During his tenure as a senior airman in the U.S. Air Force, Markeiz Ryan, 36, embarked on a trip to Vietnam that would unknowingly change the course of his life.

At that point, Ryan was grappling with the aftermath of breaking curfew, which resulted in a loss of several months’ pay, confinement to his base, and a demotion from staff sergeant to senior airman.

“I was really down and feeling pretty hopeless,” Ryan shared with CNBC Make It. “But sometimes, hitting a low makes you reflect on your life and can steer you toward a better path.”

“Vietnam seemed to be a place full of excitement, and it truly delivered,” he recalled. “I ended up having the time of my life, and that sadness just vanished.”

Ryan says he didn’t want to let go of the good feelings he had on that trip, so when he got home he almost immediately started planning his return to the country.

The veteran went back to his life in the Air Force and completed his service on a military base in Wyoming before being honorably discharged in 2019.

Soon after leaving the Air Force, Ryan relocated to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where he spends roughly $1,031 a month on expenses: $850 in rent for a two-bedroom apartment, $130 for utilities, $8.50 for his cellphone, $15 for gas and $27 for a VIP gym membership.

His other expenses include $96 a year for internet, $1,000 a year for health insurance, and $100-$400 a month on groceries. What he spends on groceries varies because he often alternates between cooking his own food and dining out.

To keep up with his life in Vietnam, Ryan’s monthly income comes from several sources and totals roughly $4,000, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

It includes approximately $1,500 from VA disability, $1,000 from the GI Bill while he’s pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration, and $900 to $1,300 from teaching English. Ryan also does occasional odd jobs like voiceover work, where his pay can range from $200 to $600 a month, and is an avid fan of day trading, where he averages about $300 a month.

“This might not sound like a lot in America but trust me, this is more than enough to be middle or even above middle class in Vietnam,” he says.

The one job he loves the most, though, is teaching English as a second language.

“ESL teaching is fun and very rewarding. I wanted to do it since high school. I felt like it was the only job I ever completely enjoyed,” he says.

“Vietnam is the number one safest place I’ve ever lived. I never have to look over my shoulder here. I noticed that there’s this great level of calm,” Ryan says. “People are more focused on their day-to-day life and they’re less focused on what’s going on politically. It’s a much more calm feeling.”

Ryan uses the extra income he receives to invest in the U.S. and Vietnamese stock markets. He says he also supports the local communities and always has money set aside for medical bills and visa runs.

When Ryan first arrived in Vietnam, he moved around quite a bit, but has been living in his current Ho Chi Minh City apartment in one of the country’s tallest residential towers for two years now.

“If I leave, it’s because Vietnam told me to leave. In America, I felt very unmotivated. I felt like no matter how hard you work, you’re still in poverty. You’re constantly chasing a standard that you can’t really achieve,” he says.

“Here in Vietnam, it takes a lot of the monetary pressure out of your day-to-day. You focus on what makes you happy, who you want to become and how you’re going to get there.”

Since moving to Vietnam, Ryan has made an effort to learn the language, but he admits he’s still not the best at it.

“I can never claim that I’m fluent in Vietnamese, but I do a lot better than most of my peers here,” he says.

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