Greetings from 'mcr'

[mcr]

Greetings everyone!

I'm thrilled to have discovered HappierABroad and I haven't even gotten into much of anything here yet.

I'm a middle aged Caucasian man, and Canadian. And the dating/relationship thing up here seems to be just as corrupt as in the U.S. - at least is is for me. I was one of those kids growing up that wanted a GF, but never had one. Never had the 'balls' to ask a girl out until late in high school - but a parent with mental health problems was always teasing and really wasn't much help in me being able to learn some social skills.... so I remained without a GF until early 20's where I did discover a few that were interested, but I never acted upon or shunned them away.

Finally gave in to one girl, had kids and put up with her b.s. for years to come. She "couldn't" get pregnant (she said this was Dr.'s info), and foolishly I believed. None-the-less, a child came, and we had a "relationship". What a brutal experience. It lasted far too long for the sake of our children and she finally gave me the boot for the "bad boy" (who had a long list of arrest warrants).

Anyway, I entered the online dating experience and realized I had little confidence left in me, and after some internet searches wondering "what's wrong with me", I started studying 'game' through David D programs and a few other internet articles I came across. Things improved - slowly at first, but eventually I started having some great experiences. Quickly I realized 'game' is much more than just getting a woman into bed - I excelled in many other areas of my life thanks to 'game' - high paying job, more women and some 'mini-relationships'. Of course - along the way - I saw how bad the situation is though - crazy women - actions that seem to make no sense, flaking, flipping out over nothing, bad money sense, alcohol "addiction" and the list goes on.

A few months ago I came across what I thought was 'different' (yeah right) - she was young, attractive and seemed to have her personal and professional life all together. Started a mini relationship and even (gasp) moved in with her. Anyway, just over Christmas, out of the blue, she says we need to separate. "We're heading in different directions", she says.

Fine - no problem. I've got about $600k in the bank (no debt) and I'm ready to make a big change.

Time to leave Canada.
I've lived in and around Toronto, along with a couple of cities in Ontario. And now also lived in the two major cities of Alberta.

It's ridiculous. I don't seem to be able to connect with anyone - I don't do the 'party scene' as the parties I see here don't seem to make much sense
(I read the thread here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6550&start=15 ) and agree with everything that's been said about the loser mentalities here.

I don't make connections at work either. Everyone seems so 'fake' all the time. I think they know they are stuck working the rest of their lives at their "9-5" job and since they spend more than they make, are trapped in perpetual debt - the 'fake' personalities seem to be a cover up for depression and everyone is "busy" - too busy to enjoy 'reality' - getting outdoors, being adventurous and loving life. Busy seems to be 'virtual worlds' or drowning in alcohol.

Anyway... I'm rambling.

I'll be eagerly reading through the forum and assembling some research material on what to do/where to go. I like SEA for some reason - never been there, but the history appeals to me. The 'type' of women in SEA also appeals to me - but then so does attractive slender blondes (Eastern Europe).

I'll be looking for ideas - where to start, what to expect, etc.

My main concerns are looking to come up with a 'base of operations' - I only take 'all inclusive' vacations, so get a bit worried about how to go about getting started. Should I toss everything into a backpack, book the flight and just "wing it", or or do I need to attempt a full scale research plan on places I might like, prebook an apartment (sight unseen) etc.

For those of you reading all this, if you have some pointers on where to start, it would be much appreciated... otherwise, I look forward to learning more on the forums and making a big change later this year!

[fschmidt]

With $600K, you are in a great position. You just need a change of mindset. Forget about all inclusive vacations and learn to travel cheap. I suggest you spend the next 6 months traveling around the world. Never stay in fancy hotels or pay more than needed to travel. Local transportation is cheap. Keep things flexible and never make a schedule. Just travel as you feel. When you get bored of one place, go somewhere else. Southeast Asia is a great place to start.

All the research in the world on a place is worth less than just one day on the ground there, so forget research. Don't prebook anything. Don't do anything that limits your flexibility. Just get a travel guidebook so that you know where the hotels are. When you arrive, go to the hotel area and look for a decent cheap hotel. Don't pay for fancy. Then wonder randomly around town. When you get bored, get on a bus or train and visit somewhere else.