I'm curious... for those of you in the group who are teaching English online, what is your current hourly rate? How much do you actually make?

I tried to post this in the Warrior Forum, but the admins rejected it stating that their forum isn't for surveys. I am looking into the internet behaviour of Westerners who live within China. I appreciate that due to the great firewall and some other restrictions, Google, Facebook, and other large western sites are not accessible without the use of a VPN or the right Esim. However, I would like to know what westerners' typical behaviours are, when accessing the internet in Mainland China. Do they typically: 1. Access their western EMAIL; Can they access their Gmail inbox (or similar) on their phone or computer [with or without a VPN]? 2. Access a China-friendly EMAIL instead, while in China? 3. Use Google to perform regular Web Searches [with or without a VPN]? 4. Use Baidu [Chinese search engine] to perform regular Web Searches [with or without a VPN]? 5. And; what Social Media sites (like Facebook, etc) do they access on a regular basis [with or without a VPN]? Any feedback would be welcome. Thanks for reading

Here’s the clear technical summary of the recent change in Thailand’s telecom rules regarding prepaid SIM cards and why you’re seeing top-up validity no longer extend indefinitely for certain SIM types. What Changed with Thailand SIM/Telecom Rules Thailand’s telecom regulator, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), updated rules that affect how long prepaid SIM cards (especially tourist SIMs) stay valid and whether you can extend them by topping up credit. Major telecom news outlets report that one of the new measures prohibits extending tourist SIM cards beyond a fixed maximum period by simply adding credit. Under the updated rules, tourist SIMs have a maximum validity of 60 days, and you cannot use a top-up to extend that beyond 60 days—even if you add more airtime or data. After that period you must re-register or buy a new SIM. nationthailand+1 This rule is part of a broader set of telecom and cybercrime counter-measure regulations that the NBTC has put in place to tighten control over SIM usage, partly to reduce fraud and unregistered or abandoned SIM cards. nationthailand How It Works in Practice Previously, Thai prepaid SIMs (especially non-tourist local SIMs) would renew validity each time you topped up with airtime or a data bundle: a 10–20 baht top-up often added a month of validity, and you could stack these to keep a number alive for a year or more. Under current NBTC rules for tourist SIMs, that no-extension cap means: - You get up to 60 days of service from activation. - No amount of top-ups will extend the SIM past 60 days. - To keep a number after 60 days you must purchase and register a new SIM. nationthailand Local prepaid SIMs (non-tourist plans bought with full ID rather than “tourist SIM” products) may still allow extension with top-ups, but the new tourist-specific rule is strict and commonly carried by operators. NBTC’s intent is to discourage long dormancy and improve traceability for security reasons.

I’m curious to see where everyone is at with their planning. Most people have a rough idea of the "Big Number" (total pot of cash) they think they need to retire here. But do you actually know exactly how much you need to earn and save every single month between now and your retirement date to actually hit that target? Or are you just putting money away and hoping it's enough? Be honest 😁

We talk a lot about the "lifestyle," but the logistics are just as important as the location! I wanted to share this guide because it simplifies the "which visa do I need?" question into a simple Yes/No flow. It’s particularly useful for seeing if you qualify for the DTV visa or if the Education route is better for your timeline. Which path are you guys aiming for this year?