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Biography and Accomplishments of Winston Wu

Founder of Happier Abroad and SCEPCOP

Short Version Here

See Also:

Quotes about Winston Wu

10 Uncommon and Outstanding Things about Winston Wu

About Winston Wu Page

"You're probably the most atypical Asian male I've ever met."

- Peter, An old Scottish traveler who's been to nearly 100 countries

“Despite all the flak you get you are certainly an interesting character and probably the most famous (or infamous) self-made asian on the internet” – Rob , USA

"Most Asians don't think for themselves. They simply follow the pack. You are one of the exceptions." - Jean , Colorado

“As far as you being a banana – a white man trapped in an Asian body - I would like to qualify that you are not an American white man inside an Asian body but a

European Existentialist - a Frenchman, Italian or Spaniard trapped in an Asian body. You are certainly not a modern Anglo-Saxon trapped in it.” - Ladislav, Winston’s Expat Advisor

"In every revolution, there is one man with a vision."

- Captain Kirk (Star Trek episode Mirror Mirror)





Preface

Winston Wu is founder of Happier Abroad and SCEPCOP, two unique movements that are the first of their kind and very much needed. He has been featured on radio shows, magazines, websites and even television news. Mr. Wu has been described by some as among the most atypical and unique Asian males on the planet, for almost everything he says, thinks and does is "outside the box". Some consider him a hero and inspiration, while others consider him a dysfunctional loser for not conforming to the system. Here is his biography in his own words about how he emerged from a turbulent hellish childhood to a transcended state of mind and life that serves as an inspiration to others.

Biography

Hello, my name is Winston. I am a Journalist, Writer, Actor, Traveler, Photographer, and Marketer. I consider myself to be a Renaissance man, freespirit, Existentialist, free-thinker, nonconformist, philosopher, writer, actor, seeker, adventurer, spiritualist, an old soul, and lover. As a result, I connect with and prefer the company of open-minded, nonjudgmental, free-spirited people who are intellectual and spiritually-attuned to some degree. And I dislike and get along least well with judgmental and closed/narrow minded people who have rigid beliefs about how things and people “ought” to be, for those are my pet peeves.

I am an Asian American of Taiwanese descent. But I am unlike the typical type which is career-minded, conformist, duty-driven, closed-minded, judgmental, materialistic, money-loving, petty, mathematical rigid thinking, and unable to think “outside the box”. (In fact, a Scotsman I met named Peter who has been to nearly a hundred countries in his life, described me as “probably the most atypical Asian male” he had ever met.) (You can also view my critique of repressive traditional Asian mentality here)

Unlike most Asians who simply follow the pack and don't think for themselves, I do. Whereas most of them are rigid conformists, I am a freethinker and freespirit, which sometimes makes other Asians uncomfortable around me and avoid me. Also, they believe that the purpose of life is to work hard and suffer in glory and honor, while I believe that the purpose of life is to enjoy it and live to the fullest. Thus, me and typical Asians have some intrinsic differences.

As an eclectic, I am a blend of Italian/French-like traits. Though I am wild, passionate, free-spirited, sensual, romantic, and feeling, I am also intellectual, shrewd, insightful, cerebral, organized, and practical as well. Such a blend makes me more like a European or Latin than American or Asian, as I tend to have far more common with the former than with the latter.

I am an Existentialist type of person who delights in reflection, introspection, asking big questions about the meaning of life, and trying to put it all together. Therefore, I don’t have the typical American/Asian view that life is all about making money and being committed to a career. Instead, I share the European/Australian attitude that life is about having new experiences and adventures, exploring the world and meeting lots of new people. And I judge my life and self-worth by the richness of my experiences, rather than by career status. That’s who I am, not a conformist to what the establishment tells me.

In my experience, I tend to get along best and naturally with travelers, free-spirits, New Age people, mystics, actors, writers, and Europeans/foreigners. I have a natural comfort zone and synergy with those types and find them to be more wholesome and complete. My vibe, consciousness, and soul energy seem to vibrate at a much more similar frequency with theirs, leading to a stronger sense of a more kindred spirit. On the other hand, I don't seem to connect or jive with the types of people who frequent nightclubs or bars a lot, nor with the mainstream all-American valley/hipster types. Their vibe and consciousness seem to vibrate at a different frequency than mine, and their communication style seems plastic to me, and doesn't fit my communication style. So it feels awkward and unnatural trying to relate or interact with them, like we have very little to talk about, making them seem unapproachable to me. I don't know why, but this pattern seems consistent.

I enjoy writing, acting, theatre, meeting people, traveling, European culture/travel, photography, tennis, billiards, ping pong, swimming, martial arts, hiking, coin-collecting, chess, scrabble, history, History Channel, Travel Channel, PBS, British comedy, museums, science-fiction, cooking, cultural events, 80's pop music, watching Twilight Zone reruns, vegetarian food, metaphysics, exploring mysticism, New Age spirituality, philosophy, paranormal phenomena, and just living life to the fullest. I enjoy all styles of music except country, rap, and heavy metal. I am a vegetarian and my favorite foods are Chinese, Italian, and Vegetarian cuisine.

I think that most of the stuff on TV today is trash, and I never watch network programming. The only channels I watch are History Channel, Travel Channel, PBS, AMC, and sometimes BBC (British programming).

My sun sign is Pisces with Scorpio rising and Gemini moon (for those who don’t know, the rising influences your outer personality and the moon sign influences your inner self and emotions). And my Meyer-Briggs temperament type is ENFJ. My favorite movie is The Empire Strikes Back. And my favorite books, which I consider the most profound and life-changing, are The Power of Now and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle, Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, any book or audio by Wayne Dyer, The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot, and Under the Tree by Greg Stone.

I’ve lived in four US states – New York , California , Washington , and Nevada . I’ve been to 12 countries which broadened my mind and cultural world view – USA (of course), Canada , Taiwan , Japan , Russia , Ukraine , Latvia , Estonia , Lithuania , Poland , Mexico and Philippines. And I’ve met thousands of people from these countries. I speak English, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Russian (acquired during my journeys in Russia).

Since my early days, I’ve shown a propensity to go “against the grain” and think on my own. For instance, during school, when all the other students judged their achievements by their grades (especially Asian students), I choose not to attach my self-worth to my grades and saw no logical reason to. Just because society, the school, or my parents told me to was not a good enough reason to convince me that grades determined my achievement and self-worth. I had a far deeper sense of self beyond the shallowness of academic scores. Thus, when I got bad grades, even D’s and F’s, they never really affected me. I also deviated from my parents’ Buddhist religion at an early age, becoming a born again Christian instead, unlike most people who stick with the religion of their family their whole life. When I was 14, I won a debate against my Youth Pastor, Ross Gunn III, over Bible doctrine, which unsettled him and demonstrated my ability to think for myself at an early age.

The following chronicles the main events and highlights of my life from birth until present day. I have accomplishments (described below) in writing, acting, parapsychology, traveling, and spiritual development.The following chronicles the main events and highlights of my life from birth until present day.

Turbulent and conflicting beginnings

(Note: You can read a more comprehensive version of my childhood here)

Born in Taipei , Taiwan , I emigrated to America when I was three years old. After a year of living in Queens , New York , my family moved to California . There, we lived several places around the Bay Area, first in Palo Alto, next San Jose, and then settled in Fremont for many years before relocating to Alameda during my final year in California. Afterward, circumstances drew me to live in Washington , then Nevada , and back to Washington again. As you will read below, I’ve also lived abroad in Taiwan and Russia .

An only child, I grew up in the California Bay Area suburbs in the 80’s. During Kindergarten and First Grade in Palo Alto , I was very happy and popular.

You can view my baby and early childhood photos up to 2nd grade here.

But upon moving to Fremont at the start of 3rd grade, I was suddenly perceived and treated as a misfit both racially and personality-wise because I was different and unconventional. There was something different about my “vibe” and “soul energy” so to speak. For years, my shy, sensitive, and timid nature prevented me from asserting myself against the ego-sucking crowd, making me a weak easy target for bullies. Deprived of pleasure and social status, my childhood and teenage years were filled with alienation, frustration and persecution, causing deep psychological trauma. The striking difference between the low treatment by my peers and my high self-image caused a deep fundamental conflict that exists to this very day.

Due to my passion for life, desire to connect with others, love and be loved, I was unable to accept this condition and strived against all odds. To cope from being alienated by the “mainstream norm” of the adolescent crowd, I resorted to intellectual pursuits and cultivated a rich inner life. Having a natural feel for deep thinking and analyzing at an early age, I was a chess champion who rarely lost a game. And with a knack for spelling and grammar, I won my class spelling bee in 6th grade.

Religious fervor and mental breakdown

Eventually, my search for meaning led to becoming a devout born-again Christian fundamentalist, where I found solace, a sense of hope and purpose. It gave me the power and reason to make sense out of my troubled and conflicting childhood, as well as my unjust persecution by my peers (i.e. “glory in the persecution of the saved by the world”). Impassioned with fervor, I became involved with Church youth groups and even planned to go into the Evangelical ministry. After a few years, despite my fervor and dedication, my life suddenly went through a series mishaps and misfortunes, which led me to collapse into depression and insanity. This in turn served as a catalyst, unleashing some sort of weird obsessive/compulsive anxiety control routine in me, which the establishment dubbed as a “mental disorder” at the time. Whatever it was, it put me in an “inner hell” beyond my control and incapacitated me, growing worse daily with no solution or support in sight. I was given medication by mental health professionals, but they did nothing but give me bad side effects. Though seemingly doomed by pain and incapacitation for the rest of my life, my will to live endured and kept me alive. My stubbornness and willpower refused to succumb to my dire circumstances which seemed to warrant suicide.

After being taken out of the persecution of high school where I was unable to function or study anymore (and where my ego and psychic shield were constantly being attacked by energy leeches), I spent a few weeks in a nice rehabilitation center and went on home schooling. When the year was over, I spent a year in Taiwan , taking refuge there; teaching English and having fun. There, free from social and psychological persecution for once in my life, my mental, emotional, and spiritual growth suddenly seemed to accelerate and evolve. And fortunately as well, the weird mental control routine disorder, which imprisoned me before, and which I thought condemned me for life, went away on its own; drastically reduced to a small hindrance on a very controllable level.

Rebirth: A new Winston emerges out of the ashes

When I returned to the states, I was like a new man; reborn, filled with an insatiable desire and talent for expressing myself. Suddenly, asserting myself came naturally. I possessed an ability to write and communicate articulately that I never had before, which seemed to come from nowhere. It was like I was suddenly filled with this “energy” inside me that needed to express itself. In addition, I possessed an inner confidence, strength and optimism that few my age had. And I was also blessed with an ability to appreciate the beauty and richness of the little wonders of life, which few have (something that those who lose their minds and return to sanity again seem to cultivate).

You can read the turbulent but inspiring story I wrote about my deconversion from Christian fundamentalism in my article My Rise to Christianity and Transcendence From It.

A major paradigm shift into metaphysical views

All this led to a major paradigm shift which expanded my view of reality. The victory over insanity, persecution, and doom gave me the strength and inspiration to conquer my problems and put me on a path of discovery which gave me the interests I have today. My spiritual quest moved away from orthodox religion into a search for a “unified theory” which explained and accounted for all religious and supernatural phenomena. This led me into New Age and metaphysical realms.

During my post-deconversion research, I also discovered that the Christian fundamentalist infallible doctrines I preached before were not what they claimed to be. You can read a book I wrote detailing the research and discoveries I made during my search, entitled Debunking Christian Circular Arguments and Assumptions which addresses major arguments made by Christian Evangelists and Apologists such as Josh McDowell and C.S. Lewis, filled with scholarly citations and quotations.

Post-graduation life and first relationships

After finishing my last year of high school, I went to a community college and met my first girlfriend, a cute petite Vietnamese Accounting student named Phuong Nguyen (aka Emmie Nguyen).

But after two years together, we split due to irreconcilable differences and incompatibility, but remained friends. (i.e. I was open-minded, expressive, imaginative, free-thinking and free-spirited, while she was judgmental, materialistic, and closed-minded.) Gradually, I realized and discovered that my soul and destiny were not fit for a conventional business career or the corporate culture, but wasn’t sure what the alternatives were. I found that I was too much of a “free spirit” and a fish out of water in their materialistic and conformist mentality. My best talents and self seemed to lie in more creative pursuits. Therefore, I began to pursue acting in addition to a business degree, got involved in theatrical and film productions at school, and worked in a few professional film productions (movies, TV series, commercials, and corporate videos) through casting/talent agencies as well. My acting resume and business reume can be viewed from my About Me page.

A few years later, I graduated from California State University Hayward with a business degree in Marketing and Computer Information Systems. Then I moved to Washington state to be with my next and long-time girlfriend, Robin LaFleur, whom I met on the internet.

We lived a nice life together of balance and stability for two and a half years, and even got engaged to be married. However, unfortunately the relationship forced me to live in an area of the state with little career opportunity, so I was forced to take a string of meaningless dead-end jobs to pay the bills. Eventually, we grew apart and discovered that we wanted different things in life. The passion, chemistry, and energy between us was also gone, and we both yearned to be free. The split threw me into another state of psychological trauma for the second time in my life, since I had always been a hopeless romantic, and a believer in old-fashioned love, sticking through thick and thin.

My writing accomplishments lead to recognition and fame in Parapsychology community

To cope, I immersed myself with my passions and spiritual pursuits to an even greater degree. During this time, I produced an acclaimed treatise and book (by the parapsychological community) that was the first of its kind - Debunking PseudoSkeptical Arguments of Paranormal Debunkers. It was an extensive point-by-point scholarly debunking of the arguments of pseudo-skeptics (e.g. James Randi, Michael Shermer, CSICOP, etc.) which was the first of its kind. Many paranormal enthusiasts considered it to be the “Gospel” against pseudo-skepticism.

This work gave me notoriety among the metaphysical community and was endorsed by top parapsychology researchers and authors. See their praises and quotes here. You can read reviews, endorsements, commentaries, references, citations, and criticisms about this noteworthy work of mine in my Articles About Me section.

When this treatise was first released, it was acclaimed in the paranormal community as brilliant, effective and the first of its kind. It led to my appearance on several radio shows such as The Forbidden Truth by Michael Goodspeed, The Clyde Lewis Show (KOTK 1080 AM) in Portland, Oregon, and Ghostly Talk Radio (you can listen to my interviews here). Later, due to widespread recognition, I was invited to an international conference as a guest speaker at the Mysteries of the World theme park in Switzerland , and to a public debate with skeptics in New York .

Years later in 2009, I formed a group and website called SCEPCOP – Scientific Committee to Evaluate Pseudoskeptical Criticism of the Paranormal, which was the world’s first organized counter-skeptic group created to counter CSICOP, JREF, etc. Although at this time SCEPCOP is in its infancy, its popularity has soared among the Paranormal community and received attention from the Skeptic camp as well. (See a list of websites and blogs announcing SCEPCOP here) And in August of 2009, the popular paranormal magazine Atlantis Rising did an article on SCEPCOP in issue 77, which you can download here in PDF format. (see pages 24, 26 and 61)

Though well read in paranormal studies, I did not limit my knowledge solely to books, but also participated in interactive activities such as organized ghost hunts which gave me fascinating first-hand experiences of such phenomenon.

As a critical thinker who hates brainwashing techniques as a result of having been brainwashed a few times myself, I also wrote against scams and shady business practices such as extended warranties and multi-level marketing. See a list of them here.



I have also written articles published in various hard copy publications, such as Texas Atheist, Compass Magazine, Estates News, Moscow News, Atlantis Rising, and a few others including many web publications. Estates News was my first professional level Journalist position.

Rejuvenation and expression in Nevada

To finally conquer the trauma of my breakup with my long-time ex, I went to live in Virginia City, Nevada (where Mark Twain underwent some sort of transformation and changed his name from Samuel Clemens) at the invitation of my friend John Benneth, a staunch advocate of homeopathy and one of the nemeses of the most famous paranormal debunker, James Randi who is offering a controversial million dollar psychic challenge to anyone who can demonstrate supernatural abilities under controlled conditions (details on his site). There, I stayed with Benneth for a while and then got my own place. (It’s been said that the best way to clean out unhealthy baggage from the emotional trauma of a breakup is by moving and putting yourself in a completely new environment to start a new life; well it’s true.)

It was in Virginia City that I played my favorite acting role was as a magic sidekick assistant in an ongoing daily show called The Mark Twain Ghost Show performed in the Piper's Opera House. There, Benneth and I put on a two man professional show which comically demonstrated Mark Twain's belief in telepathy and psychic phenomenon, termed "mental telegraphy", through some mentalist illusion tricks which stunned and dumbfounded the audience.

(In the one on the right above, you can see a blue orb, which is quite common among photos taken in Piper’s Opera House and is thought to represent ghosts and spirits haunting the area)

I also did some work in commercials and corporate videos through a model talent agency in Reno and even eventually got a good paying sales/marketing agent position with them. I found that I was great at selling, generating leads, and signing up talent, due to my outgoing attitude and ease in approaching people.

It was also there that I met one of my best friends, Michael Goodspeed (his pseudonym), one of the radio hosts who interviewed me about the debunking pseudoskeptics article, and who also wrote a plethora of free-thinking articles published on the popular paranormal/counter-culture sites such as Rense.com. (You can Google his name to see tons of his articles)

He also came to pursue some acting as well as a change of environment from the dull vibe of Oregon . Together we also did some ghost hunts in reputedly haunted areas with a PBS crew from Portland , along with some specialists from there as well. Then I met and had a passionate love affair with my next girlfriend, Danielle Johnsen, a gorgeous lady I met at a Wiccan group. She was the most interesting, sensual, and attractive girlfriend I ever had.

After about 7 months though, the shows I was involved in went into low season, my job at the model/talent agency was phased out, and my love affair with Danielle suddenly ended after some bizarre circumstances. While visiting my parents back home in Washington , I suddenly got a job offer from a government agency that I had applied for a year ago. Taking this as a sign to move back to Washington , I took the job and brought all my stuff back from Nevada .

My epic long odysseys to Russia and Europe

Returning to Washington , I worked at the government agency job for about 5 months, before being laid off by budget cuts (which turned out to be a blessing in disguise). Though it was a very bureaucratic and conformist environment that put me in a rut, it was a well-paying position which helped me save up a lot of money. Now, my original plan upon returning to Washington was to save up money to move to Hollywood to pursue my acting dreams, or perhaps go back to the Southwest to Arizona, Las Vegas, New Mexico, or Utah (since I prefer the environment, scenery, and open space of that area over the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest; the social and spiritual energy of the SW is so much brighter and better).

However, instead I found myself making plans to take a trip to the exotic lands of Russia and Ukraine instead to search for a wife, and seek love and adventure. The reasons for this are complex and long-winded, and you can read them in detail in the introduction of my site. In a nutshell, I was dissatisfied with my love/social life in the states, and needed far more stimulation from it than I had been getting. And I was tired and fed up of my 20 years of loneliness and datelessness in America. Since I didn’t see it getting any better, I felt that a drastic move or change was needed, since “extreme situations require extreme measures”. I had also heard of the large surplus of the single available women in those countries who were desperate to leave their country, and the superior qualities over American women they had. All this information came to me from the internet and the plethora of booming marriage agencies online. This, I thought, was my chance to live like a movie star and date stunningly gorgeous women out of my league. It was a temptation too great to pass up, especially since I saw a huge deficiency of “love conquests” in my life which left me with a strong feeling of resentment and helplessness. Was going to Russia/Ukraine the answer? I wasn’t sure, but it was worth a try at least.

At first, I was hesitant and fearful to do such an unconventional thing, but my willpower and sense of adventure gave me the courage to follow through on these plans and prepare a trip. And hence, that’s how my famous and infamous trips to Russia began. Over the next few years, I made a series of three trips to Russia , spending a total of about a year and a half in Russia and parts of Eastern and Central Europe .

Overall, finding a wife or a serious partner was not as easy as I thought, nor was it as simple as the marriage agencies portrayed in their advertising. However, I had the best time of my life. I had many adventures and experiences which I otherwise would never have had. Some of them were comical, while others were downright dangerous (and thank goodness for my Guardian Angels and Spirit Protectors). Many of my experiences and stories were comparable (or even better) than the drama in movies. In particular, the experiences I had with con-artists, criminals and scammers, and their elaborate plots, were like grand black comedies. And I was able to easily form social connections whenever I wanted, since I discovered that the world outside the USA was nowhere near as cliquish as in America , for in other countries, one can merely walk into the non-cliquish social scene out of nowhere, meet people, and have fun.

Abroad, I was able to get the things I wanted and lacked in my adolescent teenage years that I never had - being popular, having fame, attention, an active dating life, partying, and being able to attract and get beautiful women easily whenever I wanted. And I experienced more deeply and dramatically the triumphs, glories, and heartbreaks of love. Thus, pretty much all my teenage dreams finally came true, as a result of these extreme and unorthodox ventures. I was even engaged to be married twice during my trips. One of my fiancées, Katya Buchkina, was super hot and looked like the girl of my dreams, but she turned out to be nothing but a conniving gold digger and user:

My second fiancée was nice, we just weren’t compatible physically, mentally, or chemistry-wise.

But most importantly though, I got the high stimulation in daily life I craved and was deprived of in the states. So much in fact, that it became emotionally draining, and led me to realize that I ought to be pursuing more spiritual and wholesome ventures, instead of a neverending circle of hedonism.

One claim of the internet marriage agencies that is true though, which I can easily attest to, is that the quality of women in Russia and Eastern Europe is much higher than in the states. In general, they are thinner, more femine, down to earth, and more authentic and approachable. (See my summary about this here).

Each time I left and came back home though, I’d feel flat and experience withdrawal symptoms, as my experiences, status, and the “vibe” there became an addiction for me. So I’d work some temp jobs to save up money for my next trip and return back again. During the time between my second and third trips, I met a local girl at a New Age church in my town who quickly became one of my best friends ever, Amber LaMond.

We had an instant connection, as though we had known each other for years. In addition to the interest in New Age spirituality, we also shared a love of traveling. In fact, she became enamored and envious about my journeys abroad (especially since she also viewed normal life in the states as a “rut” too). In essence, I was like a “gateway portal” to the “worlds beyond” America for her. Besides being soulful, she is also very attractive, and we connect mentally on many wavelengths as well.

With my will and resourcefulness, in Russia alone I’ve been to 12 cities and a few village settlements, which is much more than what most Russians have been to. As Russia harbored my most memorable experiences and moments, I put together online Photo Journals containing over a thousand slides, and wrote an informative Travel and Dating Guide to Russia.

During my trips, I began and gradually expanded on, a long point-by-point treatise comparing why I liked the culture, environment, and social scene of Russia/Europe more than America, which eventually became an ebook entitled Happier Abroad: Why You Will Have A Better Love and Life Beyond America. It also contains articles and essays such as Propaganda vs. Real Life in America and The Industrial Culture and Automaton Populace of America which you can find in my Article Index.

Although I believe in the American ideals of freedom and democracy, I am opposed to its materialistic and conformist lifestyle and culture which constantly equates outward materialistic wants with happiness, depriving people of a rich inner life, inward happiness, and a foundation of inner strength and confidence. I believe that this lack of inner self common amongst many Americans is a major cause in the following problems: 1) The high rate of mental illness, insanity, obesity, and dysfunctional behavior in America, 2) overly fragile egos and low self-esteem which is easily offended, and 3) the propensity to become bored and lonely so easily, requiring constant consumption stimulation and distractions to avoid facing inner emptiness. These issues are expounded upon in my counter-culture essays above.

My international online following begins and grows

During these journeys I started writing journal updates to a group of fans and interested onlookers which grew from a few dozen to nearly a thousand, with readers from all over the world. Soon I started receiving regular fan mail from those who read about my adventures and looked through my Photojournals. And I was being discussed on internet forums, where I quickly became the center of attention and controversy. Some found my writing too brutally honest and open, making me an easy target for attacks from critics and armchair quarterbacks, while others found them informative and engaging, as though they were watching some sort of “Reality TV”, which made them feel like they were experiencing everything there with me. (You can download these journals here, view thousands of photos here, or read a synopsis of them here.)

You can view a collection of feedback letters from my supporters and fans here. There you will see hundreds of intelligent, insightful, genuine letters from those who've “seen the light.”

Later on, some anonymous fans even put together a music video of me and my adventures called "Shiny Toy Winstons", composed of clips from my video footage. You can see it on this video page.

The height of my fame reaches a national level in three countries

It was during my third and longest journey in Russia though, that I achieved the height of my fame. In October 2004, after a gang fight in a small industrial Russian city ( Cherepovets ) vs. 5 gangsters, I was featured on national Russian news. This national feature story was broadcast repeatedly in both Russia and Ukraine . For weeks afterward, people who saw me in public places recognized me and told me so. I estimated that about 40-50 percent of the population of Russia knew who I was after that. I had never been so famous on a mass scale before. It was at this time that I also discovered that Russian people seem to have an amazing and long lasting memory of faces, as even long afterward, people were still recognizing me. Usually, in my country, people forget a new face on the news right after they see it, but these Russians seem to have unswerving and efficient memory of faces (including, in my case, faces of other ethnicities). I was quite surprised. You can see an online news summary of this story in Russian at: http://newsvo.ru/news/2004/10/14/11:03:02.html (The Russian text can be translated at http://translate.google.com) And you can see the detailed version that I wrote about it here.

Later on, my adventures were also featured in Lithuania in a national magazine named Antra Puse (May 2005 issue), a publication featuring real life love stories that stand out from the rest. (You can view scanned images of all four pages of the article about me at these links: Page1, Page2, Page3, Page4) That meant that my stories had received national media coverage in three countries now - Russia , Ukraine , and Lithuania . In addition, earlier when I was in New York before my third journey, a friend of mine in Manhattan who is a professional filmmaker taped an interview we did together for an upcoming documentary film he’s working on entitled Men: Changes.

Transformation, cultural expansion, and a step toward self-mastery

On my third trip in Russia , I also worked for a while in Moscow as both a Journalist for a business gazette, Estates News, covering stories about multi-million dollar corporate deals in Europe, and as a Teacher for an English School in Moscow . I wrote excellent stories, and soon discovered that I was fit for a career in journalism or mass media. After all, in addition to the professional stories I wrote, taken from interviews and press releases, I also had plenty of practice from writing my regular updates to my online mass lists as well. Therefore, I discovered a new niche that I had talent and potential in besides acting. As of now, I consider Journalism to be my most plausible profession.

Eventually, I concluded that Russian women probably aren’t for me. Though among the most beautiful in the world, they are too greedy for my taste, as well as stingy, taking, opportunistic, ungiving, stubborn, conscienceless, manipulative, deceptive, changeable, and hypocritical, all in extreme degrees. In addition, several strong conflicts exist between my mentality and theirs. Overall, as I and many others have learned, in the big picture the risks of being involved with women in Russia simply outweigh the benefits, and the bad experiences outweigh the good ones. Therefore, I do not have plans to return there, though I can’t rule it out either since I still have one more strong love interest there:

And other attractive good prospects I left behind, such as:

(Note: If you enjoy seeing pictures of these Russian women such as the ones I was involved with above, you can see hundreds more in my Photojournals and Photo Collages)

But according to advice from friends, my better prospects lie in the Eastern Russian regions and former Soviet Republics such as Uzbekistan, Kazakstan, Krygyzstan, etc. which are far more Asianized and accepting of my race, and have women who with better values. Other great choices I heard include Philippines , Thailand , South America, and countries in Eastern Europe .

I can also say that whatever the results from my long odysseys in Russia , i.e. the stimulating experiences, love conquests, fun, etc., it was definitely a great character and endurance building experience that matured me a lot and made me into a tougher person. From all that I endured, I developed a deeper level of mental balance, tolerance, and far broader perspective than ever before. Furthermore, my willpower and courage, which conquered and endured so much the last ten months, gave me a sense of inner confidence and control that I never had before, making me a more complete and evolved person; like a more complete "Jedi Knight" so to speak. And of course, the long experiences greatly broadened my intellect, culture and perspective as well.

I've also come to realize that I've derived some meditational benefits from my trips. You see, one of the primary purposes of meditation is to reduce the mind's attachments - such as clinging to pleasure/assets and resisting pain/undesirable conditions. But my restless nature and ADD symptoms prevent me from practicing regular meditation. However, I've achieved similar results. With all the constant traveling I did, I constantly detached from the people and environment around me, to the point where it became a habit, like second nature. With all that practice in detachment, I am almost able to detach my mind and emotions at will, a benefit similar to that achieved in meditation. But of course, the other aspect of meditation of attaining a still mind, eludes me, as I am basically still a restless and wandering spirit, thriving on novelty and new people/experiences, rather than stable routines.

Last but not least, I gained valuable career experience in professional Journalism which I wouldn’t have been able to get in the US (other than as an intern). Therefore, I can honestly say that despite all I've been through, I'm proud of myself.

In addition, I believe that I‘ve also discovered the secret to happiness. I've become aware that external things or people do not directly cause "happiness", they merely trigger the biochemicals inside us that make us feel that way. What I've discovered is that we can learn to trigger these biochemicals that make us happy at will, through training, practice, and awareness meditation. One merely has to realign the biochemical reactions inside us, reprogramming them to respond differently and breaking old cycles and addictions. It would take some time of course, but it's possible. And I've already had a lot of practice, as I've managed to keep myself happy in that way through thick and thin, even through disappointment and disaster. Thus, it’s led me one step closer to self-mastery. And as the ancient undefeated Chinese general Sun Tzu said, "The one who conquers a thousand nations is not as great as the one who conquers himself."

My post-trip crossroads

After my Europe/Russia trips, I was at a crossroads. My choices are to either 1) return to Europe to travel and work, since my expressive nature fell in love and felt at one with its culture and social environment, 2) follow my dream years ago of going to Hollywood to pursue an acting career, 3) move to the Southwest part of America where the beautiful desert terrain and canyons have a very invigorating spiritual and social energy, or 4) begin pursuing some type of Journalism or mass media career, the niche I discovered in myself while in Russia.

New birth in the Philippines

After doing a lot of soul searching, I decided to go to the Philippines . Here’s how I came to that decision. Facing reality, I realized that although I met and dated lots of great beautiful girls in Russia and Eastern Europe , the only ones who seemed serious about me were the plain average looking ones that I wasn’t really attracted to. And I realized that in all probability, if I went back to Europe again, like I wanted, I would have a great time culturally again, but romantic-wise I’d probably get the same results. Though I loved European culture and felt at home with it soul-wise, most girls there seemed to like me as friends only or as a passing novelty. They didn’t seem that interested or attracted to me, even though we have a lot in common, such as having an intellectual disposition and being curious about the world. Though I could easily meet them, there seemed to be a plateau in how much they liked me, which kept falling short. So, after searching around and researching other alternatives, I found out that I would probably do much better in the Philippines or Thailand . There, race would not be a problem for me like it was in Russia , and more women would take me seriously, giving me a wider range of choices from which to pick the ones I’m most attracted to. In other words, I could easily get someone “hot” in those countries, so that I wouldn’t have to complain about not being attracted to my girlfriend.

So it was either go back to Europe and meet a lot of girls who just want to be friends or acquaintances, and maybe getting a plain average looking girl to be serious about me. Or go to the Philippines or Thailand and get a “hot” girl that I could be super attracted to. I thought about it and basically what it came down to is that: I’d rather have a “hot” attractive sexy Asian woman than a plain average looking White woman. And all the research and asking around I did told me unanimously that I’d do VERY well in the Philippines and have my choice of the lot, which was what I badly needed.

Though I hadn’t been that attracted to Asian women before, Filipinas had Eurasian features (due to them being a mix of Asian and Spanish) such as the rounder eyes, and are more well-endowed in the chest than other Asians, such as Chinese and Japanese. Also, they are more outgoing, like me, than the other typically shy Chinese, Japanese, and even Thai. Thus, they would be more easy to meet and “pick up”. That made us more compatible in theory, as I have little in common with super shy women, which are common in Oriental countries. Plus, Filipinas are reputed to be romantics, tender on the inside, and loyal, qualities which I needed in a woman, and which were extremely lacking in the often cold harshness of the Russian nature that I experienced.

So, after taking a road trip through the beautiful desert Southwest USA during the Summer of 2006 for a few months, enjoying the beloved desert canyons and terrain that I longed for, quelling my desert fever, and doing a lot of soul searching, I decided to head for the Philippines with the help of a friend in Hawaiia whom I met from my mailing list. He was also looking for a serious partner and was persuaded to choose the Philippines as well. I was fortunate because as my funds were limited, being financially drained from the last trip, my friend was a wealthy owner of a successful business and offered to pay for my trip. I received help from above, so to speak, to continue my next mission.

After I went to Hawaii for a few weeks, we flew to the Philippines together on November 19, 2006. Ever since then, it’s been better than I can describe in words. My dating life, relationships and love life soared through the roof, exceeding all my expectations. See this Photo Collage for a pictorial representation of what I’m talking about and the exciting times I’ve had here.

I now find Filipinas to be the best match for me, in so many ways. They are so attractive and exotic (the ones here are better looking than the ones in the US ) with a sweet, playful, passionate, sensual, tender, carefree personality. And they find me attractive, fun, and charming too. So it’s very reciprocal. We have such great natural chemistry together, physically and mentally. I have had the best relationships with them. They fit me like a “glove”, in more ways than one :) (pun intended).

For more details, you can read some of my raving ecstatic updates from the Philippines at these links:

www.happierabroad.com/ebook/Page93.htm

www.happierabroad.com/ebook/Page94.htm

After a series of relationships, I finally found a great girl named Dianne to be serious and steady with who is a “keeper” for me. She has personality, looks and is also kind, funny, interesting, charming and devoted to me in a way no one else ever has been. For the first time in my life, someone I really love, desire, and am very attracted to, feels the same way about me.

Launch of my new website skyrockets and gains me hero/legend status

Eventually, I began my own website HappierAbroad.com to disseminate my discoveries about how one can have a better life abroad and completely turn their love life around. It also became a support network bringing together people dissatisfied with the culture and dating in America who are seeking an alternative into a mailing list and Online Community. Gradually, I started organizing all my observation and comparison posts of the US vs. Abroad into a Grand Ebook. (The Table of Contents preview here) The website and movement have steadily increased in popularity and readership, attracting more ecstatic Fan Letters than I could ever have imagined.

With growing traffic and site hits, I began earning money from my site through advertising income, affiliate commissions, and ebook sales to earn residual income. Hence, I found a way to profit from doing what I love, in accordance with the saying, “Do what you love. The money will follow.” As of now, my site offers a barrage of various content and services, which you can see at HappierAbroad.com.

At this point, my site is growing in popularity and expanding daily. As my readership grows, I am getting more and more Fan Letters and Testimonials of changed lives and heightened awareness. See these quotes. Some have even declared me as:

“Despite all the flak you get you are certainly an interesting character and probably the most famous (or infamous) self-made asian on the internet”

My Expat Advisor and friend also put me in this amusing light:

“Winston you are now an Asian American Moses, and you are leading your people out of the “captivity” of boredom, loneliness, lovelessness and datelessness to the various promised lands of milk and honey, many honeys that is and milk is to come later. Lol.”

As an increasing number of Americans feel the way we do and become enlightened about the real world outside the USA matrix, and stop living in fear, my site and all its material can only grow in popularity and legitimacy. And my courage and passion will continue to fuel what the site stands for. Perhaps this is my true calling, to help others change their lives and find happiness, while giving myself the ego boost of importance that I’ve always wanted. At this point, that seems a fair exchange.

I've always know that I would be a leader of some sort and help people. Long ago, I couldn’t see how that could possibly come true since I was so shy and timid. But now, I see that perhaps that this destiny is beginning to emerge.

Thank you for your time, attention, and interest if you’ve read this far. For more links about me, see my About Me page.

You can contact me with comments or questions here.

Best Regards,

Winston Wu

See Also:

Quotes about Winston Wu

10 Uncommon and Outstanding Things about Winston Wu

Quotes about Winston Wu being "The Most Unique and Freethinking Asian"

About Winston Wu Page

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