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On February 1, 2019, I experienced a serious health scare. When I was released from the hospital, my cardiologist told me my arteries were not good and I had clots in my legs and lungs. I asked what I should do regarding diet. He demonstrated with a gesture to zip my mouth shut. Not much help.
Pets are a big concern for many potential expats. While the financial and personal advantages of retiring abroad are obvious, it’s not so obvious how to fit four-legged family members into the mix. The mechanics and paperwork for getting Fido or Fluffy from your old home to your new overseas location aren’t overwhelming, but they differ from country to country…and even from season to season.
After a month of searching for our future home in Ecuador, my wife Monica and I, were back where we had started, in Quito’s Centro Histórico. Knowing that we had to wake up at 3 a.m. for the shuttle to whisk us off to the airport..
“We had been coming to the Mexican island of Isla Mujeres for a few years, mostly during the cold winter months and we loved it,” says Rob Goff, 59. “It was just right for us. It was getting harder to go back home.”
On a post-retirement trip through South America, decisions can sometimes come easily. “I took a bus to Medellín on Christmas Eve 2012, didn’t know anybody, didn’t speak very good Spanish either. I had a hotel room in Poblado for one night and I didn’t know a soul,”
Costa Rica's affordable cost of living, scenic beaches with an abundance of surf, and lush natural landscapes are what initially drew me to this tropical paradise. The friendly nature of the locals, lots of of fresh fruit and vegetables, and relaxed lifestyle are what's keeping me here indefinitely.
“Life here is about the simple things,” says Mari-Ann Camp, 46, of her retirement haven home. Her husband, Jeff, 53, chimes in: “Going up to our rooftop bar for cocktails. The dogs running around. The easterly breeze helping to cool the afternoon.
Something that we have grown to love after more than eight years of living in Asia is wide variety of street food that is always readily available in this part of the world. Whether strolling the chaotic back alleys of Chinese cities or browsing the numerous markets of Chiang Mai, we have always been able to find an infinite number of inexpensive dishes prepared and served within minutes by friendly street vendors. Each country and city has its own specialties that cater to the locals as well as more adventuresome tourists that are looking for new taste sensations.
It’s all very well and good thinking about how you’ll save money and embark on a new adventure when you retire overseas. But what will the actual, day-to-day activities of living abroad be like? This was a question that Bob asked himself before moving overseas. Here's what he found out.
Julie found her ideal new start on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast five years ago. She says the minute she stepped off the plane in Costa Rica, she knew she was home. It was beautiful, warm and sunny, and no one there knew her as a widow.