บทความท่องเที่ยวภาษาอังกฤษ, บทความภาษาอังกฤษ, บทความท่องเที่ยว, Asia, Bangkok, Travel, Tourism, Vacation, Article
Every year millions of Americans retire or start planning their retirement. The majority of these people envision a retirement of staying at home or possibly spending at least some time in Florida. Others may be more adventurous and think of a life of retirement outside the borders of the United States. Most of these people probably decide upon staying somewhat near home, in Mexico or Latin America. A few people, however, want something a little more exotic and a bit farther from home. This is what I wanted.
I have always been enthralled with Asia and its food and culture, so naturally I wanted to research the possibilities of retiring somewhere in Asia. The only question I had was where to retire. Each year for about three years before I would actually retire I spent my vacations in a different country of Asia. I spent time in China, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia.
After visiting these countries once I very much favored Thailand and Malaysia and thus I made return trips to each one of them. Thailand had beautiful scenery which included exotic secluded islands and beautiful beaches. My favorite animal is the elephant and I was given the opportunity on many occasions to spend time with them in Thailand. My favorite food is Thai food and I felt as it I were in culinary heaven with the cuisine of Thailand. I found the Thai people exceedingly friendly and gracious, even though most could speak little or no English. Thailand did not have any special scheme for retirement, however, which made retiring there a bit difficult. Also foreigners were not allowed to buy houses, other than condominiums in Thailand, without a Thai national as co-owner.
I made several visits to Malaysia trying to decide between my favored two countries. Malaysia's population is composed of three ethnic groups, the majority Malay, Chinese and Indian. The official religion is Islam, but all other religions are represented and worship freely. Because of this religious and cultural diversity there are always numerous festivals to take part in. Each of the ethnic groups also have their own distinct cuisine, which I find fantastic. My favorite part of Malaysia was the island of Penang, which is called "The Pearl of the Orient". The Georgetown section of Penang is a UNESCO World Heritage site attracting many foreign visitors to its unique colonial architecture.
Malaysia is a former British colony,receiving its independence a little over 50 years ago. Because of this fact English is spoken just about everywhere. I never had any problem with communications and this was an important factor in my decision to settle there. The cost of living is relatively low in Malaysia, which can allow you to live a very comfortable lifestyle on your social security, which you could not afford in the US. Medical care is also of a very high quality and only a mere fraction of what you would pay at home. Another important factor was that foreigners are allowed to buy property, both condominiums and houses. By far the most impressive thing about Malaysia was that the government offers a 10 year renewable visa for those who wish to retire in Malaysia. This visa is called "Malaysia My Second Home" or "MM2H". The above factors made Malaysia my choice of an exotic Asian country, in which I could spend my retirement years. I would highly recommend Malaysia if you are looking for an exotic retirement home
By Stephen Sovie
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