The change has been dramatic for Ryan. The 36-year-old U.S. Army veteran got a fresh start on life moving to Vietnam six years ago. Ryan is a native of Maryland. His path has not been easy, both personally and professionally, but he has made the decision to pursue this new path—to live a life where happiness and fulfillment trumps financial hardship.
Ryan PRESTON: Growing up, my family was relatively well off. The 2008 financial crisis completely changed the course of his life. The recession hit his family hard—in particular, the recession took a toll on his mother’s job. This instability happening at the same time as Ryan’s high school graduation left him with an unsure feeling of where he was headed in life.
In 2010, looking for guidance and focus, Ryan joined the U.S. Air Force. In the next several years, he was deployed to Korea, Germany and several countries in Africa. While deployed in Korea, Ryan was punished for being late to curfew in 2016. He navigated barriers to his military installation. This led to multiple months of lost pay and a reduction in rank from staff sergeant to senior airman.
Ryan’s time in military deeply affected his health. He continues to deal with arthritis in his spine, respiratory illness, hearing pain, and PTSD due to his honorable service. It’s these struggles that forced him to take a good look at himself. During his military restrictions, he planned a trip to Vietnam to visit a friend, which ultimately led to his decision to relocate permanently.
Ryan holds Ho Chi Minh City home these days. He and his family currently live in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom public assistance-supported apartment located in one of the tallest residential towers in America. He lives on a budget of about $4,000 a month from his joint income sources. He gets about $1,500 a month VA disability compensation. On top of that, he receives $1,000 from the GI Bill and makes between $900 to $1,300 per month teaching English. He picks up side gigs as a voiceover actor, which helps him earn an additional $200 to $600 per month. He trades stocks on the side too, making an extra $300 a month.
Ryan’s expenses leave plenty of room for comfortable lifestyle costs. Rent is $850 and utilities are $130. His health insurance costs him $1,000 a year and only about $3 a week for gas, since he rides a motorcycle. His monthly grocery bills are anywhere from $100 to $400.
“This might not sound like a lot in America but trust me, this is more than enough to be middle or even above middle class in Vietnam.” – Markeiz Ryan
Ryan loves that cultural vibrancy, oh man, even with the horns, you know? The crowded scene, with honking cars, active street vendors, and rambunctious karaoke performance is too much for many.
“There’s a lot of honking, street sellers and sometimes karaoke really loudly, so if you are very intolerant to noise, this might not be the place for you.” – Markeiz Ryan
The insight his experience in Vietnam has provided him into how to achieve work/personal fulfillment balance has opened up new avenues. He enjoys waking up each day with a long list of things he wants to do rather than tasks he feels obligated to complete. This important change of perspective opened the door for him to leave survival mode behind and find space for a fuller, more rewarding life.
“Every day I wake up with a long to-do list of things I want to do, not the things that I need to do, and it’s a completely different way of living,” he said. “Even if you need to work 40 hours a week here, you’re doing it as an investment in your future. Getting out of survival mode makes things infinitely more human.” – Markeiz Ryan
Ryan has made significant strides in communication compared to many of his peers.
“I can never claim that I’m fluent in Vietnamese, but I do a lot better than most of my peers here.” – Markeiz Ryan
Ryan discusses his experience with depression and sadness caused by his service and transition from the military. He doesn’t run from these challenges, but instead embraces how they’ve led him to a better place today.
“After this, I was very depressed and very sad. But that depression and sadness make you think about where your life is going and it makes you redirect your life into the right direction.” – Markeiz Ryan
Ryan’s experience is an example of amazing fortitude. He turns his challenges with American life into a beautiful, optimistic journey for happiness on colorful streets in Vietnam. Inspired by his new environment, he thinks about staying there for as long as Vietnam will let him stay.
“If I leave, it’s because Vietnam told me to leave. In America, I felt very unmotivated. I felt like no matter how hard you work, you’re still in poverty. You’re constantly chasing a standard that you can’t really achieve.” – Markeiz Ryan