Kramer

[Stevewc]

I was talking with my better half this weekend about how cool it must be to travel/live in all the places you have.
Would you mind giving us the story on where you have lived and your opinion of the best places?
Where would you say a person from the U.S. should start out trying, to get comfortable living in these remote places you have tried.
Start with places for people with very little travel experience.
That is, if I have talked you into replying to my questions.
Steve

PS.I hope others are interested in this too.

[kramer]

Hi Steve, Well thanks for such a nice invitation. I have only been retired for 3 years, so I am not sure how much experience I can really offer.

But for a couple starting out, looking for a taste of expat living, I think I could recommend Chiang Mai, Thailand or the Lake Chapala area of Mexico. There are large, well established retired expat communities in both these places, nice climates, and the cost of living is not high. There are plenty of activities, many other expats to befriend, activity groups to join, and both Mexico and Thailand have interesting cultures and excellent food. What you will find when you live abroad in a non-English speaking country is that most of your friends are other expats.

Part of my experience has been figuring out what I really like. Initially, I did a lot of traveling around to see places that I had never visited. This included almost all the countries in SE Asia and then Colombia. I had various other trips planned but they just never happened because there were places to which I wanted to return and try out living there. Also, I initially was going to be an English teacher abroad but I decided that wasn't what I wanted, either. Until I traveled and lived in places, I really had no idea about what expat living was like, nor whether it was for me long term. I learned that I liked to live in the city and I get bored quickly with beach life. I gravitated to places where I had made some nice friendships. And I learned that I really like warm/hot weather. For instance, the Lake Chapala area is a bit chilly for me and not really the big city scene which I like whereas Canadians seem to think it is the tropics or something

So a lot comes down to figuring out what you want and like. Part of that you can do via research, and the rest via life's best teacher, experience. You can arrange some trips around this goal.

Also, I have noticed that successful retirees have a lot of independent interests, oftentimes things that can be pursued at any geographic location (after awhile every place takes on aspects of "home"). For instance, between having a kitchen for cooking, Wi-Fi, a running track/route, and a gym, I can keep myself busy a lot of the time wherever I am located. Add to this learning a new language, learning to dance, and chasing girls, and your time fills up fast!

I hope this helps? Anyway, I would be happy to answer your questions.

[Nords]

Kramer's too polite to encore this thread here:
Raddr's Early Retirement and Financial Strategy Board :: View topic - Three Years of FIRE

[Stevewc]

Kramer,
Did you always make sure you had contacts in the different places before going? I'm sure that would add a little comfort, especially the first trips/adventures.

Also, did you travel a lot in the U.S. before you ventured out?

Thanks Nords for the link.
I'll have to spend some time checking that thread out.
Steve

[kramer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stevewc Kramer, Did you always make sure you had contacts in the different places before going? I'm sure that would add a little comfort, especially the first trips/adventures. Also, did you travel a lot in the U.S. before you ventured out? Thanks Nords for the link. I'll have to spend some time checking that thread out. Steve

Steve, Actually, I never had contacts on my first trips to places. I have started out a few trips over the years in a language school, and that always provided a nice environment to learn and to meet other people.

I have used couchsurfing.com a few times to meet folks. I have done this in Colombia, Philippines, Malaysia and Myanmar -- always just to meet for dinner or coffee, never using it as a place to stay. Other times friends joined me on the road and sometimes they had friends in these places.

Most of my previous travel in the USA was business travel. Traveling on your own is more challenging because you are not spending someone else's money I did take a couple of international trips (3 weeks each) on my own in 2005 and 2006, while I was still working, and they were huge confidence boosters and learning experiences. One trip was to Rio for a friend's wedding but instead of flying home I flew to Ecuador for 2 weeks of language school. In 2006 I went to Central Mexico for 2 weeks of language school, then a friend flew down and we spent 10 days touring some colonial cites in that area.

I had traveled to Europe a number of times for my job, which I really enjoyed, but traveling on your own, traveling more slowly, and especially traveling to developing countries, is just a much different experience.

After I retired in 2007, my first extended trip was to SE Asia; I had never been to Asia. I just bought a one-way trip to Hong Kong, planned a multi-month trip, and yes I was both scared and excited. A few weeks later, before I left on this initial post-retirement journey, a Chinese friend I had known for several years told me she wanted to join me for a month through China and north Vietnam. Then a friend from the States joined me on a later part of this trip through Malaysia and Thailand. Then I met a friend who advertised online for a traveling partner to Myanmar, and we had a great trip together. In fact, she and her boyfriend came to north Thailand earlier this year to visit me. So about half the time on my first big trip I was traveling with a friend.

I returned to Chiang Mai for 1 week at the end of this 7 month trip through SE Asia, I was by myself but I had made friends in Chiang Mai. In that week, I ate exactly one meal by myself. And Billy actually called me during that one meal alone wanting me to join him on a run to Computer Plaza. I realized that this was a place where I had made some nice friends, and decided to return to live there later that year. And that was the start of Perpetual Traveler living for me, the first time I realized it might be for me. After a visit home and a 2 month trip traveling through Colombia, I returned later that year to Bangkok for one month of intensive language school and went to live in Chiang Mai after that. . .

Kramer