Thoreau on Making a Living Overseas

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Okay, so I’ve been reading some of the classics on the daily MRT jog into and back from the city. I read something from Thoreau today that made me chuckle, thought some of you might enjoy it:

[quote]
Yet some, not wise, go to the other side of the globe, to barbarous and unhealthy regions, and devote themselves to trade for ten or twenty years, in order that they may live - that is, keep comfortably warm - and die in New England at last. [/quote]

-from Walden, Chapter One (Economy)

Some things don’t change much, do they? :slight_smile:

2

:laughing: Nice.

3

I think I could settle for dying somewhere comfortably warm and then (if anyone cares) having my remains transferred to the cold place I came from.

I’m sure noone will care enough about it. I can also live with that.

4

nice,

redwagon, wats with ur avatar?

real disturbing, wats tat from?

5

[quote=“Jack Burton”]nice,

redwagon, wats with your avatar?

real disturbing, wats tat from?[/quote]

I honestly have no idea where it originates from. I found a version of this that is longer and in higher resolution, cropped it and removed some frames. I use it exactly because it’s so creepy. I’d also like to know where the hell it came from.

6

Love that quote Tomas. Somerset Maughan in his south sea tales was even more biting as he added a sexual dimension: that is how many expats had found a local hottie and given up on the idea of ever going back. He also wrote about those who had found a comfortable sinecure and tended to be rude to newbies.

Thoreau is right in the abstract, whereas Maughan speaks from experience.

7

Everyone has an opiniion these days eh? I think she should shut just the feck up and concentrate on reading her news bulletins on French TV.

8

Touché!