₦airaland Forum

ScalesDemy:
Depending on your budget or nature of health issue, your best destination will be Latin America or any country in the Scandinavian region.

thank you so much,i really appreciate,i would check more about it…thank you

ramalot:
Sorry about your health issues, but I have no information on this.

alright then,thank you

ramalot:
Thanks.

1. Getting to meet some of the people at that event in Uruguay was certainly one of the highlights.
I haven't been to Luxembourg, so I really can't say. I know it's certainly not cheap though.

2. Work/life balance is great. As I detailed somewhere before, traveling the world isn't one massive extended tourist vacation, for me. Sure, my entire lifestyle is similar to a vacation, based on varying locations, but everyday life isn't.

I spend a lot of my time working at home, same as I would if I was back home, in the US. When you stay in a place for say 3 months, you've already seen the major attractions in a few days, and from then, life becomes relatively "normal," which is great. Trying to be in full-time tourist mode, wandering around all day is a recipe for burnout and low productivity.

3. Look into Data Analysis, Cyber Security, UI/UX Design, and any programming languages you can handle, if you want to challenge yourself with programming.

4. I talked on some of the reasons earlier in the thread, but it's a combination of an improved economy and diet changes. Since the average Brazilian has more money than 15-20 years ago, they've discovered a love for fast food, and can now afford it. So yeah, teletubbies everywhere in Rio.

5. I once missed my flight from Amsterdam to Bangkok, around midnight. Spent 24 hours at Schiphol airport, because I waited till morning, so I could have the airline re-issue my ticket in the morning. They refused to re-issue it, so I lost the ticket and had to buy a new one. Then I had to wait till the next flight, at midnight. So a full 24 hours of frustration and having to pay double for the flight.

This is certainly not the most dramatic event in my travels, but I'll leave it at this one.

Thanks for your response.

Demmylove:
Nothing is wrong with it either mate.

And what if he likes their movies and culture, what if he's attracted to their women.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

You called it a fantasy, it could be a dream, yes whatever you choose to call it.

Most people that worked their way abroad all started from these dreams, these fantasies.

You and I included, I'm sure you have a place you want to travel to and must have fantasized how life would be there for you.

Even if seeking a better quality of life and better jobs is your primary purpose, you can't ignore the fact that cultural interactions and women will also follow suit.

Or are you just going to work all days of your life.

Infact what attracts people to a country these days is their way of life, their culture.

If someone posts a thread about a country he visited and how warming, receptive and fun the people were and how there are decent jobs there too, it would peak a lot of people's interest rather than a country that's beautiful with higher paying jobs but dull/cold vibes around the people.

Nobody wants to live like that no matter how much we would want to chase money.

We learn most about other people's countries through the media, movies are included.

If he likes South Korea then he likes South Korea, and his reasons to me are not invalid.

I guess you have the same desire for you to really have the time to type this very long epistle.

The guy I quoted later made a comment that he was actually joking , so I don't understand this your long epistle to justify why a fully grown ass man will travel across seas to go and look for the kind of women he watches on Kdrama c'mon now .

Attention
This comment is not meant to derail this thread.
Please if any of NL knows who bears Aremu Tunde Raheem, his Belgian international passport was mistakenly sent to a colleague of mine in Osun State from a source and we have been making all efforts to trace him since November 2022.

Likewise, if we have someone who is with a Bahamas passport, bearing Oluwafemi.T. A., kindly hit me up here so that I can collect the passport from you and also link you to the source where yours could be, if you are not Tunde.

Thanks a lot. I am using this medium as a last resort since all efforts to trace Tunde and someone with the Bahamas passport prove abortive.

cyrusmillz:
I guess you have the same desire for you to really have the time to type this very long epistle.

The guy I quoted later made a comment that he was actually joking , so I don't understand this your long epistle to justify why a fully grown ass man will travel across seas to go and look for the kind of women he watches on Kdrama c'mon now .

Lol no "I don't have the same desires for me to have typed the very long epistle"

First of all, no country in Asia would be my go to, if I wanted to settle in another country. It would be nice for visiting but not living.

And that's for me, for another person it could be different.

I only typed that long ass epistle because it's weird to me the way you seeing this thing.

Okay tell me something, your proposed dream country, you want to tell me you haven't thought of how the women there would be? Whether you'd meet africans there or a different nationality, you'd have thought of that definitely.

And no one is traveling across the seas to seek only women, the way he typed it was comical but he mentioned he likes their culture and their women, bro how is that bad?

Obviously he'd have a skill or working towards getting a skill, maybe he has something doing already or he's already a professional in something. I'm just saying. If he's got the work part figured out already by himself, the only thing for him would be to ask how their women was? Are they friendly blah blah blah, that's how I saw it.

You're seeing it like he's a jobless dude who fantasizes about marrying a Korean and wastes his time watching kdrama

What if he makes money and watches Korean movies and still wants to marry a Korean?

Would it still sound as bad as the first thought you had about him?

The reason I'm even typing too long is because I hate stereotypes.

P.S I'm not an advocate of South Korea or their movies, if it was another Country and you expressed your thoughts the same way, I would have still commented the same way.

ramalot:
I have gained some insights into different societies and cultures, by traveling far and wide. Not as a weekend tourist, but spending extended time in those places, and living an everyday life. Some of that information/experience might be useful to someone here.

An impressive list of countries. Cuba... So you haven't spent extended time in Cuba? I travel internationally as well. Bahia in Brazil and Cuba are my targets for 2023.

ramalot:
NOTE:

- PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE THE ENTIRE ORIGINAL POST, TO ASK A QUESTION OR MAKE A COMMENT, AS IT'S LONG.

- Please keep your questions about general travel and things you're curious about. Not work, hustle, relocation etc. Thanks!



Additional Info, since some will inevitably ask, or wonder: WHAT DO I DO FOR A LIVING?

To preface, I'm not just "roughing it" out here. I have paid my dues in education, 9-5s and business. I have an undergrad degree in the US, and an MBA (Master of Business Administration) from a top Business School in the US. I worked many years in Telecoms, and always had a business going, in my 9-5 days. Small businesses in both the US and Nigeria. I have hired over 5 full time workers from right here on Nairaland, in the past, to work at physical business locations in Lagos and Abuja.

Nearly 10 years ago, I resigned my 9-5 in the US, to focus full time on my business. I have multiple things going, mostly online. I have several contracted projects with major companies like Google, Pinterest and a host of others. Typically providing Artificial Intelligence training services to them. Training the AI algorithms, not training humans. These companies have large budgets.

I own two traditional startups, and co-own one in Canada. I'd rather not get into the fine details of these things, but there's a lot you can all do for yourselves, if you are motivated enough. Even if you live in Nigeria.

After resigning my 9-5, I spent a few years just working at home, day in and day out, in my apartment in the US. Then one day, I realized I could do exactly what I'm doing in my apartment anywhere in the world. So why am I stuck in my apartment all day, most days? That's when I packed my stuff and hit the road. I'll rather work in airbnb apartments and houses all over the world, than just one in the US.

With that out of the way, back to the point of this thread, which is travel stuff, not how I can afford to travel long-term.

TRAVELING THE WORLD ISN'T ONE BIG VACATION

Traveling the world the way I do, for a very extended period of years isn't the same as a 2-week vacation. I'm not on vacation. I live my life in a very calm-paced way. I and my fiancee work at home, and whenever we feel like stepping outside, we're in a different country, and it's fun. Rinse and repeat in different countries. We're not permanently jumping around from one tourist attraction to another. No one has that time or energy. We're both very productive with our time.




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This question might be too broad to provide a specific answer, since both regions are very large and diverse.

However, on average, the major Latin American countries are significantly more developed than the major African countries.

Both regions have countries with high poverty levels and insecurity. Africa has militias and terrorists. LatAm has militias and deadly cartel mafiosos.

Only countries like South Africa and maybe 1 or 2 North African countries are comparable to places like Panama, Brazil, Argentina and a few others. Sure, these major LatAm countries also have poor infrastructure and poverty outside the major cities. However, overall, they are significantly more developed, in the developed cities. Panama City, Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires are great cities.

I took the attached pics (in order of appearance) in:

Panama City, Panama - From a foot bridge over the road, at Avenida Balboa.
Sao Paulo, Brazil - My balcony view, around Avenida Paulista. The black glass building is CNN.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Took this from atop a mountain. Rio has some of the most incredible views.
Buenos Aires, Argentina - My neighborhood in Buenos Aires. The obelisk is visible down the road.

This is mad cool.

ramalot:
Yeah, it's easier to minimize those.

For your question, I would say Colombia and Brazil. While both countries have their issues, I love the people and vibe.

The music, the general atmosphere and interactions are warm and enjoyable.

I've spent a total of 10 months in Brazil, in one trip, and 12 months in Colombia, on 4 different trips between 2017 and 2022.

Attached Pics:
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Bogota, Colombia

That's awesome!

What language translation devices have you used for learning Spanish and Portuguese in those LatAm countries?... Or did you enrol in a Spanish immersion program?

I love the fact that you have visited
Brazil. They are warm folks but things can head south fast if you are in the wrong hood or favelas of
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and other cities where unsuspecting visitors could be robbed or brutally shot.

The very strong retention of the cultures, languages, and religions in Salvador, State of Bahia, of the Yorubas (of Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and Benin), Angola and Congo due to the Trans-Atlantic deportation of Africans on slave schooners shows the triumph of the human spirit.


Happy 2023!

ramalot:
Mid-30s.

And if anyone is wondering, my fiancee travels with me.

Mama mia... Wow, you were sounding like a man in his 40s or 50s with those achievements.

Bravo!

ramalot:
Yes, Colombian Spanish is great. Proper enunciation and clear accents. In some places, the Spanish is annoying, like Argentina where I am now, Chile and a few others. In Argentina, there's a strong Italian influence on the Spanish, since majority of Argentinians are of Italian descent.

I haven't been to India, but I like a nice Indian meal once in a while. I was in the Philippines for a month. Mostly in Manila, Cebu and the island of Boracay. What places aren't you allowed to go in the Phils? Never heard of that.

Attached pics:

Manila, Philippines (view from my apartment)
Manila, Philippines (Venice Grand Canal Mall). Beautiful mall modeled after Venice, Italy. I bet you visited.
Cebu, Philippines (nice lake)
Boracay Island, Philippines. View of the entire island, before landing at the airport and taking a boat to it.

Nicely put.

Demmylove:
You're seeing it like he's a jobless dude who fantasizes about marrying a Korean and wastes his time watching kdrama

That's what it looked like actually and It was just funny to me. But I get your point now

cyrusmillz:
That's what it looked like actually and It was just funny to me. But I get your point now

Lol, all good.

Konquest:
That's awesome!

What language translation devices have you used for learning Spanish and Portuguese in those LatAm countries?... Or did you enrol in a Spanish immersion program?

I love the fact that you have visited
Brazil. They are warm folks but things can head south fast if you are in the wrong hood or favelas of
Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and other cities where unsuspecting visitors could be robbed or brutally shot.

The very strong retention of the cultures, languages, and religions in Salvador, State of Bahia, of the Yorubas (of Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and Benin), Angola and Congo due to the Trans-Atlantic deportation of Africans on slave schooners shows the triumph of the human spirit.


Happy 2023!

I used duolingo in learning the basics. However, nothing beats real-world use of a language. The more you speak a language with native speakers of that language, the better you get.

And no, I haven't been to Cuba. I've looked into it and honestly don't see much of an appeal. I'll consider a 3-5 day trip to Havana, but nothing more.

Please is it true that Argentines are realy racist. I've heard a lot about the country but since you mentioned that you are in argentina what's your experience like

ramalot:
I

...

Suky01:
Please is it true that Argentines are realy racist. I've heard a lot about the country but since you mentioned that you are in argentina what's your experience like

Please read the thread. I've answered this a few times.

Op said no visa related questions! Una no dey hear word!

Uchenaija:
Please someone trying to travel to the US for vacation through invitation from a US native, what do I need to process it? I've searched I don't know if there's any thread on nairaland on this. I'll like to know how much it could cost me.

Blurpy:
Op said no visa related questions! Una no dey hear word!

Okay, deleted

I'm quoting this well written piece for future reference

Gerrard59:
Is this not what I have been preaching on Nairaland about the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs regarding immigration? Since the vast majority of blacks are sub-Saharan Africans and the vast majority of poor people in the world are black people, most Asians believe that any black person they see is poor and most likely an illegal migrant. One British-Nigerian narrated a similar experience. She was walking the streets of Tokyo when a policeman ran towards her and asked for her residence card and passport. She presented both her card and British passport. Upon sighting the passport, the policeman feigned disinterest and asked about Harry Potter and his movies. If she had presented a Nigerian passport, I am sure he would want to scrutinise it further.





Again, I have stated this countless times: no one disrespects a rich person, and no country offers visa-free access to a citizen of a poor country. Visa free privileges are hinged on a country's wealth and the citizens' prosperity. The richer a country is and the wealthier her citizens are, the stronger the passport. The strength of the UAE passport has increased simply because she has gotten richer. https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/07/united-arab-emirates-ranked-as-having-the-best-passport-in-the-world.html

It is the same way anyone reading this will grant free access of his/her apartment to Dangote instead of me. The belief is that since Dangote is wealthy, he won't constitute a nuisance either as a poor person or a criminal. It does not matter whether I won the Nobel prize, I won't be offered the same privilege as Dangote simply because I don't come from a family as notable as his. Humans are naturally discriminatory.

Visa free privileges are not hinged on racism like some woke people opine, but on wealth. Black people will be respected globally if the vast majority of black-dominated countries become rich. As it is, the wealthiest set of black people are African Americans, but the vast majority of black people are sub-Saharan Africans who happen to be the poorest people globally. Thus, the average black person outside Africa and North America/UK/France is seen as a poor person.
https://www.nairaland.com/5886610/racism-against-blacks-reduce-drastically






This is the problem when a country's immigration laws are lax towards poor countries - all sorts of people get unfettered access. Before 2006/7, Nigeria had visa-free access to Singapore. But after a spate of drug smuggling, the Singaporean gov't cancelled it and imposed strict visa application processes. The result? The kind of Nigerians you would find in Singapore are better behaved, richer, educated and disciplined than those in other parts of South East Asia. The stricter the visa application process of a country is, the more disciplined the Nigerians there are. In the next few years, Nigerians in the UAE will become better behaved citizens than five years ago. Another contrast to Malayasia is Canada. Tighten the borders to get better behaved Nigerians. Loosen it and you would have them create cult gangs.

Please ramalot and others, I would appreciate a professional and experienced input/advice from everyone.
I did my undergraduate studies on a non-tech field(BSC Marketing). Being conscious of the age and time we are in pushed me to intern with a tech company on Digital Marketing and I'm good at what I do. My being in the tech company and seeing young guys like me fully in tech made me develop interest in Programming and honestly, I'm doing quite well and I'm constantly working on myself as we all know that programming requires constant practice.
Now, I have this desire to start working towards an MSC abroad. This is where I need your input please, would you advice I try out an MSC in a tech related field e.g. Software Engineering or I should go for an MSC in my undergraduate related field.
P.S. I am not planning on working on myself as regards the tech I've transitioned into and we all know that programming is all about what you can do and not really about certificates.
Please I need your responses/input/advice

Kolenda:
Please ramalot and others, I would appreciate a professional and experienced input/advice from everyone.
I did my undergraduate studies on a non-tech field(BSC Marketing). Being conscious of the age and time we are in pushed me to intern with a tech company on Digital Marketing and I'm good at what I do. My being in the tech company and seeing young guys like me fully in tech made me develop interest in Programming and honestly, I'm doing quite well and I'm constantly working on myself as we all know that programming requires constant practice.
Now, I have this desire to start working towards an MSC abroad. This is where I need your input please, would you advice I try out an MSC in a tech related field e.g. Software Engineering or I should go for an MSC in my undergraduate related field.
P.S. I am not planning on working on myself as regards the tech I've transitioned into and we all know that programming is all about what you can do and not really about certificates.
Please I need your responses/input/advice

I think this question is better-suited in one of the job/career sections of Nairaland, as this is a travel thread and I'd rather keep it that way.

However, I'd say get an MBA from a good business school, instead of an MSc in Marketing. If you keep improving your practical tech skills, in combination with an MBA, you'd be more formidable in the labor market, as a leader of both tech and marketing teams.

sapele914:
Which is the best country you have visited in Africa, Europe & North America?

please house how can and where can I apply for panama transit visa

Hello, i am a first year MBA student here in the University of Arkansas.
I have a program that i have to attend in Chile and i seriously dont know how to go about getting CHILE visa or if i will be needing it. Is there anybody that can put me through the processing?

Talk more about south American countries. Can you tell us about visa application to Uruguay from Nigeria

anutioluwa1:
Hello, i am a first year MBA student here in the University of Arkansas.
I have a program that i have to attend in Chile and i seriously dont know how to go about getting CHILE visa or if i will be needing it. Is there anybody that can put me through the processing?

You will have to get a visa, as I assume you're on a Nigerian passport.
Some countries allow you visit them if you have a valid US visa, but I doubt Chile is one of them.

Santiago, Chile is a nice enough city. I was there for two months.

I wish to relocate to Mexico any time soon.
Do you think it's a good choice for a young man trying to make ends meet?
How is life over there for Nigerians?
Can I survive there?

ramalot:
Not sure what your definition of "best" is, but in general:

Africa:
South Africa. I haven't been to a lot of countries in Africa, but South Africa is by far the most developed of the few I've been.


Europe:
Portugal. This isn't the "best" country in Europe, for several reasons, like economy and such, but I think I liked it best.

North America:
The U.S, by far.

You think US is by far better than Canada? Please, I'd love to know why you think so.

dyera:
What was your experience like in Japan. What was the difference between Fukuoka and Osaka, which do you think is better for foreigner?

Did you read his post all?


🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤔🤔

Hello Ramalot,
What is life like for an English speaker in Portugal?
Also what are the prospects for an HND Holder and a real estate professional to get work in Portugal?
Thanks in advance

ramalot:
There is random gun violence, but not nearly as bad as the US. So it's nothing to really worry about.
You're much more likely to get shot in the US than in most of LatAm. Except a few of the really violent LatAm countries, like Honduras, but people rarely visit there.

Crime in Latin America is considerably worse than USA. The stats prove this. However,It is far better than Africa. Latin America is far far better than Africa in almost every way that it matters. Outside of the western world, the only parts of the world I would consider living is Latin America and East Asia