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It sounds almost unbelievable, but a number of US citizens are deciding to cash out of the elusive 'American dream' as they settle down in foreign places, such as Vietnam, where many of them were once loathed as invaders.
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia. For many Americans, those names invoke powerful memories and images of unspeakable violence, and perhaps the last places on earth to consider visiting. Yet not only are more US veterans and retirees visiting Southeast Asia, an increasing number have decided to call it home. The reason? Many point to affordable healthcare, cheap rent and a rising standard of living.
"Aging American boomers are living a lifestyle reminiscent of Florida, Nevada and Arizona, but in Vietnam," the
Los Angeles Times recently
reported. "Monthly expenses here rarely exceed $2,000, even to live in a large unit...including the help of a cook and a cleaner."
That just might be the mother of all ironies. Retired US soldiers and average American retirees would rather take their chances living abroad among their erstwhile enemies than trying to make ends meet on their pensions back home in the US. That doesn't say much about the condition of capitalism in America. Indeed, let's not forget that Vietnam is socialist, which is about as close to a four-letter swear word in the US as you can get. Yet none of that seems to matter to the new arrivals, some of whom were sent to the Asian jungles many years ago to help eradicate the ideological convictions of Washington's sworn enemy.
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