Deciding which country to seek love in is a tough but enjoyable decision. You can look for love anywhere on the planet. I hope this information will arouse your curiosity, and eventually, when you meet someone in person, your ardor.
Deciding How to Look
Before you decide where to look, start thinking about how to look. My advice is to develop a game plan. Develop a method to achieve your goal. Some factors to consider are your personality, independence, financial flexibility and whether you’re interested in friendship, a love affair, marriage, or all of the above.
The kind of personality you have — your lifestyle, religion and general attitude toward life — are the most important considerations when looking for someone from another culture. Different people from different countries have different personalities and customs.
Of course, anything I state about the characteristics of people from a particular country are based on personal experience, what I’ve heard from others, and research. There are exceptions to everything. For example, the people of Malaysia are a combination of four or five different cultural and religious traditions. Don’t expect everyone in each country to be similar. There are striking exceptions, so be alert for them.
Study the Culture
Before making a decision on which country or countries to target, I recommend that you research the history, culture and customs of countries that interest you. I hope to give you some ideas about where to look, but the world is your playground. There are so many countries in the world, and the map is always changing. It is estimated that there are thousands of cultures to choose from with a vast diversity in customs, languages and race.
Research Tools
A list of nations is found in any good world almanac, along with brief information about the country. An encyclopedia such as the free online Wikipedia has more detailed descriptions of each country and its peoples. The encyclopedia is a surprisingly good source of information for people interested in seeking love overseas. These resources give some hint to the kind of person you are likely to encounter: customs, religion, temperament and eating habits. A good travel guide will also have helpful information. Most libraries have books on all major countries. Hopefully, understanding something about their country will help you make a decision on which country you are most likely to find a person you can love.
The CIA World Factbook is an excellent reference on the economies, politics, geography and climate of every country in the world. It is available in the reference section of the public library and on the Internet. Of course, there are some things a book can never tell you. These can only be learned by seeing and touching the person you desire.
Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Romance at 1:24 AM EST
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Anyone who has driven across the U.S. border into Mexico will have a good idea of the drastic differences in driving conditions between developed and developing countries. Not only do road conditions deteriorate, but any semblance of orderly procession becomes a chaotic mess in places like Mexico City or Manila. Foreigners driving at night in developing countries are tempting targets, so don’t drive at night. Road conditions can be unpredictable, with hazards from herds of goats to rice scattered on the road for drying, to impassable monsoon-flooded sections.
It is theoretically possible to make automobile journeys of epic distances. One possible journey would be from Vladivostok, Russia to Cape Town, South Africa. Another epic drive might take you from Valdez, Alaska to the opposite end of the Americas, Punta Arenas, Chile. A trip of this scope would require extensive research on road conditions and visa requirements. Some countries do not allow entry by land.
Posted by Wade as Transportation at 2:35 AM EST
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Full-time RVing is catching on these days. Do-it-yourself technomads, though, may find commercial RVs a bit flimsy. Boondocking technomad’s can put together their own with a bit of resourcefulness and dedication. I seriously considered spending a year or two RVing fulltime with my 12 year old daughter throughout North America. I was going to build my own, though. I planned to pick up a cheap used travel trailer for around $5,000 and haul it with an old Ford Bronco or something. Instead, I opted for Southeast Asia where boondocking is a bit less practical than in the States. If you do decide to take up that RV nomadic dream lifestyle, and build you own rig, check out Scott Bidstrup’s page at http://www.bidstrup.com/fulltime.htm. Boondocking is RVing by parking for free in places other then fee-based RV parks like Walmart parking lots or national forests. Scott spent six years as a nomad. He offers practical tips on everything from buying and converting a used U-Haul box to a home to the joys and practicalities of bringing the kids along. I’m sure you’ll find it interesting reading.
Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Places, Tools at 1:00 AM EST
292 Comments »
Involvement with someone from a foreign country will probably include contact with one of four religions: Buddhism, Orthodox Protestant, Catholicism or Islam. Korea and Thailand are mostly Buddhist, while the Philippines is over ninety per cent Catholic.
The chances are good a Malaysian will be Muslim. Don’t necessarily let this hinder your ardor. The American press doesn’t portray Muslims fairly because of their preoccupation with sensationalizing terrorism. Malaysia is not an Arab country. The Muslims there are peaceful and tolerant of other religions.
Don’t let religion be a barrier to coming together with the right person. Few follow their religion with a fervor that prevents them from marrying someone of another religious belief. A belief in God satisfies most, and some will even marry an atheist.
Make sure you know what to expect so there will be no disappointments or false expectations. As a Buddhist, Muslim or Christian, your intended might not want to live with or make love to you until you are officially married. You can clear that up by being honest and open in all your communications.
Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Romance at 1:01 AM EST
302 Comments »
This is one of the most complicated, confusing decisions a computer nomad has to make. To begin with, it’s best, if it all possible, to avoid having one. While local calling rates have dropped to the point where everyone in the family has one, anyone who plans extensive travel and needs to use his computer with one regularly will pay dearly for the service. In any event, cell phones should be only used when absolutely necessary, especially when overseas or outside of a local calling area. Long distance calls are particularly expensive when using mobile phones. Use your calling card whenever possible.
The first thing to do before you start to research mobile phone service providers is to determine, as accurately as possible, where you will be calling from, where you will be calling to, and how often you will be making and receiving calls. Write down a list of the places you intend to visit over the next, and how long you will be staying. Estimate the length and locations of the calls you will be making.
When you contact a mobile phone provider, give them the exact information you have assembled and ask them for a rate quote.
Posted by Wade as Tools at 12:49 AM EST
2,992 Comments »
There are many organizations now set into the issues of telecommuting, and some articles have been written about the topic. Below are some sites that concentrate mainly on advertising telecommuting job openings, or links you to sites that have telecommuting jobs available:
Telecommuting Jobs
Provides a comprehensive list of telecommuting jobs available, from desktop publishing to programming, from photographers to web designers, and more.
telecommute-jobs.com
Provides a list of telecommuting jobs. Many are non-technical “work at home” opportunities. Subscription required.
The Write Jobs
Not actually a telecommuting site, but most jobs are for free-lance writers. Contains a wide selection of writing opportunities.
Gil Gordon/Teleworking
An excellent all-around web site for aspiring telecommuters, researchers, managers and anyone wanting to improve their skills.
The Telework Coalition
Contains information that might useful persuading an employer regarding the benefits of telecommuting
As technology develops, companies are starting to realize that not all jobs require the employee to be present in the office. In fact, a lot of companies now are starting to embrace the idea that the productivity of workers increases with telecommuting. If you, as a computer nomad, can make yourself into a model telecommuter, it will give companies more confidence creating jobs and careers that can be taken on the road – with only a laptop computer and skills on hand.
Posted by Wade as Jobs at 6:11 AM EST
60 Comments »
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Plan your itinerary.
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Prepare a budget of estimated day to day travel expenses.
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Line up a source of income (get some clients or cash).
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Prepare a list of items to take along (if in doubt, leave it out).
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Sell or store items you aren’t bringing.
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Purchase airline tickets.
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Get a passport and appropriate visas.
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Get a physical exam (including any appropriate immunizations) and dental exam.
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Obtain travel health insurance, if necessary.
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Arrange for mail forwarding.
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Arrange for an “emergency location” for friends and relatives to stay in touch.
Posted by Wade as Plan at 4:33 AM EST
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Computer and telecommunications technology has advanced to the point where it can either imprison us or make us free. Governments can, if they want, track us around the world. The technology exists that can literally find us anywhere. Imagine the potential of what a government can do with what banks already have: face recognition technology that eliminates the need for carrying a card or remembering a pin number when we visit an ATM. Casinos use it to track down cheaters. Advancements in satellite reconnaissance technology even make it conceivable to locate anyone walking outside anywhere on the planet.
Passports will no longer be needed, either. Maybe a retinal scan or face recognition will replace it. This is a frightening scenario. A government who wants you can find you anywhere in the world. This could make it impossible for anyone wanted for a variety of reasons, from owing back alimony or taxes to unpaid parking tickets, to cross a country border. In the United States, you are asked to provide your social security number when applying for a passport. While the number does not appear on the passport, it means that the government can pin anything on you any time you use your passport anywhere in the world. There are many reasons a government can revoke a passport, including inability to pay back taxes or child support. Freedom to travel overseas is not a right in the United States. It’s a privilege.
Posted by Wade as Money at 4:30 AM EST
21,139 Comments »
I’ve been staying in this charming, fascinating Thai city since April. Not only is it an ancient Thai city, it is as modern as it gets when it comes to infrastructire and technology. With the thousands of foreigners, both tourists and expats, there are over a hundred hotels and guesthouses available for as little as 150 baht (under US$5). Many even offer free in-room wifi for your laptop or PDA, not to mention the bars and restaurants that offer the service. I rent a condo with cable braodband service for 800 baht (US$23), but I am a heavy user. There are several cheaper alternatives available, not to mention internet cafes, some for less than US$1 per hour. A relatively frugal nomad can live here comfortably for less than $500 if you can stay away from the bars and nightclubs on most nights.
Posted by Wade as Places at 9:06 AM EST
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