By Deb ZulawskiBlogger, artist, photographer, global traveler, soon to be expat currently living in the Pacific Northwest Searching for a retirement haven has been something I have been doing for almost 10 years. Time is drawing near for me to actually retire, so I was getting bit anxious about deciding where I would move when I finally got my ‘freedom’.
I have traveled through much of Central and South America, as that culture seems to speak to me more than some other areas of the world. I think part of my connection to that culture is that I am able to stumble through speaking Spanish and it gives me a step in up from a country where I would be unable to communicate comfortably with the locals in their tongue. I want to be able to communicate with locals where I live and a Spanish speaking country seems like an easier transition in that regard. There are many places in the Latin countries that I have really loved during my travels, from Santiago, Chile to Cuenca, Ecuador, Antigua, Guatemala to Casco Viejo in Panama City. They each offered something different. Santiago was a large metropolis with lots of restaurants, museums and cultural opportunities. Cuenca, a charming colonial city high in the Andes of Ecuador, was a very comfortable and safe city, with an active expat community and lots of organized events. Antigua, Guatemala is a smaller town outside of Guatemala City with lots of restaurants, and friendly, welcoming locals. Casco Viejo is the second location of Panama City before its present day location. It is filled with history, a variety of architectural influences and a vibrant nightlife scene. Each had their own positives. Each called to me in its own way.
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By Deb Zulawski Blogger, artist, photographer, global traveler and soon to be expat currently living in the Pacific Northwest I have been following several social media groups focused on expats living in different countries and have seen discussions by people who have moved to Belize, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and other countries around the world. On every thread the same topic comes up - How do I ship my furniture to (insert country)? While there is no right or wrong way for someone to approach creating a new life in a new country, I must admit it made me curious as to the reasons people do or do not ship all their belongings.
I have decided that I am not going to take my household furnishing with me. Well, maybe my Blendtec blender, but that's it. And, of course, clothes, camera, and my laptop. The rest I will be able to get there. With a lower cost of living in my new country I will be able to purchase many of the items I get rid of for a fraction of what I would pay to ship a container of furniture, appliances and knick knacks. I have read that someone spent upwards of $5000 to ship a household from the US to Ecuador. Top that off with in-country shipping costs and all the coordination fees involved, and that is a lot of money that could be used to set up a household in the new location. I have spent considerable time thinking about why someone would pay to ship all their household goods. It is curious to me. No judgement. Just curious. By Deb Zulawski Blogger, artist, photographer, global traveler and soon to be expat currently living in the Pacific Northwest Well, it is decided! After years of dreaming of an expat retirement and searching for the right location by visiting a good number of countries and potential towns, villages and cities in which to live in my retirement years, I have decided on the Lake Chapala area in Mexico, about an hour south of Guadalajara. I am so excited!
The village of Ajijic on Lake Chapala in Jalisco, Mexico has become a favorite among expats from all over the world. Besides the beauty of Lake Chapala, the colorful buildings and street art all over town certainly add to the appeal. It became perfectly clear to me when I was on an exploratory visit to Ajijic, a small village on Lake Chapala, with my friend, Pam, a few months back. I stood on the malecon, looked out over the lake, and just knew that this was where I was called to be. It was reminiscent of the time when I knew that I needed to move to the Peruvian Amazon. There is that feeling in your gut. It is an internal calling that was answered. As I stood silent, looking out at the water on the lake reflecting the golden setting sun, I knew this was to be my home.
And then, in that split second, the search was over. By Deb Zulawski Blogger, artist, photographer, global traveler and soon-to-be expat, currently living in the Pacific Northwest If you are deciding where you are going to relocate to after retirement then, unless it has been a winter snow bird respite that you already love and are familiar with, your head is probably circling trying to figure out what will work best for you. I know mine has been!
There are lots of articles on the internet that list the ‘top’ 25 places to retire, the ‘best’ 10 places to retire overseas or the ‘most’ affordable locations. And as a result, everyone is racing off to those locations, because whoever wrote that article must know. And many of them do, but some are in it for the potential real estate sale and others are selling expat research tours of the country or benefit financially in some other way. There is nothing wrong with making extra money or a living by helping retirees find their new country, but it is easy to get swept up in the hype. I have traveled to a good number of the ‘best’ ‘top’ ‘most incredible’ places touted in articles on the internet. I have found some of them to be a potential fit for me and others just didn’t offer me what I need or weren’t within my budgetary constraints. If you are thinking about becoming an expat and haven’t decided on ‘the place’ for you yet, then you may want to think about the following considerations. |
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Patiently waiting for my time to retire abroad with my little white dog, Maggie Mae, and to live life as a global citizen. Archives
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