Retired at 40 in Vietnam: My Shocking Cost of Living Secret!

I retired out of about 40 in Vietnam for I retired out of about 40 in Vietnam for my job of 17 years as an international my job of 17 years as an international my job of 17 years as an international school teacher and I want to walk you school teacher and I want to walk you school teacher and I want to walk you through the actual story of why I'm through the actual story of why I'm through the actual story of why I'm here, what I left, what it costs to live here, what I left, what it costs to live here, what I left, what it costs to live in North America right now and my old in North America right now and my old in North America right now and my old cities compared to what I pay to live cities compared to what I pay to live cities compared to what I pay to live well here in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, well here in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, well here in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, what nobody told me about this life and what nobody told me about this life and what nobody told me about this life and and some other stuff that has nothing to and some other stuff that has nothing to and some other stuff that has nothing to do with money. So, let's start with do with money. So, let's start with do with money. So, let's start with Calgary. I wasn't born there. When I Calgary. I wasn't born there. When I Calgary. I wasn't born there. When I took a job offer there in 2015, I was took a job offer there in 2015, I was took a job offer there in 2015, I was literally on a Zoom call in a villa in literally on a Zoom call in a villa in literally on a Zoom call in a villa in Koh Tao, Thailand having arrived there Koh Tao, Thailand having arrived there Koh Tao, Thailand having arrived there from a year-long stint in Melbourne. from a year-long stint in Melbourne. from a year-long stint in Melbourne. Meaning, [snorts] I might have been a Meaning, [snorts] I might have been a Meaning, [snorts] I might have been a younger decade ago, but I was no spring younger decade ago, but I was no spring younger decade ago, but I was no spring chicken. I'd already been around the chicken. I'd already been around the chicken. I'd already been around the world a bit. I'd traveled. I'd been an world a bit. I'd traveled. I'd been an world a bit. I'd traveled. I'd been an expat. And if you've never spent a expat. And if you've never spent a expat. And if you've never spent a winter in Calgary, oh my god, it is winter in Calgary, oh my god, it is winter in Calgary, oh my god, it is February. It is minus 30, not with wind February. It is minus 30, not with wind February. It is minus 30, not with wind chill, just actual temperature. Your chill, just actual temperature. Your chill, just actual temperature. Your spit freezes. The sun sets before 5:00 spit freezes. The sun sets before 5:00 spit freezes. The sun sets before 5:00 in the afternoon. And you can walk from in the afternoon. And you can walk from in the afternoon. And you can walk from a cafe to your car and have your hot a cafe to your car and have your hot a cafe to your car and have your hot coffee get cold before you sit down. coffee get cold before you sit down. coffee get cold before you sit down. You're stuck in traffic on Deerfoot You're stuck in traffic on Deerfoot You're stuck in traffic on Deerfoot Trail going nowhere at 30 km an hour, Trail going nowhere at 30 km an hour, Trail going nowhere at 30 km an hour, just staring at red brake lights and, just staring at red brake lights and, just staring at red brake lights and, you know, black sky inside a car that's you know, black sky inside a car that's you know, black sky inside a car that's fogged up, ice on the outside. You're fogged up, ice on the outside. You're fogged up, ice on the outside. You're wearing a parka that cost 600 bucks. You wearing a parka that cost 600 bucks. You wearing a parka that cost 600 bucks. You got on $250 Timberland boots.