Also, in case you haven't heard, Asia is a big place, and all places in Asia are not the same...
Dead true. As a Westerner you have to dig very carefully and
look at all advice and material you can get (like DBate said).
For starters a place with minimal culture shock would be SIN
but I've known guys who've even freaked out there...its very
subjective to each individual so there's no hard and fast rule
that applies to everyone - for example I'd never touch China
with a 50ft bargepole but there are friends I have there who
are happy as Larry (even though I've told 'em they must be
a couple of tinnies short of the six pack!)
There is just no such thing as THE perfect job and country in
SE Asia - so its a question of knowing your adaptability to a
new cultures and the ways the locals do things (for better or
for worse). After a few jobs in the region I found my niche in
Thailand and am quite happy here doing what I do.....it aint
perfect but its a hell of a lot better than some other places I
lived and worked in, but again that's purely based on my own
subjectivity.