Reader Responses to My Happier Abroad Ebook and Website

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Reader Responses to My Happier Abroad Ebook and Website

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I could not agree more on the sorry state of American women (in terms of dating in general). For me, Chinese women (in China) have been sooooo good, and they are thin and hot; they are well edcuated and will do everything for you. The guys who get stuck here in North America are, well, stuck. This is not even to mention the physical state of the women here; most American women over 30 are obess (not just over-weight). And they are used; who knows how many STDs they have had. I feel sorry for them sometimes.

I applaude you courage and wish you the best.

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http://www.happierabroad.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4077

Hi all, well my story is about the same as yours, but here it is anyway: for a long time I blamed myself for my lack of success with American women. So, I worked hard for many years to improve myself to the point where I would be worthy of a decent American woman. I got myself a Ph.D., then a job at an Ivy-league school, got myself into excellent physical shape, took up lots of cool hobbies like skiing, tennis, ballroom dance... and I was still getting rejected by women who had no business being picky! I had my epiphany when I was 33 and dating an overweight, 42-year-old, divorced mother who dumped me because I didn't have a "wild side". So then I did some traveling to (among other places) Hungary, the Czech Republic, and the Philippines, and beautiful young women couldn't keep their hands off of me! Dating is like real estate- the 3 most important factors are location, location, location!

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http://www.happierabroad.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=4038

Hi,

You don't know me and I don't really know you aside from your very insightful posts that were linked to me a couple years ago. I am someone that made the decision to leave the U.S. to seek my "fortune" abroad. I was always hunting for expat experiences in other countries but most of what's out there is pretty useless or typical drivel.

Well, I stumbled onto your posts and they were a breath of fresh air. Your observations about the cultural/social climate of the different countries in the world are right on the button. I've read quite a few books on sociology and nothing was able to spell it out as bluntly as you have. Congrats, you certainly did impact my life.

I'll be reading this board with great interest.

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I like how you put this as the first thing on your site:

"Feel like you don't fit in America? If so, then you've come to the right place for validation and inspiration."

This is enough to make a disenfranchised, disgrunted grown-man cry.
Hell, I even felt a bit emotional when I read that.

I watched your video on YouTube to how you have fun with the Russian women. Dude, you look so
happy. Hahahahaa I love it.

I have been in the Philippines for six months, and you nailed it about the social psyche of Pilipinos!
And I thought I was crazy when I was telling people that. It's nice to know I'm not crazy after all.
I belatedly thank you for validating that, my brother!!!

I live in Davao City, but I was on vacation in the Visayas (Panay, Negros, and Cebu City/Lapu-Lapu island "lang" hahaha).
Man, I learned so new stuff about the Philippines.

I want to ask you a question that is contingent on the social psyche of the average Filipino.

Ok man..cheers!

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Winston, I'm the author of the article about Americans interested in dual citizenship. I read your web site with interest, and it's a fascinating take on American life - I passed it along to some friends. However, you're only talking about one part of the U.S.

The U.S. is very divided right now - there is the half that you're talking about: the money grubbing suburban dwellers. But there's a complete other half of the U.S. that's interested in culture, that is taking lower paying jobs because they enjoy what they do and are satisfied with enough money to get by and pursue their hobbies. With all the turmoil that's occurred this decade, I think that is becoming the majority in the U.S. I've done a lot of European travel, and while the cultures are quite different, and the U.S. is no doubt a larger commercial driven place, I really don't see as much of a difference these days as there used to be (even 10 years ago). And I don't think it's necessarily the Americainization of the world, but rather a world becoming smaller.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. I completely understand why the U.S. has such a bad image around the world these days, and that has a lot to do with a few powerful people on top that don't have the support of their countrymen. I don't feel that's a true representation of what the country is all about, especially not right now. America doesn't rule the world, and that's what the true majority of Americans think. Please don't publish this (or at least don't use my name), this is just my observation I wanted to share with you.

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Hello Winston. How are things going? How is life in Philippines? Congrats on your new son! Your biographical account here is quite a story. I agree with you on so many levels. Your attention to historical accuracy allowed me to really see the world in your shoes as you laid out the events up till 2001. Although I graduated from a different high school in California and attended at a different time in 1996-2000, my story is also much in parallel. Many of your observations hold true to this day. This is why I felt wholeheartedly compelled to read it. Your feelings of confusion, inadequacy, loneliness, desperation, and sadness created years of psychological baggage. Those fantasies of white girls, daily suffocation in the public school environment, and desire to be a normal alpha male made matters even worse. When the internet took hold in 1996, I also tried to visit online dating sites, of course, there wasn't any match.com at that time but rudimentary websites featuring singles. I had been hopeless as I was shocked to see almost all white women were interested in white males. If not, you had to be Latino or black. I always asked myself but why, if California was a place with so many diverse people, why weren't their opinions just as diverse?? I agree with you 100% about the new wave of feminism that came in the mid-90s. From what I remember, feminism was extremely high at that time, and in my freshman year I had no clue that this kind of feminism had been a wave across society. I felt the effects of this feminism when I was called a "creep" or "weirdo" so many times for simply saying hello to girls sitting next to me in my classes. For the next four years, I still tried to talk and attempt to get dates, but my enthusiasm sharply declined after my freshman year, which was replaced with the traditional Asian "study hard" mentality. Now being a decade away from the dark and disheartening 90s, I have finally overcome many years of adolescent torture in the public school system. "American women are not the only women in the world", and frankly most women in the world are not like American women at all. Finding, understanding, and appreciating this principle has been the solution to all my loneliness and desperation in life. Now I embrace it fully and I let others in desperation come to an understanding. I wish somebody could have told me this principle, or at the least made me realize it in my childhood and adolescent years. It would have saved me from years of frustration and psychological scarring.

Winston, continue on with your story...

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Wow. Winston, thank you so much for taking the time to write this. I was quite surprised at the extent of how similar your story was to mine. I was born in Silicon Valley in 1976. I am an American of East Indian descent. Birth to age 10 was decent... Semi-crappy teachers, yet warm and loving students. Despite the fact that I was the only Indian in my elementary school, my peers were inclusive and supportive of me, that it brings me on the verge of tears just thinking of how grateful I am for them. Although the girls never took a romantic interest to me, they were friendly, and I had no sexual interest in girls the entire duration of elementary school.

Hell for me started in junior high school (I attended Sunnyvale Jr. High) in sixth grade. It’s basically the same story as yours. I went to Fremont High School in Sunnyvale for freshman year, and it was a nightmare. I used a fake address to go to Homestead High School in Cupertino, and although it was an improvement (in terms of less barbarians), it was still a nightmare. Almost everything you said about your high school experience matches mine. There was not even one girl who had any interest in me.

Although I am an agnostic, when it comes to my romantic life, I like to jokingly say that “Jesus saved me.” In 1999 (when I was 23), my parents, who are Catholic, wanted to make a pilgrimage to the

Vatican

, as well as travel around

Italy

and

France

for three weeks. They really wanted me to come along with them (for free!). Prior to this, I had never truly been out of the

USA

(I went to

India

for two weeks when I was 15, but stayed in a family friend’s home the entire time, so I didn’t get to interact with the Indian people much). While in Florence, I went into a bar by myself. It was somewhat empty, and there were many empty tables around the one I was sitting at. I saw a beautiful blonde girl with her two cute friends (a redhead and brunette), and made eye contact with her. We kept exchanging glances, she seemed so happy that I was looking at her, and her friends were happy about it, too. The redhead came over to my table and asked if she and her two friends could join me. So they all joined me. They were from

Sweden

.

Keep this in mind... I am not passive. I am an extrovert who goes up and talks to women I am interested in. This got me absolutely nowhere in the

USA

up to that point.

In Lourdes,

France

(a Catholic tourist destination), sexy locals were checking me out. Then I get back to the

USA

, and nothing happens romantically for me. Not even a single date.

One year later, in the summer of 2000, I decide to try a personal experiment... I want to know if there is something wrong with me, or with

America

and American women. I get on a plane to

Sweden

and stay in Stockholm for two weeks. The second day I’m there, a girl asks me out on a date. The next day in a club, a girl is very interested in me and tells my close friend (a Swedish guy who was an exchange student and the only friend I had during my senior year of high school) that she was disappointed that I left early. A few days later, in a queue for a club, a hot blonde starts hitting on me, and asks me to join her and her friend. She sits on my lap in the club while we drink. (I know

Sweden

is a very feminist country, and I am 100% opposed to feminism in all its forms, but even so, you can still see how big of a difference there is between

Sweden

and the

USA

when it comes to getting dates).

I come back to the

USA

, and despite my constantly approaching and chatting up girls, I go without sex for two years.

Anyway, I’ve gotta end this now.

I wish you the best, Winston, and I am thankful I discovered your writings.

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Hi

I've been reading your website and I must say that I've felt your pain. I live in the Chicago area, I'm 6'4" tall, 230 pounds, excersie daily, black male, I have a college degree, my own place, my own car, I carry myself confidently, I love to read and have intellectual conversations, I'm not afraid to approach women, but yet I'm still single. Something is wrong here. I've begun to question my attractiveness, I've begun to question my own worth as a man, and I've begun to question the willingness of women to meet viable men. I know that I'm not going to be every woman's cup of tea, and I don't have a false sense of entitlement, but this is ridiculous! It seems like here in America if you approach a woman, you come off a desperate. What the hell is going here? How does anybody meet anybody unless you have a large social network?

I've never been overseas, but I have been to Toronto Canada 4 times and the women there were more receptive and open to me than women in my home city. I'm seriously considering moving there.

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http://www.happierabroad.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3105

Hello Winston,

You have a really cool website and I agree with most of your observations. I have had a similar life story to yours of not fitting in in America, getting depressed, and then realizing that the way out is to live overseas. However, I am still in the USA and planning to go to Eastern Europe in a year or so to live (although I have been to Europe several times as a tourist and a student already).

I can't believe that a website like yours even exists! It's very rare that I find anybody with a similar outlook that I can relate to. Most web forums are really fascist dictatorships that suppress any non-mainstream opinions: I hope that your forum will be different and that freedom of speech will actually be allowed here.

I look forward to many interesting conversations with Winston and the other members here. Cheers!

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Dear Winston:

My name is ******** and I am a Korean-American who is about to graduate from college in the US. I was in "the matrix" until I went abroad to Seoul two summers ago, then Shanghai last year. My experiences abroad completely changed my view of the US and I pretty much want to live the life you have.

Did you have any problems convincing family in the first place? People just dont seem to understand that I want to live a lifestyle that doesn't require me to be chained to a desk 9-5. They tell me that I'm "looking at it in the wrong way."

Frankly, I don't think there is any other way to look at the 9-5 lifestyle in the US.

Your product is more or less exactly what I've been looking for. I want to be a vagabond.

Thanks,

Mike

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Hi there! I think I somehow ran across your website while reading a thread on the IMDB message board for Forbidden Kingdom. I'm an American born Chinese guy and I studied abroad in Hong Kong last year (my first time going) and I also noticed all the things you've been saying. I'm about to finish college and I'd also like to do some travelling, but the biggest issue I have right now is finding the right job. I'm not like those smart guys who know a billion different languages, and I'm not an engineer... so would it be difficult to find work in other countries? I'm an art student (yeah I know... not very Asian) and I want to work in photography and film, but especially in Europe I would imagine they have plenty of talented people and an unexperienced fresh out of school artist from the US wouldn't be in much demand. What do you think?

By the way, what kind of work do you do and where are you living now? Talk to you soon!

-Ken (currently in California, where there are lots of white girls who aren't dating Asian guys)

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Your observations about white women in America are right on. Here's another wrinkle on that topic for you to ponder. I'm a white guy from the Midwest in middle years. My preference in women has always been Asian, having lived in and traveled throughout the Pac Rim while still in my twenties. (I lived in Europe, too, but Asians really do it for me.) In the late 1980s I lived in Columbia, Missouri a college town in heart of the country. I currently make my living as a freelance writer but in those days I was still honing my craft. Columbia was a better deal for me than either St. Louis or Kansas City, since as a university town it was both cheap and reasonably civilized.

I had a girlfriend named Tu Chung Su, a masters degree candidate in theater arts from Taipai. She, and I were pretty bohemian by the standards of the Bible Belt, and as such hung out at one of the few saloons in town that catered to that crowd. My relationship with Chung Su stirred up a lot of malice among the allegedly "cool chicks" inhabiting the bar. One evening I went down there alone, and was immediately confronted by one of them. "So, where's Yoko Ono?" this empty-headed sow inquired. I thought for a moment, then replied: "Does that make me John Lennon?" The pinhead didn't get it, of course, and after giving me what I'm sure she considered an appopriately withering look, lost herself in the crowd. Why should a woman I barely knew give a damn about who I was going out with? The most obvious reason was racism, a problem alive and well here in Red State, MO. Reason Two (and this is actually the important point) was intimidation. The bottom line? However hard they work to convince you otherwise, white girls in America don't cut it and they know it. They're the creeps, not the males (with some exceptions) whom they spend so much time and effort persecuting.

How's old that expression go? - "The narcissist is always on shaky ground."

No shit,

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Hello Mr.Wu! I found your website by chance
googling the subject of lack of intellectual
curiosity in America.
There is plenty of culture in the US outside of
NYC;places like San Francisco,L.A.,Washington,
Houston,Dallas,Minneapolis,Baltimore etc.
I recently saw the movie"Barcelona".In one
scene a Spanish character states flatly that the US
has"absolutely no culture". Really? What about
all the classical composers,novelists,poets and
playwrights,paintersetc of international renown
that America has produced? This shows the mis-
conceptions that many Europeans have about America.
This is true of people all over the world;
they get distorted pictures of each other's
cultures.Certainly,many Europeans and other people
have great fun vacationing all over the US.
No doubt there are Europeans and Asians who
wonder if it might be better living in the US.
I wonder if there are any websites that are the
exact opposite of yours,saying hoow great it is
to live in America?
I would love to visit Xingjiang province in
China,land of the Uighur Turks,near the Central
Asian republics of the former soviet Union.
The Uighurs resent Chinese occupation of their
land,which they call Eastern Turkestan.
I am very interested in Central Asia,and even
learned some Turkish and its Central Asian
dialects.I sometimes watch a UHF program called
"INside China",which is very interesting.
Sometimes they show life in cities such as Kashgar,
in Xingjiang,the westernmost city in China.
Fascinating! I will continue to frequent your
very interesting website.

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Hello! Your blog is really interesting.
I am not one of those stereotypically ignorant,
uncultured Americans.I am a classical musician
who has performed in Italy,Australia,Switzerland,
New Zealand,Fiji and Samoa,and performed in many
orchestras,opera companies,and other groups.
I am very interested in history and geography,
and know a great deal about other countries.
I can read or understand,if not speak,many European
languages fluently.
I have been giving classes in the appreciation
of classical music at United Cerebral Palsy on
Long Island,and a nursing home in Westchester
county,and was a substitute music teacher at
various Long Island schools.
It's true that many Americans are pathetically
ignorant of history,geography and other countries in
general.But not all.And we are not all cultural
ignoramuses.For example,opera is more popular
than ever in the US,and there are now more opera
companies here than in Germany! We also have many
world class symphony orchestras,great museums,
and colleges and Universities.The US government
has done many reprehensible things,but so have
governments everywhere.It's ridiculous to blame
America for ALL the world's problems.
I don't think it's fair to make all those
generalizations about the American people.
They are no worse overall than people anywhere.
Nor is the architecture that uniformly bad.
There are still many very attractive and
livable cities here.
I wiould like to visit many other countries,
though,particularly in Europe and the former
Soviet Union.
New York city is a wonderful place to visit
and has so much to offer;ditto San Francisco,
Boston,Washington and other cities.
It may be true that other countries are great
places to live,but I would'nt write off the US.

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Hello Winston

First I want to say being another Asian American male that I have found your travels very informative and inspiring. I am glad that you have shared your experiences with us. I actually agree with alot of your insights that America has become very work centered, cliquish, socially isolating, etc.

Second, I know you only spend two weeks in the Ukraine but I was wanting to know if you knew the cheapest way to get there? I looked at some flights and they all cost about 1000 USD. Do you happen to know any cheaper deals or good airlines? Do you know when the peak flying season is? Any advice would be greatly appreciated from one fellow Asian American male to the other

Thanks again

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“I love Winston because he has helped open my eyes as to how we as women, in the US are treating men unfairly. Perhaps it is time for us women to quit whining and start seeing that perhaps men are treated unfairly and with the disrespect we once endured. I would prefer to see us women start treating men nicely again, so they do not all run abroad and leave us alone in the dust. Thank you for your refresing honesty and eye-openers Winston.”

Hey Winston, thought you might be interested in this. An old friend from college sent me this - and she's a very attractive girl, for your information - and it surprised me because it sounds exactly like something I remember you writing. Just that it's from the perspective of a hot girl:

"L.A. feels pretty boring to me, but then again, i definitely do not get out much right now that i'm in school and working all the time... when i do go out though, it doesn't seem to be very social... like, people usually stay with their friends, and as girls, we're trained to think that any guy that comes up to you in a bar or club is either a) a creep, or b) desperate.... it's odd that we think that way, but it's the culture... so where are you supposed to meet people?

another reason i think people are so uninteresting here in the States, is because of the whole politically correct thing... it has a huge effect on what people will allow themselves to express, and as a result think... it's like we're too civilized or something... so people become breathing versions of their environment, American society: conventional, washed-out, literal, pedestrian, square, colorless, mundane, and uninteresting... always looking to the future, and never living in the moment.. and if you do live in the moment, you somehow feel guilty... it's so sad to see it so clearly when you come back from being abroad for a while...

Machismo is repulsive, but what's attractive is guys who are guys... and that inevitably involves some raw, uncooked, unrefined, aggressive characteristics... maybe the problem isn't that guys here aren't these things, but that women are mentally trained to be repulsed by it... and when we go to other countries, we automatically sort of drop all of our expectations about how "our men" are supposed to be (because they're not our men) and we "allow" it ... and when you guys go to other countries, the women don't have the same expectations that american women do, and you find it more liberating and interesting to be with them, like they just allow you to be guys... i don't know, all i know is that i can't wait until spring break when i can go on another vacation..."

Hi Winston I can 100 percent relate to your last article. About how the United States and be a very isolating place. Now is it because of the way things are socially economically structured. Over the past few decades started with the Reagan non mics of the 1980,s, Dose it go back to the old Puritan Calvinistic work ethics over 400 years ago. Do the different powers at be. Use fear to have the upper hand. As far as control over us. IE by keeping people more isolated alienated. It give more power to the different powers at be. By keeping people alienated from them self and others it creates more social problems. Like crime especially violent crime, More violent gangs, Extreme substance abuse alcoholism harder drugs, And so many other pathology's. However all the pathology's create more jobs at many different levels. More police more privet security company's. The courts the lawyers the judges. The court clerks that handle all the paperwork. The prison system. Allot of the prisons in the USA are now becoming privatized. The company's that supply the food and clothing to the prison. Company's that manufacture and sell security equipments at all levels. Not to mention the medical field. When people feel alienated they are much more likely to use tobacco products. Like cigarettes chewing tobacco. Smoke real heavy. Also have real bad diets. Like fast food. Or replacing an apple a banana or a carrot with a snickers bar or a bag of chips. Plus all the other health issues associated with the high stress and frustration of alienation. So in a nut shell. All these things make billions and billions of dollars. The way the cooperate America sees things. Something that creates distress and hardships, pain, makes big money. Things that create fulfillment happiness togetherness. Dons,t make money and will cost money. Also fear is used by almost all the commercials you see on TV your computer the magazines. If you don,t buy this product your not going to fit in and you are a total freak. Then you see the news. This person got stabbed. Three women got raped murdered and mutilated last night. The person that did this is still at large. People in the United State are hit with millions and millions of bits of this information everyday. When they get up in the morning and leave for work. At work on there way home from work. Just going out on the town. At home when you turn on your TV or boot up to your web server. I personally feel the whole things feeds on it,s self and is it,s own kind of demonic entity. You do wonderful work Winston. Keep up the good work. {{{{PEACE}}}}

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Hi, you dont know me, just wanted to say I was impressed by your

website on happier abroad. I especially enjoyed reading your blogs about the

phoney consumer culture of America. I couldn't agree with you more and

you took the words right out of my mouth.

Tristin

Hello Winston,

I wanted to thank you for giving me hope.

My name is David, I'm from San Diego and now living in Las Vegas, I

Think I'm a fairly good looking guy, an intellectual, and I'm fairly

successful, and still I have an impossible time trying to meet girls.

I have the money to go anywhere I want to go, and live there, as long

as I have the Internet I can make money.

You have inspired me to take a trip to Russia, see for myself if there

Is any truth whatsoever to what you say about Russian girls, even if what you say is even 10% true I'll be very happy.

I want to also thank you for being able to read what you said in such

An intelligent, honest, and direct manner, it was very refreshing to say

The least.

This coming summer 2008 I will go to Russia and see for myself what

it's like there, and I hope it's even 10% of what you say it is, even being able to talk with such pretty girls would make me feel better about

myself.

I wish you the best in this life Winston, I hope you are doing well.

Take care,

David

Winston,

This is what I figured out about most of the Americans I have met after living in the States for over 8 years (note: most, but not all of them, there are definitely very smart people here who became my friends, I am talking about the biggest population percentage):

Fake.... that's the first thing that I noticed and continue to hate to this day. Famous American smile, everybody smiling at each other, in the stores, on the streets, restaurants, at work. And while smiling and pretending to like you and being your friend, they quitely stab a knife in your back (still smiling, of course).

Close-minded.... all those things they say and think about other cultures and countries, while having hard time pointing out where Luxembourg is or asking if I drive to Russia and back (yes, driving... as in a car) while visiting my family there. Or stating that French people are greedy and stink, literally, while never visting France or knowing where Statue of Liberty came from or even meeting a French person in their life.

Ignorant... thinking that their culture/religion/Constitution are the only right way to live, while never experiencing anything else, seeing other countries, or, for that matter, not even being able to name any constitutional rights exept for one... right to bear arms... for some reason, everybody knows this one.

Confused.... thinking that their country is the one that can rule the world, yet making fun of their president and displaying "Bush hater" stickers on their car bumpers.

Confused again... eating McDonalds five times a week and thinking that Diet Pepsi will save them from being overweight.

Umm... stupid??? for suing a fast-food place for becoming overweight... winning the case is something I am not even sure what to call...

Living in absolute ignorance about anything that concerns any other country besides their own... for example, actual questions and comments I've heard about Russia: "Must be nice to be away from all that snow, huh?", "Do you guys still have to stand two hours in line to buy toilet paper?", "Do you have polar bears walking around Moscow?", "Do Russian women ever shave their legs?".

Living in ignorance about their own country, for that matter... when asked what Americans were in Iraq for, one of the answers I heard (on TV, mind you), was "well, 9/11, of course".

Should I go on???

Hi Winston,
Thanks very much for your reply from several months back. I enjoy your writing and you are one of the most inspiring dudes around. Main thing is you don't give a shit what other people (especially white) say about you - highly unusual, unfortunately, for any race of people, Chinese especially.

So your stuff is absolutely awesome.

My brother is planning a trip soon to Europe. He wants to go through Turkey and then through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and onto Western Euro.

Do you know much about these three countries, in terms of the women scene, friendliness or unfriendliness of the locals, crime, safety etc.

My brother is 36 and feels it is time to begin to enjoy some of life, especially in the women department.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Keep up the great work.

Thanks

Kind regards,
John

I'm very pleased to read about you breaking out FREE of the American middleclass lifestyle of "I owe, I owe, I owe so off to work I go". CONGRATULATIONS and GOOD LUCK! Ciao for now, Bill

I found your site quite by accident. I was just so fed up with the sour grapes of American feminists about American men finding love and romance overseas and so stunned with their arrogant explanations for it:(they just want to find defenseless women to abuse). I was stunned because it's

such typical American female behavior----blame everyone and everything else but yourself. It couldn't possibly be you----you're too perfect! So I decided to research the topic on the internet and a link to your website about Russian women appeared. I believe the full title read: Russian Women Are NOT Desperate To Leave Their Country. I read the article with great interest.

After that, I decided to search your name on the internet and discovered even more links to even more great articles. Keep up the good work Winston.

dear winston:

you are so right. your words really mean a lot to me here.

i've been feeling exactly that.

this is why, no matter how much money i am making in sales, i've noticed i simply work LESS and LESS. this is because i'd rather be watching a movie or reading a book on film, acting, screenwriting, etc.

i tell everyone, "if life is just about working to survive, as far as i'm concerned, my life is OVER. if there is no dream to live for, if i am NOT living for my dream, there is no life, no purpose. i'd rather be a poor starving screenwriter, than making millions doing finance or something i could care less about. my father is 70 years old. i'd rather spend the next 10 years having quality time with him and figuring the money out later, than flushing my years down the toilet NOW, trying to work 80 hours a week, for nothing! -just to go from the day to day. that's simply NOT me."

i've been in a state of depression, but it's leading me to the new spiritual re-birth you described. i'm supposed to be an artist. an actress. a writer. NOT a sales girl. NOT working in the corporate world. that's not me. and i feel i am withering on the vine every single day i have to do it.

about the cd: at the gym with my walkman, i managed to access SOME of the rest of the numbers, though not all. i looked online and a brand new cd, with shipping, is only about 10 bucks. i may just purchase a new one.

nevertheless, the stuff you recommend, winston, has always managed to utterly CHANGE MY LIFE. thank you for being an inspiration. you will never know how much it means to me!!!

love always, elizabeth

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Subject: MY SALUTE TO WINSTON

Hello Winston. My name is Joe and I'm from New York. I've enjoyed reading your articles, especially the ones about how worthless, shallow, superficial and spoiled American women are and how the American culture and the American legal system tolerate it, and even condone it! I'm curious about a few things: I agree that America is not all things to all people and for me the bad outweighs the good. I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind being a resource for information about overseas living. Specifically what countries are the most male friendly? How easy is it to find a job and earn money in certain countries? What countries have a low cost of living? Are there counties with living standards similar to the U.S.? and finally: Is it really possible to escape the U.S. completely? Doesn't the U.S. have a global influence and a global presence? Since the U.S. has imposed itself militarily and economically and raped and plundered foreign lands, isn't it just a matter of time before it starts to impose itself culturally and socially? and isn't it just a matter of time before feminism gets exported? Are the rest of the world's women innoculated against feminist filth? I believe American women will do either one of two things: they'll either try to stop men from going overseas to meet foreign women by passing laws like IMBRA. Or if that doesn't work out as planned, they'll simply try to indoctrinate the rest of the world's women and brainwash them into perceiving themselves as "victims" and adopting victim politics. I believe this is what American feminists are secretly planning! Is there any way it can be thwarted. American feminists love to hide behind a false facade by pretending to "defend the rights of oppressed women". But in reality it's just a smoke screen to obscure their real intentions which are much more sinister. Their goal is to proclaim their superiority over men, deprive men of all their rights, confiscate all their money, steal all their property and ultimately rule over them. Since it's difficult for most women to accomplish their objectives with aggression, they seek to distract their opponent with BS----otherwise known as feminism. So when you hear a feminist feign concern for oppressed women don't be so quick to sympathize. There's a hidden agenda behind her words of compassion. Feminists are not genuine or sincere. They're selfish phonies who'll say anything to get their way. And by the way Winston, I'll bet if American feminism is ever exported, foreign women will be just as vulnerable and just as easy to convert as American women due to the have-it-all, have-it-your-way message of feminism-----very tempting, very seductive, and very hard to resist. Thanks for reading my message Winston. Hope to hear back from you. Take care.

Dear Winston:

I have never responded to a blog before or whatever they are called. I found your essay about american consumerism on planet essay and was inspired to write to you.

As I read your essay I felt like you were telling my story, except that I am a 40 year old female living in Malibu with a husband and two kids. Sounds nice right? Many days I feel like I am living a life of a prisoner. In my twenties I lived in Italy, France, and Belguim. I have been to Switzerland, Austria, Germany, spain, Turkey, Russia, Indonesia, and Luxembourg. I felt so alive, so free. Now what? My life is exactly like you described in your essay. I feel stuck. I am a full time mom with a nanny to help. I have read every spiritual book out. All I seem to do is long for my twenties. My husband is all about materialism and staying at 5 star hotels (many days I just feel suffocated by our marriage). I long for the way I used to be. I feel as though I have gone to the point of no return because I have children who rely on me.

Do you have any advice?

Wu-man, I got to give it to you. You have surrounded yourself by

everymans passion. Hundreds of beautiful women. All thru history men have

surrounded themselves and fought over the presence of women. Could there

be any better reason to fight over. For what ever reason you have

accomplished that feat. You have surrounded yourself by beautiful

women. The funny thing is that most of those guys living in the

Philippines will never experience what you are doing. I have traveled

the world during my long military career and have surrounded myself by

beautiful women in every port I went too. There is no better feeling

then to be surrounded by good-looking, good-smelling, good-tasting

women. But alas Mr Wu, we all seek that ONE perfect women who rises above

the rest and glows with the intensity of the North Star. You have yet to

experience that moment. When my time comes to move to Cebu, I intend to

stop and smell the roses. All the roses. Each one I smell better then the

one before. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and filipina women are

some of the most desired women on the planet. I enjoy their presence and

their passion for life. LJG FMF Forever. P.S. I believe that you can

prove your point anytime.

Dear Winston,

If so many immigrants feel this way about Americans, why do they show us such a false, ingratiating face when they meet us, and pretend to love us so? There are some Americans, like myself, a Portuguese-American, who feel exactly the same way many foreigners do about this dead, soulless country. When we meet non-Americans who share our feelings, we are never let know it. We have no one to talk to about our views. It's as though all Americans are stereotyped as exactly the same: we're all dead inside, we all have dead eyes, we all march in lockstep behind our belligerent, hate-filled, racist nation. "Therefore why even talk to them? They're all subhumans and they're all together and in on it." But that's profoundly untrue. Not all of us march in time to America's sick rhythm.

As an American who noticed the strange dead eyes of most other Americans early in my life, as a child, I feel very bad that more non-Americans I have known did not simply open up a conversation with me about how they felt. They would have been amazed to learn that some Americans also feel the way they do about America; and we, the minority, are trapped here.

My sister and I are two of about perhaps ten people we know who can see through the fog of deadness hovering over this country. Life for us as native-born Americans has been a steady hell. From childhood it is as though "normal Americans" could perceive our differentness. We were hunted, bullied, tortured, lied about and betrayed for our perception. My suffering as an American outsider has lasted for decades. Again and again I find myself encountering Americans who find it routine and okay to lie to me, lie about me, steal from me, betray me, try to manipulate me, use me, and discard me. There is no soul behind their eyes; their eyes are empty and blank, and all they care about all their bellies, their wallets, and the next (must be wealthy, thin and attractive!) sex partner.

If I could, I would leave America. I long to go to Portugal, the land of my ancestors. But right now I am trapped under a business that I built and can see no way of continuing it in another country: yet. If I hit upon an idea, I will be out of here and living across the world far away from this terrible land. Between Bush, Christians, the war in Iraq, the growing fascism, the media and the worsening inhumanity in the very streets here, I despise and feel sorry for this place.

America is very much an asylum for the mentally ill. My sister and I ask each other every week - literally, every week, in the wake of yet another betrayal or assault from a dead-eyed American near us - if the entire country has gone collectively insane.

You wonder why Americans don't know their own neighbors? They're more Americans - would YOU want to get to know them?

Portuguese-American longing to escape,

S.F.

Mabuhay from Boracay! Hey Winston, noticed your post for the first time on the philippines yahoogroups and have skimmed over your bio and a few of your links long enough to realize, "the path to adventure" continues with the next generation. I often use one liners to simplify what I mean to say and to save me from typing and you have a few one liners, I like, "energy leeches"& the "USA MATRIX" being two of them.

Know exactly what you mean and I left home at 18 back in 1972, lived in Tucson, then on a sailboat in the Florida Keys before heading for Europe Jan 77 and have never spent a consecutive 12 month period in the States since then, the two longest stays were 9 months in 82 /83 in San Diego and 11 months in 86 / 87 in my hometown, Des Moines, Iowa.

I'm particularly impressed that you have followed your unconventional, adventurous path as an Asian American who like you say are more often than not very practical, hardworking and caught up with the "American Dream" of materialism. My internet names are AsiaBill and PhilBill so it's easy to find my blah blah blah with google. KEEP THE FAITH, ciao for now, Bill

EXPLORE PHILIPPINES: http://asiabill.pages.web.com

Feel FREE to ask questions about life and travel in the Philippines, about our Boracay Beachfront resort, Casa Camilla or our guesthouse style Townhouse Hotel near the Manila Airports? Tel.++(632)-854-1435, 854-3826, 854-0161 Cell-0918-283-7251

Wow....agreed, why can't normal looking people go counter-culture as well?? I agree with you on a lot of this. That "burning man" thing you were talking about...desiring to find politically active, culturally aware, industry averse, normal individuals is extremely difficult! I have a few amazing friends at my school who are this way (and are even clean-shaven and pot free) and it's a relief. It disturbs me, in a way, that I am expected to accept (and even desire??) the pot culture if I want to go against the grain at all. Associating with some of these individuals...makes me feel as if they really don't care about any causes, only having an excuse to be lazy, neglect themselves and smoke pot. I think I've found a haven in my International Studies major at school. My professors are open-minded, organic/vegetarian/holistical health-minded, aware of politics, culture, and society...and so are the students! But I would say that this is certainly an exception to the rule, rather than the rule itself (and you often display). Still, even at times, I find myself to be an anomaly...not desiring to take drugs, being vegetarian, caring for politics...I don't belong here! Like you, I feel the need to get out. As for the whole girls thing...besides my few exceptions of friends...most of the girls I know just aren't that passionate and wild in the way I think you are talking about. And like you said, many will choose the white males over anyone else! I don't mean to sound crass, but the world offers up many exotic flavors, and I don't understand why these girls can't try some of them?? My boyfriend is Japanese, there's a very attractive Iraqi sitting next to me, a cute Korean guy behind me, etc. I wish these girls would just...open their minds! If they're open enough to try pot, etc., why not try "new flavors" in other areas too? (Again, excuse my crudeness--I use this more of an analogy than anything).

So, just to show you there are some sane people in America, I included a picture of myself, hahahaahaha :). I'm a normal looking, clean and nice-smelling, in-shape American girl who is culturally and politically and environmentally aware. I am a vegetarian, try to buy local and organic as much as possible, care (even worry excessively) about national and international issues in health, politics, human rights, etc.... I have many international friends, have a (native) Japanese boyfriend, love travelling and learning about new cultures....can actually locate Kazakhstan (although that's kind of an easy one), Malaysia, etc. on a map and...I've never even SEEN pot, let alone smoked it. :)

So...is there hope? Probably not much, but at least there are some people out there suffering from the same problems and feeling the same way as you!! :D

Take care Winston,

Megan

PS--did you ever decide about the paternity test?

PSS--(sorry if sending my pic weirded you out. Please just keep it to yourself, haha! I don't like my face to be seen...I'm kind of private in that way)
PSSS--i didn't read my email a second time. hope i didn't write anything too weird! Haha

http://www.happierabroad.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=444

Hi all,

My name is Edward Kingsley. I have been reading the stories and adventures of Winston, and like the rest of you I'M IMPRESSED!!!

I will be leaving this cold country in the near future. First stop: BRAZIL
I will be making a web log of my travels so others can follow in my footsteps. However, I bow humbly to the master, Winston Woo.

I hope I am striking out on a BOLD and NEW path for my life such as Winston did. Though some of his writings were embrassing to say the least, I love how he persavered and finally got the girl of his dreams. WAY TO GO WINSTON..... Now he and Diane will live happyily ever after, as soul mates that they truly are. I hope you two get married soon, and have more kids. You will like being a father Winston, it's responsibility on a whole new level and I venture to say you will love it.

Now he is going to be a father, I WILL, IF WINSTON AGREES, PICK UP THE TORCH HE SO BRAVELY LIT, AND CARRY IT ONWARD AS A CONTINUATION AND COMFORMATION OF WINSTON'S JOURNEY.

A JOURNEY FOR LOVE!
A JOURNEY FOR WISDOM!
A JOURNEY FOR SPIRITUAL BLISS!
A JOURNEY FOR YOUNG BEAUTY!!
A JOURNEY FOR SEXY GIRLS!!
A JOURNEY FOR ALL THE LONELY MEN IN THE WORLD!!

Edward

Hi Winston,

I was just talking to someone in the newsroom where I work about his trip to Eastern Europe. He mentions that even though the people are poor, they are exceedingly happier than people in the U.S. and that he had to "shut off the sarcasm filter" because he was so floored by their hospitality, kindness, genuity, and innocence. He mentioned that the pace of life was slower and that unlike the U.S., which is task-oriented and focused on time and quality of life materially, they were focused on quality of life socially, and that there was an interconnectedness and contentedness that is missing from the U.S. There wasn't that additional layer of superficiality and deception/mask/distance that you have to deal with in social interactions in the U.S.

Ahhh.... I am dying here. Please advise me as to options about what to do. I do want to make a difference in the world and I fear that if I just move to these countries right away, I might give up educational and vocational opportunities that would better equip me to pursue my dreams. On the other hand, my personality type is so at odds with this mainstream society that it has put me into major depression and frustrating sense of isolation and not being able to achieve fulfillment or contentedness. I can't help feeling like I am wasting my life. I deserve a life where I can be free to be who I am-- where I can hang out with people I sincerely am amplified by.... hike waterfalls, forests, play music with.... and that doesn't really seem to be the way of life here.

HELP. What do you advise I do? What options do I have? Are there artistic communities in Europe or elsewhere that you would recommend I join????

Karen

http://www.happierabroad.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=91

Posted: 15 Sep 2007 06:29 pm Post subject: I Love Wu Cause He's A Rebel

Maybe it's because I'm a young man who is the leader of a power metal band, but I love rebels and free spirits, I really do. And that's why I like Wu so much.

There are so many people who turn into depressed potatoes in the USA. They just sit there and get more and more depressed. And if you don't fit in, they just label you a "loser".
Wu didn't just sit down and take that. Wu rebelled against that.

I rebel against that too in many ways, with my band, and with going to Poland, and with other stuff.

But now I want to go to the Philippines just like Wu. Yeah!
_________________
Let's go Wu! Let's go Wu!! Let's go Wu!!!!!!!!!!
Beat those bashers!!! Beat those Wu-Bashers!!!!

Win--ston Win--ston Win--ston Win--ston!!!!!!!!
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Winston is the man because he rebels against American culture and goes down to the Philippines to sleep with all the gorgeous bar-girls. And that's what I'm going to do, too.

http://www.happierabroad.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=18

jamesbond wrote:

In America there is the mentality that we don't talk to strangers and some people don't even talk to their neighbors! How are you supposed to meet people when it's taboo to talk to strangers? I guess the bars and nightclubs are the only socially acceptable places to talk to strangers! That really limits your opportunities to meet people. No wonder why so many people are using the personal ads and internet dating! People even avoid making eye contact with others when out in public!

- Paul

This also calls to mind the workplace. This is more or less a 'safe' place to hold social discourse.

The US appears to hold individuality so dear that it has produced possibly the most bland 'individuals' of all cultures, bi-polar patients aside perhaps, which there seems to be no end of now. It would appear the true life of the person cannot be found in isolation, rather it blooms in a more collective mentality. No surprise, it's difficult to cultivate a complex mentality when all you're exposed to is the same people, friends, situations, roads, jobs, etc or worse, left in isolation. I have always found my friends from other countries to be far more informed and colorful as people, men and women both and far more altruistic and 'other oriented' than the people I've known in the US.

Strangest thing is, the people I've known from politically torn and bomb ridden countrysides are far less paranoid than people from the States and far more outgoing. Then again, people from safer countries than the US, which are many, are also less paranoid and more outgoing. Go figure.