Happier Abroad Forum Community

Second Youth in the Second/Third World;

We have heard of the term “second childhood� or dotage when an elderly person becomes as helpless and as unreasonable as a newly born child as he/she stumbles towards the end of his/her life. Little, though, have we heard of second youth, which is a nature-given second chance to men and often, even women. What is this second youth?

Well, let me give you an example: say you are a man who has tried to succeed in early years studying hard, marrying, raising a family but through a combination of bad breaks and one’s own lack of wisdom and experience, has ended up a failure to one degree or another. You may be in your late thirties or forties or even fifties with little to show in terms of personal achievements. You may have gone through a bitter divorce or bankruptcy or a combination of the two. Your society considers you a loser, young attractive women won’t touch you with a ten foot pole and basically, you have very few things to look forward to.

This is the time when you should seriously consider starting afresh in a new land, preferable in a developing country where value are different, your status as a first world national is automatically high and where young females see maturity in years as an asset, not a liability. Such a possibility is your God given second wind, an opportunity to turn over a new leaf and have another youth in which failures of the past become not regrets lying heavily on your heart but lessons that will give you a chance to succeed that second time around.

Second youth can start anywhere from 30 to 50 and end whenever you are no longer interested in the pleasures of youth and are probably more inclined towards exploring interests of maturity. It can last anywhere from ten to thirty years or a bit less if you decide to get married and start a family. But even then, you can be a young father, still in the prime of youth.

As far as your look and potency goes, well, there are now many products on the market and many kinds of inexpensive surgical and non surgical procedures to keep you looking, feeling and performing as a young man should.

There will be many kinks to work out, set backs and obstacles but if you persist, the second youth will be there for many years to come.

Is second youth available to women? Well, yes, in a much watered-down version it is. Now there are middle aged Western women who head for Mediterranean and African countries where a 55 year old Western female can have a 20+ year old lover/husband and have her second chance at youth.

However, she may not be able to have children again or assume the same position of “power� in her relationships as a Western man in the developing world could. Still, if she wants to have it, she might as well go ahead and enjoy it. I have seen Western women in their 50ies in the Middle East and they were living excellent lives enjoying all pleasures that it can offer. “Please, don’t let the party end� would be their war cry in Oman, Egypt, Turkey or Greece.

Somehow, though, it seems that men can have their “revenge� better and it can last longer and be more fulfilling. Plus, society will accept it much more and the whole thing will just flow more naturally.

The main obstacle to overcome in the financial one. How can one support oneself in all those lands? This is where your creativity, persistence and wisdom should be used. Teaching languages is the best way although it may not provide as much money as you think? A stint in Iraq to save some money for an online business that you can run anywhere in the world? Think hard, work hard and do not give up. Remember that Second Youth may last as long as the first one if not longer, so you do have enough time to arrange its happening.

Ladislav, should I put these new essays of yours, including the one about multi-patriates, into the Expatriate Observations Ebook? If so, can you remember to insert blank lines between the paragraphs to make it more readable? I'll do it for you this time. Let me know if I spaced the paragraphs differently than you had intended.

WWu777 wrote:Ladislav, should I put these new essays of yours, including the one about multi-patriates, into the Expatriate Observations Ebook? If so, can you remember to insert blank lines between the paragraphs to make it more readable? I'll do it for you this time. Let me know if I spaced the paragraphs differently than you had intended.

Yeah, that would be nice, Thanks! Are people downloading it, by the way?

I'm not sure, but I send the download links to people who buy my ebook and I'm sure some of them probably do.

Ladislav, ok well I've updated your ebook with your two new entries and uploaded it.

(Those of you who have a copy of it can now download the new version at the download link I gave you when you ordered my ebook )

BTW Ladislav, I revised the introduction to your ebook "Expatriate Observations". Here's the new intro. How does it sound?


"Introduction by Winston Wu

Dear Reader,

Thank you for your time and interest in seeking knowledge about the multi-national world, expanding your cultural awareness, and openness in allowing others to share with you what they’ve learned.

The following collection of multi-cultural dissertations, observations, musings and advice on international living were written by my cultural consultant, an extraordinary writer and traveler who goes by the pseudonym “Ladislav�. I’ve collected them from various posts he’s made online throughout the years. Having been to over 30 countries and learning ten languages (a phenomenal number) he has developed a multi-national scope of depth that few can ever touch, which is very evident in his writings, insight, analysis, and observations. Thus, I’ve dubbed him the “Socrates of International Culture�. I consider him to be a sort of “guru� whom I have quoted from in many chapters of my Happier Abroad Ebook. His multi-national wisdom in his writings and speech in both practical matters and deep existentialist facets, reflect a cultural broadness I’ve never encountered before.

I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting him in person, and I can say that the conversations I’ve had with him reminded me of the conversations between Socrates and his students chronicled by Plato in various works.

Though like me he has a passion for writing, unlike me he prefers to remain anonymous, and thus goes by an online pseudonym. In fact, he does not even consider this collection, which he dubbed “Expatriate Observations�, to even be a book, but rather an unfinished neverending continuation of observations and insights he gains during his international journeys. And as such, the reader will notice that it is not organized or structured in any systemic way, without even an introduction (except this one of course).

Thanks to his generosity of spirit, he has allowed me to collect what he’s written so far and put them into an ebook to give out as a bonus gift to those who have bought my ebook, desiring no reward or cut in return, living by the karmic rule “what goes around comes around�. This ebook and mine together make a splendid complementary package.

Please keep in mind that, as with my Happier Abroad Ebook, the dissertations and observations expressed here are only general guiding rules, not absolutes. The author acknowledges that exceptions exist for every general rule, and that exceptions can be cited by others. Thus, absolutes are not claimed here, only patterns and tendencies.

Also please note that this is a collection of observations and experiences filled with insight and wisdom, not a guidebook telling you what to do. In fact, no one can rightly tell you what to do with your life. There is no magic formula or single path that is right for everyone or works for all people. Everyone has their own path, destiny and karma that is gradually discovered through progressive revelation. Thus no one person, no matter how brilliant or experienced, really knows what is “right� for another. To presume that they do would be foolish. However, there is nothing wrong with sharing one’s observations, experiences and lessons learned for another to consider, and as an aid for introspection or self-reflection. Taken as that, this collection is quite a gem.

Therefore, I now present the ebook Expatriate Observations, and it is my hope that you will find the content as enriching as I have.

Sincerely,
Winston Wu
http://www.happierabroad.com "

W: Also, here are some quotes about your writing that I put at the top.


Quotes from readers of these dissertations

“Ladislav, I consider you to be the Socrates of International Culture.�

“Ladislav, I bow and worship your wisdom.…
This is probably the best article I've read this month from all publications I read.�

“Wow...the most complete analysis of expat living experience I've ever read...Thank you. Ladislav... �

“I've learned more from this than any other source about expat living. Thanks for sharing your observations and experiences! Confirms the decision I've made to live in the Philippines instead of Mexico….. Your advice about finding the right fit will save alot of grief to those who heed it.�

“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.�

Ladislav, I've been reading your ebook provided by Winston and your cultural wisdom is unrivaled.

Staying on topic, I turn 28 next week yet feel 45 already. I've tried succeeding (I graduated from college, got a good job, and married and had a son). But I've been experiencing - to borrow your phrase - bad breaks. Specifically, I lost a job last year, which was a blessing in disguise, and I'm about to go through a divorce.

My social and dating life have never been great in America, and I seem to have little to hope for here after my divorce.

I'm not 30 yet, but close enough to begin a second youth by becoming a multipatriate. This new path of discovery will start in the summer. I have no strong bonds in my home country, so what is there to lose? Plus, I've always wanted to travel.

JamesSa wrote:Ladislav, I've been reading your ebook provided by Winston and your cultural wisdom is unrivaled.

Staying on topic, I turn 28 next week yet feel 45 already. .

Nothing that a few 18 year old Asian girlfriends would not fix.


.

I've tried succeeding (I graduated from college, got a good job, and married and had a son). But I've been experiencing - to borrow your phrase - bad breaks. Specifically, I lost a job last year, which was a blessing in disguise, and I'm about to go through a divorce.

My social and dating life have never been great in America, and I seem to have little to hope for here after my divorce.

I'm not 30 yet, but close enough to begin a second youth by becoming a multipatriate. This new path of discovery will start in the summer. I have no strong bonds in my home country, so what is there to lose? Plus, I've always wanted to travel.

You are following in my steps then- I graduated at 24, got a good job, got married at 27, finalized my divorce at 29, and left for Japan before my 30th birthday. At 30 it is not even your second youth, it is your second boyhood. Your second youth will start at 45.

WWu777 wrote:Ladislav, ok well I've updated your ebook with your two new entries and uploaded it.

(Those of you who have a copy of it can now download the new version at the download link I gave you when you ordered my ebook )

BTW Ladislav, I revised the introduction to your ebook "Expatriate Observations". Here's the new intro. How does it sound?


"Introduction by Winston Wu

Dear Reader,

Thank you for your time and interest in seeking knowledge about the multi-national world, expanding your cultural awareness, and openness in allowing others to share with you what they’ve learned.

The following collection of multi-cultural dissertations, observations, musings and advice on international living were written by my cultural consultant, an extraordinary writer and traveler who goes by the pseudonym “Ladislav�. I’ve collected them from various posts he’s made online throughout the years. Having been to over 30 countries and learning ten languages (a phenomenal number) he has developed a multi-national scope of depth that few can ever touch, which is very evident in his writings, insight, analysis, and observations. Thus, I’ve dubbed him the “Socrates of International Culture�. I consider him to be a sort of “guru� whom I have quoted from in many chapters of my Happier Abroad Ebook. His multi-national wisdom in his writings and speech in both practical matters and deep existentialist facets, reflect a cultural broadness I’ve never encountered before.

I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting him in person, and I can say that the conversations I’ve had with him reminded me of the conversations between Socrates and his students chronicled by Plato in various works.

Though like me he has a passion for writing, unlike me he prefers to remain anonymous, and thus goes by an online pseudonym. In fact, he does not even consider this collection, which he dubbed “Expatriate Observations�, to even be a book, but rather an unfinished neverending continuation of observations and insights he gains during his international journeys. And as such, the reader will notice that it is not organized or structured in any systemic way, without even an introduction (except this one of course).

Thanks to his generosity of spirit, he has allowed me to collect what he’s written so far and put them into an ebook to give out as a bonus gift to those who have bought my ebook, desiring no reward or cut in return, living by the karmic rule “what goes around comes around�. This ebook and mine together make a splendid complementary package.

Please keep in mind that, as with my Happier Abroad Ebook, the dissertations and observations expressed here are only general guiding rules, not absolutes. The author acknowledges that exceptions exist for every general rule, and that exceptions can be cited by others. Thus, absolutes are not claimed here, only patterns and tendencies.

Also please note that this is a collection of observations and experiences filled with insight and wisdom, not a guidebook telling you what to do. In fact, no one can rightly tell you what to do with your life. There is no magic formula or single path that is right for everyone or works for all people. Everyone has their own path, destiny and karma that is gradually discovered through progressive revelation. Thus no one person, no matter how brilliant or experienced, really knows what is “right� for another. To presume that they do would be foolish. However, there is nothing wrong with sharing one’s observations, experiences and lessons learned for another to consider, and as an aid for introspection or self-reflection. Taken as that, this collection is quite a gem.

Therefore, I now present the ebook Expatriate Observations, and it is my hope that you will find the content as enriching as I have.

Sincerely,
Winston Wu
http://www.happierabroad.com "

W: Also, here are some quotes about your writing that I put at the top.


Quotes from readers of these dissertations

“Ladislav, I consider you to be the Socrates of International Culture.�

“Ladislav, I bow and worship your wisdom.…
This is probably the best article I've read this month from all publications I read.�

“Wow...the most complete analysis of expat living experience I've ever read...Thank you. Ladislav... �

“I've learned more from this than any other source about expat living. Thanks for sharing your observations and experiences! Confirms the decision I've made to live in the Philippines instead of Mexico….. Your advice about finding the right fit will save alot of grief to those who heed it.�

“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.�

It was just banter mainly. I can hardly remember what I wrote. Oh, well, thanks anyway.