Thanks for reading, JoAnn! I agree, I thought it's a shame that 99% of the writing about Southeast Asia paints it as a wonderful place. I've personally known some people who've tried living in Southeast Asia, found it hard to adjust, and thought there was something wrong with them because everyone was raving about how great it is.

I figured since I spent approximately equal parts of my adult life living in Southeast Asia and outside the region, I'd be uniquely positioned to talk about the pros and cons.

I hope the article didn't come across as Southeast Asia bashing!