[262]

Inspired by Buddha's Budapest Relocation Journal ( http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-40423.html ), and also as a way to contribute back to a group that has given me so much, I'm laying out the path I've taken, and plan to take, to relocate to Poland. Some details, such as the place in Poland I'm considering, will be omitted though, due to the possibility of haters lurking on here.

About me: average height, fit (but not jacked), Asian (though Mexicans here in the US think I'm Mexican), early 30s. Similar story to Buddha: blue-pill liberal with an overpriced education working at Fortune 500s who transitioned into the red-pill, starting around three years ago, after two years of blue-pill dating frustration.

Okay, here's where I (hopefully) start adding value (got corporate-speak?).

Part 1: $

I've become location-independent through the boring and slow way - by saving and investing - ever since I started working. Not everyone can do this, nor will everyone want to do this - but if you, for whatever reason, are better suited to a plan simpler (but slower) than, say, starting an on-line business - then you might be able to shamelessly copy what I'm doing.

The key and main difference between my saving and investing and typical saving and investing can be summed up as: the Mr. Money Mustache method. He and others like him have been mentioned on the forum before, but not in great detail, so I'll sum up the method here (the real value-add).

In the first part, his path to retirement is to save 25 times your annual spending, and invest it in low-cost funds that track the S&P 500 and its ex-US equivalent. So, for a monthly budget of $1,500 (what Roosh and others mention is needed for Eastern Europe), you need to save and invest $450,000 ($1,500 x 12 x 25). Once that number is reached, you can live off the returns (so no transition to bonds, unlike typical retirements - he has a post detailing the math about how this is actually quite safe).

Now hopefully $450,000 is a big number for you (unless you're reading this just for fun), but the second, more important, and hopefully uplifting part of the Mr. Money Mustache method, is also the simplest, but the toughest: cut your spending (it's probably harder to increase your earning to the same effect). Just like actually lifting heavy-ass weights for bodybuilding, this is the part about early retirement where the work is done and the quitters quit (sometimes rightfully so).

You'll have to be the judge as to which spending gets cut and which spending is necessary for your short and long-term Game, but start with the big ticket items and move down (in an extreme example, if you're in Poosy Hell where an awesome but expensive pad is useless because there are literally no girls around [Bakken oil field maybe?], you'll have to ask yourself if the awesome pad is worth it).

Be merciless with useless costs though - for example, I drive a boring car that's 10+ years old because it's cheap and my dates never see it (due to my location). In contrast, my typical outfit costs $300, since girls see that (but I only have a few items, and I bought specific styles and colors for multi-season mixing, matching, and long-term durability).

Google Mr. Money Mustache before asking any questions about his method - I only meant to summarize, not copy/paste his blog, which he's been writing for several years, with a post coming out about each week.

I'll add more plan parts (such as why I'm considering Poland) later.

[Brodiaga]

262,

-Did you factor the taxes in? @18K/year withdrawals, how much do you expect to pay in US taxes?
-How are you going to withdraw money? Are you planning to withdraw from taxable accounts first, and then 401k and Roth IRA after you turn 59 (I assume you use tax advantaged accounts). Are you planning to start withdrawals from tax advantaged accounts when you are younger (72t from IRA, withdraw principle from Roth IRA, etc)?
-Do I understand correctly that you are heavily invested in equities even as you start withdrawing money?
-Have you stress tested your plan? Used firecalc simulations or something similar? What is your plan if, for example, the dollar loses its value vs the euro or a new recession hits and the market crashes?

Btw, I agree that Mr Money Mustache is a great forum. I read it regularly. Hope all goes well with your plan.

I understand we are getting off topic here, but I believe this is an important subject to many guys on RVF. Maybe you can drop a separate early retirement/financial independence datasheet and I will add to that. I'm not financially independent yet, but reaching financial independence is my main goal in life.

[spalex]

Something people like you should know:

I set up my own company here (for tax purposes). I get paid into a Polish bank account.
I just got an accountant to organise all my shit. Anyway, the good news is that I only get taxed 8%. Then I also have to pay some social insurances and shit like that. Which is about 400-500 per month.
Probably the lowest I will ever pay in my life when it comes to taxes.


Also that stress test that Brodiagra is on about.... You better be onto that shit! I got drunk and managed to blow about $600 in one night last Friday. This shit usually happens to me every two or three months. It will happen to you!

[262]

@Brodiaga
Good questions. Let's discuss here, and if necessary, summarize in another post, for easy consumption.

(05-05-2015 10:28 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

-Did you factor the taxes in? @18K/year withdrawals, how much do you expect to pay in US taxes?

I didn't factor taxes in because I don't expect to pay much, as Mr. Money Mustache demonstrates in "The Lovely Low Taxes of Early Retirement": http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/06/0...etirement/

Plus I plan on "moving" (for tax purposes) to a retirement-friendly state like Texas (no income taxes I believe) before moving abroad (my US forwarding mailing address will likely also be in Texas).

(05-05-2015 10:28 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

-How are you going to withdraw money? Are you planning to withdraw from taxable accounts first, and then 401k and Roth IRA after you turn 59 (I assume you use tax advantaged accounts). Are you planning to start withdrawals from tax advantaged accounts when you are younger (72t from IRA, withdraw principle from Roth IRA, etc)?

I actually need to look into this more - not that it's a make or break thing, but who wants to give Uncle Sam more money for nothing? Off the top of my head, your former plan (taxable then traditional 401k then Roth 401k then Roth IRA) seems the best, but I have read a little about SEPP/72(t) and it seems interesting. I assume the former plan is your plan?

(05-05-2015 10:28 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

-Do I understand correctly that you are heavily invested in equities even as you start withdrawing money?

Yep, 50% low-cost S&P 500 index funds and 50% of the ex-US equivalent, thus replicating current world capitalization (roughly, and according to Vanguard's Total World Index, if the name is correct). That should result in the most efficient (publicly available) portfolio.

(05-05-2015 10:28 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

-Have you stress tested your plan? Used firecalc simulations or something similar? What is your plan if, for example, the dollar loses its value vs the euro or a new recession hits and the market crashes?

Mr. Money Mustache actually stress-tested the 25x tip in a post entitled, "The 4% Rule: The Easy Answer to “How Much Do I Need for Retirement?": http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/05/2...etirement/

At the end of the day though. no retirement plan is 100% secure, just like no seemingly golden-goose on-line business is 100% secure. Planning has to be balanced with flexibility, which can always be unforeseen but forced upon you (kinda like how you deal with women - you have a model or principles, but you can't script a reply to every contingency).

I'll probably also try to make money from my hobbies, as Mr. Money Mustache has done, and like him, mostly for the fun of it, rather than out of necessity. Gotta have a project (outside of women), as Roosh and countless others on this side of the web have said.

(05-05-2015 10:28 PM)Brodiaga Wrote:  

Btw, I agree that Mr Money Mustache is a great forum. I read it regularly. Hope all goes well with your plan.

I actually don't read that forum at all, just the blog. Any gems? Thanks for the well wishes, and the same to you.

[262]

(05-06-2015 12:05 PM)spalex Wrote:  

Something people like you should know:

I set up my own company here (for tax purposes). I get paid into a Polish bank account.
I just got an accountant to organise all my shit. Anyway, the good news is that I only get taxed 8%. Then I also have to pay some social insurances and shit like that. Which is about 400-500 per month.
Probably the lowest I will ever pay in my life when it comes to taxes.

Interesting. I'll have to look into this - I see you're an Aussie, so not sure how the taxes work out versus the US (where my money is).

(05-06-2015 12:05 PM)spalex Wrote:  

Also that stress test that Brodiagra is on about.... You better be onto that shit! I got drunk and managed to blow about $600 in one night last Friday. This shit usually happens to me every two or three months. It will happen to you!

Hehe. I'm a daygamer, so I'll just incur the cost of Game through time (instead of money), which I'll have plenty of. (As I understand, nightgame automatically screens for girls who at least want validation - thus reducing your time investment - otherwise why would they go out?) On a more serious note, check out my answer to Brodiaga on this.

[262]

Part 2: Grr! Another post that does not involve girls. Banking, credit, mail, and visa.

Banking:
I have a Charles Schwab banking account, and it's served me well in my overseas travels, including my scouting visits to Eastern Europe. Here's why you may want to consider it:
- ATM fees reimbursed WORLD-WIDE AUTOMATICALLY (none of that "sending in ATM receipts" nonsense)
- Exchange rates that are obviously better than money changers, and (according to reviews on the web) some of the best compared to other US banks (no separate foreign exchange fee either, just a rate slightly higher than fair market)
- Some of the best interest rates, at least for a US checking account ... might as well get something for parking your most liquid cash somewhere
- The above being said though, I know most of my purchases will be on credit (get those rewards!). So ...

Credit:
I currently have a Capital One No Hassle Rewards Mastercard.
- I have it set to automatically credit my statement $25 once enough 1% cash back is generated.
- No chip, but I didn't have problems swiping in Europe.
- The exchange rates are obviously better than those offered by the merchants (they prompt if you want to be billed in USD or local currency). No separate foreign transaction fees. Not sure how the exchange rates compared to those of other cards though (should look into this)

Mail:
(There are great Flyertalk threads about this)
For tax location purposes as well as scanning and/or forwarding important documents (tax forms, passport renewals, etc.), I'll probably go with the official-sounding but actually just-a-company-called US Global Mail. Why?
- Real Houston, Texas address (not a PO box) - both being important for tax purposes, with the not-a-PO-box also being important for receiving shipments from FedEx, etc. (some companies even with addresses will only accept USPS, not FedEx, etc.)
- No charging for disposal (ie junk mail) - other companies' plans that charged for disposal weren't clear about how much that would cost (so I just assumed it was high)
- Cheaper and more transparent shipping options (some companies that look cheap make their money on "shipping", so you need to look at those rates, as well as the monthly rates)

Visa:
As a US citizen, off the bat at least, I plan on using the Poland loophole (h/t to Roosh, jasond, and countless others at http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-31412.html ). So for crossing the Atlantic I'll connect outside Schengen (likely UK). Border runs to reset the 90-day tourist clock. I may look at other options such as student visas if my plan goes well.

[262]

Update on my last post: according to a few web sources, Schwab and Capital One indeed are the best US institutions for overseas personal finance. I should add that Schwab's ATM reimbursement is unlimited (so no watching your number of transactions). Sources:

http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-n...s-1433.php

http://thepointsguy.com/2014/02/the-top-...-atm-fees/

http://www.fodors.com/news/story_5428.html

I may look at this again out of boredom when I move, but for now it seems what I have is among the best.

Also an update on taxes for part 1: I may also consider the "Roth IRA escape hatch":
http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/11/1...your-401k/
In short, once I quit my job, I'll be in a lower tax bracket, at which point I can convert traditional 401k money into Roth IRA money and pay the associated income taxes, then let it sit for the IRS-minimum 5 years before withdrawing the principal (but not the gains) penalty-free. So basically another thing to look at after I move, when I have more time.

[FoxRocks]

FYI in the states you'll be paying well under 10% effective tax rate if you are just withdrawing 18k/year.

You have a standard deduction that is ~6k so you can only be taxed on 12k income. Furthermore, you are only taxed on what you GAIN. Say your account is worth 500k and half of that is capital gains.

Even without abusing tax loopholes that means you will pay $900 in U.S. taxes if the capital gains are short term (not possible in this scenario) or $0 in taxes if they are long term (> year).

http://www.moneychimp.com/features/capgain.htm

Relevant numbers are 9k purchase price, 18k sell price, tax bracket 10% (0 normal income) and 0% state tax because you make sure to change your residence somewhere that doesn't tax capital before you leave the states.

[262]

Why Poland?

1) In my travels to EE, SA, and SEA, I've generally found Roosh's tip about going where you don't look like the local guys to be true ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvAqsegHtec ). While SA and SEA aren't impossible for me (ie, Filipinas still look at me because I'm taller and more muscular than the average Filipino [which isn't saying much]), I, as someone who Mexicans in the US think is Mexican, definitely stand out, and get more looks, in blonder countries such as Poland.

2) One important clarification about Roosh's tip is to find out if the category of "local guy" includes foreigners who have settled or frequent the area and look like you. This contributes to second-tier cities sometimes being better than their larger competitors, since foreigners tend to be in larger cities. However, if a country is too small, its second-tier cities may not have enough girls to support your Game. Poland seems large enough that its second-tier cities won't be too small. In contrast, Talinn, Estonia's capital, is already fairly small, and even though it may be blonder than Poland, I definitely got fewer looks, likely as a result of what I observed as a higher foreigner presence there, versus Poland's second-tier cities.

3) Cost. While Scandinavia is supposed to be even blonder than Poland, the cost, even in second-tier cities there, is much higher than in Poland - and sometimes higher than even major cities in the US. Never mind Scandinavian feminism (or feminism in Western Europe, for that matter, which is more expensive than the US, never mind EE).

4) Language, amenities, and political stability. While Kiev has more feminine girls than Poland, I need time to actually learn Russian by taking trips to Ukraine. Until then, I also need to ease into living in EE (gyms, etc.), as opposed to visiting it. Also, while it seemed like business as usual when I visited Kiev after the coup, in light of my inexperience living outside the US, I believe it is prudent to gain experience in Poland.

[samsamsam]

262,

Thanks for sharing all of this info. That mail receiving/scanning service is interesting.

Continue to share what you find (if you don't mind )

When do you plan to make the move? I skimmed it all again and didn't see a date.

Best of luck.

[262]

(05-12-2015 06:52 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

262,

Thanks for sharing all of this info. That mail receiving/scanning service is interesting.

Continue to share what you find (if you don't mind )

When do you plan to make the move? I skimmed it all again and didn't see a date.

Best of luck.

No problem. This is also my way of helping in the fight against feminism - by helping others escape.

I plan to fly out on the last week of June, likely the 29th or 30th.

[262]

Part 4: More boring details - clothing and electronics.

Thanks to the cost-of-living website numbeo.com, one can see that certain items are more expensive abroad than they are in the US. This includes clothing and electronics. So I figure best to buy those before I leave, though what I buy has to go further, since I want to travel as light as possible - preferably only two checked bags, a carry-on, and a laptop backpack.

Clothing:
After reading the book, "Details Men's Style Manual" ( http://www.amazon.com/Details-Mens-Style...159240328X ) (not a plug, let's just say nobody has to pay for it), I've rebuilt my wardrobe to be as interchangeable as fashionably and practically possible. Some key items (note that these aren't all of them):

- Two pairs of no-pleat regular cut grey slacks, with about a week's worth of matching grey socks. The book calls grey slacks "the Swiss Army knife of pants", and indeed, I've worn them dressed-up AND dressed-down.

- Four short-sleeved collared shirts of varying colors. Worn alone in the summer and under one of two grey collarless sweaters in the winter.

- One pair of no-pleat regular cut khaki shorts. I generally don't like wearing shorts unless it's quite hot and/or humid, and I don't expect to wear them that often in Poland.

- Bogs chuka boots. I basically destroyed a pair of loafers in a previous winter trip to EE because it was too damp for them. These chukas are supposedly waterproof, but leather, so it won't look like I'm wearing women's rain boots or men's fly-fishing boots.

Electronics:
For $190 I got a factory-unlocked dual-sim Moto G (2nd gen). I have a CDMA carrier (Verizon or Sprint) here in the States, so my current phone won't work abroad (I used an all-expenses paid GSM phone from work in my previous travels). No 4G LTE on the Moto G, but 4G LTE bands vary by country - likely as a way by carriers to keep prices different between different countries.

More expensive phones such as the iPhone 6 are near-universal in 4G LTE band support, but quite frankly, the only reason I have 4G LTE here in the States is because I tether off of a $55/mo grandfathered unlimited data plan (so I can't remember the last time I dealt with the likes of a Comcast for Internet or TV). In Poland I expect to get a local SIM (and thus a local number) and pay per GB of mobile data, so most of my Internet use will be over WiFi. The extra sim slot may be useful for further travels.

The laptop I'm typing this on is pretty old, but since my most intense usage is merely YouTube, I have no plans to upgrade. Reformatting it recently has reversed the steady decline in performance. It also already has an HDMI out, so I'm actually typing this on my 40" LCD from my couch using my bluetooth keyboard and mouse (which use rechargeable AA batteries). The nice speakers I have are too bulky to come with me, but they will be replaced with my small portable bluetooth speaker (which actually sounds great, but obviously not as good). The laptop will also be used to keylog girls (see 20Nation's post as to why you should do this: http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-29794.html ).

[262]

Part 5: What to expect from friends & family, & what I'll tell work

My strategy for telling my close friends and family about my plan to move abroad was to warn them about a year in advance. The idea was to give them time to accept the idea, knowing that some might never accept it. Overall, I think this strategy was better than telling them at the last minute, since I'm imagining some of them panicking in that scenario, and possibly acting to prevent me from carrying out my plan. Time will tell to see if they do this still.

Like Roosh, my mom is having the hardest time with my plan. She obviously wants me to stay in the US, likely because she sees herself - and thus me - as a beneficiary of the (increasingly) liberal and (formerly) prosperous US culture, over her former, more conservative and (formerly) less properous Asian culture. Thanks to Roosh, I can expect my mom to also figure I'll just come back in a few months or years, in spite of any evidence to the contrary.

My dad is neutral on my plan. Unlike my mom, he's the one who took the big risk coming to the US, obviously before the days of the Internet and relatively inexpensive plane tickets (so all he basically knew was that it was a rich white country that hopefully wouldn't lynch him if he was careful). His family was neutral to unsupportive of him coming to the US, because in their eyes, things weren't that bad in their country. His foresight about how over-competitive his country was to become from a job perspective ended up benefiting those family members who had been neutral to unsupportive of his move in the past, since he was able to help them come to the US a decade or so later. I think he understands that since he hasn't had my experience in today's world, he can't say whether the move is good or not. But if there's one thing that I learned from his experience, it's that it can pay to be an early-mover if you're convinced of a foresight (in my case, the foresight that the US is going to become over-competitive from a sex perspective).

Oddly enough, my married male friends are supportive of my move, while my single male friends are neutral, at best. It may be that my married male friends want to live vicariously through me, but it may also be their way of warning me away from the trap that caught them. My single male friends say I'm throwing away a great lifestyle, but I figure they're simply ego-invested in the US ("All my dating work for scraps at best? It can't be! They promised!").

What's even odder is that my single female friends (who I rarely hang out with though) are supportive of my move. I guess since we don't want to bang, they can freely admit that women have the upper hand to men when it comes to banging, relative to other countries. They seem to admit this the way that Sheryl Sandberg openly admits to hypergamy (bang alphas when young, extract resources from betas when old). In both cases, it seems they figure that enough males will go along with the program anyway, even in the face of these traditionally unfavorable admissions.

Obviously I haven't told anyone I directly work with, since they don't need to know anyway. I'll just give them the standard two weeks notice and say I'm taking time off to travel the world. That's an easy "lie" to maintain since it's close to the truth. But I'll definitely not reveal any neomasculine truths. I won't have anything to lose, but I can't be bothered with the hassles, and I'll leave the neomasculine conversions where they lie best - when the students seek the teachers.

[samsamsam]

262 interesting thoughts from your single female friends. Are they able to see down the road when they are no longer young and less desirable?

Really appreciate your sharing. Good stuff.

[Dr. Howard]

So, whats the permanent visa move strategy? Marriage like everywhere else in the world?

That constant visa renewal and uncertainty hung over me for many years as in "well if I screw this up I'm locked out of my house and stuff" each time I did a crossing. Also, after doing it for about 8 years the border guards seemed to ask more and more questions. I didnt like it and needed a permanent solution.

[262]

(05-22-2015 03:03 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

262 interesting thoughts from your single female friends. Are they able to see down the road when they are no longer young and less desirable?

Really appreciate your sharing. Good stuff.

Thanks samsamsam. For the most part, no, we'd say they aren't future-oriented. They're generally around my age (32), and are only beginning to act on the knowledge that they are less desirable - sometimes positively (rewarding Beta behavior more) and sometimes negatively (more feminism). While some of them openly admitted an effect from their age a few years ago, again, aka Sheryl Sandberg, it did not significantly change their dating behavior then.

[262]

(05-22-2015 03:11 PM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  

So, whats the permanent visa move strategy? Marriage like everywhere else in the world?

That constant visa renewal and uncertainty hung over me for many years as in "well if I screw this up I'm locked out of my house and stuff" each time I did a crossing. Also, after doing it for about 8 years the border guards seemed to ask more and more questions. I didnt like it and needed a permanent solution.

Good question. I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. First, I have to decide if I like Poland, or if I want to try something else. Down the road though, if not marriage, then a student visa, which a few guys have posted about on the forum.

I assume you did marriage?

[262]

Minor update for those interested in the mail scanning service I mentioned: it's slightly advantageous to sign up before going abroad. The reason is that the USPS apparently requires the mail scanning service to have a physical copy of the USPS form (#1583 I believe, usually provided by the mail scanning service) that authorizes the mail scanning service to receive your USPS mail. Likely not too much of an issue mailing this form to the scanning service from abroad, but quite easy in the US.

Also a minor update on my move to becoming a Texas "resident." With the address from the mail scanning service, I don't anticipate any problems claiming Texas residency come tax time. I don't see a need to getting a Texas drivers license or resident ID, but I may look into this more. The reason I don't anticipate any problems is because I know people who claim "residency" in one state, but actually live and work in others.

[Akula]

(05-22-2015 03:56 PM)262 Wrote:  

(05-22-2015 03:11 PM)Dr. Howard Wrote:  

So, whats the permanent visa move strategy? Marriage like everywhere else in the world?

That constant visa renewal and uncertainty hung over me for many years as in "well if I screw this up I'm locked out of my house and stuff" each time I did a crossing. Also, after doing it for about 8 years the border guards seemed to ask more and more questions. I didnt like it and needed a permanent solution.

Good question. I figure I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. First, I have to decide if I like Poland, or if I want to try something else. Down the road though, if not marriage, then a student visa, which a few guys have posted about on the forum.

I assume you did marriage?

yes @ Dr. Howard care to explain what your ultimate solution was?

I too worry about Poland cracking down on Americans even though the treat exists. I guess one should have a printout of the treaty on hand at all times to make sure you don't get into some kind of trouble?

Also, having to always cross Schengen lines through Poland could get old fast. I'm sure that some border guards at other countries might question why you were in Poland (the EU) for years on end as well and never got caught, even thought it's technically legal.

Anyway, nice thread good work OP.

[262]

Just gave my two-week notice at the office. As planned, I only told them I was going to travel the world. Even with that, and omitting the retirement part, my boss and his boss's reactions were the same. First, "wow," then, "I wish I could do that." Then a few questions I'm well-prepared for after already dropping both the retirement and traveling bombs on my friends and family nearly a year ago - "how will you pay for it?" and so forth.

My boss's boss might even be a a bit neomasculine - when I responded to him about where I was first going (Poland), he asked why, so I responded in a blue-pill way, but he added, "and prettier women." I couldn't help but smirk at that. But maybe I shouldn't be surprised he's somewhat neomasculine - he's married to a Latin American woman, and he's so sharp with people that he and his group (including myself) are given a bit more slack than the groups we sit next to.

It also helps that I've done a good enough job that he (my boss's boss) even said, "we'd be glad to have you back." While that's reassuring, I'm still going to plan as if that weren't an option, since it may in fact turn out not to be, if and when I call on it. But I'm glad I didn't burn this bridge. That being said, I also remember in history that when Cortez came to the New World, he burned his ships, to force everyone to make it there. But I think I'll be disciplined enough not to need to do the same.

Overall, it feels like electricity is flowing through me - excitement and apprehension at the same time. This is either going to be the smartest thing I've done, or the dumbest. But fortune favors the bold. Plus, like many of you, I also feel like I have nothing to lose; the return on my five-year investment into dating here (first blue-pill then red-pill) has been well short of it being worth it, especially looking at the long run. But let's see if that investment pays off in another market.

[samsamsam]

I don't remember seeing it, when is the evac date? Meaning boots in Poland?

[262]

(06-16-2015 02:47 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

I don't remember seeing it, when is the evac date? Meaning boots in Poland?

Still tracking leaving June 30th.

[browser]

Keep us posted, 262. You're a pioneer.

[262]

Here's an accidental example of how telling people your relocation plan can be sweet vengeance, especially if you're a minority-American:

So a few weeks ago, I went out with a buddy and his girlfriend to meet another another couple we knew - a short but busty Vietnamese-American girl and her cool and ripped white boyfriend. I'm just chillin, observing, drinking my beer, and not saying much, so my buddy decides to get me involved, and lets slip that I'm retiring to Poland - not that I mind, since I'm ready for the usual questions after earlier bombardments by family and friends. Among them though, the Vietnamese-American girl asks me a new one:

"Why not Vietnam?"

Without thinking, I'm pretty sure I said something along the likes of, "I think I'll like Polish girls more," and instantly, her face goes a little sad. The conversation then resumed without skipping a beat to something related but different, but looking back at it, I realized what happened.

For possibly the first time in her life, she probably felt, by association with her Vietnamese heritage, for a brief moment at least, what most minority-American males feel for their entire lives - being passed on by some just for their race.

What's also ironic is that the same girl has said in the past that she doesn't like Asian males. But she's still curious as to why, as an Asian-American male, I didn't choose Asian females off the bat. lol

I know vengeance is ultimately a negative and self-destructive emotion, but this accidental example of it sure felt good.

[samsamsam]

^^ You are only human, at least you have some self awareness about it. No one is perfect. Only an unaware person ever dares thinks that he is.