[LivinLOS]

I think we are mostly on the same page.. Its just different ways of looking at things. And I also admit that I was thinking of living in 'Thailand' and not Singapore, HK or even perhaps BKK where more cosmopolitan attitudes and opportunities exist.

Originally Posted by Insomniac

Night schools yes i agree, but what do you mean you can't pursue your hobbies and interests here??? Yes i agree its not as easy to pursue at times but still doable.

Depends on what the hobby or interest entails. If it needs items as part of it those things tend to be really hard to get.

For example some hobbies of mine.. I used to fly model planes and crash helicopters I have always had a thing about flight and flying things, I used to make kites as a kid (big impressive buggers sometimes if I do say so myself) and hangliders, paragliders, etc all have been fascinations. This RC stuff is actually kinda cheap now days as when I was a kid I used to use slope soaring as engines fuel etc was big and expensive.

I tried to buy some things mail order.. Ended up costsing 250% of what it actually cost me by the time shipping and being raped by the tax guy all came out.. Need a $10 part.. Expect to wait a month and end up costing $50. Sure its not impossible but its definately hard.. also when I wanted to learn there was a club and people taught you what to do.. There is none here.

Another interest has been odd electronic interests (robotic toys).. Got a maplins catalogue or CD and you have access to 10000's of odd constructive things for pennies for each one delivered in a day or two.

Now I know thats 2 kind of odd things (but I am a kinda odd guy) but they are just 2 that I know I cant do easily here that are very easy in the west. That creative streak and educating hobby is if not outright impossible certainly so difficult that the fun has gone.

Then theres the collaborative hobbies.. People go to drama classes, film schools, film clubs, book clubs, poetry readings. The diversity of musical clubs and venues (thats probably going more into style than hobbies but kind of my point).

Then how about the danger sports things.. As I mentioned I have spent time paragliding, hangliding and skydiving.. There were clubs within a drive from me for each of these things. There was training, there were safety instructors, there was a training system. Not to mention the ambulance that could come and get you if you screwed it up !!!

Phuket has loads going for it.. But you make a choice when moving to a remote tropical island to give up access to many things that are surrounding you in a more cosmopolitan environment.

But one thing i do know is that Asia does have some of the best International schools in the world. Although granted they are in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. I think its largely dependant on the child. Some are more likely to get led astray than others. Yes the drinking culture starts for kids at a much earlier age in asia due to fake id's and western kids generally looking older than their Asian counterparts. But on a whole i think the experience can be quite good for one's children. You meet people from many different cultures; you have friends all over the world. I think it makes people more tolerant of each other and teaches kids acceptance of other cultures without prejudice

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I agree with you on the schools part if they are in the major city locations in asia.. High quality schooling and my comments were not really thinking of Sing / HK / etc but more Thailand and even perhaps rural thailand or phuket.

My point wasnt really the education more the streetwise education.. What you learn growing up outside of the school environment in the west is a different set of life experiences. Here I would feel that expat kids are sheltered from street life.. They dont learn to make a buck in the same way.. They dont hustle jobs.. Probably dont get into the same scrapes.

I guess my perspective is odd in that I had parents that gave me immense freedoms.. I was allowed to do my own thing a lot.. They left the country for months when I was 15 and still at school.. I used to hitchike all round the country as a mid teen.. Then hitchiked all round Europe as a late teen... I always made my own money.. I always had hustles and some game on the go. If I hadn't grown up doing those things I wouldn't have the personality I have.. I don't see that it would have been possible to do that as an expat kid here in Asia and even though there are risks in letting a kid make his own mistakes if I was a parent (of a boy) I would let him go and get into trouble to learn.

Of course there are probably different opportunities.. Ones I am not seeing.. I dont know how much the old school buy tie network still extends into private schools and the international banking community here.. Perhaps theres massive advantages I dont expect.

Also I dont think we are really at opposites I am just making some comments on what I meant..

I love living in the topics.. I find the advantages outweigh the drawbacks for my life situation, age, and circumstances. but I can also understand those who feel it doesn't fit their life ambitions or goals.