About richunt

Status:

Expatriate  

Gender:

Male

Currently Lives:

Citizen Of:

United States

Some Forum Posts:

Laos: Living in Laos:

I'm not sure why you want to leave the US for a whole host of reasons. For one, you get free medical in the US but here you pay. The medical care here is not good, the clinic at the French embassy is decent but expensive. When you live here, you go to Nong Khai, Thailand for good medical care at a decent price. Two, the visa situation here is expensive. You pay $37 each every 30 days. Unless you work for a company you cannot get an extended visa. Three, the cost of apartments in Vientiane is rising rapidly due to many foreign companys comming and bringing workers that need western style apartments. You will need a 2 or 3 bedroom and that will cost you at least $600 now for a decent one. And you will have to get used to no hot water at the sink, only in the shower. No dishwasher no garbage disposal. You have to fill a bucket with hot water from the shower and carry into the kitchen to wash your dishes. And the language, if you do not speak Lao or Thai, it is difficult. In the tourist areas near the Mekong, you will find English speakers but in most of the city they do not. In the US you can get food stamps & a free cell phone & free medical being a disabled vet, here you get nothing. If I were you, I would find an inexpensive area in the US and stay there. And the food, though cheap, you better like Lao food. Hard to find the spices and flavorings in the store if you like American food. If I were going to look overseas, in your shoes, I would consider Thailand. Cheaper, more English spoken and no onerous visa requirements. Look at Udon Thoni or Nong Khai. On the plus side, the Lao people are very friendly and Vientiane is a clean city by Asian standards & is growing fast. My wife works here as a manager for a Western manufacturing company & speaks fluent Lao so it is fine for us. Not so sure about you. Good luck and all the best & as an American thanks for your service to our great nation.

Laos: Need to procure a bottle of Cobra Whisky:

I have seen it at the morning market. Not sure the name of the shop but it is inside & not sure which floor. But it is available there, kind of expensive, $100 US for a large bottle. Smaller bottles are available.

Date Joined:

9/1/2015

Total Posts:

3

Posts/Day:

0.01