House Hunters International - General Discussion

[chessiegal]

I visited Australia in 1990. We spent some time in Melbourne, took a train to Adelaide where I was going to a meeting. Then we flew to Sydney, then on to Cairns. I loved every place we visited.

[PennyPie18]

I just watched the episode with the young couple from Vancouver who were moving to Fiji. I taped this a while back, and I'm wondering if there were any comments about it. I've looked but can't find any references to the episode. Maybe no one commented, or I've missed the posts. Can anyone tell me if there are any posts about this particular show? Thanks!  

[doodlebug]

12 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I can’t believe she didn’t realize how obnoxious she came off as. Judging by the pics of their travels, she had gained a lot of weight so maybe she thought those big scarves camouflaged it. Notice how she bitched about the lack of kitchen counter space in the garden condo when the place she wanted (and got) had the same amount. Hubby needs to grow a spine. 

It was particularly galling since she admitted that the decision to quit their jobs and work as ESL instructors overseas was her idea.  I doubt she gave him any leeway in choosing where they would live or even what country they might travel to.  But, yet, when he wants to settle down near his family and resume working at a career he obviously loves, she is a petulant baby, insisting that she have sole decision in choosing their apartment.

I, too, was shocked when she said she was 10 years younger than him; I never would've guessed.  If anything, she looked older.  And, not to rag on anyone's looks, but he was way prettier than her, too.  Definitely a mismatched pair.

[kirklandia]

I always liked to consider myself a non-judgy person.  I can no longer watch these shows without admitting that I was wrong, wrong, wrong!

[Grrarrggh]

On 8/19/2019 at 11:05 PM, Pickles said:

The Melbourne couple. Could not stand the overbearing wife. The husband doesn’t stand a chance in that marriage. When she was gloating about being 10 years younger than the husband, I honestly thought she was going to say he was the younger one. Why did she wear all of those big scarves? Of course, they got the place she wanted which was farthest from his work—-because ‘he made her move to Melbourne’. She was an overbearing piece of work. Very unpleasant personality.

She didn't sound like she was gloating at all, just said it. And I didn't think 25 minutes was a long commute at all. It sounded like the last time they lived in Melbourne they didn't see friends and family as much as they'd have liked because they lived so far out from them. This time that major problem is fixed. Plus, really (for other people) judging her based on how she looks and that she likes scarves? 

Edited August 22, 2019 by Grrarrggh

[sempervivum]

(not sure where they came from) to Bangkok- American wife, Cambodian husband moving to Bangkok for her teaching job.

Missed the first 5 minutes, so not sure if it was explained, but did she speak Cambodian? He didn't speak English very well, to the extent that HHI was using subtitles, and I didn't really understand how they got together. Also, there was no mention of him working, is that right? 

That street traffic is a nightmare.

[chessiegal]

He's a fire twirler/dancer. Their eyes met and end of story.

[Vivigirl10]

Bangkok-American wife seemed like a total control freak who thought she had a puppet in her little village boy.  At the end, when she gave him practically no say in what apartment they would choose, she was dictating that he WOULD get used to the traffic, he WOULD accept the noise and he WOULD push his boundaries.  He never even agreed to the busy/loud apartment.  She just shook her head and declared it done.  

I also think her "international businessman" father was footing much, if not all, of the rent.  

I liked the husband and can't imagine the culture shock he was going through.

[Pickles]

I thought the Bangkok couple was an odd pairing. Her father was an international businessman, so she said they had traveled all over the world. Then she ends up with a village guy who (I don't think) had ever been out of his village and had to support his parents and siblings. They met when her parents were living in Bangkok and she came for the summer. Then she had to leave and go somewhere else (for school or work), but said she came to see him every weekend for a year and a half and it was a 3 1/2 commute each way. Is that what everyone else understood? 

[Koalagirl]

21 minutes ago, Pickles said:

I thought the Bangkok couple was an odd pairing. Her father was an international businessman, so she said they had traveled all over the world. Then she ends up with a village guy who (I don't think) had ever been out of his village and had to support his parents and siblings. They met when her parents were living in Bangkok and she came for the summer. Then she had to leave and go somewhere else (for school or work), but said she came to see him every weekend for a year and a half and it was a 3 1/2 commute each way. Is that what everyone else understood? 

That’s right.  His mother passed away when he was in 6th grade so it as up to him to take care of his siblings. I don’t recall any mention of his father.  I honestly didn’t see any chemistry between them.  I felt like he was more of a “pet” project of hers.

[ML89]

2 hours ago, Koalagirl said:

That’s right.  His mother passed away when he was in 6th grade so it as up to him to take care of his siblings. I don’t recall any mention of his father.  I honestly didn’t see any chemistry between them.  I felt like he was more of a “pet” project of hers.

For a second, I thought he just left his village to go be a fire dancer and never contacted them again. I couldn’t figure out how he was working in Thailand, then he wasn’t.

[doodlebug]

22 minutes ago, ML89 said:

For a second, I thought he just left his village to go be a fire dancer and never contacted them again. I couldn’t figure out how he was working in Thailand, then he wasn’t.

He was originally working at a resort in Thailand on an island someplace which is where they met.  It wasn't clear where he was or what he was doing while she was off in Malaysia doing her 'Fullbright' as she so carefully namedropped.  No explanation why he couldn't go to Malaysia with her.  It seems like he must've returned to his native Cambodia to live at some point because he specifically said he didn't have the proper permit to work in Thailand at present.

They were a very strange pairing and all of the repeated comments that they really didn't know each other very well and were happy to live together for the first time so they could become better acquainted seems a bit ominous for the future of their marriage, IMO.  She was definitely in charge of anything and everything it seemed; she didn't seem to care at all what he thought about anything.  I agree that either international businessman Daddy or a generous trust fund must be their main source of support.

[biakbiak]

28 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

doing her 'Fullbright' as she so carefully namedropped. 

As she should,  it’s an achievement to celebrate.

[Kohola3]

1 hour ago, biakbiak said:

As she should,  it’s an achievement to celebrate.

If it's true or just another fake fact inserted for effect.

[biakbiak]

9 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

If it's true or just another fake fact inserted for effect.

Seems a random thing to lie about but if she did she is also doing it on her LinkedIn page.

[Pickles]

I remember there was one house hunter who lied about being a physician. I looked her up and I can't remember the details, but it was absolutely the same person but she was nothing close to being a physician. You just never know with these people.

[buttersister]

Saw the photo of him when they first met, so I know what she found attractive. He, who’d had a more sheltered life, might have been impressed by the lifestyle she led. Hope they each get what they want. Or rather, hope he eventually gets a say in how he lives.

Not it sure if his siblings were old enough to take care of themselves when he moved to Thailand to work, or if that was his way out.

[chessiegal]

1 hour ago, biakbiak said:

Seems a random thing to lie about but if she did she is also doing it on her LinkedIn page.

I agree. Putting a lie like that on your LinkedIn page seems to me to be the kiss of death. Too easy for potential employers to check on.

[LittleIggy]

Bangkok: I’m not surprised that I’m not the only one who found them an odd couple. Wonder what her parents thought of their marriage.

[doodlebug]

15 hours ago, biakbiak said:

As she should,  it’s an achievement to celebrate.

It's not necessary to celebrate it on a reality show that is unrelated to that achievement, IMO.  It didn't enhance anyone's viewing experience to know that she was a Fullbright scholar.

[SmithW6079]

On 8/22/2019 at 1:35 AM, Grrarrggh said:

Plus, really (for other people) judging her based on how she looks and that she likes scarves? 

Are you new here? 😃

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, doodlebug said:

It's not necessary to celebrate it on a reality show that is unrelated to that achievement, IMO.  It didn't enhance anyone's viewing experience to know that she was a Fullbright scholar.

Well yes it explains why she went to Malaysia even when they were serious and he couldn’t go, lots of things mentioned on the show don’t “enhance” the viewing experience but it’s just a fact if her life. 

Edited August 23, 2019 by biakbiak

[LizBug]

South Africa Mom & Daughter:  Didn't catch this from the beginning, so didn't really understand their relationship dynamic or how they ended up in South Africa.  

Seems that mom still had the majority vote in the relationship, though, because they ended up with the apartment that she preferred.

[doodlebug]

6 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Well yes it explains why she went to Malaysia even when they were serious and he couldn’t go, lots of things mentioned on the show don’t “enhance” the viewing experience but it’s just a fact if her life. 

Or she could've said she went to Malaysia for grad school and left it at that.  I didn't particularly like her or her dynamic with her husband, which is probably why her pretentiousness got on my nerves.

[biakbiak]

2 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

Or she could've said she went to Malaysia for grad school and left it at that.  I didn't particularly like her or her dynamic with her husband, which is probably why her pretentiousness got on my nerves.

But that isn’t where she went to grad school so why would she lie? 

[Ohwell]

I forgot where she said she went to grad school but the point is, she could have just said she went to xxxxx for grad school, and left it at that. 

[doodlebug]

5 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

But that isn’t where she went to grad school so why would she lie? 

She said she had already graduated from college, therefore her Fullbright work, whatever her scholarship entailed, was postgraduate.  And, once again, I don't think she needed to toss in the title of the scholarship program, no matter how prestigious. She could've said she was going to Malaysia to study but she chose to brag, IMO.  Agree to disagree.

Edited August 23, 2019 by doodlebug

[biakbiak]

4 minutes ago, Ohwell said:

I forgot where she said she went to grad school but the point is, she could have just said she went to xxxxx for grad school, and left it at that. 

She went to the University of San Diego, the Fulbright Scholar program isn’t graduate school. It is an award that allows people to work and research internationally and is a thing on it’s own, I don’t understand why she should contort her language to go out of her way to hide what she was doing. 

Edited August 23, 2019 by biakbiak

[Ohwell]

Oh, it's a major award!  

[Pickles]

So, Bangkok woman has all of her advanced education. Wonder how much education her husband has? They were an interesting match for sure.

[LittleIggy]

12 hours ago, DallasGypsy said:

South Africa Mom & Daughter:  Didn't catch this from the beginning, so didn't really understand their relationship dynamic or how they ended up in South Africa.  

Seems that mom still had the majority vote in the relationship, though, because they ended up with the apartment that she preferred.

Mom was once a high level corporate exec, then became a Buddhist priest. She said she was on sabbatical to live with her daughter in Cape Town. I was wondering why Mom was visiting the Unitarian Church. Spirit of ecumenism? I’m glad they picked the place with the cat neighbor. The kitty was so sweet sitting at the sliding door like “Hey, are you the new neighbors?”

Spain: I would have picked the second place (near the Sept of Baelor!). The place was cool and that view was awesome, and it was enough under budget to build a nice kitchen. Guests could sleep in the living room area. OMG, Girona was also Braavos: https://www.gameofthronesspain.com/film-location/girona.php

Edited August 24, 2019 by LittleIggy

[Scout Finch]

Max sometimes had a look on his face that made me think of the evil kid from The Twilight Zone in the "It's a Good Life" episode.

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Spain: I would have picked the second place (near the Sept of Baelor!). The place was cool and that view was awesome, and it was enough under budget to build a nice kitchen. Guests could sleep in the living room area. OMG, Girona was also Braavos: h

Having parents and a boyfriend who are avid cyclists I knew that place was an absolute no go, bicycles come with a lot of shit and is going to take over that guest room more than guests. I would have also said no because of the kitchen.

Edited August 24, 2019 by biakbiak

[meep.meep]

Having lived in Europe, I would hesitate to live that close to a church, let alone a cathedral because they ring the bells all the time.  But it was a really cool place.

[LittleIggy]

52 minutes ago, meep.meep said:

Having lived in Europe, I would hesitate to live that close to a church, let alone a cathedral because they ring the bells all the time.  But it was a really cool place.

I live downtown in a college town near the restaurants/bars that students frequent,     adjacent to the criminal justice center, near a fire station, across the street from a courthouse with a clock tower that rings on the hour, and not far from a railroad track. The church bells wouldn’t bother me! 😆

Spain: Something I thought of: how does someone that young have close to a quarter million in savings? 🧐

[biakbiak]

11 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Spain: Something I thought of: how does someone that young have close to a quarter million in savings

She hasn’t paid rent for six years and makes a decent salary. 

[LittleIggy]

3 hours ago, biakbiak said:

She hasn’t paid rent for six years and makes a decent salary. 

I still don’t believe she saved up that much by herself.

[SmithW6079]

There was definitely more to the South Africa mother & daughter relationship than we saw. I felt like there was an undercurrent of hostility between the two. Mom wasn't as serene as I would expect Buddhist monks to be, and the daughter kind of came across as spoiled and pretentious, frankly, although good on her for getting her sommelier license.

Also, lady, we don't need to hear that you had to get out of your hometown because you hated your family and they hated you.

23 hours ago, Pickles said:

So, Bangkok woman has all of her advanced education. Wonder how much education her husband has? They were an interesting match for sure.

I would think not a lot, since they kept harping on his coming from a village with no electricity or running water, unless that's all a lie. He was a fire dancer, which seems like it would be a tourist-type entertainment, so he should be used to busy crowds.

Their choice was a foregone conclusion, since she was adamant about not walking far to work, and the apartment that was also within walking distance was too expensive.

RE: The Lithuanian couple. Overall, I liked them, and I got the feeling she had been the pursuer in that relationship.

Edited August 24, 2019 by SmithW6079

[chocolatine]

On 8/20/2019 at 10:30 AM, doodlebug said:

I, too, was shocked when she said she was 10 years younger than him; I never would've guessed.  If anything, she looked older.  And, not to rag on anyone's looks, but he was way prettier than her, too.  Definitely a mismatched pair.

The Melbourne husband was not only attractive but also seemed kind and easygoing, so it irked me that the wife made comments like he was awkward when they first met and his family was surprised that he'd "finally" introduced a woman to them. She's not exactly a prize looks- or personality-wise. And if she really is 10 years younger, then he is aging much better than she is.

[doodlebug]

23 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I still don’t believe she saved up that much by herself.

Do we know that she paid in cash?  I don't know much about homebuying in Spain, but, of course, here in the US, the majority of homes are financed.  She could have an inheritance from a grandparent or something.  I know a couple of 20 somethings who inherited over $100,000 apiece when a relative died and one use his share to put a down payment on a house.  He lives in the SF area, so he still has a hefty mortgage but it got him in the game anyway.

[pep4]

Groaning-In, Netherregions (City of Bad Puns):  "Oh no, this indoor plumbing and having a tv is terrible, I want the true Dutch experience!" (that 99.9% of the Dutch don't live like.)  Preacherman is a turrible actor.  Was hoping for an eyeroll from Mr. Spithorse the realtor.

[ECM1231]

20 minutes ago, pep4 said:

Groaning-In, Netherregions (City of Bad Puns):  "Oh no, this indoor plumbing and having a tv is terrible, I want the true Dutch experience!" (that 99.9% of the Dutch don't live like.)  Preacherman is a turrible actor.  Was hoping for an eyeroll from Mr. Spithorse the realtor.

I did think the houseboat he loved was pretty cool, though. If only it had had that 3rd bedroom.  Their choice was odd in that the 2nd floor was way smaller than the 1st floor. I wonder what the roof line was like to have lost so much space. Idk how things are in the Netherlands but things have changed a lot from when I was a kid and walked to school. My kids are adults now but even back then I would not have felt comfortable having them bike 20 minutes to school alone. YMMV

[LittleIggy]

Netherlands: I was amazed at how nice that houseboat was. Really bright and inviting. Not so much the guesthouse. 😮 Guess Granny will stay downstairs when she visits (three months!). Wasn’t the bathroom on the first floor. I would hate to have to go down those steep steps in the middle of the night to go to the loo. The daughter didn’t seem all that thrilled to be in the Netherlands. The real estate guy was a hottie. 😏

[buttersister]

Enjoyed my first Rijsttafel in Groningen, it's a lovely town. And dad, since he made a point of saying he didn't have a job, could enjoy a true Dutch experience and BIKE WITH HIS DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL.

Agree Preacher was strictly off-off-off Broadway when it came to pretending the bedroom with the chamber pot was ever in the running! Might have been a listing of the nice realtor.

[NJMom]

9 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I did think the houseboat he loved was pretty cool, though. If only it had had that 3rd bedroom.  Their choice was odd in that the 2nd floor was way smaller than the 1st floor. I wonder what the roof line was like to have lost so much space. Idk how things are in the Netherlands but things have changed a lot from when I was a kid and walked to school. My kids are adults now but even back then I would not have felt comfortable having them bike 20 minutes to school alone. YMMV

Perfectly normal in Holland for the kids to bike to school. My nephews rode their bikes to school at 5 years old. This was in the countryside but it still freaked me out.

[Pickles]

Do they wear bike helmets? I didn’t notice this family wearing them.

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, Pickles said:

Do they wear bike helmets? I didn’t notice this family wearing them.

Probably not, it’s not common to wear them in Holland and they also have the lowest incidence of cycling death and injuries in the world because of better infrastructure and bike awareness by drivers.

[QuinnM]

2 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Probably not, it’s not common to wear them in Holland and they also have the lowest incidence of cycling death and injuries in the world because of better infrastructure and bike awareness by drivers.

In my area they preach opening your car door ‘Dutch’.  That means leaning over and opening the door with your far hand so that you have to look back and won’t open it into a bike.

[NJMom]

6 hours ago, biakbiak said:

Probably not, it’s not common to wear them in Holland and they also have the lowest incidence of cycling death and injuries in the world because of better infrastructure and bike awareness by drivers.

But then you have the stupid American (me) who  has been to Holland dozens of times and my husband still has to grab me out of the way when we are walking. He has threatened to make me wear a helmet when we are out.

[LittleIggy]

Vienna: She sure didn’t seem to have done much research on housing in Vienna. The place she picked was like a dorm room. Bet the majority of the people who lived in the building were uni students.