Living abroad provides us with unique experiences unlike anything we’re used to back home. From the diverse and rich cultures, to the language, food, tropical climates and friendly locals — it’s no surprise that for many expats a short trip soon turns into a permanent relocation.
And, soon after, the realities and challenges of our new lifestyle start to arise.
This is exactly what happened to me back in 2016.
Having arrived in Thailand, like many do I headed off for a fun-filled adventure island hopping in the South. I soon fell in love with the country and didn’t want to leave.
The problem was, after I relocated to Chiang Mai to take a break from non-stop partying, I found it very difficult to find any decent kind of job opportunities other than teaching English.
Somehow I found myself working at a call centre for a measly $500 per month!
My savings were running out fast so I really didn’t have a choice. It was either that or teaching and I just didn’t fancy myself as much of a teacher (that would later change, as you’ll soon discover).
As a result, my expat dream quickly turned into a nightmare!
Being broke and living in a foreign country is no joke, as no doubt many expats can attest to. I was barely surviving off my salary, and had to scrimp over every purchase – eating only at the cheapest local restaurants or cooking rice at home, rarely going out to socialise or taking trips, and basically doing nothing other than “living to work”, as they say.
