[GoodT]

I have never been to Bulgaria but I have read that a Westerner had better use English not to remind of a Russian (or earlier Soviet) guy just coming to Bulgaria for short time fun.

[Cr33pin]

(02-10-2016 07:26 AM)pizdets Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 06:54 AM)Cr33pin Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 06:05 AM)pizdets Wrote:  

^What is your home country? Serbs don't like Americans

I got nothing but love from Serbians as a American there... I found Serbia to have the second friendliest people in an country I have been to.... trailing only to the Philippines

Is it useful to learn the local language in EE countries or English is enough? places like Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Romania.
I spoke to Serbs outside of Serbia, but never been to Serbia

I can't speak to all those countries but English was enough for Romania and Serbia for me. I did stay in or around the capital cities during my stays though, one month in Bucharest and three months in Belgrade.

[pizdets]

(02-10-2016 09:23 AM)Cr33pin Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 07:26 AM)pizdets Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 06:54 AM)Cr33pin Wrote:  

(02-10-2016 06:05 AM)pizdets Wrote:  

^What is your home country? Serbs don't like Americans

I got nothing but love from Serbians as a American there... I found Serbia to have the second friendliest people in an country I have been to.... trailing only to the Philippines

Is it useful to learn the local language in EE countries or English is enough? places like Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Romania.
I spoke to Serbs outside of Serbia, but never been to Serbia

I can't speak to all those countries but English was enough for Romania and Serbia for me. I did stay in or around the capital cities during my stays though, one month in Bucharest and three months in Belgrade.

Any good website to pipeline for Romania/Serbia?

[Cr33pin]

Tinder was really the only thing I used in Europe, it worked pretty well....except for in Budapest

[Bycicleguy]

How hard is Serbia? i remember i read that Roosh said Croatia was insanely hard. I understand that croatians have some kind of mediterraneal catholic culture, no idea about Serbia.

[66Scorpio]

I am 49 and live in China. My Chinese girlfriend is 27. We lived in Jinan but then I got posted to a new position in Shenzhen in October. However, we decided to make a go of it for the long term. We are currently on vacation together in Thailand for Chinese New Year. The plan is to batten down the hatches and ride out another 4 months, then visit my family in Canada over the summer, and then move in together once I land a better job. So here are some observations.
.
Thailand has great weather and a booming expat community. Here in Pattaya there are lots of foreigners running businesses such as restaurants or motorbike rentals. According to the travel guide I picked up there are a number of visa options including business, marriage, retirement and permanent residence. Maybe the language is not as difficult as it seems as many of the expats seem to be passively fluent. Still, most of the Thais in the tourist district speak a bit of English. That being said, one of the first things my girlfriend said to me was "What's with all the fat old men and short, ugly Thai women?" I don't know much about the culture but there must be a reason for it. A lot of the young hooked look cute but they don't age well.
.
Then there is China. My choices for a place to settle down would either be Qingdao or Xiamen. They are clean, smaller seaside cities that punch above their weight in terms of how cosmopolitan they are. I have a certain affection for Shanghai but the air quality is terrible. On the upside, go online and you can find multiple dates each week with good looking Chinese girls in Shanghai. As a man in my late-40s I was meeting women in the 27 to 33 age range. The downside is that Shanghai girls are heavily westernized, materialistic, and have a divorce rate of about 35% (compared to 43% in America but only 4% nation-wide in China). Second-tier cities have slimmer pickings in terms of numbers and quality, but if you have a travel budget, bullet trains are reasonable and hotels are inexpensive: you have an excuse to see more of the country and a ready made tour guide if you hit it off online and then in person. The other strategy is to find a job and be quite open that you are single, looking for a partner, and looking to settle down. After 6 months or so, if you are not an ugly jerk, you will have some guanxi (connections/relationships) and your colleagues will start introducing you to friends of friends who are single. I went on some introduction dates with women, again in the 27 to 33 age range.
.
As for me, I lucked out and found my girlfriend on OKCupid in Jinan. I have never felt unsafe living in China. The people in the second tier cities are genuinely friendly. The worst risk to your health that you face is alcohol poisoning from that god-awful white liquor - bai jiu - because they will keep pouring you more and toasting you.

[jayko]

@GoodT

Hi GoodT,
No problem, sharing is caring. LOL

Eastern Malaysia is referring to Borneo, East Coast is the rundown states of Pennisula Malaysia.
Yes, You are right, those are head hunter ethnics in the early days of 19th century where most were still savage and barbaric.
Also the rivers here are famous with killer crocodiles, occasionally they are people get mulled by this reptile, some witches would fish the croc with dead chicken and killed it to retrieve the victim body. The water is real muddy and you can’t possible catch it in any other ways

Chinese spoken here are main dialects, but we do speaks and write Mandarin as that is what being taught in schools.

Western visitors on short term visit doesn't get the low class treatment from the local muslim here, what I am referring to are those who stay here on longer term.

As for Singapore, they are more open to Westerner compare to other Chinese Cities, Singapore is on par with HK toward social acceptance of Westerner. Singapore being an island was kicked out of Malaysia in 1965 and being left to rot with the intention that Singapore would come begging for acceptance into Malaysia and forfeiting their political power to govern this tiny island. But Singapore economic success come as a big surprise to Malaysia as little did they expect Singapore would pull it off. It is with US investment of tech industries combining with Singapore strategic shipping location and hence act as a trading hub of SEA which make her am economic powerhouse of SEA. Knowing their lack of nature resources, Singapore is attracting best minds all over the world to help develop its economy. This basically explained why Singapore is open to foreigners with good management skillset and/or capitals to invest in Singapore and grow its economy.

As for foreign visitors getting ill treatment in China, I can't say for sure it doesn't happen, but I guess most would be con job or some sort of scheme to get you spend in ridiculous amount of money. I have been to China couple of times, in Shenzhen and Chengdu, so far no unpleasant event happen to me, as they probably treat me as Chinese from another city or province.

You're right, Singapore is an expensive city to live in, if it isn't for work, I wouldn't choose Singapore to live in. It is getting crowded and has lose its shine after living for more than a decade, what I need is more family oriented and work live balance place to raise my family in the future.

Thanks for sharing your Thailand experience, but I don't find Thailand attractive as a travel destination, I m lean toward western countries, Asia countries doesn't offer that exotic factor to me.

For me, it would be added bonus if she know about a little about world politics, I have developed world political observation since teenage, it get me into perspective of today world, how economy and politic are deeply intertwined, how we come about to the world that we live in today. there are many expects of our life directly or indirectly being shaped as a result of this world politicking. I am ok if she doesn't show interest in world affairs though. What matter really she is a pro-family and help manage the household chorus. So I guess that put me into old fashioned category too.

I guessed I don't have the variety of experience pertaining of girls from various places, but from what I have learned, Asian tend to age better compare to western counterpart, and yet western girls offer the exotics factor that Asian girls can't offer. So it just a matter of individual preference. For me, I wouldn't trade anything for exotic factor.

You are right, those factors are the wife material's essentials. Finding a suitable place I supposed you mean able to land a job in that location and enjoy living there? I don't have anything solid to offer any advice on this. I am currently gather more information on the places that intend to visit and has narrow down to a few EE countries. Once I get my online homework done and learnt the basic language, I will start planning on financial and finding ways to stay there for a couple of months to get better feel of the surrounding, get to know the locals to find out more about the living aspect, jobs and language and stuffs.

I guess for EE countries that you have listed, you may wanna include slovenia, montenergrin, serbia into your list of consideration.
the homework involved is gonna be heavy if you have more countries, but try to narrow down and focus on a few that are more likely to suit your need. I certainly feel living expenses play a big part in deciding which country to live in. apart from being able to land a job there and manage to pick up the local language in shortest possible time as well.

Thanks again for the invaluable experience you are sharing with us.

[GoodT]

@jayko and everyone

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. You know the area in and out and how to explain it in Western terms. I really appreciate reading your observations and background on Malaysia, Singapore and the region.

Even if you would not be overseas Chinese, just growing up in the region will make you immune to the rawness of Chinese society. And like you write, you just get treated like coming from another province.

Every day things, for example. Very painful dental appointments. Just being told to go to X-ray in your blood stained T-shirt. Trying to find hospital X-ray department after <6 mo study of Chinese, asking around, paying X-ray with the drills still in your mouth. I had chosen "professor dentist" which cost the equivalent of 75 US cents, "normal dentist" cost 25 cents (+materials).

OK it is probably not like that at a clinic for expats in Shanghai, but one side of China.

I studied at Chinese university, foreigners' department. I loosely knew maybe 70-100 foreigners from start. Maybe 20% from the US and Europe, the rest Asians, often children of overseas Chinese, most of which practically knew the language and culture from start.

We all lived with Chinese. Spoke Chinese all day. After first 5 weeks, only Chinese language allowed to use in school (a loose rule, of course). Chinese naturally spoken by everyone at all student parties etc since many did not know English. We were all completely fluent after about 1-2 years.

Most Westerners went home after 6-12 mo quoting different reasons related to their life back home. I stayed several years longer. The picture I paint is completely different from the guys being stationed in China by large Western companies. Those guys have great life. Usually English speaking gf, expat friends, taxi to expat bars, exclusive apartments in high class area with many foreigners, often stay in big developed cities, high salary and bonus, shop and eat in places catering to expats. They experience more freedom in work than back home. Chinese fellow workers show respect as part of the business transaction. At least this was so for the ones I met.

I dont envy that life since I like to explore. Just another life. It is nice too.

I must admit, though, I have not visited northern China after I learnt the langage.

Most Westerners went home early. Japan, China, Korea are just too hard on us, in different ways of course.

China hardened under Hu Jintao. Long term visa for independent life (later arranging your own studies) was easy up to about Beijing Olympics. Now foreigners can't even use the normal Internet cafes. Can not stay in smaller lodgings. It is OK for foreigner to watch CNN, but only so in expensive hotel, usually not together with Chinese.This is information from friends since I left. Segregation of foreigner/Chinese is the aim of the policy.

And look at the flow of people. Many Westerners that stayed in China end up in f.ex Thailand but the opposite is very unusual.

I can imagine overseas Chinese are just regarded as coming from another province, like you say. My Chinese language is easily understandable by any Chinese but I naturally have an accent (like I have in English, of course). But I also feel the Chinese just consider the foreigner's accent one of many dialects, much easier to understand than Shanghai- or Hong Kong-dialect, of course.

At least Chinese are not picky. They probably become tolerant, f.ex living in a student dorm, 20 guys in one room, no electric heating whatsoever and snowing outside. (Foreigner could easily get own room, for low fee, and maybe smuggle in a heater.) Much problems and personal whims of teachers. (I studied at level 1 university, but southern China is probably less structured).

Also the universal truth. The longer a person stays in a country, when you hear his opinions about the place, they are usually more negative. In my opinion more realistic.

OK I go off topic. Sorry. Much memories from that time will stop that now.

I thought the Iban had cut heads far into the 20th century? During WW2 the belligerent parties gave them weapons and promoted the practice to assist war efforts?

When I asked the stories of the many skulls hanging from the ceiling they said "only grandfather knows"

Maybe the old habits just come out in conflicts. Around year 2000 Indonesia had shipped Madureses to Borneo and some of them had their heads cut off in ethnic conflicts.

Other headhunters, like Wa in China, cut heads of almost anyone, not just enemy. It was a belief in a process of getting good harvest.

I remember the river ferries running into Sarawak for 4-5 hours per ride, at 20+ knots. Zig-zagging between the rocks of the rapids. Even locals were making videos with their cell phones. Powerful rides.

To the topic.

The countries you add are very important. Thanks. I know so little about these.

The Yugoslavians were maybe running the worst mafias extending far into Western Europe in the old days. A Yugoslavian friend in Japan once admitted "When business goes sour we sometines solve it with a gun." The Balkan independence wars were bloody.

But this doesn't necessarily reflect the foreigners situatuon.

We got a lot of online homework to do. Thanks for collaborating on it. Adding Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

What does your list look like?

Ukraine and Bulgaria are good candidates on my list. (I went to Ukraine.)

Moldavia?

How is Czech Republic? The people I have met are friendly. I visited Czechoslovakia long ago, but mostly saw tourist places.

Poland?

Isnt Russian a good start for language? If you start learning before you go, it may prove you have to change country after arriving and Russian is very spread? I am guessing here, though.

You analyze well. The exotic factor is probably very important. I must say I like the skinny Asians we dont see in the West. 40+ year old Vietnamese with a figure of a slim 18 yo western girl

Best is maybe if girl is smart but knows when to hide it If she is teally smart she understands what her guy wants.

It is very difficult to define a suitable place, I find. Many factors contradict:
locals open to foreigner/exotic, no tourists
reasonable shopping/nature, no crowds
etc etc

But still not impossible.

Thanks for really good points, jayko

My replies have to be irregular. My internet connection is bery bad.

[pizdets]

https://nomadlist.com/

[jayko]

(02-13-2016 03:16 AM)GoodT Wrote:  

@jayko and everyone

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. You know the area in and out and how to explain it in Western terms. I really appreciate reading your observations and background on Malaysia, Singapore and the region.

Even if you would not be overseas Chinese, just growing up in the region will make you immune to the rawness of Chinese society. And like you write, you just get treated like coming from another province.

Every day things, for example. Very painful dental appointments. Just being told to go to X-ray in your blood stained T-shirt. Trying to find hospital X-ray department after <6 mo study of Chinese, asking around, paying X-ray with the drills still in your mouth. I had chosen "professor dentist" which cost the equivalent of 75 US cents, "normal dentist" cost 25 cents (+materials).

OK it is probably not like that at a clinic for expats in Shanghai, but one side of China.

I studied at Chinese university, foreigners' department. I loosely knew maybe 70-100 foreigners from start. Maybe 20% from the US and Europe, the rest Asians, often children of overseas Chinese, most of which practically knew the language and culture from start.

We all lived with Chinese. Spoke Chinese all day. After first 5 weeks, only Chinese language allowed to use in school (a loose rule, of course). Chinese naturally spoken by everyone at all student parties etc since many did not know English. We were all completely fluent after about 1-2 years.

Most Westerners went home after 6-12 mo quoting different reasons related to their life back home. I stayed several years longer. The picture I paint is completely different from the guys being stationed in China by large Western companies. Those guys have great life. Usually English speaking gf, expat friends, taxi to expat bars, exclusive apartments in high class area with many foreigners, often stay in big developed cities, high salary and bonus, shop and eat in places catering to expats. They experience more freedom in work than back home. Chinese fellow workers show respect as part of the business transaction. At least this was so for the ones I met.

I dont envy that life since I like to explore. Just another life. It is nice too.

I must admit, though, I have not visited northern China after I learnt the langage.

Most Westerners went home early. Japan, China, Korea are just too hard on us, in different ways of course.

China hardened under Hu Jintao. Long term visa for independent life (later arranging your own studies) was easy up to about Beijing Olympics. Now foreigners can't even use the normal Internet cafes. Can not stay in smaller lodgings. It is OK for foreigner to watch CNN, but only so in expensive hotel, usually not together with Chinese.This is information from friends since I left. Segregation of foreigner/Chinese is the aim of the policy.

And look at the flow of people. Many Westerners that stayed in China end up in f.ex Thailand but the opposite is very unusual.

I can imagine overseas Chinese are just regarded as coming from another province, like you say. My Chinese language is easily understandable by any Chinese but I naturally have an accent (like I have in English, of course). But I also feel the Chinese just consider the foreigner's accent one of many dialects, much easier to understand than Shanghai- or Hong Kong-dialect, of course.

At least Chinese are not picky. They probably become tolerant, f.ex living in a student dorm, 20 guys in one room, no electric heating whatsoever and snowing outside. (Foreigner could easily get own room, for low fee, and maybe smuggle in a heater.) Much problems and personal whims of teachers. (I studied at level 1 university, but southern China is probably less structured).

Also the universal truth. The longer a person stays in a country, when you hear his opinions about the place, they are usually more negative. In my opinion more realistic.

OK I go off topic. Sorry. Much memories from that time will stop that now.

I thought the Iban had cut heads far into the 20th century? During WW2 the belligerent parties gave them weapons and promoted the practice to assist war efforts?

When I asked the stories of the many skulls hanging from the ceiling they said "only grandfather knows"

Maybe the old habits just come out in conflicts. Around year 2000 Indonesia had shipped Madureses to Borneo and some of them had their heads cut off in ethnic conflicts.

Other headhunters, like Wa in China, cut heads of almost anyone, not just enemy. It was a belief in a process of getting good harvest.

I remember the river ferries running into Sarawak for 4-5 hours per ride, at 20+ knots. Zig-zagging between the rocks of the rapids. Even locals were making videos with their cell phones. Powerful rides.

To the topic.

The countries you add are very important. Thanks. I know so little about these.

The Yugoslavians were maybe running the worst mafias extending far into Western Europe in the old days. A Yugoslavian friend in Japan once admitted "When business goes sour we sometines solve it with a gun." The Balkan independence wars were bloody.

But this doesn't necessarily reflect the foreigners situatuon.

We got a lot of online homework to do. Thanks for collaborating on it. Adding Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia.

What does your list look like?

Ukraine and Bulgaria are good candidates on my list. (I went to Ukraine.)

Moldavia?

How is Czech Republic? The people I have met are friendly. I visited Czechoslovakia long ago, but mostly saw tourist places.

Poland?

Isnt Russian a good start for language? If you start learning before you go, it may prove you have to change country after arriving and Russian is very spread? I am guessing here, though.

You analyze well. The exotic factor is probably very important. I must say I like the skinny Asians we dont see in the West. 40+ year old Vietnamese with a figure of a slim 18 yo western girl

Best is maybe if girl is smart but knows when to hide it If she is teally smart she understands what her guy wants.

It is very difficult to define a suitable place, I find. Many factors contradict:
locals open to foreigner/exotic, no tourists
reasonable shopping/nature, no crowds
etc etc

But still not impossible.

Thanks for really good points, jayko

My replies have to be irregular. My internet connection is bery bad.

Just sharing what I have experienced living and travelling in this part of the regions, glad to be able to contribute in this forum where likeminded people can share their ideas
From what I have heard, one thing about health care in China is patient do give monetary gifts to the surgeon or doctor that is treating you in addition to the usual hospital fee that you pay. I don’t know the greater details, but I guess it could be some operations where this is practiced, smaller procedures may not be applicable I guessed.

I am not sure on the background of those overseas Chinese students study in Chinese University, not all overseas Chinese speak or/and write Chinese, that depends on the family perception toward traditional Chinese education, or the availability of Chinese education in that areas. It is not a surprise if you find a Chinese that don’t speak mother tongue in places like Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia or other S.E.A countries for many reasons.

For sure foreign language needs a lot of practice, listening, writing and speaking day in day out, this train our mind to accustom to new language. I’ve learn that learning foreign language is best to start at young age, adult will takes longer time to master new language compare to a teenager.

That is pretty much two different worlds apart, expatriates in foreign countries enjoy the perks and benefits that are part of the employment package, they don’t experience the commoner life.

I wasn’t really sure on the hardening under Hu Jintao, but I do follow a youtube blogger named serpantza, a cool dude from South Africa that currently stay in Shenzhen for quite some time. According to him, foreigner work visa is tightening since a year or two ago, but he is using agent to renew his yearly work visa.

Nonnative speakers are bound to have accent when speaking foreign language, only very few foreigners can speak at the level of native speaker from what I observed, or they have been speaking since young age.

Chinese that come from rural area or poverty stricken area are not picky, that are used to hardship and understand they have to work harder to climb the social ladder and get a decent living. As society are better off, they start to demand higher expectations, there is where complains are coming in or sometimes negativity mixed into it, this is natural course in every society progression.

Yes, they are literally head hunters, but I m not sure the practice is to assist in war efforts though. There is even rumor that, when there is construction of bridge or flyover, they will bury human head into the structure so as to prevent it from collapse. Of course this isn’t going to help at all but this is what I heard years ago. East Malaysia has many ethnics, with their respective spoken languages, in the old days, conflicts did happened between difference ethnics due to clash of interest and ended up in bloodbath, this is not uncommon. I have not heard of Chinese headhunter, but for sure they exist in the past, given the long history and big population there, beside China has 56 ethnicities each has their own unique culture and social belief, but some do assimilate with one another over time.
Glad to know you like the adventure in Sarawak, I for once wasn’t that keen though, murky and muddy river doesn’t interest me at all, I wasn’t really into this outdoor adventure in my own country, but outside of my own country, that is a solid yes.
Last week, for the first time ever, I spent about 12 hours covered 750km from Kuching to Miri in my pick up truck, that is about the greatest adventure I ever had and hopefully I don’t need to do so again. The entire journey is full of zig zag, potholes, road works, bad weather, steep climbs, twisty downhill, etc. what a real pain in the ass for sure. The return journey is slightly better now that I have a little familiarity, it took me about 10 and half hours.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge about Europe, I have only been to Switzerland and Germany in the past 4 years separately, so my knowledge of Europe is still pretty much NIL, and there is a mountain to climb to get a foothold in Europe or EE, I basically rule out both Switzerland and Germany, but my shortlisted countries are Slovenia, Poland, Ukraine with Slovenia the highest priority, Poland and Ukraine I have yet to zoom into region that I consider present a high chance of success. (with 3 new languages that I have to learn, I would prioritize Slovene first, follow by polish or Russian, Russian is Cyrillic, which is a bit tough for us, so I guess it less being consider here ) and I plan to travel 2 countries in a period of 3 months which is the must maximum stay with visa free travel. After which I may enter Non Schengen zone so as to reset my 90 days visa continue another 90 days in Schengen countries, no plan is solid yes as of now, but I am trying to study the language, preparing for itinerary at the same time, I hope to share my plan more when it begin to take shape.
Don’t worry about it, you are man on the move, I can’t expect the internet experience to be half as good in developed counties.

[worldtraveler3]

On the upside, go online and you can find multiple dates each week with good looking Chinese girls in Shanghai. As a man in my late-40s I was meeting women in the 27 to 33 age range.

Really? What sites were u using?

[GoodT]

@jayko and everyone
(Still can't quote your post jayko)

Thanks for sharing your experience. Sorry that my travel can only make my replies irregular, I appreciate reading the facts you have collected.

Driving your truck all the way to Miri must have been an adventure. I once went in a HiLux on a logging road from Belaga to Bintulu. I heard how difficult the roads were and from Bintulu back to Sibu I went by fastcraft.

You know a lot about Asia of course. My Chinese friends didn't advice me to pay extra at these dentists. But who knows.

In Chinese culture the doctors' work is basically not considered valuable. So surgeons ask for hongbao (envelope w/ money) and internists get kick-backs from pharmaceutical industry.

A Western friend had a ventricular shunt in his brain, it clogged up and the neurosurgeons at a Chinese provincial capital university hospital inserted a new shunt. It cured the emergency, but they NEVER FASTENED THE SHUNT to the skull bone. It fell out and he was close to dying when his father came and brought him to Hong Kong for emergency surgery. He recovered without residual symptoms. Sometimes I wonder if the surgeons neglect could have been due to not receiving a hongbao.

Yes. Many overseas Chinese keep the language very much alive. But if you visit Chinatown in Bangkok or Saigon, the third generation Chinese mostly do not speak Chinese, sometimes maybe Guandong dialect. (In Saigon the Chinese were also kicked out during the war 1980.) In Burma they are often completely fluent without ever having visited China.

If you have a job with a respectable company I think you will still get working visa. Chinese authorities wish to know what the foreigners are doing, f.ex. stay at work all day.

You are well informed and methodical. I appreciate reading. Russian was my grandmother's native tongue. Mine is just very basic. I think Russian is "passable" in Ukraine and Poland. Maybe more different from Bulgarian, and Slovene being the most different? I don't think the Cyrillic letters will prove a main obstacle.

Here is a list of words, cut from Yahoo Answers, just for fun:

English - Slovene - Russian:
--------------------------------------------
hello - živjo - zdravstvuy
goodbye - nasvidenje - dosvidanya
please - prosim - pozhaluysta
thank you - hvala - spasibo
yes - ja - da
no - ne - net
what - kaj - chto
where - kje - gde
when - kdaj - kogda
here - tu - zdes'
there - tam - tam
table - miza - stol
chair - stol - stul
car - avto - samohod
aeroplane - letalo - samolet
city - mesto - gorod
man - človek - chelovek
person - oseba - lice

Here is a quote from Trip Advisor regarding Slovenia:
"You certainly won't have any problems with English being spoken in Ljubljana, Bled, Bohinj, Postojna, the coast etc. i.e. all the main tourists spots. All children now learn english in school and the only people who generally don't speak it now are the 'older' generation who learnt either German or Russian at school not english. In fact in some cases Slovenes knowledge of english would put a lot of english people to shame!"


Regarding Bulgaria, here is a quote from "Wordreference":
"I have several Bulgarian e-mail friends of various ages. Until about 1990, the study of Russian was compulsory in all Bulgarian schools so most Bulgarians over about 40 speak it fluently. Now, some younger people speak Russian but almost all of them are fluent in English because this is a much more useful language."


Since I know a little Russian I will probably stick with English + a little Russian. But of course. When I finally decide where to stay, I will probably want to study the language.

I keep drifting around Asia. I feel more at home here than in Europe, maybe. Most of the last 15 months I spent in Thailand. Infrastructure including hospitals etc of high quality. I study the language a little. I can manage basic needs but not pleasant conversation. The result of any language study mostly depends on how much practice you get. Thai culture is sometimes a little exclusive and in some areas they speak English. But any foreigner staying long time and working on the language will learn it.

I have stayed in Thailand on repeated tourist visas and at the last application I even had to make an interview at the Thai embassy in Yangon. But if I just go back to my home country and get a blank passport this spring, I can start visiting Thailand again, if I want. I am also age 50+ so if I just get a fixed address in Thailand and transfer money to my bank account here, I could stay long time as a retiree.

But unfortunately going around has made me more adapted to travel than helping me find a place to retire in. Southeast Asia is cheap, I can take the climate and I like the skinny girls. I am about average height for northern European. The Slavic girls look "big" to me

But as I remember the people of f.ex. Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, to me they represent a high culture and pleasant way of interacting.

I must go back home and get a new passport, Southern Europe is warming up this time of year. Maybe combine with ticket to Sofia. How are your plans proceeding?

Appreciate reading your findings. What you wrote earlier about how we look for exotic values, may be an important clue to understanding how we react.