safety, especially in public spaces like playgrounds and beaches. They express their relief at not having to worry about potential dangers like mass shootings, which is a concern they carry from their time in the US. The overall sentiment is one of appreciation for the quality of life they've found in Southeast Asia, which they feel is superior to what they experienced in the US.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Escapism
💡Cost of Living
💡Poverty
💡Corporate Greed
💡Southeast Asia
💡Homelessness
💡Drug Epidemic
💡Safety
💡Niceness
💡Cultural Differences
💡Quality of Life
Highlights
The speaker expresses a desire to never live in the United States again, acknowledging the potential for controversy.
They quit their job in January and have been traveling since February, currently in Southeast Asia.
Initial skepticism about the affordability and friendliness in Southeast Asia has been replaced with amazement and appreciation.
The cost of living in the US is criticized, with examples of high prices for groceries and housing.
The speaker contrasts the high cost of living in the US with the affordability they've experienced in Southeast Asia.
Food waste and corporate greed in the US are suggested as factors contributing to high prices.
A zoo visit in Bali is highlighted as an example of reasonable pricing compared to similar experiences in the US.
The speaker notes the lack of price gouging in amusement parks and similar attractions in Southeast Asia.
A comparison is made between the perceived rudeness of people in the US and the friendliness encountered in Southeast Asia.
The 'Seattle freeze' is mentioned as an example of the lack of warmth among people in some US cities.
The speaker observes that people in Southeast Asia are genuinely nice, not just those trying to do business.
Children are treated with kindness and respect in Southeast Asia, unlike the speaker's experiences in the US.
The cleanliness and tidiness observed in Southeast Asia contrast with the speaker's experiences in the US.
Despite known issues with plastic waste, the speaker finds Southeast Asia cleaner than the US in terms of littering and drug paraphernalia.
The speaker discusses the absence of homelessness and drug problems in Southeast Asia compared to the US.
A sense of safety is felt in Southeast Asia, unlike the constant worry about mass shootings in the US.
The speaker concludes that the quality of life in Southeast Asia is significantly better than in the US.
The speaker expresses a firm decision not to return to the US, based on their travel experiences.
Transcripts
I got to be honest I hope that I never
have to live in the United States ever
again sounds very escapism sounds very
anti-American it sounds like it's going
to piss some people off to hear that and
I'm okay with it but I want to explain
why I quit my job in January we moved
out of our house in February and since
February we've been traveling and we've
been in Southeast Asia for about a month
and a half now it's crazy how quick time
goes but but we've been to Cambodia
we've been to Thailand and we went to
Vietnam in dang and now we're in Bali
and in about a week and a half we're
going to be in Malaysia and I got to say
that I was skeptical I was skeptical
when everyone was saying how cheap it is
and how lovely all the people are and
how safe everything is and I see it now
I see it and I can't believe that I was
ever worried about coming out here and I
can't believe how behind we are in a lot
of things in the US and I also I can't
believe how brainwashed we are and then
that sounds bad it sounds like I said
anti-American it sounds like I'm trying
to talk this up but I'm not I'm just
trying to share my experience and what
it's been so far for me and my
family first of all I got to talk about
the cost of living and I understand that
I have American dollar I get that my
money really goes a lot further here and
that there's poverty and because I come
from a country that has a strong
currency I able to live nicer than
people that are from here I get all that
so I don't need to hear that part of it
but it just goes to show you that for
like groceries and food and housing why
are things so godamn expensive in
America a watermelon at Costco was like
$10
when we left Washington State and here I
buy a watermelon for two
bucks why why I I know there's economics
involved in it all that stuff and I know
that that there are people that will
argue that that is just the price of
things because of our economy being so
much stronger but then you go and you
think about how much food waste there is
in the US and how much of it is really
more like corporate greed rather than
inflation and it goes to just show you
how we're just convinced that our
country is so great and there are great
things about America because I couldn't
be saying this if I was from other
countries that didn't allow you to speak
poorly about your country so I do
appreciate some of those aspects of
America but at the same time it's not
just the cost of living and the cost of
food my wife and I we took the kids out
yesterday for Mother's Day we went to
the zoo and the zoo was awesome it was
total for us to get in about like $65
USD and then when we went in there I was
just so surprised how much it was for
food and beverage and some of the
souvenirs we didn't buy any souvenirs
but the food and beverage was so
reasonable that my wife and I were
laughing about how much it would have
cost us in Washington to go to like the
Seattle it's not the Seattle Zoo but
it's
I can't think of it off the top of my
head but there's a zoo and then there's
like the Northwest Trek and there's
museums and stuff in Washington that
we've gone to and it would have cost us
60 bucks a person it cost our family 60
bucks total to get into the Bal zoo and
then when we had lunch it cost us like
$10 we ordered a pizza for the kids my
wife and I ordered some little like
Teriyaki bowls we all had drinks we
ended up having some gelato afterwards
and it was like $10 in America when you
go somewhere that's like an amusement
park it's almost like an excuse for them
to price gou you and it seems like they
don't do that here I've noticed it in
multiple places not just in Bali when we
went to Vietnam we went to a water park
there the water park tickets were
reasonable they it ended up being like I
don't know like 10 to 20 bucks a person
the kids were a little cheaper than the
adults but that's about what it was
average so let's just say like 15 bucks
so another like $60 to get in and it
might have been cheaper than that but
then when we got in there same thing all
the stuff in there was very reasonable
in price we didn't have to pay $10 for a
soda and we didn't have to pay $20 for a
salad for lunch our money just went so
much further and I feel like I can rant
about cost of living and how expensive
everything is in America and how it
feels like your money doesn't go
anywhere and it feels like you're just
poor I've made videos talking about
making a 100 Grand a year making
$150,000 a year and feeling broke and
now I'm making substantially less and I
feel comfortable but beyond that another
reason why I don't really want to go
back is because people are not nice in
the United States again maybe it's where
I was from Seattle Washington area is
known for the Seattle freeze where
everyone is just not nice doesn't talk
whatever I'm sure if I went to some
Podunk town in the mid West Betty from
next door would bake me cookies and be
super nice to me and want to be in all
of my business and know what's going on
but that's not really the case in most
big cities in the United States the
truth is that we're too busy we got too
much going on we've got work we've got
soccer practice we've got recital we've
got things we got to go do we got
errands we got to run we got to buy
groceries and clean the house and all
that stuff and it feels like people in
the US have no time for anyone if it
feels like it's very hard to find
genuinely nice people and I don't know
why that is because I've had friends
that are super cool but in general it
doesn't feel like people are just nice
in the US and then being here in Asia
and it's not just like shopkeepers and
people who are trying to do business
with us it's people just on the street
people at the beach people that are
local people that are also expats and
just tourists and
everyone we've met has been super nice I
have honestly not
seen anyone pissed off in a month and a
half of being in all of these different
countries I have not seen any fights I
have not seen people arguing I have not
seen anything that I am used to seeing
in the US it's so weird and I swear it
sounds like I'm full of [ __ ] you're like
how have people not been arguing how
have people been so nice I don't know I
don't know it just really seems like
maybe it's a cultural thing maybe I
don't understand what some people are
saying when they're talking to each
other and they are fighting but reading
body language and seeing how people are
interacting it really feels like
everybody's super nice and they're super
nice to us they're so nice to my kids in
the US it feels like kids are a nuisance
it feels like kids are treated as like
sit down shut up stay out of the way
don't talk be quiet all that stuff and
here everybody is so nice to our kids
kids my kids get so many compliments
it's funny because they're not used to
it they get praised from random
strangers they get given toys and treats
and candy and just they're treated like
kids they're treated like they're
welcomed even like the airports here the
stores they have playgrounds they really
think about the kids a lot here and I
don't remember that in the US I mean in
Washington playgrounds you got to be
careful cuz there's homeless people
sleeping there and there's people doing
heroin and Fentanyl and smoking meth on
the park bench and you got to be worried
that your kid's going to step on a
hypmic needle or something and that's
another thing here while there's some
trash southeast Asia is known for their
plastic waste that's not a secret things
can be a little dirty here and while
we've seen some of that while there's
some plastic and some waste on the beach
and on the streets it still seems like
people really take care of their stuff
here something I noticed everyone does
in every Asian country I've been to they
clean the sidewalks they sweep up every
day they really keep their stuff tidy
and I think that a lot of the plastic
waste is just a byproduct of consumerism
and I feel that a lot of people here
from what I've seen really try their
best to be clean I haven't seen someone
litter I haven't seen people be I don't
know trashy in the US I can't tell you
how many times in the United States I've
gone to a parking lot and people have
just left their fast food bags where
their car was parked you can obviously
tell like somebody opened their door and
just dumped all their stuff there and
I'll say for Southeast Asia being known
for their plastic waste and all that
stuff I feel like it's cleaner here than
it has been in the US and I never once
have had to worry that my kids might
find drugs or a needle on the floor in a
playground or on the beach and I only
say that because this has happened this
has happened my family and I used to
carry Naran in our car not because we
want to save someone from odine because
we were worried that my kids might pick
up some fentanyl or something because
they have found baggies with meth in
them and Drugs in them like my kids have
found bags of drugs at the park I
remember we were camping and the kids
said the word beetle because they saw
like a big Beetle and almost every
parent from around the park that was
there when they heard it went running
because they were worried that their
kids said
needle it's crazy we don't have to worry
about that here I haven't seen vagrants
I haven't seen drug addicts on the
street I haven't seen people begging
outside of the gas station I've seen a
few people who are
obviously in bad circumstances people
with deformities people with missing
limbs people that are blind ask for
money and they do have a bit of like
kids trying to hustle for money like if
you go to Mexico you see that where kids
are like selling stuff to try to make
money like that's a reality of being
here but the homelessness and the drugs
that we have in America that problem
isn't here it doesn't exist here people
might be poor here but they still have
like a home and a place to sleep it's
crazy and it's mindboggling because it
just goes to show you like we can't get
that stuff fixed and figured out in the
first world country in the greatest
country of the world America we have a
terrible homeless problem and we have a
terrible drug epidemic and I I don't see
that here I have not once in the last
month and a half felt unsafe when you
come out here everyone tells you be
careful of pickpockets be careful of
getting mugged be careful of dangers
that you might come across when you're
traveling here in Asia because those
things could happen and I've been in
Bangkok which is a massive City Cambodia
we went to CM reap it was kind of
smaller dang was a pretty big city and
here in Bali is kind of chill so I
haven't felt anything like the presence
of a pickpocket or a group of
untrusting shyy looking individuals that
are going to try to like rob you or
anything like that like a good indicator
of something being safe is usually like
seeing single women walking by
themselves and I've seen that in every
place I've been to at all hours of the
day from in the evening to the early
mornings like it's safe and I'm not
stupid I know that there's bad places
everywhere but we just haven't seen it
and feels nice because it's one of the
things that I don't feel in the US
anymore like I never feel safe a
firework went off and my wife and my
kids and I
jumped and my wife and I thought the
same exact thing we were
like man you can tell who the Americans
are cuz when they hear a loud bang they
start ducking that feeling of being in a
crowded place and having to worry about
a mass
shooting is one of the best feelings to
not have to deal with anymore and I know
it's stupid I know that mass shooting
percentage wise aren't that common I
lived in Vegas when October 1st happened
that went down at the manderlay bay and
I know that it's not that common but
it's really nice to not have to worry
about that and I feel like I've talked
about cost of living I feel like I've
talked about how nice people are I feel
like I talked about the safety and all
of those are reasons why I don't think I
can go back of course we're going to go
back and visit people but the the
quality of life it's just so much better
here and it felt like that in Portugal
too so it's not just southeast Asia it
seems like everywhere we go it feels
better than the US and the more we
travel and the longer we're here my wife
and I keep telling each other we can't
go back there's no going back we can't
do it it doesn't make sense to go back
and I really don't think that we will
and I just wanted to share that that's
all I got to say all right thanks for
watching and I'll see you next time
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