BananaBuds
New member
Oh btw, it sounds like I might have a possible way back next summer for a few months... mmm, I can already taste the binglung 
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The expat life... how?
- Thread starter BananaBuds
- Start date
ganjasun
New member
For the past 15+ years I have been living overseas. I am originally from America and have lived throughout Europe, Africa and Asia working as a photojournalist.
To put in my two cents on the America/China debate.
A few years ago I was living in Shanghai China – and enjoyed it to a certain point, but the restrictions, politics and current situations make it a horrible place and would not recommend to anyone to move there. Yes, the same applies to America, but at least we have freedom, lovely national parks, much more to do, good food, etc. However with the current political situation, uncontrolled racism and a sheltered life, I also will not be moving back to America anytime soon.
In my opinion the biggest problem in America is too many American’s have taken to the idea that as an American we must stand together and by our leader. But this is all do to the sheltered life most American’s are living in, only getting their news from Fox News.
I have never been to Taiwan and do not have much desire to go there as I have many friends that have lived there and rarely have anything good to say about it. Plus have been told the ganja situation there is difficult.
I currently live in Thailand, where I have been for the past few years. I enjoy it here to a certain point, but the political situation here is also messed up as well as the crazy rules and the on going stupidity that I run into on a daily basis. But at least it is cheap, has a lot to offer, beautiful girls and the ganja situation is usually good.
I lived in Holland for about a year and is my favorite place to live and if I had unlimited financial resources I would have never left. Unfortunately it is a very expensive place to live and hard to get a long term visa and resident permit.
Coming in a close second was Africa, which has much to offer, in general the people are very good, very easy to find quality stash and overall a very cheap place to live (outside of South Africa).
To put in my two cents on the America/China debate.
A few years ago I was living in Shanghai China – and enjoyed it to a certain point, but the restrictions, politics and current situations make it a horrible place and would not recommend to anyone to move there. Yes, the same applies to America, but at least we have freedom, lovely national parks, much more to do, good food, etc. However with the current political situation, uncontrolled racism and a sheltered life, I also will not be moving back to America anytime soon.
In my opinion the biggest problem in America is too many American’s have taken to the idea that as an American we must stand together and by our leader. But this is all do to the sheltered life most American’s are living in, only getting their news from Fox News.
I have never been to Taiwan and do not have much desire to go there as I have many friends that have lived there and rarely have anything good to say about it. Plus have been told the ganja situation there is difficult.
I currently live in Thailand, where I have been for the past few years. I enjoy it here to a certain point, but the political situation here is also messed up as well as the crazy rules and the on going stupidity that I run into on a daily basis. But at least it is cheap, has a lot to offer, beautiful girls and the ganja situation is usually good.
I lived in Holland for about a year and is my favorite place to live and if I had unlimited financial resources I would have never left. Unfortunately it is a very expensive place to live and hard to get a long term visa and resident permit.
Coming in a close second was Africa, which has much to offer, in general the people are very good, very easy to find quality stash and overall a very cheap place to live (outside of South Africa).
ganjasun
New member
Alex-F said:I've got a question, it's a simple one so don't laugh
What exactly does expat stand for?
It stands for Expatriate – a person living away from his/her home country.
As the dictonary states "To remove (oneself) from residence in one's native land"
Joe A. Grower
Active member
This is too interesting a thread to let it die . . .
There are a bunch of people here telling you how great the ex-pat lifestyle is. Obviously things worked out for them. Now come on down and sit on Uncle Joe's knee and I'll tell you a little about a would-be expatriate who fucked it up. ;-)
About two years ago I decided to quit my well-paying job in engineering to live in Brazil. I bought a bar with a Brazilian "friend" of mine I had known in the States for a couple of years, and after he had the bar up and running for about 6 months, I moved on down to a little town a few hours from Rio de Janeiro. Right from the beginning things started to slide downhill. My parter turned out to be Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde. In the US, he acts like an American, but once he steps foot on Brazilian soil, he turns into the worst novo riche Brazilian Asshole you've ever met -- arrogant, dishonest, know-it-all, and abusive to those below him in the social structure. The bar didn't make any money and my partner and I fought all the damn time.
So I had to move back to the US and take whatever job I could, which turned out to be teaching math at a disciplinary school. (worst job I ever had). I then wound up moving to California and growing weed commercially for a year, got busted, moved back to Florida, and am now working in the family business that I left behind in the first place when I went back to school to study engineering. While I was going through this transition, my parter sold the bar out from under me, pocketed the cash, and dissapeared. So basically, I've set my entire life back by about 10 years and lost $25,000.
I learned the following lessons in my attempt to run my own business and live that expat lifestyle:
1. You can't trust people from 3rd world countries. It is not that they are more dishonest than people from the US/Europe, they are just poorer and more desperate. I think the average Brazilian is as honest as the average American, but the problem is that you can't tell the con artists from the stand up guys. It isn't your culture, so it is awfully hard to pick up the social subtext of your situation. Basically, you should never trust anybody who has a potential to financially gain from your loss.
2. Local laws make running your own business a nightmare. The labor laws, permitting and zoning laws, and business regulations will be completely foreign to you. Figuring out the law is tough, complying is impossible, and getting caught breaking it can be financially disastrous.
3. Corruption in most 3rd world contries is virtually universal. Coming from a place like the US, where corrupt officials actually go to jail sometimes, this is a big adjustment. If you are running a business in the 3rd world, you will wind up forking over payola to various inspectors, low level beauracrats, and the police. Failure to do so will result in all manner of harrasment. Of course you make up for the loss by paying a good local accountant to help you cheat on your taxes. Forget trying to run a business on the "up and up." Your competition are certainly going to break every rule they can. If you try to be Mr. Clean, you're going to be at a big disadvantage.
4. Constantly dealing with a foreign culture and language makes one feel like a fish trying to swim upstream. Even a simple trip to the grocery store can be a pain in the ass, since you don't know any of the brands and the local equivalent to what you are used to buying may not even exist. Some may say this is "part of the adventure," and I would agree -- to an extent. After a while, though, it can start to wear you out. It is a huge learning curve. And don't think for a second that people are going to speak "a little English." Mostly, they don't speak any English, and even if they do, they probably won't speak it to you. At least in Brazil, many people who have studied English are embarrased by their poor spoken language skills and won't even volunteer that they know any at all.
I don't want to give you the idea that everything was horrible. It wasn't. My time away from the business was actually wonderful. Food and drink is cheap, the scenery is gorgeous, and every girl in town wants to sleep with the rich gringo who owns that cool new bar. I probably would still be living in Brazil if it wasn't for the financial situation.
So my advice is to be very, very careful if you decide to move to a 3rd world country and start your own business. It is a lot tougher than you think. Be careful, plan well, and mostly importantly, have a fallback plan in case everything goes south on you. Starting a business overseas is a huge gamble, and like any other kind of gambling, you should never bet more than you can afford to lose.
There are a bunch of people here telling you how great the ex-pat lifestyle is. Obviously things worked out for them. Now come on down and sit on Uncle Joe's knee and I'll tell you a little about a would-be expatriate who fucked it up. ;-)
About two years ago I decided to quit my well-paying job in engineering to live in Brazil. I bought a bar with a Brazilian "friend" of mine I had known in the States for a couple of years, and after he had the bar up and running for about 6 months, I moved on down to a little town a few hours from Rio de Janeiro. Right from the beginning things started to slide downhill. My parter turned out to be Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde. In the US, he acts like an American, but once he steps foot on Brazilian soil, he turns into the worst novo riche Brazilian Asshole you've ever met -- arrogant, dishonest, know-it-all, and abusive to those below him in the social structure. The bar didn't make any money and my partner and I fought all the damn time.
So I had to move back to the US and take whatever job I could, which turned out to be teaching math at a disciplinary school. (worst job I ever had). I then wound up moving to California and growing weed commercially for a year, got busted, moved back to Florida, and am now working in the family business that I left behind in the first place when I went back to school to study engineering. While I was going through this transition, my parter sold the bar out from under me, pocketed the cash, and dissapeared. So basically, I've set my entire life back by about 10 years and lost $25,000.
I learned the following lessons in my attempt to run my own business and live that expat lifestyle:
1. You can't trust people from 3rd world countries. It is not that they are more dishonest than people from the US/Europe, they are just poorer and more desperate. I think the average Brazilian is as honest as the average American, but the problem is that you can't tell the con artists from the stand up guys. It isn't your culture, so it is awfully hard to pick up the social subtext of your situation. Basically, you should never trust anybody who has a potential to financially gain from your loss.
2. Local laws make running your own business a nightmare. The labor laws, permitting and zoning laws, and business regulations will be completely foreign to you. Figuring out the law is tough, complying is impossible, and getting caught breaking it can be financially disastrous.
3. Corruption in most 3rd world contries is virtually universal. Coming from a place like the US, where corrupt officials actually go to jail sometimes, this is a big adjustment. If you are running a business in the 3rd world, you will wind up forking over payola to various inspectors, low level beauracrats, and the police. Failure to do so will result in all manner of harrasment. Of course you make up for the loss by paying a good local accountant to help you cheat on your taxes. Forget trying to run a business on the "up and up." Your competition are certainly going to break every rule they can. If you try to be Mr. Clean, you're going to be at a big disadvantage.
4. Constantly dealing with a foreign culture and language makes one feel like a fish trying to swim upstream. Even a simple trip to the grocery store can be a pain in the ass, since you don't know any of the brands and the local equivalent to what you are used to buying may not even exist. Some may say this is "part of the adventure," and I would agree -- to an extent. After a while, though, it can start to wear you out. It is a huge learning curve. And don't think for a second that people are going to speak "a little English." Mostly, they don't speak any English, and even if they do, they probably won't speak it to you. At least in Brazil, many people who have studied English are embarrased by their poor spoken language skills and won't even volunteer that they know any at all.
I don't want to give you the idea that everything was horrible. It wasn't. My time away from the business was actually wonderful. Food and drink is cheap, the scenery is gorgeous, and every girl in town wants to sleep with the rich gringo who owns that cool new bar. I probably would still be living in Brazil if it wasn't for the financial situation.
So my advice is to be very, very careful if you decide to move to a 3rd world country and start your own business. It is a lot tougher than you think. Be careful, plan well, and mostly importantly, have a fallback plan in case everything goes south on you. Starting a business overseas is a huge gamble, and like any other kind of gambling, you should never bet more than you can afford to lose.
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G
Guest
hiya JAG,
interesting to see your story
at the risk of seeming like a know-it-all, I'm afraid I would also see the story as a cautionary tale,
without passing judgement on your tale specifically, I would just like to reiterate my previous points about setting up shop in foreign lands:
1. spend several years there living and working before attemtping to relocate, and especially before setting up business
2. learn the language, which also means learn the rules
both of these are crucial, and until you have done both, don't make generalisations about the character of the people in the land you have moved to
I honestly think to expect to live somewhere long term without getting informed (and finding out whether you like the place and people) is naive, and IMHO, basically pretty arrogant
without language and an understanding of the local rules of the game you are in over your head and destined for a fall, now matter how happy smiley it all may seem
the problem with a lot of ex-pats is that they overlook the unwritten understandings that form an essential part of doing business in every country in the world
and all the while making judgements about the character of the people, instead of learning to adapt and play by a new set of rules
Namkha
interesting to see your story
at the risk of seeming like a know-it-all, I'm afraid I would also see the story as a cautionary tale,
without passing judgement on your tale specifically, I would just like to reiterate my previous points about setting up shop in foreign lands:
1. spend several years there living and working before attemtping to relocate, and especially before setting up business
2. learn the language, which also means learn the rules
both of these are crucial, and until you have done both, don't make generalisations about the character of the people in the land you have moved to
I honestly think to expect to live somewhere long term without getting informed (and finding out whether you like the place and people) is naive, and IMHO, basically pretty arrogant
without language and an understanding of the local rules of the game you are in over your head and destined for a fall, now matter how happy smiley it all may seem
the problem with a lot of ex-pats is that they overlook the unwritten understandings that form an essential part of doing business in every country in the world
and all the while making judgements about the character of the people, instead of learning to adapt and play by a new set of rules
Namkha
naga_sadu
Active member
Namkha is 100% right, but I'd like to add some details of my own:
1. Run an agency first- and get at least 5 yrs. exp. before investing your $$$ to setup shop involving fixed costs. In a biz (such as an agency) which only involves variable costs, the chances of incurring a loss is 0.
2. Acquire some manual (technical) skills, it will help you alot in the "third world." Now, configuring routers or knowing the dynamics of a IBM mainframe isin't a skill which you can apply in the "third world" because it's only done in the citys and that there are ppls who can do that job better and cheaper than you can. You'll need a skill which has mass applications. In India, you'd do well to know motorcycle engine repair. In New Zealand if u know hand tanning you should be a-ok.
3. Acquire skills which are COMPLEMENTARY and don't super specialise. Make sure the skills you acquire go hand in hand while at the same time making sure that your skill doesn't become so specific that it has little mass applications. For example, there's very little point of specialising in say, Porsche engine valve repair than say, a carborateur tuneup mechanic. As in, a "jack of all trades" option is more beneficial than a super special skill. In the "third world" people who can afford super special skills prefer to import them or get them from large businesses which have been operating for 50+ years.
4. The profitability will look good. The paper will also. But more than US, many "third world" countries have a cash flow problem, even with excellent purchase orders and prospects. The biz looks flourishing. Everyone's working hard. But the money just isin't enough to run the show. This is because of credit. Unlike the US, biz fraud is not taken too seriously in the "third world." Many foreigners fall sucker to sweet talk and fall here. The best antidote is to never offer any credit to anyone no matter what sob/ sentimental story or promise of Shangri-La they give! NEVER accept post dated cheques because the chances are 95% it will bounce. Do biz only on cash, LC (letter of credit) or Demand Draft. For small orders do it on hard cash. Stick to the principle "cash and carry" even if your biz prospects don't look good. See how things go for 6 months. If you're still not able to grow, change your business. This is why, agencies tend to be better than physical premises...
5. International trading has become something an avg. person w/ an internet access can do. Go buy artifacts or local items and sell it off the world wide web. U can easily get a merchant acct. setup with as less as $45. But you will do well to learn SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) yourself so that you don't have to depend on others to do the job.
6. Smoke weed!!! And don't fall prey to man's inherent weaknesses: 1. wine, 2. wealth and 3. women. Don't indulge too much in either. I dunno why but people who have done too much of either haven't fared too well.
I too coulda been classified as an "expat" considering I practically had no idea on how business works in India and the fact that I've been in the States for 6+ years. I'm back in India and I'm proud to say I don't partake in any of that brain drain bullshit businesses like finding good engineers and giving them US/ EU visas. Instead, I'm doing trade. It has served me very well. Also, I am not based in India's citys- I'm in a town, that too in a Communist state (Kerala)...and I can say I've been doing a-ok. Maybe I can't afford a Rolls Royce Phantom and have 12 mistresses 24-7 but still- life's comfortable, no shortage of anything I like, can run a household, plus I can sleep in peace every night...
I kno in the past it was a bit tricky unless you had some manual skills. But the Internet has changed all that.
I can understand your frustration when you say that "don't trust third worlders." Actually, that's why here, people before doing business deeply look into many things such as the person's family background (does he come from a respectable family- respectable doesn't mean rich, just some good rep), how his conduct is (divorcees take a heavy beating here), his past dealings etc etc. This process takes 3-6 months!!!!!! In the West, this would be considered as retarded but here it's a part of your business process.
The dynamics of doing biz is diff. from country to country, society to society. In addition to taking from Namkha's post and my 6 suggestions, I also highly rec. you check out how the ENTIRE business process (right from meeting a potential buyer [or supplier] to money collections, payments etc) goes in the country you want to "move in" to at least 6-7 times before deciding to enter yourself. Some practices may look ridiculous or awkward to you, but the chances are, for that particular biz environment, it's a necessity.
1. Run an agency first- and get at least 5 yrs. exp. before investing your $$$ to setup shop involving fixed costs. In a biz (such as an agency) which only involves variable costs, the chances of incurring a loss is 0.
2. Acquire some manual (technical) skills, it will help you alot in the "third world." Now, configuring routers or knowing the dynamics of a IBM mainframe isin't a skill which you can apply in the "third world" because it's only done in the citys and that there are ppls who can do that job better and cheaper than you can. You'll need a skill which has mass applications. In India, you'd do well to know motorcycle engine repair. In New Zealand if u know hand tanning you should be a-ok.
3. Acquire skills which are COMPLEMENTARY and don't super specialise. Make sure the skills you acquire go hand in hand while at the same time making sure that your skill doesn't become so specific that it has little mass applications. For example, there's very little point of specialising in say, Porsche engine valve repair than say, a carborateur tuneup mechanic. As in, a "jack of all trades" option is more beneficial than a super special skill. In the "third world" people who can afford super special skills prefer to import them or get them from large businesses which have been operating for 50+ years.
4. The profitability will look good. The paper will also. But more than US, many "third world" countries have a cash flow problem, even with excellent purchase orders and prospects. The biz looks flourishing. Everyone's working hard. But the money just isin't enough to run the show. This is because of credit. Unlike the US, biz fraud is not taken too seriously in the "third world." Many foreigners fall sucker to sweet talk and fall here. The best antidote is to never offer any credit to anyone no matter what sob/ sentimental story or promise of Shangri-La they give! NEVER accept post dated cheques because the chances are 95% it will bounce. Do biz only on cash, LC (letter of credit) or Demand Draft. For small orders do it on hard cash. Stick to the principle "cash and carry" even if your biz prospects don't look good. See how things go for 6 months. If you're still not able to grow, change your business. This is why, agencies tend to be better than physical premises...
5. International trading has become something an avg. person w/ an internet access can do. Go buy artifacts or local items and sell it off the world wide web. U can easily get a merchant acct. setup with as less as $45. But you will do well to learn SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) yourself so that you don't have to depend on others to do the job.
6. Smoke weed!!! And don't fall prey to man's inherent weaknesses: 1. wine, 2. wealth and 3. women. Don't indulge too much in either. I dunno why but people who have done too much of either haven't fared too well.
I too coulda been classified as an "expat" considering I practically had no idea on how business works in India and the fact that I've been in the States for 6+ years. I'm back in India and I'm proud to say I don't partake in any of that brain drain bullshit businesses like finding good engineers and giving them US/ EU visas. Instead, I'm doing trade. It has served me very well. Also, I am not based in India's citys- I'm in a town, that too in a Communist state (Kerala)...and I can say I've been doing a-ok. Maybe I can't afford a Rolls Royce Phantom and have 12 mistresses 24-7 but still- life's comfortable, no shortage of anything I like, can run a household, plus I can sleep in peace every night...
I kno in the past it was a bit tricky unless you had some manual skills. But the Internet has changed all that.
I can understand your frustration when you say that "don't trust third worlders." Actually, that's why here, people before doing business deeply look into many things such as the person's family background (does he come from a respectable family- respectable doesn't mean rich, just some good rep), how his conduct is (divorcees take a heavy beating here), his past dealings etc etc. This process takes 3-6 months!!!!!! In the West, this would be considered as retarded but here it's a part of your business process.
The dynamics of doing biz is diff. from country to country, society to society. In addition to taking from Namkha's post and my 6 suggestions, I also highly rec. you check out how the ENTIRE business process (right from meeting a potential buyer [or supplier] to money collections, payments etc) goes in the country you want to "move in" to at least 6-7 times before deciding to enter yourself. Some practices may look ridiculous or awkward to you, but the chances are, for that particular biz environment, it's a necessity.
Beware of Buffalosoldja or whatever his name is. he'll gave ya neg rep just cause a member of your family may live in a Country he disapproves of. Logical eh? My sis lives somewhere and I get crap for it.
Logical eh? My sis lives somewhere and I get crap for it.
G
Guest
hiya KG,
are you sure that was what it was for?
I only say that because, while I respect your right to your opinion, I also thought your response to people's objections to China was quite irritating
you were very dismissive of the issues I and others raised, and the events we mentioned, and didn't appear to articulate any sounds reasons for why you were taking the stance you did
I'm not particularly into giving reps, but I would expect that was the reason why you got them
Namkha
are you sure that was what it was for?
I only say that because, while I respect your right to your opinion, I also thought your response to people's objections to China was quite irritating
you were very dismissive of the issues I and others raised, and the events we mentioned, and didn't appear to articulate any sounds reasons for why you were taking the stance you did
I'm not particularly into giving reps, but I would expect that was the reason why you got them
Namkha
Dismissive?Irratating? How so?? Because I have a slightly different point of view?For heaven's sake! I love Canada. I have no desire to ever leave it. but, if my sis is somewhere SHE chooses to be and is happy, healthy and safe I have no choice but to support her. She's a grown woman, she knows the score with China. Am I supposed to start telling her how to live her life?
He made it clear why he gave me the rep. it was cause he disapproves of China, which is fine.... but I AM NOT THERE! I HAVE NO DESIRE TO MOVE. ANYWHERE. I don't care about the points but for heavens sake, don't give me neg rep for a decision my sister made!
K, Before anyone mistrues me.......all I meant by participating in this thread is that:
1) We all know and agree that china does and has done horrible things. I myself, after living in Canada and loving it, could not be happy in a country like China.
2) however, having said that.......If you choose to live there, it is possible to have a somewhat peaceful life. When my sis first went, I was sure she would have difficulty. I mean, she hadn't been out of NA. She is a VERY independant, strong willed, outspoken person. She is covered in tattoos. The kind of person you would think would draw much and attention and possible trouble in a place like China. However, she has not and has adjusted better thatn what I thought.
3) Bottom line..........It's not my cup of tea, but for those like my Sis who wish to experience a totally different culture, it is possible to have a somewhat "normal" life there. I meant no harm, just that my sis has not had any problems. That's it
He made it clear why he gave me the rep. it was cause he disapproves of China, which is fine.... but I AM NOT THERE! I HAVE NO DESIRE TO MOVE. ANYWHERE. I don't care about the points but for heavens sake, don't give me neg rep for a decision my sister made!
K, Before anyone mistrues me.......all I meant by participating in this thread is that:
1) We all know and agree that china does and has done horrible things. I myself, after living in Canada and loving it, could not be happy in a country like China.
2) however, having said that.......If you choose to live there, it is possible to have a somewhat peaceful life. When my sis first went, I was sure she would have difficulty. I mean, she hadn't been out of NA. She is a VERY independant, strong willed, outspoken person. She is covered in tattoos. The kind of person you would think would draw much and attention and possible trouble in a place like China. However, she has not and has adjusted better thatn what I thought.
3) Bottom line..........It's not my cup of tea, but for those like my Sis who wish to experience a totally different culture, it is possible to have a somewhat "normal" life there. I meant no harm, just that my sis has not had any problems. That's it
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G
Guest
You're welcome to your stance - likewise I reserve the right to think that it is rather obnoxious, and to say as much.
I'm at a loss to understand this leap of logic; I paraphrase from your posts above:
"Although horrible and unacceptable abuses etc. have been and continue to be carried out by the PRC on its citizens,
my sister has lived under the PRC regime and has had an easy time of i
and therefore despite its monstrous acts and repressive system, the PRC is not such a bad place really
after all it didn't do anything bad to my sister"
Did I misread you? It seems very clear to me rereading your posts e.g. #22 following on from a fairly extensive list I made of genocide, false imprisonment, torture, cover ups of AIDS epidemics, suppresions of rural uprising, organ harvesting of Falun Gong and Yi Guan Dao members etc.
Your latter sentence is pure NIMBYism - i.e. "it's alright as long as it's not in my backyard" - and is not remotely true either, above all for the Chinese population.
Namkha
I'm at a loss to understand this leap of logic; I paraphrase from your posts above:
"Although horrible and unacceptable abuses etc. have been and continue to be carried out by the PRC on its citizens,
my sister has lived under the PRC regime and has had an easy time of i
and therefore despite its monstrous acts and repressive system, the PRC is not such a bad place really
after all it didn't do anything bad to my sister"
Did I misread you? It seems very clear to me rereading your posts e.g. #22 following on from a fairly extensive list I made of genocide, false imprisonment, torture, cover ups of AIDS epidemics, suppresions of rural uprising, organ harvesting of Falun Gong and Yi Guan Dao members etc.
KharmaGirl said:
Your latter sentence is pure NIMBYism - i.e. "it's alright as long as it's not in my backyard" - and is not remotely true either, above all for the Chinese population.
Namkha
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Again......... What stance? I don't have one. ! I just wanted to pass along that my sis lives there and hasn't had any problems. That's all! It is that simple! YOU are twisting my words. WTF?! Do you want me to lie and say things that aren't true?Do you want me to say she has had problems? ALL I SAID IS THAT MY SISTER LIVES THERE AND HASN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS! How can you have possibly twisted that, I don't know. Yes, now i am irratated. Did you miss the part where I said I DON"T agree with China and I COULDN"T live there? I NEVER SAID ANYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT, I NEVER SAID ANYTHING POLITICAL CAUSE i AM NOT SMART ENOUGH TO TALK POLITICS!
For the last time........ my sister is in China. not me. Don't get mad at me for a decision she made. What do you want me to say? Seriously? I tried saying numerous times I didn't agree with her decision and I couldn't do it but that part keeps getting overlooked for some reason.
I do apologize for sounding upset, but I am frustrated. my personal opinions kept getting ignored and I really did feel like I was getting s*** on for something I didn't do.
For the last time........ my sister is in China. not me. Don't get mad at me for a decision she made. What do you want me to say? Seriously? I tried saying numerous times I didn't agree with her decision and I couldn't do it but that part keeps getting overlooked for some reason.
I do apologize for sounding upset, but I am frustrated. my personal opinions kept getting ignored and I really did feel like I was getting s*** on for something I didn't do.
Joe A. Grower
Active member
Hmmm, maybe this thread really IS boring enough to let it die. My bad.
naga_sadu
Active member
Speaking of China, here's my 2 Rupees...
I had no problems finding hasheesh in any of China's cities. I always found myself buying a platter of lamb kabbab (4-8 pieces) along with a 1-2 g ball o' hash thru the Uzigurs. They never seemed to be dry, which is a good thing. But almost every single Uzigur has warned me "you're cool but don't bring in a Chinese. If you do, you can forget about supplies not only with me but with everyone I know" kinda lines. I dunno much 'bouts China's internal dynamics but I figured it wasn't pretty bet the Uzigurs and Chinese.
Every time I was w/ a Chinese, the coppos would always eye at me heavily. Whenever I was alone, nobody seemed to give a rat's ass. Kinda reminded me of this whole "leave us alone and we'll leave you alone" mindset. I dunno, that's the vibe I got.
I knew a local friend thru who I met dudes growing buds in Shanghai. No problem + he said that it was safer than growing in LA or NYC. But coming back to the Uzigur thing, they were shell shocked to see that I scored thru them. Apparently, no CHinese (at least my friend and his local circle) have managed to score thru an Uzigur. But the Uzigurs were mighty cool w/ me, no probs whatsoever, so I figured that the Chinese govts. musta done some really horrible fucked up shit to them.
Shanghai is expensive as fuck. My friend's dad just got him a flat- 1 bedroom, hall, bathroom. Nothing fancy except the rates were something like what you'd see along the Los Angeles coastline. My friend's living with a girlfriend, they both work. But still, past the 10th of each month, they'd be scrambling for cash, implying that the city's a damn expensive place. My friend's dad still "subsidises" him but even despite of that, it's a tight budget.
They have multiplex shopping centres but mostly the young ones just go there for window shopping + spending some time under an A/C. Lotsa facilities in Shanghai but only a select few could fully enjoy it. Of course, the roads and other infra were world class. A shocker to someone who'd have visited in the early 80s.
I had no problems finding hasheesh in any of China's cities. I always found myself buying a platter of lamb kabbab (4-8 pieces) along with a 1-2 g ball o' hash thru the Uzigurs. They never seemed to be dry, which is a good thing. But almost every single Uzigur has warned me "you're cool but don't bring in a Chinese. If you do, you can forget about supplies not only with me but with everyone I know" kinda lines. I dunno much 'bouts China's internal dynamics but I figured it wasn't pretty bet the Uzigurs and Chinese.
Every time I was w/ a Chinese, the coppos would always eye at me heavily. Whenever I was alone, nobody seemed to give a rat's ass. Kinda reminded me of this whole "leave us alone and we'll leave you alone" mindset. I dunno, that's the vibe I got.
I knew a local friend thru who I met dudes growing buds in Shanghai. No problem + he said that it was safer than growing in LA or NYC. But coming back to the Uzigur thing, they were shell shocked to see that I scored thru them. Apparently, no CHinese (at least my friend and his local circle) have managed to score thru an Uzigur. But the Uzigurs were mighty cool w/ me, no probs whatsoever, so I figured that the Chinese govts. musta done some really horrible fucked up shit to them.
Shanghai is expensive as fuck. My friend's dad just got him a flat- 1 bedroom, hall, bathroom. Nothing fancy except the rates were something like what you'd see along the Los Angeles coastline. My friend's living with a girlfriend, they both work. But still, past the 10th of each month, they'd be scrambling for cash, implying that the city's a damn expensive place. My friend's dad still "subsidises" him but even despite of that, it's a tight budget.
They have multiplex shopping centres but mostly the young ones just go there for window shopping + spending some time under an A/C. Lotsa facilities in Shanghai but only a select few could fully enjoy it. Of course, the roads and other infra were world class. A shocker to someone who'd have visited in the early 80s.
I've spent a good amount of time in China. You'd be surprised to know that there are a lot of Black dealers...lol. Nigerians and Ghanaians buy from the Uighurs and then resell to white boys. Bringing a Han Chinese guy to a Uighur is like taking a white boy to a weed spot in Harlem. (I've spent a lot of time in NYC and believe me, most black or Hispanic dealers will freak out at the sight of a white boy they don't already know). First thought is gonna be "FUCK, POLICE!" That Uighur hash is variable, but yes, it's easy to get. There's weed up there too, but it makes Mexican schwag look like organic, aeroponically grown OG Kush...
For real though, if you're foreign, life in China can be fucking good. You can also get robbed. Being a big guy and speaking one of the Chinese languages, I get by very easily. They love hearing me speak Chinese.
For real though, if you're foreign, life in China can be fucking good. You can also get robbed. Being a big guy and speaking one of the Chinese languages, I get by very easily. They love hearing me speak Chinese.
naga_sadu
Active member
Is it very difficult to buy direct from an Uzigur? I didn't have any issues...? I've bought from Ghanians too but the prob is the goods were ALWAYS pinched out of. If I wanted 2 gs I'd only get 1.3- 1.4 gs. And you can't argue w/ them either.
I don't mind paying 10-20% higher, but it pisses the eight shades of shit outta me when quantity is compromised...
As far as weed goes (the commercially available ones) you're so right!
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M
Mr. Nevermind
I thought this thread was about how people live the expat life? Not a rip on Kharmagirl ( for no reason) or if you can buy weed from some tribe. 
Lets get back to people that are expats and how they went about making the decision or the $$ it takes to do so , which is the point of the thread. No disrespect nagu and namkha, but you can do a thread on buying herb in china and what tribe to buy from. But people clicking on this thread are interested in how to be an expat . Not where to buy weed in china.
Can we get back on topic?
Nevermind
Lets get back to people that are expats and how they went about making the decision or the $$ it takes to do so , which is the point of the thread. No disrespect nagu and namkha, but you can do a thread on buying herb in china and what tribe to buy from. But people clicking on this thread are interested in how to be an expat . Not where to buy weed in china.
Can we get back on topic?
Nevermind
naga_sadu
Active member
Point well taken Mr. Nevermind 
Here's a blunder I made when I just returned to India after I got back from 6 yrs of USA living. Hope this saves the others...I've seen many expats suffer the same shit too.
When I first landed, a similar "friend" of mine offered me a fully equipped and staffed footwear factory for sale. The factory had govt certified (w/ sales tax, central excise tax regist. etc) purchase orders. The labourers were full also. I checked the official records, it all checked. This "friend" even showed me a 4 yr. balance sheet signed by a charter accountant. The final price in USD was $25,000.
The deal was smooth. The purchase orders were there. So was a fully equipped factory. All I had to do was sign a few papers and well- I'd have a running factory! Apparently the guy who sold it wanted to join his son in the States very badly due to ailing health. I checked that out too and it looked very credible. My "friend"'s job was to manage labour and client (often larger factories who'd subcontract) relations (since he was more "local"). Mine was to oversee accounts and maintain stocks.
The factory ran straight for the first 3 months. In US$ I made about 3000 per month. I was shipping out maybe 1500-3000 pieces (pairs) of footwear per month to a very reputable large scaler. That's about 1,50,000 Rupees a month, fuck I thought I was loaded. Spent extravagently, indulged in all sortsa VIP like parties etc. It was great.
Except after the first 3. mo., my "friend" started showing up less and less in the factory itself. Well, he told me that he was working on a deal w/ the same large scaler client to get production up from 1,500-3,000 pairs per month to 4,000-5,000 pairs per month. It seemed credible, as I got a purchase order of 5,300 pairs per month for the next 6 months flat. I ordered the raw materials on the usual 30 days payment basis and we began production. The entire step went flawlessly and I delivered my goods. We got paid once every 2 months, so I didn't give it much thought considering the first 6 months went smooth. Just a month before collection time, my "friend" told me he needed to go on leave + I agreed, not smelling anything fishy.
When the payment collection time came, shit broke loose. Apparently I was told that the general manager who issues the cheques is out of station on emergency. This went on for 2 extra weeks. Then I waited again and visited the client's site. There, I was told by a company PA that there is a serious buyer inspection going on and that I should come back in 10 more days. It started sounding fishy but I still didn't make anything too serious out of it.
Things really got REAL fishy when I called up my client's site after abt. a week only to know that the PA I was dealing with already left. I bit my teeth for 30 days more, visting often in vain. After the full 30 days waiting, I could finally catch the General Manager. He asked me for my PO copy and I handed him the same. Then he started going over some shit on his comp + told me that there's no purchase order of that number on his registry! Can you imagine this..?! I told him to look again + all that shit, but to no avail. He simply said "that purchase order doesn't exist." And that's that. Here's how the talk went:
GM: This is a fake purchase order.
ME: But it has your company seal and your signature.
GM: The signature not mine. Some of the staff might have duplicated it.
ME: Shit but I was supplying 5,300 pairs for 6 months as per contract...
GM: I wasn't there a month after I issued your purchase order. I was gone for a marketing trip.
ME: This is fraud on your company's side, I'm not responsible for any of this...
GM: I am very sorry, but I will take the matter with the managing director.
ME: Where, can I talk to him? I need to see him now.
GM: No sorry. You can't.
ME: Why not?
GM: Because he's gone to America for a marketing trip.
ME: Shit, really?! When'll he return?
GM: I can't tell you, I'm sorry. Strict instructions.
ME: But this is an emergency
GM: Sorry. I'll bring it to his attention at the earliest. I'll call you when I get a response from him.
The call never came. Plus if you go to the site after that, they'll inform security not to let you in. If you fight your way in, it automatically becomes your fault because you were doing forceful entry on a private premise. As in, he has more backsheesh $$$ than you possibly ever will. If you move the case to court, it's classified as a "civil" dispute and not a "criminal" one. The time involved will only cost u more money and the chances of you recovering something is like 0%. You can imagine the nightmare. I only stocked up running capital for 3 months. After that, the raw materials suppliers, the labourers, the officials...fuck, it was a living hell! And to imagine I got cash advance against PO 3 times the whole period on interest! When the PO got cancelled/ invalidated the entire burden of that fell on me as well also, it was shit horrible!
I had to wrap the factory up and shortly after, I got to know that my "friend" and the client's PA and the large client's GM secured a private PO. The GM secured the order using his position w/ buyers, my "friend"'s job was just to make sure to win my trust to produce that output and that factory PA's job was to buy time for the whole process...As in these guys made BANK. Do the math. 5,300 pairs for 6 months = 31,800 pairs. At $20 per pair in profit they made $636,000. That's big bank out here. And the previous owner of my factory also got a cut and all three of them coupled their resources and bought off a building in the city to rent out. Their running cost was 0 because all the burden of debt was junked on me.
NEVER EVER go in for ANY biz where ur role involves subcontracting to another client. Usually a few frauds in multiple locations (inc your clients side) are always trying to sucker someone in and get a very large cut. Basically, they're looking to retire luxuriously in your expense. Subcontracting is dangerous biz. It looks the most lucrative avoid it like poison, whether you're in Delhi or Rio De Janiero.
Hope this experience helps others in falling into a similar trap...
Here's a blunder I made when I just returned to India after I got back from 6 yrs of USA living. Hope this saves the others...I've seen many expats suffer the same shit too.
When I first landed, a similar "friend" of mine offered me a fully equipped and staffed footwear factory for sale. The factory had govt certified (w/ sales tax, central excise tax regist. etc) purchase orders. The labourers were full also. I checked the official records, it all checked. This "friend" even showed me a 4 yr. balance sheet signed by a charter accountant. The final price in USD was $25,000.
The deal was smooth. The purchase orders were there. So was a fully equipped factory. All I had to do was sign a few papers and well- I'd have a running factory! Apparently the guy who sold it wanted to join his son in the States very badly due to ailing health. I checked that out too and it looked very credible. My "friend"'s job was to manage labour and client (often larger factories who'd subcontract) relations (since he was more "local"). Mine was to oversee accounts and maintain stocks.
The factory ran straight for the first 3 months. In US$ I made about 3000 per month. I was shipping out maybe 1500-3000 pieces (pairs) of footwear per month to a very reputable large scaler. That's about 1,50,000 Rupees a month, fuck I thought I was loaded. Spent extravagently, indulged in all sortsa VIP like parties etc. It was great.
Except after the first 3. mo., my "friend" started showing up less and less in the factory itself. Well, he told me that he was working on a deal w/ the same large scaler client to get production up from 1,500-3,000 pairs per month to 4,000-5,000 pairs per month. It seemed credible, as I got a purchase order of 5,300 pairs per month for the next 6 months flat. I ordered the raw materials on the usual 30 days payment basis and we began production. The entire step went flawlessly and I delivered my goods. We got paid once every 2 months, so I didn't give it much thought considering the first 6 months went smooth. Just a month before collection time, my "friend" told me he needed to go on leave + I agreed, not smelling anything fishy.
When the payment collection time came, shit broke loose. Apparently I was told that the general manager who issues the cheques is out of station on emergency. This went on for 2 extra weeks. Then I waited again and visited the client's site. There, I was told by a company PA that there is a serious buyer inspection going on and that I should come back in 10 more days. It started sounding fishy but I still didn't make anything too serious out of it.
Things really got REAL fishy when I called up my client's site after abt. a week only to know that the PA I was dealing with already left. I bit my teeth for 30 days more, visting often in vain. After the full 30 days waiting, I could finally catch the General Manager. He asked me for my PO copy and I handed him the same. Then he started going over some shit on his comp + told me that there's no purchase order of that number on his registry! Can you imagine this..?! I told him to look again + all that shit, but to no avail. He simply said "that purchase order doesn't exist." And that's that. Here's how the talk went:
GM: This is a fake purchase order.
ME: But it has your company seal and your signature.
GM: The signature not mine. Some of the staff might have duplicated it.
ME: Shit but I was supplying 5,300 pairs for 6 months as per contract...
GM: I wasn't there a month after I issued your purchase order. I was gone for a marketing trip.
ME: This is fraud on your company's side, I'm not responsible for any of this...
GM: I am very sorry, but I will take the matter with the managing director.
ME: Where, can I talk to him? I need to see him now.
GM: No sorry. You can't.
ME: Why not?
GM: Because he's gone to America for a marketing trip.
ME: Shit, really?! When'll he return?
GM: I can't tell you, I'm sorry. Strict instructions.
ME: But this is an emergency
GM: Sorry. I'll bring it to his attention at the earliest. I'll call you when I get a response from him.
The call never came. Plus if you go to the site after that, they'll inform security not to let you in. If you fight your way in, it automatically becomes your fault because you were doing forceful entry on a private premise. As in, he has more backsheesh $$$ than you possibly ever will. If you move the case to court, it's classified as a "civil" dispute and not a "criminal" one. The time involved will only cost u more money and the chances of you recovering something is like 0%. You can imagine the nightmare. I only stocked up running capital for 3 months. After that, the raw materials suppliers, the labourers, the officials...fuck, it was a living hell! And to imagine I got cash advance against PO 3 times the whole period on interest! When the PO got cancelled/ invalidated the entire burden of that fell on me as well also, it was shit horrible!
I had to wrap the factory up and shortly after, I got to know that my "friend" and the client's PA and the large client's GM secured a private PO. The GM secured the order using his position w/ buyers, my "friend"'s job was just to make sure to win my trust to produce that output and that factory PA's job was to buy time for the whole process...As in these guys made BANK. Do the math. 5,300 pairs for 6 months = 31,800 pairs. At $20 per pair in profit they made $636,000. That's big bank out here. And the previous owner of my factory also got a cut and all three of them coupled their resources and bought off a building in the city to rent out. Their running cost was 0 because all the burden of debt was junked on me.
NEVER EVER go in for ANY biz where ur role involves subcontracting to another client. Usually a few frauds in multiple locations (inc your clients side) are always trying to sucker someone in and get a very large cut. Basically, they're looking to retire luxuriously in your expense. Subcontracting is dangerous biz. It looks the most lucrative avoid it like poison, whether you're in Delhi or Rio De Janiero.
Hope this experience helps others in falling into a similar trap...
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G
Guest
Hi Kharmagirl, apologies, it really did look to me like you were making light of the issue - my intention was to highlight that, not to get you upset
Yeh Naga Sadu - the PRC government has shat on the Uighur Muslims in a major way, and the "War on Terror" has given them an excuse to be more than usually heavy-handed. It does not surprise me to hear that there is no love lost.
Pretty useful info I thought re. shopping - Mr. Nevermind are you sure you weren't suffering from an excess of editorial zeal there?
Happy smiley,
Namkha
Yeh Naga Sadu - the PRC government has shat on the Uighur Muslims in a major way, and the "War on Terror" has given them an excuse to be more than usually heavy-handed. It does not surprise me to hear that there is no love lost.
Pretty useful info I thought re. shopping - Mr. Nevermind are you sure you weren't suffering from an excess of editorial zeal there?
Happy smiley,
Namkha
