My life possessions in 3 travel bags - another going *all in* post

[Tedd]

This is it. Something* snapped today and I decided to go "all in". I'm following @Fox model. Thanks for your inspiration!

Moving to Vietnam. I did a reconnaissance mission two weeks ago to the country and also met up with @creativt69 who was visiting looking for software outsourcing partners. Had a good talk! I've been there before as well, courtesy of my previous 9-5, covering that market. Read many digital nomads/entrepreneurs moved in there. So it made sense to relocate.

Saved up some money to cover the initial months' expenses. I'll check in at a budget hotel for a couple of days and then search and move to a basic apartment in the next week. I'll also make sure there are no distractions nearby my place - you know bars, clubs that sort of thing, and would look for gym and supermarket nearby.

I made some initial success following @SinisterLex threads on Upwork, which you can see in my intro thread. However, since I wasn't *all in*, it kind of showed. Not any more. Have to hustle from the bottom. I'll follow the breadcrumbs he'd left - though my area isn't in copywriting.

I've never done anything like this before. I'm someone who looks for safety net/Plan B in anything. It feels crazy, but I don't want a SCRIPTED life or mediocrity that I was before. I want to take control of my life. Reading those all-in threads in the forum made to take the plunge. Thanks everyone! I'll follow up.

*This will be dealt in a future thread/post.

 

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[masaldana2]

nice!

 

[eliquid]

Not trying to tell you what to do, but if I was you I'd gift the books and get the kindle versions on a digital reader.

BTW, I love paper books. I love the way they feel and making dog ears and putting in notes. I love holding a book in my hand and turning the pages. I'm just that type of person. However, when packing and traveling... my space is sacred and I will break down and put it in digital.

However, I am also the guy that tries to fit everything in 1 carry on too and leave everything else behind which I have done for several trips now.

.

 

[AgainstAllOdds]

Congrats!

I'm planning to spend some time in Vietnam. Where are you headed? HCMC? Hanoi?

 

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[Omni]

Agree with @eliquid, sell the books and get the kindle versions. All except for any quick reference ones like Cashvertising

@Tedd If you're in HCMC, you can use this as a guide. Hochlist.com by hochlist
D1, and D3 are center. If you live further out, you'll find some cheaper apts to extend your runway. There's like a billion english teachers here and demand is really high so that can be a backup if things doesn't work as quickly as you planned.

I wish you had more runway than a few months but you'll learn a lot no matter what happens. Burning the ships tends to do that to ya. Congrats

 

[Ika]

You are really couragous.
Others (including me) have read the thread, thought "this is great" but never did something about it.

So congratulations for going all in!

I don't know if it's the right decision (as I don't know your backstory), but it will definetly push you.
Start a progress thread and keep us updated!


Also, thank you for making me question my excuses to not the same

Ika

 

[458]

Its the only way, all in, good luck!

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Impressive, may I ask, why Vietnam? Climate? Cost of living? Have you been to other places in SE Asia?

 

[G-Man]

This is it. Something* snapped today and I decided to go "all in". I'm following @Fox model. Thanks for your inspiration!

Moving to Vietnam. I did a reconnaissance mission two weeks ago to the country and also met up with @creativt69 who was visiting looking for software outsourcing partners. Had a good talk! I've been there before as well, courtesy of my previous 9-5, covering that market. Read many digital nomads/entrepreneurs moved in there. So it made sense to relocate.

Saved up some money to cover the initial months' expenses. I'll check in at a budget hotel for a couple of days and then search and move to a basic apartment in the next week. I'll also make sure there are no distractions nearby my place - you know bars, clubs that sort of thing, and would look for gym and supermarket nearby.

I made some initial success following @SinisterLex threads on Upwork, which you can see in my intro thread. However, since I wasn't *all in*, it kind of showed. Not any more. Have to hustle from the bottom. I'll follow the breadcrumbs he'd left - though my area isn't in copywriting.

I've never done anything like this before. I'm someone who looks for safety net/Plan B in anything. It feels crazy, but I don't want a SCRIPTED life or mediocrity that I was before. I want to take control of my life. Reading those all-in threads in the forum made to take the plunge. Thanks everyone! I'll follow up.

*This will be dealt in a future thread/post.

@Tedd I've upended my life on 2 separate occasions to move overseas with no plan B. In one case, to a place I had never even been before until I got off the plane with all my shit, and not speaking a word of the language. I have regretted a lot of decisions in life, but neither of those.

Good luck. Looking forward to seeing the progress.

 

[Philip Marlowe]

@Tedd At the risk of sounding incredibly patronizing, just be clear that such a move won't necessarily fix any "problems" you have. I'm not saying you have any (seriously), but plenty of people have moved to the city/bought a puppy/had a baby/did-that-one-thing-that-if-they-only-did-it-everything-would-be better only to find their habits of procrastination or laziness or incompatibility remain.

If you've taken a hard look in the mirror and know this would be a huge step in the right direction than do it.

All that said, 11 years ago I packed everything I had in my Chevy S10 and made for a big city. It was the absolute best decision I had ever made and was a building block for my life today.

 

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[Loffinds]

Congrats !! I just fit my life in two bags, it's an incredibly freeing feeling having more or less everything on your back!

I'm in Bali at the moment but Vietnam is on my list. Will let you know if i head nearby ! Have fun!!

Sent from my ASUS_X008DC using Tapatalk

 

[JasonR]

You won't regret it. I left to travel to Thailand and Bali for three months and I haven't been back to the States since (besides to visit). Don't forget about your pretty large tax credit for being abroad.

I've been all over Vietnam and lived in Saigon for extended periods of time. You'll love it - it's like the wild east and the cost of living is incredibly low.

Ditch the bag for books and get a kindle. Thank me later.

@Tedd At the risk of sounding incredibly patronizing, just be clear that such a move won't necessarily fix any "problems" you have. I'm not saying you have any (seriously), but plenty of people have moved to the city/bought a puppy/had a baby/did-that-one-thing-that-if-they-only-did-it-everything-would-be better only to find their habits of procrastination or laziness or incompatibility remain.

I disagree. Completely changing your environment will more than likely change YOU: your thoughts, your opinions, your life. Moving and traveling abroad has been the most eye opening thing I could have ever done. I've met more amazing people, been to more places, and have infinitely more options that I've ever had before.

Living in another country is nothing like getting a puppy or having a baby (wtf).

It may not fix procrastination and laziness, or it just might.

 

[JWelch]

There's no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A.

I didn't have much opportunity in my teens and twenties to travel a lot. As soon as I did though it was a huge eye opener. There's something about seeing new places and interacting with different people and cultures that teaches you more about yourself than you ever realized.

Sounds like you're definitely on the right path to the UNSCRIPTED way of life.

 

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[mike24601]

Not trying to tell you what to do, but if I was you I'd gift the books and get the kindle versions on a digital reader.

BTW, I love paper books. I love the way they feel and making dog ears and putting in notes. I love holding a book in my hand and turning the pages. I'm just that type of person. However, when packing and traveling... my space is sacred and I will break down and put it in digital.

However, I am also the guy that tries to fit everything in 1 carry on too and leave everything else behind which I have done for several trips now.

.

This! Last spring after graduating college and getting a job that required me to relocate quickly, I decided that I would condense my life possessions into what amounted to one car load. I threw away/donated/sold everything I could, but could not part with my books. They took up a lot of space and were extremely heavy when boxed up, and over a year later they still sit in the boxes I packed. I now use Kindle for everything--not only are books generally cheaper in that format, I can pop open a book whenever I have downtime and still look like all the cool kids who check their Facebook every five minutes.

 

[townhaus]

Ditto - throw away the books.

All I take is 1 laptop bag - which I can fit everything I need. Take airplanes like you'd hop on a train.

You need:

• Passport / ID / bank cards
• Laptop
• Smartphone
• Notepad & pens
• Chargers
• Change of clothes
• Maybe some toiletries, comb, tweezers etc

Thats it! Everything else you can buy when you are there, if you actually need it.

P.S Ive never visited Vietnam, but try consider Thailand (Bangkok) if you havn't already booked flights.

I did something similar to you a couple of years ago without any planning & all worked out great.

I stayed in city centre hotel my 1st week, but a girl helped me find an apartment (same building she lives) & became my GF.

Thailand might suit you more, it's a bit more modern & developed, from what I can tell. Everything you can find here (shopping malls etc), so you wont miss things back home. I prefer cars vs motorcycles everywhere.

You could visit Vietnam after 2 months, (when you'd need to get a Visa to extend your stay).

 

[Eugen]

Good luck man! I'm going to do something similar and move to Athens for 6 months!

 

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[Ika]

Any updadtes @Tedd ?

How is life right now?