(Part 2) Best products from r/IWantOut

Hi MrPockets11.

I've got what I consider so many problems, so it would make me feel better to at least try and pass on some information that might help you, because I'm afraid to try some new things and I hope that you are not.

So, let's see here. You've got a lot of skills and some cash.

You work at a call center doing customer support.

You have a BA degree in philosophy.

You used to be an auto mechanic.

You have photography skills.

You have $10,000 in cash saved up.

Okay, please don't take offense if I give my thoughts or advice or ask you questions. I wish you well.

I agree with Jaksongitr about not making any rash decisions and planning.

My advice is to start reading some books. I recommend [Dale Carnegie's books] (http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034) and JJ Luna's books and Hans J. Schneider's book and Ed Romney's book to start.

I understand that people in your personal life are perhaps crazy makers, and really, the only way to deal with crazy makers in your life is to get away from them.

But for now, can you just disassociate yourself from them? Or can you just move somewhere else in Dallas for the time being?

How is your health?

What about the US Air Force? You could enlist and learn a new skill, perhaps ultrasonography or medical sonography? Or something in the IT field?

What about using your money for an IT bootcamp?

What about going to Oaksterdam and studying about cannabis and then getting a job in Colorado?

Have you thought about going to teach English in South Korea or China? See Dave's ESL cafe.

So I don't know, without having some more information about what you want.

Can you first just move to another part of Dallas?

Or what about securing another job in Texas?

Or making plans to go to school and learning acupuncture in Austin? That way you're still in Texas? I mean I just don't know.

All that I can say is that I'm in a position in my life where I'm going crazy too but I'm trying to look on the bright side of life.

I bought a step up step down transformer before I left. I am super happy with it. I am able to use a lot of my electronics with it. I have a guide on Amazon if you want to take a look. And I second the deorderant!I think next week will be a for free option for it. https://www.amazon.com/Moving-Overseas-Tales-Torture-Success-ebook/dp/B07PPN877L

My friends have taught English in Abu Dhabi for 5 years and I visited them a few times over this period. The city itself is actually pretty boring, but that's just my opinion. Having a few drinks isn't an issue, but you're not going to find a lot of places besides hotels that are licensed to serve alcohol. My friends limit their drinking to their homes. Public drunkenness will probably get you deported. As others have said, it's hard to really screw up if you are respectful of the culture. Abu Dhabi is a very westernised city - Unlike many other places in the UAE, you will probably see almost no one wearing the keffiyeh/abaya. I know some younger people (25-early 30s) working there but it's always with the mindset of "not forever". My friends eventually got fed up with nonsensical procedures for getting anything done and having almost no rights, and so they are soon moving back to the US. Nothing has ever felt unsafe as an American, and the expat communities are quite substantial (obviously due to a substantial expat population).

This is specific to Dubai but it gives some insight into living in the UAE and I recommend it:

http://www.amazon.com/Dubai-Gilded-Cage-Syed-Ali/dp/0300152175

My wife and I moved over 5 months ago, also to join a software company.

Things to think about:

• The costs of plane tickets. My wife and I packed everything into 6 suitcases and flew on Norwegian Airlines. This would have cost us $350 in overweight baggage fees, but I charmed the lady at the checkin counter. Our tickets were $735.62. However, to do this we also bought a portable document scanner for $277
  
  
• You will also need to put down money for a flat. You're in SF so you are used to exorbitant rents. However, since you have no credit record in the UK, you will need to pay 6 months rent up front in addition to the security deposit. But you won't pay letting agent fees
  
  
• Pro Tip: buy one of these
  
  
• The costs of the visa process itself. Make sure they will reimburse you for that
  
  Visa Processing | UK Home Office | $1,748.00
  
  Healthcare Surcharge | UK NHS | $1,824.00
  
  Courier Service Both Ways and Priority Processing | VFS Global | $509.00
  
  UK Visa Call Service | UK Visa Call Service | $29.34 + $24.03 + $56.59 = $109.96
  
  Printing and Envelopes for Visa | UPS | $3.53
  
  Passport size photos | Redacted's Photo and Framing | $39.90
  
  Total $4,124.43

You could always buy my Beginning Perl book. It's been getting very good reviews and is very focused on skills that employers actually seek :)

You should consider grad school in another country.

Also, let me recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/What-Color-Your-Parachute-2012/dp/1607740109

Good luck

> ž

As an aside, if you practice pronouncing this letter and even sort-of get it down, you will really impress Czech's when you try speaking the language and can do it. (I used to repeat it over and over, under my breath, when I was alone riding the tram to or from wherever.)

If you can roll your R's, you can do it! It'll just take practice to be able to trill the unusual "zh" sound the letter makes. If you can't roll your R's, Give this a shot.

Also, this book is great if you want to learn more Czech, and the Pimsleur audio lessons will get you going with phrases and vocabulary.

Get a copy of The People's Guide To Mexico by Carl Franz and Lorena Havens. It's not a typical tourist guidebook, but really a book for US Americans about how to live & travel without much money in Mexico. Amazing amounts of useful info on how to deal with every situation you might encounter (when you can't throw cash at your problems to make them go away).

Happy to be of service.

TCK's are a relatively new phenomena. Many people, even those who work in related areas, don't even know they exist. It's hard, because we blend in so well that we're not even seen as different sometimes, even though we are.

The one piece of foundational literature that is out there is this book: http://www.amazon.com/Third-Culture-Kids-Growing-Revised/dp/1857885252

I highly recommend it to anyone who is a TCK or works with them in any capacity.

There are books on culture like Culture Smart. Britain - Culture Smart!. Then there are books for newcomers to various cities Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in Washington, DC

As far as web sites are concerned just look for expat forums.
http://www.thelocal.fr/
http://www.thelocal.de/

I sure will, thanks.

I can't find the book anywhere though. Maybe this is the book you were referring to?

Get acquainted with the story of your new home with a great book.

Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story
https://www.amazon.com/dp/147674839X/

I'm a life-long resident of Metro area and love going downtown. I'd move to midtown in a heartbeat if I had the money.

I've worked, in my younger days (recent past), going to liquor stores of all places, all over the city including some of the seedist areas that suburban white kids should probably not venture into, but never once did I encounter a problem. Probably helped that I'm a large intimidating guy who was constantly assumed to be an undercover undercover cop.

If you have any questions in the future feel free to PM me.

Australia just announced that they were going to try and make it easier for tech immigrants to come in.

Just be sure owning guns and/or video games made for people older than 16 doesn't matter to you, since they seem to be unfriendly to both...

If that doesn't appeal, I can't highly enough recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Out-Leaving-America-Self-reliance/dp/0976082276

It'll give you tons of information about bunches of different countries, and should help you narrow your search.

https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-World-G2424-Directional-Parabolic/dp/B00NQGVMSE

Long range WiFi antenna I hope you can get out

https://www.myus.com/?siteID=TnL5HPStwNw-hA4KV_VmHO6prhYI_9cWGg

Company that will ship your Amazon to Yemen

a not bad book

You will never make anywhere near a US salary anywhere outside the USA.

I came back a few years ago. Not only that, you might not even find a job outside the USA.

You also present them with visa and language problems.

You can look on JobServe for contracting roles in a lot of countries, but don't expect US rates.

Location will not change anything, in fact it is very difficult. Like they say, "Wherever you go, there you are."

You will be the same unhappy or happy person you are wherever you go - just without language skills to match your peers.

Several people on this sub have recommended this book: The Global Expatriate's Guide to Investing: From Millionaire Teacher to Millionaire Expat.
I have read it and found it to be slightly too basic but I work in finance so it may be of more use to others.