Millions of Americans are living without access to healthcare, affordable food, safe housing, or basic security. We were one of them. We lived off-grid in rural Appalachia, doing everything “right” — working hard, living frugally, and still barely getting by. Eventually, we made a drastic choice: we left the U.S. in search of a better life. What we found shocked us. In countries often labeled as “developing,” like Thailand and Vietnam, people live with more dignity, security, and well-being — even on far lower incomes.