Yes, I’ve been in Sofia, Bulgaria since March 1st. Entered with 3-month visa on arrival and then extended for an additional 3 months. I plan to leave in late August. Where to next? Have to see what is open… Maybe Macedonia!
Bulgaria… First really cool thing is that it’s super cheap. Wife and I have a hard time spending 1,500 USD an month and that’s for everything! In Sofia, lot’s of parks and people hang out spots. Not a large population and we like that. Easy to find decent food and bake goods are delicious! On the negative (for us) is there is a huge nicotine addiction here. Smoke is everywhere, there is no escaping it. I’m certain the addiction starts in childhood via second hand smoke and by 13-14 the kids are sucking on the drug themselves.
I lived on Bush and Jones for years and I miss burritos most. But if it’s Chinatown ou miss then yes, Taipei is the place. They speak Mandarin there so if you have picked up any SF Cantonese you’re out of luck! But the food… fantastic!
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How is Mexico, where are you at?
that’s great! Good to know about smoking, I’m not a smoker, that might get to me.
wow, I lived a few blocks away!
Found a Taiwanese family last week in Puerto Vallarta. Yes, I know it’s a big hoax in some ways, but the gov’t has decreed mask wearing in some places, luckily, only the larger businesses enforce it.
Are you still in Bulgaria?
Yes, I’m still in Sofia. Going to leave in September. Turkey, Croatia, Serbia? Who know’s… have to see what the world allows. Facemask. Hmmm… does not seem like such a ‘big ask’. I have zero issue wearing a mask. I really don’t get the drama and it’s something I don’t miss about my country. My wife is Japanese and she wears one all the time, no big deal.
those seem like interesting options. Hadn’t thought of any of those.
As for the whole mask issue, as long as you get O2, and not inhale too much of your own CO2, and spend time without it for a good while, then I think that’s all right.
Hi all, hope everyone is doing well during these times.
I recently returned to the US after 6 months in Mexico, as my visa was up, and am working on where to go next.
Part of me wants to stay in the US, another to live overseas.
Been reading Countries That Have Reopened For American Tourists - Travel Off Path. Seems there about 47 options, from Albania to Zambia.
Seems Europe or LatAm could be good choices. For Europe, I have been learning about what I think are the Balkan countries, like Albania Armenia Belarus Bosnia & Herzegovina Croatia Kosovo Montenegro North Macedonia Serbia Turkey Ukraine. However, I want a place where freedom and safety are strongly sewn in.
I am concerned that the covid is going to allow, perhaps force, restrictions and bad things to happen. I hope I am wrong.
Would love a place to grow my own food.
Is anyone in any of those areas? If so, how are you finding it there, how are you finding freedoms, safety, covid situation, climate, and anything else worth mentioning?
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Thank you Michael. I think those are very good ideas.
I’m back in the US for now, quite a statement, freedom becoming a scare commodity. Who would have thought that could even come about?
I’ve been to SEA before, Thailand and nearby, but not VietNam nor Cambodia. Hopefully will see them one of these days.
How was Mexico?
I thought some about the freedom concept. There are two ways to look at this.
In the US they say we are land of the free, but what does that mean? Are you really free to do what you want? In short, no. Proposed environmental regulations that permeate almost every aspect of life (which car you can drive, price of gasoline, the type of toilet you can buy, water rights, etc), high taxes, government licensing regulations for business, etc. Millions of pages of regulations, licensing requirements, rules.
Compare this to a country like VietNam. Yes, it is authoritarian and communist. But you can basically start a fire in the street to cook dinner and no one cares. Dump your dirty water in the street and no one cares. Blatantly disregard the safety of pedestrians in the street while driving your moped. … no one cares.
So there are trade-offs in terms of freedom or perceived freedom. I suppose many people feel that giving up freedoms to have some structure is a good thing. I am not always so sure.
One problem with the US is the two party system. The the last 10 years, the parties’ ideology has grown further apart politically. Thus, for most voters every election has become an “all or nothing” proposition. You see this manifest in many forms; for example for some If their party loses, they threaten to leave the country or kidnap politicians. It is not a healthy situation.
In this regard I think the European multi-party model is a bit better system where parties can win seats proportionate to the votes their party receives. Everybody has some representation and the parties must cobble together a faction and compromise to make things happen.
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Mexico was good. I like the laid back-ness, it’s not all rosy, but fairly chill.
Good to hear about Vietnam. Interesting points. I used to date a girl from there when I was in Laos.
I didn’t know that there is a multi-party system in Europe. The times are still quite interesting and I am keeping eyes and ears open. Have you seen https://questioningcovid.com/?
How’s it working out for you and where are you guys these days?