Living in Asia - Why You Should do it to know Australia is the lucky country.

tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 11:01
Last edited 11/08/2023 - 13:31

So as a Asian person whom moved around quite a bit. I felt obligated to elaborate on some of OP’s point from this thread.

Long story short, I’ve spent 14 years growing up in Vietnam, 2 years in Singapore, 13 years in Sydney and the last 6 years in NZ and currently again living in Vietnam. I've been to most major cities in Asia, Tokyo, Taipei, Bangkok etc… Married a Kiwi with 2 kids who are still living in New Zealand. My ultimate end goal is to move back to either Sydney or Melbourne with my now not so new career.

I’m lucky in a sense that I work in a high paying job in Vietnam (by Vietnam standard) and at the same time work remotely part time for the NZ government so my income is good enough to cover my cheap lifestyle in Vietnam and pay for my family in NZ.

Vietnam or specifically Ho Chi Minh isn’t as great as it seems. Cheap food – yes but corruption runs rampant. If you’re looking for a change, you’ll find it great at first and undoubtably then miss the mundane life style Australia or New Zealand offers. There’s only so many times a week you can eat out / drink out before you get sick of it. I know I have. These days I rather cook at home with the $1 massive bunch of vege this place offers.

Can't comment on dating as I'm happily married.

Australia and NZ is so much cleaner. Every time I flew back to Australia -> NZ, I always make sure to take a deep breathe just to enjoy the fresh crisp air that is abundance. That’s something HCM won’t offer.

I’ve spent so many years in and away from Sydney but every time I transit through it, it still wows me as a city. Sydney Harbour is so pretty nothing comes close to it.

Work life balance in Australia is fantastic, I’ve got so many friends who works across Asia that spent 9-10 hours in the office to earn 1-1.5k AUD/month. Versus when I was working in Australia / NE Zealand and I earn that in 2 days barely doing 8 hours/day.

To be clear I do not hate Ho Chi Minh city or Vietnam nor do I overlook the problem Australia is currently facing. But objectively when you weight up the pro and cons, Australia will still be the place I choose to call home when the time comes.

So yes, if you’re looking for something exciting because you’re bored, give Asia a year. But don’t sell up everything and move to it forever because eventually you'll move back.

Travel Asia

Comments

  • Crosscade on 11/08/2023 - 11:10
    +22

    Great to hear from the other side of the coin.

    For all of our problems I don't think a lot of people know how much Australia is a "lucky country". And a lot of that is on the back of these poorer Asian countries.

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 12:36
      +5

      Australia is the lucky country indeed. I have no hesitation calling it home because Australia has given me the life/work experience that I value. That's why it matters not where I live now, I know Australia is where I'll end up when I get older.

      Essentially you have to live in SEA to know why Australia is such a lucky country.

      • boomramada on 11/08/2023 - 13:36
        +1

        At least two Australian cities in the most liveable cities in the world for a reason, moving to another country is a good challenge/experience but visiting would be the best option for most of us.

  • zonra on 11/08/2023 - 11:15
    +6

    Can't comment on dating as I'm happily married.

    Your missus checks Ozbargain too huh?

    On a more serious note, I agree re corruption. It’s fine if you don’t stand or try to run any businesses, but the moment you need some sort of official work/paperwork done, be ready to fork out bribes $$$ every step along the way.

  • Ryanek on 11/08/2023 - 11:15
    +8

    That other thread was definitely from the perspective of a single Aussie male. When it comes down to it, we are extremely lucky to call Australia home.

  • MS Paint on 11/08/2023 - 11:23
    +1

    Great content. Thanks for your perspective.

    Why a whole new post and not just a reply?

    • HardQuiz on 11/08/2023 - 11:57
      +2

      Exposure. Which I appreciate.

    • skittlebrau on 13/08/2023 - 11:00

      A reply would’ve got lost in that thread. I think sometimes these types of posts are better spun off into a separate thread.

  • pegaxs on 11/08/2023 - 11:28
    +2

    Cam on, anh, rat nhieu :D

    • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2023 - 12:22

      *cám ơn rất nhiều

      • pegaxs on 11/08/2023 - 13:02
        +1

        Toi biet nhung toi khong co keyboard tieng Viet. :P

        Oh, that and I am super lazy and really bad with my Viet grammar and spelling. If I tried to put the correct marks, I would only end up saying something more stupid. Lol

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 12:37
      +2

      lol pegaxs replies on me thread. Me feels special.

      • pegaxs on 11/08/2023 - 12:57
        +1

        Khong co gi, anh :D

        (Also, sorry I don't have Viet keyboard installed.)

  • nephilim on 11/08/2023 - 11:29
    +2

    We take fresh air for granted against most countries honestly, took me like a week to get use the pollution in London.

    • skittlebrau on 13/08/2023 - 11:01

      Your snot ends up turning dark over there because of the pollution too.

    • amorn on 13/08/2023 - 12:02

      That is the only reason I am still here. But now I wonder if it is better to be in a safe environment among people with a common sense and better virtue (Asia). I more realize the importance of a decent company / society over fresher air.

    • jaysee2211 on 14/08/2023 - 00:48

      London air quality isn't that bad. According to IQ Air, the outer suburbs of London are pretty comparable to areas in Australia – lots of "Good" ratings.

      • weskambul on 18/09/2023 - 20:45

        Iq air seems incredibly bizarre, Mumbai is apparently around the same pollution level as the blue mountain's for example.

  • watwatwat on 11/08/2023 - 11:29
    +2

    Well I think the point is to earn in Australia and get rich, then move to a cheaper country to live. Then you don't need to worry about local salary and jobs etc.

    take a deep breathe just to enjoy the fresh crisp air that is abundance

    And then instead of eating and drinking like queens, you're now stuck to mcdonalds, kfc, frozen food, or crappy takeaway or overpriced restaurants etc.

    I think the deeper points to take about would be visa, what it feels like being isolated if you don't speak the language, distance from family/friends, how it feels being under the government when it comes to getting a license or performing any other normal administrative tasks, how it feels being exposed to noisy traffic all the time, how it feels to always get Grab delivery or eat out every single meal (as opposed to cooking every meal) (but you did kind of touch on this) etc.

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 12:40
      +1

      I find that people says you can eat like queen / kings haven't spent enough time in Asia. There's only so much you can eat before you get sick of eating out.

      For me now I rather eat a little bit of cheap vege + fried tofu than going out and eat in a fancy restaurant.

      When my kids were brought over for a month last year, they ate well at first and then refused to eat anything I gave them. Until I bought vegemite + sandwich and they demolished for 2 weeks straight.

      • watwatwat on 11/08/2023 - 14:07

        But there are over 9000 options available on Grab.

        I would say it's better to have lots of options rather than not.

        Even with lots of options, that doesn't stop you from eating basic stuff.

        • lovafo on 13/08/2023 - 08:49

          The other problem with food over there is hygiene and safety. There is 90% chance anything you buy on the street has had some sort of preservatives or chemicals added plus they were not prepared in a hygienic way so you will get sick either the next day or few years down the road. Even the locals are trying to grow/raise their own food for this reason

  • Brick Tamland on 11/08/2023 - 11:31
    +9

    I think people take alot of things for granted in Australia. It's almost impossible to list all the govt supports available to people that may fall on hard times. For example, NDIS, medicare, hospitals, ambos, Worksafe, TAC, JobKeeper, Superannuation, pensions, Police… literally the list goes on and on.

    • pegaxs on 11/08/2023 - 11:45
      +1

      Absolutely this… They go over to these foreign countries to live there "cheaply" but still want their tax payer supported benefits… And as soon as something goes wrong, they expect the tax payers to foot the bill to bring them home for treatment. Either us or the good people at "GoFundMe"…

      (Also: *a lot)

      • MITM on 13/08/2023 - 14:49
        +1

        Where do you get your info - ACA ? There a hundreds of thousands of Aussie expats living comfortably outside Australia - some even duly receiving OA pension.
        Plenty of Aussies at home needing go-fund-me.

    • amorn on 13/08/2023 - 11:48
      +1

      plus free homes for so called "homeless" people with 0 interest for self-responsibility & abuse everything around them.

      • MITM on 13/08/2023 - 14:41

        Are you serious? There are families living in cars and tents HERE IN AUSTRALIA the lucky country. Just unlucky for some huh ? Yet continuing to let tens of thousands more into the country to compete for limited housing. Decades of sh1t planning by both sides of politics.
        Decades ago, the policy was go to uni to have a higher standard of living. Now there aren’t enough tradies to build the houses for the overly qualified with ballooning HECS (HEX) debts on mediocre salaries.
        What we need is more houses - but apparently Australia doesn’t have enough land.

  • altomic on 11/08/2023 - 11:36

    any bargains ?

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 12:41
      +1

      Bought a stylus for ipad for AUD$20 instead of getting rob by buying an apple pencil! What a DEAL!

  • jv on 11/08/2023 - 11:47
    +8

    currently again living in Vietnam
    Married a Kiwi with 2 kids who are still living in New Zealand
    I'm happily married.

    Checks out…

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 12:58
      +2

      don't get this joke jv. do elaborate

  • jv on 11/08/2023 - 11:47
    -1

    the fresh crisp air that is abundance. That’s something HCM won’t offer.

    Don't they have Teslas there?

  • Morien on 11/08/2023 - 12:08

    Thanks for posting, OP.

    I lived in SEA for a number of years. I did appreciate the culture and the lifestyle, but fully understood that I was in a privileged position, and while I worked a regular 9-5 for decent pay, my local colleagues had to work far longer hours for far less.

    I'd hear so many foreigners say how amazing it was, how nice the people were, etc. But of course they would, seeing as they never bothered to learn the language or talk to local people.

    Air quality wise, we would go months and months without seeing a blue sky.

    Beautiful place. Beautiful people. But people, living their lives, struggling like the rest of us. It wasn't a utopia for anyone but the rich, and the rich local people would do their best to leave for more opportunity elsewhere.

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 12:41

      haha. You've spoken like a true person who have spent enough time in SEA.

  • JimB on 11/08/2023 - 12:11

    How does your marriage work with your wife in another country?

    That's something I couldn't do.

    Are the kids yours?

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 12:29

      Kids are mine and I miss them dearly. I plan to move them over for a year maybe since I can’t afford to pay international school for 2 kids for 12 years. Even selling my kidneys won’t pay for it. Lol

    • tallkid123 on 11/08/2023 - 12:32
      +3

      How does your marriage work with your wife in another country?

      You need to have an established relationship before you consider a separation. Also, the benefits to having this arrangement need to be big. In my parents' case, my father was earning a lot more than he ever would in Australia.

      My parents did it whereby my father was on his own overseas working and my mother was raising us in Australia.

      This arrangement however doesn't last. My father eventually decided that he wanted us to live with him so we moved. And then when he retired from expat life, he was back with my mother full-time naturally.

      Luckily, my father is not a womaniser and never forgot my mother was there when he was nothing otherwise there would've been a high chance my parents would've gotten a divorce.

      • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 13:11
        +2

        Luckily, my father is not a womaniser and never forgot my mother was there when he was nothing otherwise there would've been a high chance my parents would've gotten a divorce.

        looks like that's the value your father and I both share.

  • star-ggg on 11/08/2023 - 12:30

    I find it funny with these threads, people from these countries of all economic and social classes are desperate to come to Australia for the quality of life.

    • Morien on 11/08/2023 - 12:49
      +6

      The grass is always greener.

      The truth is that life is a mixed bag. There is hardship wherever you go, and there is beauty if you look for it. People are the same wherever you are. They just want to find happiness. They want to be safe, they want to be fed, they want to be loved. Doesn't matter where you are or what you look like.

      Money can't buy happiness, but it sure does help. Moving from Aus to SEA can allow you to stretch your money further. But moving from SEA to Aus can allow you more opportunity to get that money.

      Where people are wrong is when they see things as black and white. Aus bad, SEA good. Or vice versa, SEA bad, Aus good.

      • star-ggg on 11/08/2023 - 13:36

        This implies people are moving to Aus just to earn money (then leave again). This cannot be the case when looking at our emigration numbers and housing prices.

        • Morien on 11/08/2023 - 15:34
          +1

          Didn't imply that at all. Opportunities don't expire.

  • El cheepo on 11/08/2023 - 12:48
    +1

    i always make sure to take a deep breathe just to enjoy the fresh crisp air that is abundance

    its an amazing feeling, stepping off the plane after living in a particularly polluted country where the air quality index would commonly be 300+ (Australian cities hover in the 10-50 range)
    And just sucking in some crisp air.

    I use to look forward to that so much.

    And ive always found the same thing eating out all the time too.
    Theres only so many times you want to do it before you get sick of it.

  • dcep on 11/08/2023 - 13:32

    i always make sure to take a deep breathe just to enjoy the fresh crisp air that is abundance

    Any greenery highlands in Vietnam ?

    How's the weather in the cities ? Hot and humid ? Rain all year round ?

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 13:48

      Plenty of greenery in Vietnam but you'll have to leave the city to find it. Where as my old house in the burb in Sydney has this air that i so crave.

      Weather is always HOT and HUMID. + Wet in the raining season.

      • Flying Ace on 11/08/2023 - 14:44

        Not true at all - in all the cities I have visited in Vietnam they arguably have many more trees than Australian ones do.

        • lgacb08 on 14/08/2023 - 14:36

          Not in the largest ones, you can easily spot that on google maps.

  • Cappa87 on 11/08/2023 - 13:56
    +1

    I have spent A LOT of time in VIetnam, I love the place, but I would not want to live there.

    Australia certainly is a lucky country. Whether it is THE lucky country is up for debate I guess.

    I definitely feel lucky to have been born and raised here with all the opportunities that come with it, but having said that, if I didn't have to work Id be living in Southern Europe at least half the time, then probably travelling SE Asia the other half with occasional visits back to Aus for family.

    Just my point of view, to each their own. Australia could 100% be the best place on the planet without a doubt, if we got out of our own way.

  • amorn on 11/08/2023 - 14:58

    On a worldly level, yes AU is better. But I find people here are very worldly as well. To appreciate Asia / Asians, you have to see things deeply, ie. not just what seems right / beneficial here and now.

    • Morien on 11/08/2023 - 15:42
      +1

      People in Asia are just as worldly as anywhere else, hey. The reality is that no matter where you go, and no matter what people look like, they are people.

      In fact, some cultural differences can make this glaring. People taking photos of themselves with stacks of money to show it off. Going for fashion or furniture that many in Aus would consider tacky.

      The point is, we have so much more in common than we do differently. Never put any group of people on a pedestal. "Positive" stereotypes are still just as detrimental as negative ones.

      • amorn on 13/08/2023 - 11:38

        agreed. I was just generalizing for the sake of comparing a country vs a country / continent. Asia has everything; enlightened and worldly humans. Aus, almost all worldly and WORSE than humans.

  • Lunarboogie on 11/08/2023 - 16:25

    I'm not sure this nostalgia about Australia being the lucky country runs as true as it once did. Ask any 20 something who is working 2 jobs to pay rent, watching their HECS compound, and have no prospect of ever owning property and see how lucky they feel. Add rising prices, traffic and weather volatility and Australia doesn't feel as good as it once did.

    I'm not negging on Australia is either. Just outlining that there are good and bad points about every place. You just have to go to where makes you happiest and where you can live your best life. For some that's in Asia and that's completely fine too.

    • zonra on 11/08/2023 - 17:18
      +8

      To put that into perspective:
      HECS isn’t an option in Vietnam. Up front or literally gtfo. Scholarships are far and few with lots of strong competition. In Oz people can rack up to 2 degree’s worth and never pay it back if they keep their income low enough.
      No public health in Vietnam. Again literally pay it or gtfo. I can’t stress how good the healthcare system we have here.
      No Youth Allowance, stimulus or centrelink handouts.
      In Vietnam you’d need 2 jobs to pay rent as well. Depends on where in the city, 2 jobs may not cover a house bigger than 20 (that’s twenty) metre squares with no front or back yards (garage? You’re joking, you’ll be parking that scooter next to where you sleep).
      Without inherited wealth you simply won’t own lands anywhere near the metro area working average jobs.
      There’s no minimum award rates. People can earn a decent living doing IT jobs etc., but typical supermarket jobs pay probably 20k VND an hr, which is roughly $1.5, but a chicken would still cost them the equivalent of $8-10 AUD.
      In Australia you can cover your room rent with a day’s work, regardless of what you do (assuming min wage ~$19. Good luck doing the same in Asia. Also an iPhone cost about 1-2 month’s salary over there. Comparatively, would you pay ~10k for a phone?
      People really need to try living in another country, not travelling and spending money for 2 weeks, but living (i.e. earn a living long term and experience the healthcare, transport, government systems etc.) before they start to appreciate the differences.

      • DanielTr on 11/08/2023 - 17:48
        +1

        That is not entirely true. HECS is there in Vietnam and it is literrally zero interest (not even inflation indexed). the money is to pay for tuition fee + living allowance. Ive had my degree thank to that. Universal healthcare is there but it is still in the early phase with limited cover (e.g. ~40-50% cover) at public hospital. But it is there. Living expense: you can rent a room from 100$/month or live in a villa of 2000$/month. The variation is large enough to cover all sort of customers with different income. It is up to you to decice where and how to spend the money. But at least there are options to choose from. Same to foods and everything else. Again, nobody in 1st world countried should comes to Vietnam if they need healthcare or education for kid. They should come for making money or to enjoy the food, culture, weather and services. Living there, at first, learn the language otherwise it will be misserable.

      • Lunarboogie on 11/08/2023 - 22:08

        I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve by outlining a blow by blow comparison. No one is suggesting Australians renounce their Earthly possessions, Ghandi style and become citizens of Vietnam. But what I am endorsing is some Aussies moving there for a while to get a change of scenery, live outside the norm and try something different.

        Using your rationale, no one would ever leave this country for anywhere else because no where would compare.

        • zonra on 12/08/2023 - 09:05
          +1

          I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve by outlining a blow by blow comparison.

          Because your original comment makes it sounds like those points are why Australia is a worse place to live compared to other country, which from the context of this post, compared to Vietnam.
          I’m simply pointing out Australia is not worse off, if not better, regarding those points.

          Using your rationale, no one would ever leave this country for anywhere else because no where would compare.

          That’s a far reach. But ok.

    • RefusdClassification on 13/08/2023 - 10:48

      The reason things are getting worse in Australia is population growth. We have exceeded our ideal carrying capacity. As long as population keeps increasing, the following will keep worsening: healthcare waiting lists, housing costs, traffic congestion, pollution, noise, the cost of everything (more demand means higher prices). Every immigrant that enters Australia lowers the standard of living for people who have been born in Australia.

      • zonra on 13/08/2023 - 10:57
        +1

        Completely off topic here I know but as long as Australia continues to lack skilled workers immigrants will keep on coming. It’s not as simple as saying we need to shut the door, we still need to address why it was open in the first place.
        Imo the wealthfare system and minimum wages here are too generous leading to people not pursuing skilled professions or any professions/jobs at all.

        • MITM on 13/08/2023 - 15:07

          Wealthfare for the not so wealthy.

      • Lunarboogie on 14/08/2023 - 11:56
        +1

        The evidence shows the opposite. Migrants enlarge the economic pie for everyone. You're pointing to social issues which could be resolved if we had the political will to do so. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a reformist government since arguably Whitlam, so there will be no arrest of the slow decay of the quality of life here. This is why places in Asia are looking relatively attractive compared to home.

        As a university educated professional in Australia, my quality of life is much poorer than those of the same ilk in many Asian cities who never step once in their kitchen, iron a shirt or scrub a dirty shower recess. When I explain that in Australia all but the seriously welfare do their own cleaning, raising of children and cooking, they look aghast. Sure their wages are below ours but their purchasing power and quality of life is what we can only dream of here. This may explain why so many Aussies flock north and leave the rat race.

  • franco cozzo on 11/08/2023 - 16:38
    -2

    lol…lucky country!
    …..my arse!

    • tomleonhart on 11/08/2023 - 16:47
      +1

      Lol that’s why everyone should live in Asia for a year or two to form that perspective of Australia being the lucky country.

      • franco cozzo on 11/08/2023 - 18:06
        -1

        'the lucky country' was back 50+ years ago mate…these days its every dog for himself and '(profanity) you, i got mine'

        also might pay to learn about the phrases origins before further misusing it…its not a term of endearment
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lucky_Country

        • Eeples on 13/08/2023 - 09:01

          Australia has always been a lucky country because of its natural resources.

          Perhaps that benefit informs the relatively easy life most people have enjoyed in this country.

          It continues…..

          • MITM on 13/08/2023 - 15:13

            @Eeples: Venezuela has more natural resources than Australia. We’re following the same path to oblivion giving away management to overseas conglomerates. I say give Gina and Twiggy the voice to parliament.

    • TrumpisKing on 12/08/2023 - 07:50

      Facts.

  • TrumpisKing on 12/08/2023 - 07:50

    I used to think Australia was an amazing corruption free country where there was peace and quiet and you could live easily with a nice paying job and a nice place to live.
    After 2020 this is no longer true. Australia has come the laughing stock of the world, the government here is one of the most corrupt I've ever seen, and now the cost of living is so bad yet they are trying to bring more and more people into the country instead to trying to help their own.
    Amazing 💪💪💪🤣.

    Vietnam may not be the best place to settle for the rest of your life but there are many many beautiful Asian countries that are easily much better than Australia

    • SpainKing on 20/08/2023 - 20:01

      We've actually been addressing a lot of that corruption (see: LNP no longer in power; CICTAR)

  • Socialsuicide01 on 12/08/2023 - 08:55
    +1

    I agree with you in parts especially your sentiments about Vietnam as it is the only country I will never revisit. Since 1988 I have been visiting Asia on and off as a single man and a happily married family man and I have to say Thailand Cambodia and Malaysia are absolutely wonderful and I would have no problems living there full-time. As for Australian culture I really don't like it as it is one that just tries to rip off your fellow man, it's ugly. Asian culture for me represents fantastic manners politeness respect and their service industry is second-to-none nothing is too much of a bother and everyone seems to put a genuine effort into making the customer happy.

  • 2esc on 12/08/2023 - 09:16

    Depends on a persons definition of pretty visited Sydney 25 years ago i was not impressed at all. No desire to ever go back. Living in rural Victoria im quite happy and overall had good opportunities i have access to everything i need medically later in life i expect having to go to Melbourne (worse than Sydney) for specialists etc

  • jrvb42 on 12/08/2023 - 10:34
    +4

    Just returned from China as a Queensland resident.
    Definitely good getting AUD and spending CNY (or any SEA currency really).
    SEA Pros: Cheap cost of living, great food, friendly people.
    SEA Cons: Health care not free, dangerous for pedestrians.
    AU Pros: Higher value currency, free health care, OzB.
    AU Cons: High crime rate (feel way safer in SEA countries than in here), hopeless government, excessive fees and fines for everything, bombardment with welcome to country and ack every 5 minutes.

    Apart from medicare, not much reason to keep coming back to Oz.
    Also - Australian passport very powerful - visa free entry to many countries - important reason to stay Aussie - easier to leave and travel :)
    Definitely WAS the lucky country, but over the last couple of decades, not much reason to stay or return until needing a pension, nursing home or constant health care.
    I want to have pride again, but have lost faith.

    • ttt888 on 13/08/2023 - 08:53

      Let me guess u are single no kids.

    • RefusdClassification on 13/08/2023 - 10:57
      +1

      I agree with most of what you have said. However, only public hospitals and some pathology tests are free. Most GPs and all Specialists now charge hefty gap fees (unlike in the UK and Canada, where treatment is free at the point of delivery), pharmaceuticals have co-pays and many new pharmaceuticals aren't PBS subsidized. Still, there are countries where healthcare is far less subsidized than in Australia, but physicians in those countries charge far less than they do in Australia. Australia is one of the most expensive countries in the world. If you are earning a middle class income Australia is great, but not so wonderful if you are poor and cannot afford housing.

      • xdigger on 23/08/2023 - 11:25

        Australia is only expensive now because we are now a colony of the US and will be paying $400 billions (trillions in time due to Defence budget blowouts) of AUKUS dues to fund the US war machinery.

  • LFO on 12/08/2023 - 13:12
    +2

    "Asia"

    Big BIG big place to generalize.

    Is it Japan? Is it Russia? Is it Korea? Is it Myanmar? Is it Thailand? Is it Vietnam? Is it India? Is it Mongolia? Is it China? Is any of the "popular" unsavory countries?

    Ethnic background? Expectations? Motivations? Spirituality? Hopes?

    Pointless to generalize.

    The best country in the world is the one YOU choose it to be the best country in the world.

  • Brucet on 12/08/2023 - 20:00
    -1

    Life in VN made people shorter life because of toxic and dirty foods.Dont need mention about environment.

  • capslock janitor on 13/08/2023 - 10:41

    We have financial gov't support

  • AustriaBargain on 13/08/2023 - 11:20

    Al Jazeera reports regularly on the air pollution in Thailand. It does seem strange that they take for granted their air is garbage and is making them all sick. I guess they have more of a true free market economy where businesses can do whatever they want to their air and the government is fine with it because it helps their economy grow.

    • MITM on 13/08/2023 - 15:22

      Neighbouring countries burn off their forests. Not much Thailand can do and it’s restricted to the northern provinces.
      Australia burns off in winter and advise sufferers to stay inside. Beautiful cool clear blue skies vanish and stink.

  • amorn on 13/08/2023 - 11:55

    I also worry that this "luck" is actually due to unfair and unsustainable currency exchange rate and natural resources. Both of which is have limited expiry date and also both make Aussies dumb and lazy in the long run. Not a great virtue for next generation and next birth.

    • MITM on 13/08/2023 - 15:30

      We have enough coal and gas to last hundreds of years. Power should be near free here. Cost of power dictates standard of living. Go ask Arab states - no income tax there so free to spend.
      What we know is how to burn coal to make steam. What we haven’t learnt is how to dispose of the byproduct. But now we’re listening to idiots.

  • We Out Here on 14/08/2023 - 13:11

    lol

    different strokes for different folks

    your argument for "Australia is the greatest country in the world' is pretty weak btw, other than saying it has cleaner air and you get paid more (whilst paying through the nose for everything)

    But objectively when you weight up the pro and cons, Australia will still be the place I choose to call home when the time comes.

    how can you say this objectively when you didn't grow up here since birth?

    People like yourself, who are immigrants to this country, would say its the "best country on earth" - getting healthcare, benefits etc. I'm born and raised here and have seen it decline soo much - ever ventured out to western sydney?

    A lot of commentators here have a lot of bias - they'd never forego their comfortable salaries, WFH, etc to up and move to a new place - being a normie is easier for some. I've seen it with some of my mates - find one girl at early 20's, marry them and live the whole "move to the burbs, pop out a couple kids" life as society expects - Aus is good for that I guess

    • tomleonhart on 14/08/2023 - 18:50

      your argument for "Australia is the greatest country in the world' is pretty weak btw, other than saying it has cleaner air and you get paid more (whilst paying through the nose for everything)

      Maybe it's weak for you but for me at least clean air is what I always look forward to coming back to Aus / NZ from Vietnam in the last 19 years.

      how can you say this objectively when you didn't grow up here since birth?

      What's that got to do with anything? I've lived in Vietnam and Australia and NZ and now Vietnam again to know objectively the work cultures and lifestyles these 3 countries offers. And IMO Australia is far more superior in a work/life balance perspective. And yes I've lived in Western Sydney for 5 years.

      A lot of commentators here have a lot of bias - they'd never forego their comfortable salaries, WFH, etc to up and move to a new place

      This I agree on. I've moved countries 5 times now. It gets tiring after the third time.

      And if you're in HCM, let's grab an ozbargain drink!

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