You have worked your entire life and, finally, finally you are retired. Now, you want to make the best of it. Have you taken the time to think about what you are to going to do and how to make that happen?
Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Focus on good nutrition
Selecting and purchasing quality food that provides good nutrition, without all the harmful chemicals, preservatives and additives will provide your body and mind the vital nutrients to stay healthy and sharp in retirement.

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.

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!

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.

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.

First, I would like to welcome you to the Expat Series Blog! I am so excited to be at a place in my life where I can begin writing about my upcoming retirement and impending life outside of the United States.

Not everyone wants to move overseas when they retire. Not everyone understands that I want to. But I love travel. I love other cultures. I love learning about other people, how we are different and how we are alike, and so an overseas life appeals to me. Living outside my culture provides insight into our world, the things that push us apart and those that bring us together.

There will be blog posts, videos, and photography, as I move forward, focusing on my growing anticipation, all aspects of planning, purging of my life's belongings, making the move and, ultimately, living the life. I anticipate an adventure with lots of surprises, a few mistakes, some possible faux paus, and I suspect lots of crazy stories and adventures.

If you are dreaming of becoming a future expat or just want to follow my journey, please subscribe to Reel Wanderer Travel Blog to be notified of new posts as they are published. Follow the Reel Wanderer Facebook page to see additional posts about travel and expat life, and on Twitter, Reel Wanderer @deb98201 for up to the minute notification of new content.

Embarking on a new path fills me with swirling emotions. There is a sadness of leaving the convenient access to family and friends. I am not 'leaving' them. It is just that the distance between us will be expanded. On the flip side, I am excited about the future and I anticipate a great adventure ahead!

The first Expat Series blog post is coming soon! I look forward to you joining me on this journey!

Thanks for sharing Reel Wanderer articles and videos!