Comfort Levels


Bein' an expat, you get asked a lot of the same questions. One of which is - if I were given the choice to stay in one country forever, which would it be - Vietnam or America?

I explained to a guy the other day that I'd choose America, hands down. He smiled and nodded as if he half expected it. I mean, Vietnamese people are always lookin' for some way to leave for America and most of them learn English just to do that or to at least go to another country. I mean there are HUNDREDS of English language schools here and the US Consulate has huge lines of people tryin' to get visas. They want more money, a better way standard of living and more opportunity. It's a given.

Anyway, I explained that it's not just Vietnam that I don't like or America that I do like, it's the fact that I would never settle in Vietnam because it's so damn small. I'm a city girl and Ho Chi Minh City's the only place I'd ever want to live in this country. However, this city is small and I can't ever imagine staying here forever. I then explained that America's HUGE with hundreds of cities with a bunch of metropolises across 50 friggin' states. Each place is so different, hell, it's seperated into regions. You've got the red mountains, the West Coast, the East, the South, the Midwest, the Pacific Northwest, the New England area, I mean, you've got everything AND everyone speaks the same language.

Then I got to thinking - why do people make it so hard to leave and explore? Yes, family's definitely a factor, then friends, relationships, and of course, people who just don't have any desire to leave, but for those who do, why is it so hard to break your comfort level? If it's work related, you can always try to transfer, or you can just post your resume or look online for different jobs. You can rent another apartment or buy another house, you can always make new friends, etc. It wasn't until I thought about this until I realized how easy Americans have it.

People here only have but 2 choices if they wanna make it. They move to the City from the countryside or suburb or they learn English and try to get out of the country. We're so spoiled. Yeah, there are definitely people in America who move from suburbia or the ghetto or wherever they come from to a bigger city to make it big but it's so much easier. You don't need a passport, you don't need paperwork, you can get in your car, jump on a plane, or a bus, and go. It's fantastic, really.

I'm the kind of person gets bored way too easily. I have to keep moving, I have to keep changing, and I have to keep things interesting. I can't wait to go back to the U.S. one day and live in a different city and state. I can't wait to just get a place and learn new neighborhoods, meet new friends, have new hang outs and favorite restaurants and stuff. It's exciting. You don't need translators or lawyers or work permits, all you have to do, really, is just leave.

Poll #853758 Stay or Go (take 3)
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Are you happy with where you're living now?

Do you have a desire to LIVE in a different place?

If you have ever wanted to leave, did you?

If you wanted to leave but didn't.. why didn't you?

Do you see yourself staying where you are right now - forever?

You want to move because....

What are your experiences?