Quote: (09-22-2015 05:30 PM)CleanSlate Wrote:
After pondering big life questions such as whether to ever get married again and/or have kids, I decided that these big questions are too much for right now. So I'll just focus on the next five years, and then decide where to go from there after five years. I'm going to reserve my marriage/kids decisions until the five years are up.
My five years starts the day I become location independent. My cut-off date is May-June 2016, when I expect to leave my current job and run my portable business full time. I'm also going to be flexible on the five years. It could be only four years before I'm ready for the next step, or maybe seven. I'll keep it flexible.
So the plan is, once the handcuffs come off:
* Set up a base to live in a country for at least the first year. This place will have hot women, low cost of living, fast internet connection, some English speakers, and a good expat community where I can connect with others. This would be where I bootstrap my business, at least for the first year.
* Once every 3 months, take a 1-month vacation out of the base country to its neighboring countries. This quarterly vacation will partly be for relaxation, fun, getting bangs, and partly for scouting missions on potential places to live in the future.
* After the first year, move to another base country and live there for another year. Continue taking quarterly vacations while I can.
* Lather, rinse, and repeat for another few years. By 4-6 years, I should have a pretty good idea on which country fits me the best, whose women I like the best for LTRs and possible marriage, and where I can continue to do business.
* Then, I'll move to that country, and live and work there. Totally immerse myself into that culture. By then, I will be 40-45 years old... old enough to have plenty of valuable experience, and still young enough to find a woman to start a family with.
When I start this plan, I'm thinking Thailand would be the perfect base for the first year. From there, I can take vacations to the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Indonesia, etc... all within a reasonably short flight away. Whichever country I like best for business opportunities, expat communities, and women suitable for LTRs, I'll move there and set up another base.
I'm also thinking Mexico, Colombia, and other places in Latin/South America, but I'm shying away from those places as semi-permanent places. Safety is a concern. I won't count them out as vacation spots, however.
Sound like a reasonable plan? I feel this would help me break my life down into bite size pieces instead of trying to figure out everything in one swoop.
I like your 5 year thinking and cut off date.
I became self employed 8 and a half years ago but putting a 6 month cut off date by which I would quit my job. I quit on that day and have not looked back.
There is a huge difference between SE Asia and Latin America of course but you just have to pick one and do it. You will never be the same.
Don't listen to the naysayers who just give you different caution tales about short vacations. It sounds like you want to go all in. There are always flights home or elsewhere if you hate it. I moved to Japan in my late 20s having never been to Asia or Japan. I stayed 2.5 years and went on to another phase. You don't have to go see what it's like to see what it's like. You acheive that the moment you step out having moved there. The new sights, smells, customs, and endless layers you will discover in the new place are richer when you just GO, free as you are hoping to be, and not with the uncommitted caution of checking it first.
Whether you choose Thailand or Ecuador, Vietnam or Costa Rica, these are functioning and very livable places with life and vibrancy that is moving along 24 hours a day without you.
You have hit a chord with those who are envious of your plan, and secretly hope you will fail because they themselves cannot make themselves do what you are so close to doing.
Reach that tipping point where your business pays you enough to be free, get a light weight laptop, sell your crap, and go for it.