How I see the US after living in Asia for 6 months
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 20. 06. 2024
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This is my thoughts on the US after living in Asia for the past 6 months.
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HI BEN YOU'RE RIGHT MALAYSIA đČđŸ IS BEAUTIFUL AMAZING AND CHEAP I USE TO LIVE IN THAILAND đčđ AND I NOW MOVED TO MALAYSIA FOR GOOD ABOUT A MONTH AGO SO FAR I'M ENJOYING AND PEOPLE ARE VERY FRIENDLY AND VERY RESPECTFUL đ.
That's great! What made you leave Thailand and relocate to Malaysia?
@benfishermin
1) Most of people speaks English,
2) Great Food
3) The Health system
4)Ezy to get around KL
5) Transport system
6) The City is Clean
@@DaveDong-ez4tr That is, if you are not addicted to partying. Booze in Malaysia is pretty expensive. Malaysia is a Muslim country, anything not according to the teaching of Islam would be heavily suppressed or banned. That is a compromise that you have made.
@kayellai5278
NOT EVERYONE IS POOR, AND MALAYSIA IS CHEAP ALSO NOT EVERYONE IN THE WORLD IS ADDICTED TO PARTY OR PARTY ANIMALS, YOU ALSO HAVE DIRTY MENTALITY AND HATE IN YOU.
STOP âïž YOUR PROPAGANDA AND
FEARMONGERING
Itâs been one year since we sold our home and packed to move from America to Malaysia for the sake of our children we cannot see us going back to live in the US hopefully not. Malaysia is amazing in so many ways perfect for children thank you Malaysia and to the Malaysian people.
Nice! I wish you the best in Malaysia đ
You are an excellent and honest communicator, keep up your good work bro.
Wonderful to hear thanks!
one of the key of success is the ability to adapt to the surrounding
Agreed this is very important
Hereâs a fun fact: Most Japanese would like to settle down in Malaysia. They have researches and surveys done and Malaysia is their number one country to settle down to when theyâre retiring. Its crazyyyy. We feel so honoured to have other countryâs citizens choosing Malaysia đ
Nonscence so many non bumi waiting to migrate and migrate in Malaysia the government busy together foreigners in.
Nice, seems like so many people want to leave their home country. Even many Malaysians but I think that is because of the difficulty of working and making a good salary here, otherwise they'd want to stay for sure.
Maybe u can go to the Rainforest World Music Festival, next week 28_30 june in Kuching Sarawak, lot of tribal tattoo artist, research online, check your budget, YT videos for reference, dwell into other tattoo art heritage, culture, tradition, good content, from your view.âđŒ
Good idea!!! Take note of this Ben đ
Good idea but unfortunately itâs too expensive for me!
Hi, Ben, your content is truly refreshing, unrestrained and honest. Keep it up, it's the surest way to grow your channel.
Thanks a lot! đ€©đ€©
try to make some local friends and get connected with people a little more so that the missing home feeling become more manageable.
Tokyo is very hot in the summer! Bro, actively budget your ins and outs. Make a habit of saving a little for every income payment that you receive. There is always an excuse not to do so. Resist it, there is no amount too little for a saving. There is an old Malay saying; a penny here and there, by the end, it turns into a mountain of pennies. The gist is probably lost in translation, but my intention is good!
The fact that you make proper consideration and less impulsive in your decision making is growth! You officially maturing!
Your honesty is what attracts people to watch your channel, I think. Keep it up đ
Thank you đđ
Money does not buy happiness. But, it can eliminate worries and stress.
Yes this is very true!
Itâs not about money with lower cost of living u eliminate expenses and unnecessary bills which creates more freedom
Hope your vlog sharing will take off soon and continue to publish. I enjoyed watching it.
I hope so too! Thank you
Life is hard⊠but not hard like people in prison or war zone⊠just be grateful đ
Yes true compared to those people my life is very easy
Nice! Just do it! As we all need to see motivation in others to keep the spark alive in ourselves! Thanks!
Thanks a lot
Worrying about lack of sufficient money is real. It is really painful. You are still young and you have tattooing skill. No worries, just plan ahead. You will come out a winner.
Yep it's true. I don't have tattoo equipment now as I've sold it all but at least I still have the skill/ability to do it.
...very touching... I am sending you a huge amount of good vibrations and positive energy to help you flourish on your journey towards a prosperous realization of the self and the world around you. Remember, your home and family are always with you in spirit, supporting you every step of the way. Trust in your path, and know that even more greatness awaits you, dear friend. Let's gooooooooooo!
Thanks a lot for the nice words!
The cost in Japan is similar to western countries but it is very clean.
The cost of living is much lower in Japan than in the West. Salaries are lower too but the lower cost of living more than compensates for this.
Iâve heard itâs much cheaper than the west from most people, unless you try to work there and earn your wages there. It seems like since Japanese yen is so weak against the dollar now, if you can make money online itâs actually quite affordable (maybe not compared to SEA though). The low cost flights are enticing too, Iâve seen flights to Osaka for $50-$80
â@@benfisherminTrue. Yen is weak. My son who works for a well-known Japanese company here in Malaysia says it doesnt accept projects paid in yen anymore. They prefer USD or Ringgit. Best time to holiday in Japan, though. Asia needs to help each other.
Nice to know you're comfortable with/in Malaysia. Look forward to mom and pop here đ.
Thanks I feel itâs quite an easy place to transition to and feel comfortable, even coming from a completely different culture
Thanks!
I respect you for your thinking of caring for your parents and relatives. You have the characteristics of a good man
Thank you đ
I wish I could see vlogs of you in NYC because you have experience of Malaysia and will be nice to know. I agree man, Japan is a cool place to visit, their music, their fashion, their history, their food, their transportation, so much more...
Yea I wish I started my CZcams channel years ago in NYC. Even 15 years ago I wanted to start a channel (social experiences, pranks, this stuff was big at the time) but always thought I needed someone to film
@@benfisherminTrue, if you started youtube 15 years ago, you most likely wouldn't have to worry about money anymore. Anyway I am very good at giving advice while not following it myself. I wanted to start a Gaming channel like 15 years ago and I currently have one video and one subscriber - my wife :)
Use your honest instincts....most of life as Asians especially South East Asians we live a simple life and general decency...that is respect for "guests"....wish you happy n good wisdoms
Thanks a lot đ€©
Penang Hill Ben, go hike it will be seriously good for your channel.
This one is on my list too thanks đ
Congrats on your 7.3k followers. A strategic move to start your Southeast Asia journey here in Malaysia where English is widely spoken and engaged viewers. After 10k, what is your next country?
Thanks! I have no real plan except that I'll continue traveling through SEA, and when I can afford it go to Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan
Im in the same boat as you. I'm also 'stuck' in asia, in Penang, not sure where im going next. But life is good here. I hope your channel grows fast. I enjoy listening to your thoughts
Iâm glad you enjoy it, best wishes wherever you end up next
Honesty is the key to happiness, and you are definitely an honest vlogger. We can see that....well at least me. Sure, it's never going to be the same with your home ground and it's sensible to go back once in a while. You're a practical man hopefully you'd find happiness here closest possible to your hometown although that would never be possible. Good man.
Thanks I appreciate it đ€©
Hi Ben... thank you for honest opinion. I was living in Europe....and I couln't afford it (retired) . Everything became a very expensive place to live! Keep the good job, folliw your (asian) dreams
Oh yea EU is quite expensive too. When I lived in Berlin 7 years ago it was very cheap, and nowadays itâs become very expensive!
Thumbs up đ BenâŠ..every person has to do what they think and feel is right for them at that time and hope that itâs the right decision đ
Yea true thank you đđ
Love your channel; videos may not be great but your narrations sure are! Keep it up! đ
Thanks so much for your donation đ€©đ€©đ€©
Hope you get more subscribers...
Thank you!
Content idea: volunteer opportunities in your area.
If you're still in Malaysia in May 2025. Come to the State of Sabah. 2+ hours flights from Kuala Lumpur. Make a vlog on the "Pesta Kaamatan" at Hongkod (KDCA) Penampang Sabah. lol.
Enjoyed your vlog. Like your honesty. Like that last few vlog less than 45Mins, that allows me to watch (got short attention span). Hoping that you can bring your family over, they are important đ
Thanks for the comment đ€©
Looking forward to see you in Japan!
Canât wait đ€©
Keep it up
Thanks! đđ
U will love the Philippines, the viewing will go up like millions
Millions? Okay Iâm in đ
@@benfisherminif you want millions of views, look no further than india. If you want to get more subscribers india Is the place to be for sure.
Ben you are on the right track. Hang in there buddy.đ
Thanks a lot đđ
Keep it rollin bud.u got this.good luck be positive
Thanks gonna keep it rolling mate!!
Make a video on a first class bus ride to Malacca? I took a bus from Singapore to KL once that was like a first class plane seat. Cost about $30. This was over 5 yrs ago. The bus was a double decker, about 8 - 12 seats on each level. All seats were window. There was a video screen you pulled out and could watch movies (not latest releasesđ). Seats could recline with LG rests. Internet wasn't working, which made me wonder if there was ever internet?đ€
Now Iâm in KL, so Iâm not sure there are any first class buses since itâs only 2hrs, I do plan to check out malacca though. Hopefully that bus you were on had a bathroom? Thatâs usually my only concern with taking buses
Of course you'll miss NYC, but your new adventures in SEA especially in Malaysia will make your life a better one.
In 2008, I had an offer for a posting to Mumbai, I accepted it thinking the experience opening up a new MIDA center will be good for my career, thinking there'll be another posting, but I was wrong, I felt cheated because that was the only opportunity I had from MIDA, that wasn't my cup of tea, Mumbai wasn't a conducive environment to broaden my horizon. I came back to KL at the end of 2011 with a depression.
Why I told you that story. It's because about a month before I depart to Mumbai in Dec 2008, an opening at MIDA NYC pppped up as it was last minute declined by the one accepted it in the first place. I was encouraged to fill in the MIDA NYC office opening but I didn't. It would have been a nice experience to see what NYC is like, would definitely be much better than Mumbai, I supposed.
Yea true, my new life here is also much much better honestly! And Iâd imagine Mumbai being a tough place to adapt to. I havenât been there but it must be so much different to KL
Oh wow, any opportunity you get to go to NYC I think itâs worth it!
@@benfishermin Yes, I think so too, NYC probably would be much better experience than Mumbai. However, now I know that KL could be a much better place to live than any other big cities in the world. đ
U r very honest ben...well done sir.â€
Thanks a lot đ
Keep it up. I selected like and subscribed. Malaysian here
Thanks a lot!
Hi Ben!! Good content as always. Thank you for your honesty. May your YTube channel grow successfully! Take it one day at a time and keep on keeping onđđ»đȘđ». Please take good care of yourself. Stay healthy and happy! Best of luck to youđ
I appreciate you watching and commenting thank you đ€©đ
@@benfishermin You're most welcome! Cheers!
Can you take us on a tour around NYC while youâre on the trip later? I reallyyyyyyy wanted to visit NYC, but for most Malaysians, we are unable to because the tickets are expensive and it takes years to save up.
Yea I'll definitely make videos in NYC when I go
Good stuff bro keep your head up keep going. Consider building another connected to CZcams business. Just as an example if your a tattoo artist make content around tattoo while travelling and living your life in Southeast Asia
; for example say you were doing what youâre doing and are into fitness you can make fitness content and offer online coaching. That way you have a business you get my point? Plus you include your daily life. If you solely focus on travel content and want business directly from that you can I donât know document learning a language thatâs spoken in one of those countries to keep things interesting
Cheers!!
Cheers đ€©
What a lovely honest vlog, your young, i'm sure plenty of doors will open, goodluck with it all, yes homesick, same, tricky when you get these feeling's, even harder when the financial thing adds to it all. I'm homesick too & the brain get's mixed up. The plan was to stay here for good, but for many different reasons, after living here for month's i can't do it đą instead i will just keep coming back regularly if able, turning it around đ it's this thing, East meets West đ chalk & cheese †it's so difficult.
Thank you for the comment, I wish the best for you đđ
@@benfishermin Thankyou, very kind of you.. đđ
Next Summer, you might consider staying up in the Genting Highlands resort. It's 72 degrees all year long.
Yes Japan is a wonderful place to visit, my favourite country. My son lives there. But it is quite expensive to live in. Even a 2 week trip burns a big hole in my pocket.
Im not sure abt Penang, but for KL botanical garden, you may exit* from the museum mrt station, and when facing the museum, turn to your left, walk straight, and try searching for an entrance to the botanical garden on your right. Subway is much cheaper than a cab.
Go to Malacca, then to Singapore by bus, sleep in Johor Bahru for cheap hotel, then go to Batam, Indonesi, from Singapore by boat only around US$15-20 a 25 minutes trip, it's cheap ..you can go to Medan (Indonesia) from Penang,flight is cheap too, from Thailand you can go across to Cambodia, Laos by bus or mini van
What I see is Ben prefers flying anywhere. It'll be interesting to see if he ever goes somewhere by bus or even ride a train like ETS
Yea this is my plan soon actually, KL to Malacca to Johor to Singapore! From there Iâm not sure but I know I wonât stay long in Singapore due to the cost. I considered Batam Iâm just not sure the views will be great there, but might be nice to check out. Iâm most interested in Bandung, Yogyakarta, and even Jakarta since I think it will be good for CZcams. I may try the high speed train between Jakarta and Bandung, I think both of these cities could be pricey though
@SuhaimiAmir Iâve taken a few trains like Penang to Taiping, Taiping to Ipoh, and Ipoh to KL. For a 2 hour trip I donât mind at all, I just donât like long distance bus or train (train is better since thereâs a bathroom).
@@benfishermin Ahh ok, because I didn't see it in your videos, or maybe I miss it. Riding public transport would be an interesting video, at least for me.
Ben check out the native tattoo scene at the Sarawak Rainforest Music Festival soon. Nice music too!
Looks cool, thereâs a chance I will go but Iâm not sure yet thanks đ
Maybe you can do camping trip around Malaysia. It would be fun and mingles more with locals
Is it just me or does the quality of your camera is really nice.
Once you get the hang of Malaysia đČđŸ you can do consultations on moving and where to go/live where to rent and where to find the best food etc. Then a few times a year you can tattoo wherever you want (thatâs actually a cool skill!) You can take anywhere!!
Yea thatâs true, I plan to make a huge guide to sell at some point once Iâm very experienced with many places around Malaysia. Thanks đ
If you're stuck here, it means you should grow roots here đ
For now Iâm trying to avoid growing roots anywhere but Malaysia would be a good place if I want to start planting roots somewhere
Come to Kuching, Sarawak. You will love it here, don't miss the Rainforest festival .
Iâll visit for sure, maybe I will make it to the festival too Iâm not sure just yet
Current state of the US could be defined as; pre-collapse! Going to be huge business in âre-locationâ services for Americanâs looking to get out.
Thatâs true, things are going to get really bad
Hi Ben....I suggest you to travel to Sabah and Serawak (East Malaysia) hopefully you can learn something about tatoo overthere and you can expand to tatoo business in New York. Good Luck.
I was told if U do these 3 things then Japan can b cheap
1) coffin hotel
2) eat only FR vending machine
3) travel on slow trains
Sounds like a nightmare đđ
Good plans.
Thanks đ
Try searching socmed for Rumah Api. One of South East Asias best alternative music.
Plz go to Spore by budget flight or even by bus and stay at YMCA - it's mid-range but you'd need to book way ahead, it's too full all the time . YMCA is right in the middle of Orchard Rd - top gun street for everything. From there go to all its corners and let us know how it differs from Msia. Fingers crossed that you hit the 10k mark soonest.
Iâll definitely be visiting Singapore soon, might just stay in a capsule hotel if I need to but Iâll check if ymca has space first thanks
God bless you
Thank you đđ
â€â€â€
đđđ
You can take the local bus to go everywhere in Penang. No need for taxis. Just Take the local bus and walk a little, you will get to botanical gardens.
Good idea thanks!
đđ
đđ
Please do tours of budget properties for sale and rent, it will be good content!
Thanks for the idea đ
I can understand your predicament. I was a student in the US. The lifes is different as compared to Malaysia.
Yea so much different, does that mean you came back to Malaysia now?
I see other people doing interviews. What about mixing some of those in? Seems low cost
Yea Iâd love to do some I just need to get a microphone for this
Can I suggest Ben u do a barbeque with some fellow expat / local CZcamsrs and make it like a potluck party đ Plus u get crossover viewers / subscribers
You are lucky you are not stuck in a town in an arab desert
Haha thatâs random but yea Iâm glad thatâs not the case
Me too. Leaving soon.
As they say, 'man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills'. We live to what makes us happy, so live to what your heart desires Ben. Or as someone else said, 'go to where you're treated best'... so if a place serves you and your soul, go for it. For me? As a local, I already found my heaven lol
Have a nice day Ben
Thanks for the nice comment đ€©
Highly recommend going to the Penang Botanical Garden if you're ever able to make it work financially. Soooooo many monkeys there!
It looks so nice, excited to check it out thanks
Yes Japan is great to visit, but unless you build connections with a few local Japanese people itâs not a country to stay long term imo! It is a very organised society and itâs an easy country to move around and experience!
Is that because of the language barrier or you think itâs just not enjoyable living there solo/introverted?
@@benfishermin When I was in Japan I did have some conversations with locals, but not everyday, I was only there for two weeks! Japanese people are friendly and very polite but I guess if youâre introverted I would think it would be a lonely place after a while!
No only grow CZcams, You must grow another social media like TikTok, Facebook and anything.
Yes youâre right, I need to use Facebook as well. Some vloggers I know earn more from their Facebook views than their CZcams
If me , I'm going China, got many hidden gems
Iâd like to visit china too!
I've felt stuck... in America.
To not be financially able to go back is a blessing. To not be financially able to go back is America's fault.
I miss my grown kids.
Everyone in America experiencing the upcoming Presidential election are stuck!
Itâs true, being stuck in Southeast Asia is a blessing đ
Let me be the voice of caution. I got addicted to the lifestyle in Southeast Asia. It's not the drugs, parties, easy girls, I became addicted to the lifestyle, weather, food, travel. It broke me financially. If you do not figure out a secure source of income that you can eventually retire on, then you need to re-evaluate and not be like me older and financially damaged. There are different addictions many people fall into alcoholism, drugs, or sex addiction. The other group fall into a lifestyle addiction that you absolutely need to figure out before it is too late. Best of luck.
Great advice.
Yes true, same thing applies if you are back home though, I feel like I have a lot more opportunity over here to build a strong source of income than I do back home because of CZcams. Hopefully I can continue to grow the channel and make some other businesses from there. Are you still in SEA or you left?
@@benfishermin I was in Kuching but I had to leave. My partner and I were going to open a gym but our financial backer pulled out last minuet and I had used up my visa runs. Sarawak runs independent of the mainland or Sabah so they have their own immigration. I had a full client load I had to turn down. :(
Malaysia is nice. You can use Mâsia as a springboard to other SE Asian nations like Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, E Mâsia, etc.
You are actually v fortunate to experience us from these parts something few Americans know one Asian from another. We are v dif yet we have our similarities.
Iâm from Singapore đžđŹ.
Welcome !
Singapore is expensive in the touristy parts. But go into the heartlands and you will see how affordable food and other interesting places and things can be!
Yep itâs a great base I agree. And after almost 3 months I still havenât met another American here, although surely there must be some traveling to Malaysia. Iâll definitely visit Singapore soon. How much is the cost usually for a taxi from the airport to city center, or is there a cheap bus?
@@benfishermin We had an incident recently where this taxi driver tried to âskimâ a lady passengerâs credit card. All my life we have never had such incidents, we are known to be a safe country. We still are. But donât be going on those private taxis. Go for Grab instead or better still our network of subway trains are one of the best. Cheaper than cabs. You can also visit all the heartland areas, with names like Tampines, Bedok, Dakota, East Coast Park, Paya Lebar, Geylang (this is the red light district), Clementi, Queenstown, Punggol Waterway Park (this area straddles the border with Johore) , Sentosa, Bukit Timah (super rich live here, mostly landed properties), etc. Little India, Katong-Joo Chiat , Chinatown, Arab St are great places too. I think you can check with the airport concierge. Maybe you can buy a train pass. There are cheap backpackerâs lodges/motels. Even YMCA hostels . We are still a safe country compared to other SE Asian cities. But you will hustlers everywhere. If they come to you, just ignore and move on. Check with Tourist Info Ctr at the airport.
Iâm pretty sure you will see many Caucasians everywhere. Even in the heartlands! Enjoy! Be blessed!
Sufficient accomodation is the big problem for travelling on a budget in Japan and South Korea. I couldn't sleep in a 6 sqm windowless room, the matress on the floor for $20 per nightđ
Yea thatâs my concern, what you get for $20-$25 a night in those places is a bit disturbing!
I would cry if I stuck in foreign countryđ you can travel to Japan, Korea and many more they got different culture have fun
Well the reality is I'm quite happy here and even if I had the money to leave, I'd still stay in Asia for sure.
Actually you can explore other SEA, like Phillipine, Indonesia or Vietnam
Yea I will be visiting those soon!
Ben go to Kota Kinabalu Sabah.. itâs a different Malaysia..
Iâll be checking it out pretty soon đ
Malaysia underground music
???
You know yourself better, follow your instincts what the best for you. People will suggest or advise many things to you, choose wisely. End of the day, it's all about you. Try to Google guy name Mat Dan ( British man living in Malaysia). Maybe you can get some inspiration from his story). Wish you all the best.
Thanks Iâll check out his channel đ
That's how the ROW saw the US ever since...
Create an online course Ben.
Drop your link, and i will buy you coffee
Here it is, thanks! buymeacoffee.com/benfishermin
Sincerety counts
Yea true
Ben you can speak well and be able to convey what you wanted to say. Capitalise on this strength, be a trainer on youtubing and tattooing. Design a silibus. Offer it online in your channel. There is a lot of income you can generate from your talents . You can do it Ben. Take the first. Step. Plan and just do it.
Hi Ben. I suggest you to open a class online to offer a course in youtubing. Just advertise here. Design some silibus about it, let say a 10 hour online course. Spread it to 5 sessions with 3 hour per session. You can charge a fee of about RM 300 for the entire course.
Quite early today..
Gotta make up for the missed day yesterday đ
Finally a VDO with no "Malaysia" in the title (worst Travel Day vdo doesn't count because you did call it something Malaysia before you changed it back).
where uâre frm will always be ur home⊠or at least u still hv a place to come bk to if things go wrong in ur travels⊠japan sounds gd.. bt iâm sure outside tokyo is much cheaperâŠ
Well technically yes since I have a US passport, but I donât actually have a place to go back and live or anything like that. Yea really canât wait to visit Japan đ„č
@@benfishermin hopefully someday u might get a place bk home⊠is there any states or area which is cheaper than big cities like New York..? i mean a place where u still can travel fast to the big cities⊠eg in malaysia.. works in kl bt stay somewhere in seremban.. i know US is gazillion times bigger than malaysia.. bt u know what i mean..
Ben by the end of the year Malaysia will achieve high income nation and lndonesia will reach 1.5 trillion gdp
Nice!
If i were u i wont be going back to USđ
For sure I will only go back to visit but not stay long term
Hi Ben, organise your knowledge in tattooing. Create a simple class. You can have this class in your rental room Turn your hotel room to a simple tattoo class. You can also conduct class about tatoo online. Charge a fee or RM 1,000 per student. If you have 3 students a month, it's already RM3,000.
Japan is super nice but itâs also super expensive there. People in the more rural areas are more âclosedâ to foreigners in Japan tho. Once me and my friends got yelled âGaijin /Outsiderâ when we visited Fukuoka đą
Yea Iâm priced out for now, Iâll definitely be listening for the word Gaijin when I visit đ
@@benfishermin I hope not, noone should have to experience those kind of unpleasant things esp. when youâre just travelling trying to experience new culture đ„ČđđŸ