Posted on 12/26/2019 10:47:33 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT
People are free to live where they want, as long as a country will accept them. And there are many wonderful countries to live in outside of the USA.
The part of the country I live in has many small towns with unbelievably low cost of housing and living. All these folks needs to do is look around. I suspect it's more to moving outside the country than was stated in this article.
“...since it ended in 1975, innumerable American veterans have returned to
Vietnam,seeking understanding, forgiveness or reconciliation. Now some are coming for more mundane reasons: inexpensive housing, cheap healthcare and a rising standard of living.”
The LA Times could have obtained actual numbers of Americans living in Viet Nam from the State Department and the government of Viet Nam. Without those facts, this is sloppy reporting.
But it is good to know that the dissatisfied Left can also find a new home.
The best places for retirement for the money are Turkey and Russia.
The downside of Russia is climate but in terms of services and infrastructure you get a first world country per slightly above the third world cost.
As for Turkey it is essentially not a first world country but it is much closer to Europe all around than it is to Mexico. And the costs are way below Latin America with much better infrastructure and less crime. Another upside of Turkey is affordable quality housing. That counts for a luxury million dollar property in US is a mediocre and cheap by Turkish standard and cost 60 thousand. Also Turkey has the best climate on Earth.
Although both countries has political risks involved and Russia traditionally an expensive place and cheap mostly due to a devalued currency now. It may change or not.
I’ve had to travel regularly through VN for the last 10 years.
The South is extremely friendly and warm to Americans. When I first started going to VN, I’d regularly have older men come up to me and talk about their experiences in the SVN Army or working with Americans on bases. Most had relatives in the USA also. I only got small bits of stories of how they suffered after 1975.
Saigon traffic, noise and pollution is off the charts. The weather in places like Daklak and Dalat is fantastic, the towns are smaller and the pace of life is very pleasant.
Well, this quote stood out:
The Vietnamese were extremely nice to me, especially compared to my own country after I came back from the war,” Rockhold said...
Socialized medicine!
As I understand it, Vietnam has been pretty capitalistic for quite a while now, although the Communist Party is still in charge.
You don’t know unless you try. The health care in US is ridiculously expensive and the quality is not always up to standard. On a fixed income of $700 a week you may live a royal life in many places.
Vietnam has relaxed visa rules to lure American retirees like Rockhold, along with their savings.
You forgot the ‘downside’ in Turkey, of the troglodyte hell called islam(SPIT!).
Vietnam is less Communist than China and China is less Communist than Kalifornia nowadays to be honest. For me Vietnam is a very comfortable place.
They have to hope that in the US (to a smaller degree) without getting the lower cost of living.
Lot of ethnic Chinese in VN.
What you wanna call me, Linda?
You read my mind!
No boom boom with soul brother.
“long time, short time. number one girl.”
Me love you long time.
Yes, it is a huge risk as things might get ugly in these places real fast. all in all you may have a huge marble floor oceanview penthouse with latest appliances for $200k and eat out on best seafood under a thousand per month for now.
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