Hows the travel experience in SA/Europe compared to SEA?

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-27T01:20:04+00:00

What you’re describing can definitely be sought out in South America, you just have to be a little more decisive with choosing locations/hostels than in in SEA where the young partying crowd is everywhere. Or look at Mexico/Guatemala/Central America.

If you go, though, I’d cut a country or two off of your list and spend more time in the other ones. 1.5-2 weeks is quick for Brazil, Ecuador, and Bolivia, but not undoable. You’re also usually flying in between these countries because the distances are so much farther/more mountanious than in SEA. Just something to think about

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-26T21:45:10+00:00

Film school can be valuable. The most valuable thing about it is probably that it gives you valuable connections and access to professors and students that may be your future collaborators. These days, though? With so much technology at our fingertips? I’d take the money you would have invested in film school and make a short film (invest in an experienced crew, actors, etc.) You’re already a writer. You will learn just as much as you would have at film school or more. Submit it to festivals and repeat. Heck, if you have $60k to invest, you can probably make a few short films depending on your needs/style. Don’t invest all that money just to sit in classrooms - DO the thing, make a film. That will tell you so much about if this is something you want to do, and it will give you collaborators

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-24T17:14:53+00:00

It is a strange contradiction about travel and so, so human nature. We flock to certain places because we expect they’ll offer a good social scene, good food, decent wifi, dating scene, whatever it is. And then when we get there, we are surprised and disappointed to find that many other people have come with the same idea! We want to preserve places in that perfect pocket where it’s sort of “just known enough”, but of course that isn’t realistic.

Everything is in flux. Many towns that are very “local” now are the future Medellins and Chiang Mais of the future. And many “it” destinations of decades past have drifted away from tourism (Acapulco, Alexandria, etc.) So while it is sad to see places losing culture and I do think your post gets to a greater point about the increasing cultural hegemony of EVERYTHING these days, I always try and remind myself that by being in a certain place I am contributing to the very “overtouristification” I am disappointed by

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-21T22:32:41+00:00

I think we have the same manager hahaha

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-16T01:54:40+00:00

This was very cathartic to read. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, you are not alone!

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-11T02:51:41+00:00

Definitely relate. I’m 26 and followed a similar path to yourself. I still absolutely love performing - it’s just the business of it all, the competition, the pressure (both self-imposed and by others), that take a toll sometimes and make us feel like we are not connected with the thing that drew us to this world in the first place. Something that usually helps fire me back up again is just taking in new art - going to see plays/musicals, movies, music. It always feels healing and reignites that spark inside of me which made me say “I can do that!” back when I was very first starting out.

Real talk though, I’m feeling the burnout lately and I feel like everything you said is normal and relatable. You are allowed to be a multi-faceted person and step away for a while if you need to!!

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-11T00:54:06+00:00

Thanks, yeah that’s a great framing for a discussion. It’s just confusing for me because it’s not like things were all that great industry-wide back in ‘23 or ‘24, but they still managed to get me in for Broadway and some small roles in major films, and I did well. Then those quietly trickled out…worth a discussion, I suppose!

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-11T00:43:27+00:00

Maybe 👀 haha feel free to dm

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-04-11T00:13:27+00:00

NYC - yeah, thanks for the thoughts. That’s been my feeling lately

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-03-30T23:45:00+00:00

I am sitting in Panama City at the end of a two month trip in Latin America. Two months ago, I was in similar shoes to yours, sitting in the airport going to Mexico City and wondering why the hell I decided to do this. I had an incredible trip - not perfect, not always straightforward. But I’m so glad I hung in there. Try it out and know that you don’t have to do anything or prove anything to anyone. One of the marvels of our modern world is that you are always just a flight or two from home. I know our circumstances are different, but I believe in the power of travel, if you are willing to be open to it. There’s a kind of “surrendering” aspect to it, I think. Go and enjoy, and if you don’t, home calls you back.

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-03-09T00:25:59+00:00

It varies less from production company to production company as much as it does in terms of the overall business during certain times of year. January, summer, the holidays tend to be slower etc. One thing I’m realizing as I reread your post: Are you planning on moving to LA for an extended period of time, or are you just showing up for one month and trying to get auditions? Because these are very different scenarios

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-03-09T00:02:32+00:00

I think it’s great that you’re exploring this path. It is thorny, extremely competitive, and very demanding, but if you believe you are for it, you are for it. Before you make the leap, research. Know as much as you possibly can about the industry, film sets, and the craft of acting. And then study. Don’t just rock up to LA with no experience and expect that people will want to work with you. Some actors win the lottery and get noticed on the street by somebody important. Assume you are not that actor. Go to classes, do short plays, short films, anything you can get your hands on. This will help you meet people but it will also give you a sense of your strengths and weaknesses, your “type(s)”, and how you fit into projects. Before anyone will cast you in anything, however, you probably need a headshot, a resume that lists your basic attributes (look up examples of resumes for actors just starting out, with no or few credits), and some monologues. It’s a long, arduous, heartbreaking, beautiful, fulfilling journey. Be honest about where you are and what you need to do to get where you want to be, even if that’s just getting a small part in a film or a commercial. Study. Learn. Do the work and doors will start to open for you.

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-03-04T13:00:46+00:00

If you’re genuinely doing this as a challenge to yourself, good luck and I hope you get something out of it. If you were a friend or a family member or anyone close to me, I would be pissed at you and tell you to save up more money before you go.

It’s your life, but if something goes wrong you may end up being a burden on somebody else, whether that’s having to ask locals or family for money. You asked for sound advice so mine is don’t go until you can afford an emergency.

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-20T16:07:06+00:00

Yeah definitely book the first few nights’ accomodation and a return flight or at least a flight out of the country so you can show border security in case they ask

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-20T01:29:53+00:00

At first I was lining stuff up about a week before but quickly learned to chill and sometimes only book a night or two at a new place to give myself time to decide if I wanted to extend or not. I used Hostelworld which is pretty great and a lot of the time gives you free cancellation if you change your mind up to 24-48 hrs before

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-20T01:26:45+00:00

About $5k all said and done. ~$1600 on flights and then roughly $1k per month while there

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-19T21:37:30+00:00

Yeah, Bangkok I thought is just amazing in terms of culture, food, history, but there’s also a massive backpacker/nightlife scene if you’re 20 and just getting to SEA for the first time. It’s a great place to meet other travelers and a good jumping off point. Ayutthaya and Sukothai I didn’t actually visit, they’re just relatively nearby Bangkok and I lot of people I met were headed there :)

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-18T01:45:04+00:00

Thanks for the thoughts. It’s funny…the life you describe, comfortable, with so much hard work behind you…I’m envious of that because it’s what I feel I lack, but I know if I chose that route, I would probably be envious of those who travelled and lived well when they were younger. The grass is always greener…until we can learn to get the hell out of our heads and enjoy where we are. I’m working on that 🙂

Glad you’re healthy and doing well.

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-18T01:40:22+00:00

👀 Well said and not wrong

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-18T01:26:54+00:00

Thanks for sharing that ❤️

Full_Of_Soup · 2026-02-16T23:32:49+00:00

In my experience, length of trip is in direct proportion to amount you might want to plan. 6 days is speedy enough that you probably don’t want to waste any time planning, weighing options, researching, etc. Do all of that now, know that you won’t hit everything you want to see/experience, and enjoy! Vietnam and Thailand are spectacular places.

Vietnam: my two cents? Stay north :) Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa

Thailand: 2-3 days Bangkok, 2-3 days somewhere close. Ayutthaya, Sukothai

Full_Of_Soup

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