The Hierarchy of Expats by Career

A few odd days ago, I was chilling in bed waiting for a Mexican chick named Jovi to visit my apartment for a second time.

As you can read here, we had a fun time last week and she came by a second time.

And, as of now, I guess we’ll be meeting up again this Sunday.

Either way, as I was waiting for her to get here, I noticed something funny on Twitter that I rarely have ever noticed before.

Perhaps because I rarely interact with other gringos in general so it’s not something I would likely ever come across much.

But it was some random guy who I don’t follow on Twitter basically making the argument that most expats are losers.

The logic being that “well, most expats in wherever (Mexico and Thailand being his countries mentioned) are losers freelancing and teaching English.”

And, as we all know, those damn freelancers and English teachers are just not making ANY MONEY whatsoever!

Broke ass losers.

They all probably fuck their cousins, smelling like shit and living in a shack on the outskirts of town.

Like Uncle Ruckus here…

Fuck them!

At any rate, that was the sentiment in the Twitter post and what others were saying in agreement with the dude

In which the guy went off about how it’s only a special few expats who “truly make it” like he does and how, if you want to make it like him, BUY THIS COURSE NOW!

Then he posted a link to some Gumroad course he runs that will teach you RIGHT NOW to make DA GOLD in sales.

Now, aside from the obvious marketing pitch, I thought it was funny overall.

Because, if we are being honest, this dude’s Gumroad course probably doesn’t make him shit.

Maybe some money if he is good at it.

But definitely not many notches above what an English teacher makes in some parts of the world or what other expats make doing other shit.

For example, I know one person in Mexico City who is an actual cam model doing sex stuff online with someone for cash.

And I guarantee you that they make a shit ton more than Mr. Gumroad course.

They live in some nice ass apartment in Condesa and very clearly have cash behind them.

And, similar to me, I’m also involved in web camming!

Though the other side of it – convincing people online with affiliate links to get naked and shit.

Make a commission from their earnings.

Do I do better than Mr. Gumroad Guy?

Maybe.

I could see him making more than me if he is genuinely not a fraud making good cash with actual sales work and all.

After all, I’m no millionaire for sure but am definitely the most comfortable I ever have been in my time in Latin America as of now.

Still, if the English teachers and freelancers are losers, I’d love to see where I fall on the hierarchy of expat jobs.

“Oh, how do you earn a crust, Matthew El Gringo Maldito?”

“Oh, I tell people online to shove dildos in their butts for cash!”

“A LA VERGA NO MAMES WEY” and they run off.

Still, all this bantering about our respective jobs is kinda funny – reminds me of this scene here from Mitchell & Web.

And, repeating myself again, it’s very rarely a topic that has come up for me because of my limited experience with gringo expats in general.

But, being honest, I have made my own judgements against other expats also.

The Overarching Points

As I said, I’m definitely not holding in judgement either necessarily at times.

As I wrote here, I do think some expats down here can be full of shit long term.

Hell, I can be also at times!

I’m sure some of what I say on this website would piss some folks off and make them go “oh fuck off Matt with your opinions!”

Still, as I wrote in that cited article above, I do hold judgement against folks who basically live in Latin America on shoestring budgets.

The stereotype of that would be someone who makes 495 bucks a month and never works to make more than that.

Budget? 500 a month.

Always at a 5 dollar deficit.

Granted, if said gringo is young, I can forgive it a little bit.

Like someone who is 24 for example.

OK, fair enough.

You’re young and you’ll hopefully get your shit together.

But 40 and living on that?

Oh, fuck off.

How you going to retire?

At some point, money does matter at least a little bit for retirement.

Still, that’s not so much a judgement regarding career choice but much more about basic mathematics and trajectory in life.

And it’s less judgement really and a warning for the obvious in that you’ll be fucked in 10 years if you don’t get your shit together.

Broke ass poor at 40 is not the same look as broke ass poor at 25.

In your 20s, nobody takes you seriously anyway and you got no responsibilities hopefully (mortgage, kids, etc) and so you can afford to chill like that.

But don’t turn it into a lifelong theme of your life.

But how you make your living?

Oh, you make 2000 teaching English, freelance writing, shoving dildos up your ass or whatever?

Cool.

I don’t care.

I’ve never been the type to care or judge people for their occupations.

Hell, nor could I – my glass house would be broken!

But I also don’t give a shit – it ain’t my life.

Not my employment choices.

Not my money.

You do you.

If someone told me that they are genuinely happy and living a life that they are comfortable with flipping burgers at McDonalds or being a stripper…

Well, shit – cool!

Again, it ain’t my shit to worry about!

If you are happy with that, good for you.

And so, in a way, I find it funny when I see comments like that judging people for being English teachers, freelance writers or whatever.

Especially as, if we are being honest, there’s probably some folks who live back home who judge them for being losers for moving away from their country to what most consider to be a “third world shithole.”

Be judged by others back home and judge others yourself to feel better about your life choices.

For me, it’s more important to not be naïve about long term financial trajectory but don’t forget to enjoy life either with those you love and also in general.

I tend to lean towards the latter (enjoying life) than looking to scale my income up all the time.

But both have their place of importance obviously!

Either way, I suppose the main point above all here is that, sure, you have some folks who judge other expats for their career choices.

For me, it’s nothing more than something to laugh at.

Especially as they probably don’t have a perfect life either full of skeletons in the closet that they won’t tell you about while trying to promote that Gumroad course pulling 20 bucks a week.

And, as I said, I rarely see this anyhow since I hang out with more locals than gringos.

To the locals, I look rich as fuck to some of them – so there we go – my people!

They won’t judge me!

But they will try to gringo price me…

God damn it.

Anyway, that’s all I got to say.

Drop any comments below in the comment section.

And follow my Twitter here.

Thanks for reading.

Best regards,

Matt