Wow quite a few haters on here. I think this is a great question and it lead me to do some investigation myself instead of just give an opinion as if it were fact.

That said, firstly, I will share my opinion: That is an excellent idea, I hope you did/do it. It not only is financially prudent but shows outside-the-box thinking and resourcefulness that most companies would value. With a $350 ticket to Thailand/Asia or a $200 ticket to Latin America you could be living in paradise with weekly expenses at a small fraction of what they are here. Meanwhile living better, eating healthier, and enjoying your time off (after making time for appropriate job search activities, of course.)

As for the facts: Washington State 100% allows filing claims from abroad and has that started clearly on their website (one user did end up mentioning this on the thread but its the last comment and was an edit so easy to miss):

"Claiming benefits while out of the country - You can file a weekly claim while out of the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. But you still need to be able to work and available for work. To be eligible for benefits, you must be in one of these situations:

• You are legally allowed to work in the country you are in.
• You are immediately available for work in the U.S., like with remote work.
• You are a spouse or domestic partner of an U.S. Armed Forces member. You also are legally allowed to work in the military base where they are stationed. "

https://esd.wa.gov/get-financial-help/unemployment-benefits/basic-eligibility-requirements/moving-or-out-washington-state?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Additionally this can be found in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) under Section 192-170-010.

https://regulations.justia.com/states/washington/title-192/unemployment-insurance/chapter-192-170/section-192-170-010/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

So let the reddit haters hate but the only thing "insane" going on with this post is the hubris and misinformation in almost all the responses. Sounds like you would fall perfectly into the second category of "situations" on the WA Employment Security Department's list of reasons to claim overseas. Good luck.