Why I’m quitting my job and moving to Thailand

At first, I thought I had it all: a good-paying job, work in an industry I always wanted to work in, nice cars, a nice home, good friends, and most of the material things I wanted. In some ways, I did have it all…

However, deep inside, I was miserable and unhappy. I realized I hated my job. Actually, I hated all my past jobs as much as the current ones. Maybe the first month of working for a new company I did enjoy, but after the six-month mark, I started to dislike it because every day was the same thing. My career was no longer fulfilling and satisfying anymore.

Even though for the past 10 years I’ve been working in the field I am passionate about and went to school for, the work environment and having to do things I’m told to do is killing me. Also, the time it took for me to commute to work and sit in my cubicle day in and day out was driving me up the wall. I finally made the decision to move to Thailand permanently and start my own online business.

But not everyone can live in Thailand long-term. It takes a special type of person. If you’re going to whine about the heat, whine about the insects, whine about the food, whine about the stray dogs or cats, or whine about Thai people, then Thailand is NOT for YOU. If these things bother you so much that you don’t like Thailand, then you should go back home or find some other place to live that fits your personality. Thailand is not for everyone, and it may or may not fit your personality or fit what you are looking for.

I think there are several types of people who can make it long-term in Thailand, and here is my list of those types of people. When I say long-term, I mean 2 years or more.

1. People who are good with money and can live within a budget.
2. Retired people who have a good amount of savings and have a steady flow of income.
3. People who have a job in Thailand, either teaching English or working for an international company as a contractor.
4. People who are young or adventurous and want to travel and experience the world.

For me, I fall into two types: type 1 and type 4. But if you don’t fit into any of these types, you probably shouldn’t live in Thailand long-term.

Note: this list is not in any specific order.

1. Sleeping in every day – No more setting my alarm for 6:30 a.m.!
2. Building my own business – Something I will be proud of. No more sitting in my cubicle and wishing it was Friday.
3. Food – I grew up eating all sorts of homemade Thai food. The problem when you’re in the West is that the main food is hamburgers, potatoes, and cheese. I used to hate those, but over the years I have learned to like them, but I will pick Thai food over western food any time of the day. Also, Thai food and fresh fruits in Thailand are very cheap. In the West, I can get a decent meal for $10, but in Thailand I can get 3 to 5 decent meals, including deserts for the same price.
4. No more washing dishes, no more cooking – I don’t cook too often, but I do enjoy the creativity cooking provides. However I would rather have someone else do the cooking and cleaning. Also cooking and washing the dishes is time consuming. If I don’t have to cook or clean, then I can concentrate on other stuff like working or whatever I want.
5. Cheap cost of living – It’s very cheap to live in Thailand (but not always cheap.. I explain my reasons here). If you can eat Thai food all the time, you can save a lot more money.
6. Freedom – Having a cheaper cost of living will allow me to live off my savings and work on my online business full time. I can work on anything I want and when I want. If I don’t want to work, I can go to the beach for a day or two. No one is stopping me. I can live the lifestyle I want and at the pace I want.
7. The weather – To me, there are 4 seasons in Thailand: hot, very hot, super hot, and rainy. It’s hot year round in Thailand, and if you factor in the humidity, then it can be a negative.
8. The girls – Need I say more? I think I’ll write my rant about the Thai girls in another post.
9. No more 9-5, no more rat race – No more commuting to work. No more working late shifts. No more office politics. No more dealing with shitty bosses. No more annoying co-workers.

   I work between 8 to 9 hours a day and commute for about 2 hours each way to and from work. If you add the commute time, it’s about 10 to 11 hours per day that I’m away from home. Even though I have it easy with a nice office job in downtown Toronto, after 1 or 2 years, it becomes very boring and tiring.

   Actually, I might be wrong here. I still have to put in the hours to earn a living in Thailand. I might have to work more than 8 – 10 hours per, day but without the office environment and the stress.