Hello all!
Firstly as you can see this is a rather long post but please take your time to read and reply if you can, thanks!
I guess I have to start out by saying happy Christmas! Anyhow I just joined today so thought as I'm only sat around I'd start a thread off and hopefully get to know a few people?
I'm from the UK and have lived here most of my life (Minus the time I've spent in Asia) I'm 24 years old and currently work for myself buying and selling cars. I am married to a Lao woman, we met three and a half years ago and got married this June in the UK.
My wife has been to the UK three times now and I've spent quite a bit of time in Laos and Thailand, we are however unfortunately not living together at current due to Visa problems! My wife failed her KET Test so is unable to apply for the settlement visa as we planned We just applied for a student visa for her in order for her to be able to come back to the UK for another six months however it just got refused!
So I am currently here in the UK and she is in Laos!
Now the thing is we were intending to live together in the UK however this happening has really made us re-think things and our plans! So what we have decided is to try and give it a go in Laos!
I only have a very small family here in the UK so my mother will be coming too! We shall be selling up in the UK and all making the move to Laos (Vientiane)
I have so many ideas in my head at the moment but nothing is firm....
Of course I'm nowhere near the age where I can or want to just sit around and live off a pension so I will of course need to find some employment or start my own business.
I'm just looking for peoples opinions and advice really....
I imagine that as a foreigner It's not going to be easy to find employment? Especially as I've never been to university etc...
So instead I am thinking to start my own business and start a garage in Vientiane. I have a friend in Thailand who is from the UK and runs a business restoring classic cars to a very high standard! Now of course I am perfectly aware that Laos is a poor country however we all know that there are more and more people with money each and every day so how about the idea of a garage? As far as I am aware there isn't really anywhere which does quality work so I am thinking it to be a real opening in the market....
The idea would be to start smallish (I don't want to invest every single penny I have in to it all at once) but also to be as professional as possible! I.e. a properly equipped enclosed workshop with a couple of ramps a spray booth and even a small accessory shop on the side. I am wandering how easy it would be to find good staff?
Anyhow I shall stop rambling on! Thanks for taking your time to read this! Everyone's advice is greatly appreciated!