Hi,
As a tourist in a foreign country, very often, we are enchanted with what we discover.
Living abroad is different. It's a rich experience but there are also some difficulties to face.
When people ask me for advice on living abroad, I then tend to say that one should also look at both sides of the postcard.
As an expat in Laos, how would you describe the two sides of your Lao postcard?
Thank you for sharing your experience,
Julien
The other side of the Lao postcard
Julien
21 February 2014 13:16:51
52413
stumpy
24 February 2014 08:14:17
17629
I have seen both sides of Laos.
From being a conflict zone during the war and when I went back and settled there.
The good side of my life is Laos is firstly my lovely Lao wife and our 3 children.
The way my family accept my being away more often than not
The closeness of the extended family system.
The friendliness of the people.
The "bor pen yang" attitude. "It doesn't matter"
The downside is being away working overseas and not getting home sometimes for 6 months or more.
The frustration of trying to get things done in a hurry, forgetting where I am and how things get done, albeit slowly.
Not being able to get residency as I work away all the time.
No work in Laos for me.
All in all I would not change the way things are as I chose to live this way and eventually I hope to grow old there with my family alongside me.
suerte007
24 February 2014 16:31:22
121
Well home is always sweet home, you do not need visa you are a free person but when you are in oversea living there you have to remember the date to renew the visa or get out of the country n come back , but some of us choose to live oversea for many reason , but home is always better then visiting other house.
@ stumpy I do not understand you, that you love your wife and your 3 kids so so much why you do not take them back to australia?? you keep talking good about corrupt country that is Laos.
stumpy
24 February 2014 23:14:49
17629
suerte007 wrote:Well home is always sweet home, you do not need visa you are a free person but when you are in oversea living there you have to remember the date to renew the visa or get out of the country n come back , but some of us choose to live oversea for many reason , but home is always better then visiting other house.
@ stumpy I do not understand you, that you love your wife and your 3 kids so so much why you do not take them back to australia?? you keep talking good about corrupt country that is Laos.
Australia is way too expensive, taxes are high, as are rents, schooling and many other things.
My wife speaks no English and would not survive there.Tried it before we had kids and she wanted to head home after 2 weeks as she missed her family too much.
The Asian extended family system would not work for her whilst living in Oz.
I work in different countries and so would be traveling back and forward anyway so it is best the family are in Laos.
I am well aware of the corruption in Laos but it does not unduly affect me and I have learnt to live with it.
The corruption does not affect the beauty of the country, the openness and friendliness of the people in general.
Many other countries around the world have corruption to some degree, including Oz.
Hope this clarifies things for you.
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