I remember as a kid how I badly want to go to the United States when I grow up.
At a young age, I was sold to this American dream of earning dollars and staying to the land of milk and honey.
In the Philippines, almost everyone has this family member who works abroad. Since we have poor currency and low employment rate, people would rather go to other countries to earn more.
One of the reasons I considered taking up nursing is it pays well, and because there are so many opportunities to work overseas.
But when I am about to leave, I felt I wasn't ready to work abroad. At that time, I never rode a plane and I am fine with my little World back in the province.
Seeing the posts of Overseas Filipino Workers moaning about how lonely it is, and how they just work all the time.
I felt scared.
So I ditch the offer of Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.
I was lost, and I don't know what to do.
So I tried several kinds of stuff on the internet. Earn a few dollars and got addicted to it.
Until I started traveling. Seeing the World and meeting people.
It was so different from working abroad because it's mostly for vacation. The feeling is so amazing being able to do what you want. So liberating and free!
After several months, I got burned out from moving so fast. So I plan to just stay in the Philippines.
And later on, I felt that I am no longer the same person as when I left for the first time. The old kind of life doesn't speak to me anymore.
I want to socialize, but there aren't like-minded individual in the vicinity. One more thing... the internet sucks!
They said that when you are bitten by a travel bug, the virus stays forever. In my case, it did.
So I searched online for a good place to stay for a few months. Somewhere that is close to nature, where the people are in line with what I do, and where I can step up my personal development.
Why I chose Chiang Mai Thailand?
1. It is close to nature
Chiang Mai is in the North Part of Thailand, so it is not as touristy as Bangkok or Phuket. The mountains are so near, I can do a 10-minute walk and I will be at the starting point of the Trek.
Falls are also close you could walk and hike, and you will get there, you can soak in the fresh cold water.
There's a beautiful garden nearby the lake where you could just relax and forget about the World.
And let me brag about my window view.
I get to wake up to this everyday.
At night, they turn the lights on, and it's just so nice to stay at the park and listen to the crickets.
2. Thai Food is one of the best cuisines in the World
Oh my goodness! I will fly to Thailand just for the food.
It is the street food capital of the World, and I have to agree with that. They have all kinds of food from noodles, to sushi, rice, smoothies, tea, and anything that you could think of.
An hour is not enough if you want to walk to all the food places.
The best thing is, it is cheap!
3. Meetups are regular
One of the main reason I went here is the community.
I've read it in books and have seen several videos about the 'nomad community' in the area. And after I visited 4 months ago, and it never left my mind.
So I went back to finally immerse myself, and I could say this is the best place to start a business or just be with people who have dreams of starting one in the future.
There is a meetup for almost anything. Wednesday is girl meet up, you can read my experience here.
Friday is for "Nomad Coffee Club". Weekly, there is a speaker that is invited to talk about a certain topic. It could be about podcasting, blogging, negotiation, freelancing, mindset or just about anything that can help you start or succeed in your business.
Every first Friday of the week is meant for networking. Instead of one speaker, being in front, the room will be surrounded by chairs and everyone gets a chance to speak about what they do, and what help they would need. Others will then chime in and give ideas.
There is also a cryptocurrency and bitcoin meetup that usually meets every Thursday.
Steemit meetup is every Wednesday bi-weekly. The group I met there is the reason I started on this platform. You can read my introduction where I write about the details.
And there are non-regular meetups that will just be announced here and there.
They aren't all about business, there are hiking meetups, yoga classes, meditations, Muay Thai, Jujitsu and other volunteering activities.
4. You will be influenced to live a healthy life
There are so many vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the area. In the Philippines, if you want to eat healthily, you have to prepare your own food. In Chiang Mai, you can go to any restaurant and most probably they have a healthy food menu.
You also get to meet people who take care of their fitness, in somewhat way, you get to be affected and will limit the food that is bad for your body.
Wellness centers are all over the place. You can try different kinds of exercises, and activities like Zumba, Tai-chi, Hip-hop classes, Yoga, Boxing and all sorts of stuff.
5. The standard of living is so high, yet it is so cheap
Coming from an ASEAN Country like the Philippines, I am used to low-cost kind of living. Rent is affordable, food is not that expensive and all things I need are economical.
Going to Thailand, I can't prevent to compare the prices. I can say that they are almost closed.
What makes them different is the value that you get for what you pay. For a condominium rent here with a great view, a pool and a gym... it would cost 8,500 baht (13,000 pesos). It includes all the interior furniture and appliances you would need: a bed, refrigerator, microwave, table and chairs, couch, water heater, cabinet, Smart TV, automatic washing machine and a free to use a bicycle.
Food is around 30-200 baht (45-600 pesos) depends on what and where you eat. But at 30 baht, the food won't disappoint you. What I like most about the food places, whether it be a restaurant or street area, they will cook it for you once you ordered. So it is freshly prepared, making it more delicious.
Yoga classes and gym membership are everywhere and they are affordable. I've been looking into trying Yoga in the Philippines but they are either far or non-existent. If you found one, it is too expensive.
About the transportation system, it is very convenient. They have uber and grab so you don't need to learn Thai to communicate with drivers. There are also promo codes that give you so much discount you always pay 1-5 baht in every ride. And there are times that it will be free.
These are just some of the reasons I am here. Don't get me wrong, I love the Philippines, and after seeing different countries, nothing will compare to it, especially to its people.
It's just that I am in the point of my life where I am looking for growth and I am experimenting the World's possibilities.
I might leave Chiang Mai in a few months to go to other places and stay there. To immerse myself in a different culture and get to know the people in places I know nothing about.
The World is such a big place, go out and experience it.
Image credit: Wat Phra Singh, Pad Thai, Yoga Class, Meet up photo © Monique Lindner, GIF images are from giphy.com, those aren't mentioned are mine taken from Xiaomi Redmi 4x
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