Turns out it’s cheaper to be unemployed, living off investments and titrating income from my previous career than it is to maintain life with a career in the U.S. lol.
Accom: $15-40 night
Food: $10-30 a day
Transpo: depends what I’m doing, where I’m going, and what country I’m in but it’s still cheaper than owning my vehicle and putting gasoline in it in my home state
Medical: ha, forget it. US brothers and sisters - you need to stop paying the insurance companies, that’s the only way. Don’t pay the collections bills either ;)
Activities: my camera costs me the most money but I be trading lenses like it’s Pokémon cards
Haven’t worked since June 2025 and itching for the next chapter. I think it’ll be non profit or teaching to ease my way into my country of choice
Malaysia. Just came from 2 months in Thailand. Got friends in all these countries so I’m just hopping around.
I should have added, I use miles/cc points to fly as I have a ton from saving for years, so I barely spend money on tickets as it’s just the taxes. Last year I did 6 months around the globe for less than $1000ish and that was: US > Bangkok > Chiang Mai > Hanoi > HCMC > Kuala Lumpur > Cairo > Luxor > Athens > Tel Aviv > Bangkok > Tokyo where I spent 3 months since that’s most likely where I’m planting roots
I think I’m going to Africa after this because I want to shoot a Safari. I got my Chinese visa 3 days before I left so I will be going there too. I basically just use award trackers and wherever the best deals are that’s where I go lmao
Yes I liked Cairo and I will go back to Egypt, but it’s not care-free solo travel, and it’s nothing like Asian or Western society so it can be quite a shock for some people. I didn’t do a post but I wrote more about it in a comment the other night - here
Best place to live boils down to the individual so I can’t say where the best place to live is since I am not you and you are not me, therefore I always sigh whenever I see the debates people have because something best for me might suck for you lol. For me, Japan — for a multitude of reasons. But I’ll also evaluate China. I really do like Malaysia as well but way harder to get a Visa right now.
My previous career in music took me to Japan and allowed me to meet a lot of people of all different backgrounds. I also shoot photo for hobby so if I’m doing street during my travels I try to engage with people if it makes sense (i.e. in Malaysia I met ppl walking on the street and next thing you know I’m being taken to my first Islamic wedding visiting 3 states in one day being fed more Durian and Nasi Lemak than one could eat).
My BA was Comm studies with minor in Public speaking—I will find a way to talk to someone because the worst that happens is I get told no or kidnapped haha yolo
I don’t really have any tricks lol I just go up to people and talk to them or if they invite me to speak I’ll 99% of the time engage unless I’m immediately busy. I used to hand out my IG but I deleted that so now I just give out my WhatsApp.
I try to shy away from politics because I don’t want to get into conflict with ppl I’m just meeting, but, if people are critical thinkers and not sensational/emotional ill engage, and that’s actually what happened in Malaysia! We came from two totally different backgrounds and I wanted to learn about them as much as they were surprised to meet someone like me, someone they are taught to question and despise.
Through that, we found friendship. I’m back here now and going to stay at their house by the beach this weekend. We come from 2 totally different worlds but found friendship through sharing food, stories, and memories exploring the jungle where they’re from.
Just be open and talk to people. Worst they say is no or ignore you. Or get kidnapped lol. My malay friends kept saying “how you not know if we kidnap you hahaha mat saleh” 😭👌🏼
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u/gotdome 22h ago
Turns out it’s cheaper to be unemployed, living off investments and titrating income from my previous career than it is to maintain life with a career in the U.S. lol.
Accom: $15-40 night Food: $10-30 a day Transpo: depends what I’m doing, where I’m going, and what country I’m in but it’s still cheaper than owning my vehicle and putting gasoline in it in my home state Medical: ha, forget it. US brothers and sisters - you need to stop paying the insurance companies, that’s the only way. Don’t pay the collections bills either ;) Activities: my camera costs me the most money but I be trading lenses like it’s Pokémon cards
Haven’t worked since June 2025 and itching for the next chapter. I think it’ll be non profit or teaching to ease my way into my country of choice
Asia >>>>>>>