Happier Abroad Forum Community

As I have mentioned before I have been outside the USA for 2.5 years now. I initially came with only about 4k. Somehow I have managed up till now. I have taught English in Taiwan and after completing some more studies in India/Nepal I have somehow arrived in Bangkok. I really really want to stay abroad but I lack business acumen and making money is often the furthest thing from my mind. However this needs to change. I need to secure more financial independence in my life. I have reached 31 years of age. It's time to get serious (relatively).

I can do editing work and am open to any kind of work that can be done probably over a computer. If there is anyone on this forum who thinks they may have something they can hire me for.. Please contact me here. I am also open to suggestions as to how to market myself or any other ways of making money abroad besides teaching English.

It is better to move on to countries which are in a financial better situation and pay acceptable salaries in Asia. Not so much choice, but I decided long time ago for Japan. SouthKorea and Taiwan are not so bad either, Singapore or HongKong too.
Thailand is not known to offer working permits easily, despite some jobs for foreigners like language teachers are still available.

I always recommend going into programming, especially embedded (microchips). If you are a disciplined individual you can learn this with minimal investment, other than your time. Expect to spend about 600 hours to start getting the hang of it.

There are some freelancing portals like Odesk.com, which others have told me work well. I plan to have that portal as a backup option once I'm out of dodge.

Best of luck!

You may want to move back to the USA long enough to build up a nest egg. I posted before about how I just got a job that pays $90K per year, but only offers 2 weeks of vacation per year. As much as I'd love to refuse that offer and just leave for the promised land, I know that would be a very bad idea, given my current lack of cash. I'll just have to suck it up for a few years until I have the resources to start my new life in a better place. You may also have to go through Hell before you get to Heaven. Don't worry, at 31 you're still young. You can accumulate all the money you need and still be young enough to enjoy it

Hero wrote:You may want to move back to the USA long enough to build up a nest egg. I posted before about how I just got a job that pays $90K per year, but only offers 2 weeks of vacation per year. As much as I'd love to refuse that offer and just leave for the promised land, I know that would be a very bad idea, given my current lack of cash. I'll just have to suck it up for a few years until I have the resources to start my new life in a better place. You may also have to go through Hell before you get to Heaven. Don't worry, at 31 you're still young. You can accumulate all the money you need and still be young enough to enjoy it

besides youll appreciate the philippines at an older age when your all set with cash. Its not so enjoyable ego wise when you know your young and have to go to a 3rd world country AND burning up future saved money to have a vacation. Its easier to enjoy it when your closer to retirement or older and can appreciate young girls even more. Of course thats assuming youll be around in a few years from now so occasional vacation to check it out might be ok but dont go overboard.

Yohan,
I want to live in a place that is more laid back and where I can enjoy my life more even if that means taking a pay cut. I spent 1.5 years in Taiwan and I did not particularly enjoy it. The work environment can be intense and cutthroat in a lot of the more developed Asian countries. My friend is fluent in Japanese and has done his masters degree there and has told me all about it. I'm more of a journey is the path guy.. I need to enjoy each day and I can't be suffering away saving for a better future..

Hero wrote:You may want to move back to the USA long enough to build up a nest egg. I posted before about how I just got a job that pays $90K per year, but only offers 2 weeks of vacation per year. As much as I'd love to refuse that offer and just leave for the promised land, I know that would be a very bad idea, given my current lack of cash. I'll just have to suck it up for a few years until I have the resources to start my new life in a better place. You may also have to go through Hell before you get to Heaven. Don't worry, at 31 you're still young. You can accumulate all the money you need and still be young enough to enjoy it

But corn**** says that all the good jobs are taken by jews, whore women and the illuminati.

tamdrin12 wrote:As I have mentioned before I have been outside the USA for 2.5 years now. I initially came with only about 4k. Somehow I have managed up till now. I have taught English in Taiwan and after completing some more studies in India/Nepal I have somehow arrived in Bangkok. I really really want to stay abroad but I lack business acumen and making money is often the furthest thing from my mind. However this needs to change. I need to secure more financial independence in my life. I have reached 31 years of age. It's time to get serious (relatively).

I can do editing work and am open to any kind of work that can be done probably over a computer. If there is anyone on this forum who thinks they may have something they can hire me for.. Please contact me here. I am also open to suggestions as to how to market myself or any other ways of making money abroad besides teaching English.

Look around you. Find something you can list on ebay and sell to US buyers. Test marketing some things could be free if you take commonly available items, photograph them, list them for sale, and then only buy them if you get an ebay buyer.

Working for someone else is not the best option IMO.

Devil Dog.
You are right and I have contemplated this. Working for someone f***ing sucks... Even if you have a nice boss there is all this pressure and stress which results from having such a job. I have considered the e-bay thing so maybe I'll give it a go.
CHeers

Devil Dog wrote:But corn**** says that all the good jobs are taken by jews, whore women and the illuminati.

LOL. That's not at all true for guys like me who work as statisticians and actuaries in the financial services sector. The demand for people with my skills and experience is so great that often employers are forced to settle for a white, Christian, heterosexual male like me

If anything, this field is dominated by Asians. But I have an advantage over them, since I speak English fluently, as well as having math and computer skills.

I seriously cannot believe how easy it is for me to find work. I got my current job after just one half-hour phone screen with HR, and then a 45-minute on site interview with just one person.

My social life may suck here, but my opportunities for making $$$ are astounding.

WOw Hero... Take that blessing while you can.. You can probably easily save 30 or 40 k a year making that kind of money. Money which will go a very long way once you come to Asia as you know...

For me, I could go back to the US. But I have nothing there after 2.5 years gone. In actuality my start up costs in the U.S. will be more than my startup costs staying in Thailand even if I have to do a visa run out of the country. I may have no choice but to teach English to pay the bills and then try and sell some stuff on the side.. Well see

So far I'm liking Thailand. I havn't left BKK but it seems like a very cool and livable place. There are TONS of expats and travelers here. My friend told me that BKK is the number one tourist destination in the whole world!

PM me your email and I will send you a book on how to teach English online. I did it while abroad and wrote that book about it. You can make $500-1500 a month.

You should post your educational credentials and work experience to give proper feedback.

I have a Bachelor's from a decent US University.. Major in Religion Minor in philosophy (useless I know).. Basically just had odd jobs back in the U.S... worked construction for my father a bit.. Have been abroad for 2.5 years.. I have taught English in Taiwan for one year. Also I have done some editing.. basically just proofreading for stuff written by Chinese speakers. I have been studying Tibetan in hopes of being a translator someday.. but it is a bit of a long path and nothing I can rush..

You could teach ESL in the USA if you had a master's degree in that subject