Conversations that happen when you are overseas.
Friend: Are you going to retire here in Thailand?
Me: Maybe.
Friend: What then?
Me: There is my mother's long term care and other things in the US.
Friend: Timing?
Me: It depends. Basically the earliest I can figure is when I hit 55. That's the earliest when I can retire.
Friend: That's good.
Me: I also have to see how it all aligns. With my significant other from Vietnam, there is that option as well. But the hospitals are better here, and it is a known quantity.
Friend: So when. I've got some plans. You're a legit teacher, so it should be easy. I can set you up today if you like.
Me: Sooner than I think maybe. America isn't a place to raise kids necessarily. It's hard to raise kids without governmental interference. The schools are great if you have money. If not, not so great. There is also crime. The cops are unpredictable and trigger happy. My inherent pessimism backed by logic is concluding America isn't the place anymore.
Friend: Did you say Kids?
Me: It's been in discussion.
Friend: Wow.
Me: Yeah, thought it was a train that long passed the station. So, now I have to rethink everything. Without that factor, I might not have cared.
Friend: Well, kids?
Me: Yeah, she wants kids I think.
What about Children?
Kids generally in Thailand respect their elders. I get sometimes a wai from a kid walking down the street. Try that in America. Kids in Vietnam are often spoiled to the extent that they get out of control. The nouveau riche element in Vietnam is also breeding a generation that is over obsessed with consumerism.
This scene would be impossible in America. Fan Chan. My Girl. 2003. You can't let your child just go out to play in America. I see kids walking to and from school. In a sense, you can see this scene also happening in Vietnam, but not in Los Angeles anymore.
