HSBC Expat Tool
7000 expat surveys later, based on input criteria you provide, this thing is kind of cool. Of course, it doesn't take into account some of the things that folks here are focused on. For things included, if you don't care (e.g. child care costs), just uncheck the boxes. Play with it a while, see if it confirms where you've actually chosen. Its a bit blunt but worth a few minutes.
I'm almost sure I am going to move out of Shenzhen in the next six to twelve months to a different East/Southeast Asian city, outside China. I am trying to figure it out - game is actually not a consideration for me. If I continue to worry about that, I'll do it on the road whilst traveling for work. I expect at the beginning I'll be with a pregnant significant other, and then of course, with a child, so my thought process is different for this. Considering a 2-5 year window perhaps staying there as a "home base" with significant portions of time traveling, in the USA, etc.
Criteria is:
1. A major airport within a short trip nearby which is a major international hub. Can be a short flight away (a la Phuket to BKK).
2. Good economics for someone whose income is location independent
3. Relatively safe for foreigners/place is decently accepting of foreigners
4. Clean air/water
5. Healthy food choices centered around fresh produce and fish (easy in East Asia to be sure)
6. Reasonable infrastructure, particularly telecom as so much of my work is via telephone to the USA/Europe.
7. Ability to get an air conditioned, modern apartment to purchase (preferred if theres an economic arbitrage, SZ apts. in desirable areas cost up to and over USD 1 million) or rent in a building on an affordable basis.
8. Lack of visa headaches, keeping in mind that i travel frequently.
Scuba diving proximity, aesthetics (near the ocean is preferred, not dirty like Manila, which would be disqualified on air quality anyway) and not ridiculously crowded in the living area chosen are also considerations I'd give weight to. I also, at this point, kind of hate cold weather. Finally, a decent size Chinese community (like those in Malaysia, Singapore, etc. would probably go a decent way to make my sig. other comfortable with the new locale).
Any thoughts would be appreciated, if they're specific on the issues I raised. Just saying Bangkok isn't really that helpful, as we're all aware of the city.
Some cities other than Bangkok I am considering (and Bangkok is one I am) are Cebu and also KL (which I've actually never visited but would of course check out like any other potential destination).
7000 expat surveys later, based on input criteria you provide, this thing is kind of cool. Of course, it doesn't take into account some of the things that folks here are focused on. For things included, if you don't care (e.g. child care costs), just uncheck the boxes. Play with it a while, see if it confirms where you've actually chosen. Its a bit blunt but worth a few minutes.
I'm almost sure I am going to move out of Shenzhen in the next six to twelve months to a different East/Southeast Asian city, outside China. I am trying to figure it out - game is actually not a consideration for me. If I continue to worry about that, I'll do it on the road whilst traveling for work. I expect at the beginning I'll be with a pregnant significant other, and then of course, with a child, so my thought process is different for this. Considering a 2-5 year window perhaps staying there as a "home base" with significant portions of time traveling, in the USA, etc.
Criteria is:
1. A major airport within a short trip nearby which is a major international hub. Can be a short flight away (a la Phuket to BKK).
2. Good economics for someone whose income is location independent
3. Relatively safe for foreigners/place is decently accepting of foreigners
4. Clean air/water
5. Healthy food choices centered around fresh produce and fish (easy in East Asia to be sure)
6. Reasonable infrastructure, particularly telecom as so much of my work is via telephone to the USA/Europe.
7. Ability to get an air conditioned, modern apartment to purchase (preferred if theres an economic arbitrage, SZ apts. in desirable areas cost up to and over USD 1 million) or rent in a building on an affordable basis.
8. Lack of visa headaches, keeping in mind that i travel frequently.
Scuba diving proximity, aesthetics (near the ocean is preferred, not dirty like Manila, which would be disqualified on air quality anyway) and not ridiculously crowded in the living area chosen are also considerations I'd give weight to. I also, at this point, kind of hate cold weather. Finally, a decent size Chinese community (like those in Malaysia, Singapore, etc. would probably go a decent way to make my sig. other comfortable with the new locale).
Any thoughts would be appreciated, if they're specific on the issues I raised. Just saying Bangkok isn't really that helpful, as we're all aware of the city.
Some cities other than Bangkok I am considering (and Bangkok is one I am) are Cebu and also KL (which I've actually never visited but would of course check out like any other potential destination).
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Strip away judeo-christian ethics ingraining sex is dirty/bad & the idea we're taking advantage of these girls disintegrates. Once you've lost that ethical quandary (which it isn't outside religion) then they've no reason to play the victim, you've no reason to feel the rogue. The interaction is to their benefit.
Frequent Travs
Phils SZ China
