I don't know about you, but my Google search history includes a lot of "retiring in (insert country here)". This isn't new for me, I've been doing it for over a decade. Part of me dreams of living in another foreign country just to see what it is like (I've been in Korea almost 20 years) and the other part just wants a new adventure.
When I think of retirement there are two main factors and then a plethora of sub-factors to consider. The two main things are: 1. What do I want to do with my time? and 2. Will I have enough money to pull it off? Since an endless supply of books, internet access, and red wine doesn't sound that healthy, it's probably a good idea to keep my online editing business active. This will help me maintain the "sense of purpose" that you hear about so many retired people losing and missing. Also, if I'm living in another country I won't have as many in-person training opportunities as I do now, and if I did, they probably wouldn't pay as well. Here's why... The list of places I've been learning about just in the past week include Tunisia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, and the east coast of Italy. Living in these places means I wouldn't expect to do much work (if any) inside the local economy. Instead, I would just try to keep up with my online editing work and slowly begin to phase it out when it becomes too much.
As a teacher turned freelance communications consultant, I'm looking for a places with lower cost of living and a climate that doesn't get too hot (and especially too humid) or too cold. I'd like to live in a place that isn't too noisy or crowded but is still close to an international airport. There are other factors to consider such as the difficulty of the local language, the local food and drink scene, the tax situation, visas, and a whole list of other factors that are too silly to mention here.
I have a former co-worker who has a cabin in rural Canada that he stays in during the summer and then every winter he chooses a new country, closes up the cabin, and heads out. That could be an option if I wanted to keep Korea as a base, but Korean summers are no picnic.
So for now, I'll just keep dreaming and continue to travel whenever I can. I've had great experiences in a lot of interesting places but I don't think I've found that one perfect place yet. Maybe the thrill is in the search.
When I think of retirement there are two main factors and then a plethora of sub-factors to consider. The two main things are: 1. What do I want to do with my time? and 2. Will I have enough money to pull it off? Since an endless supply of books, internet access, and red wine doesn't sound that healthy, it's probably a good idea to keep my online editing business active. This will help me maintain the "sense of purpose" that you hear about so many retired people losing and missing. Also, if I'm living in another country I won't have as many in-person training opportunities as I do now, and if I did, they probably wouldn't pay as well. Here's why... The list of places I've been learning about just in the past week include Tunisia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, and the east coast of Italy. Living in these places means I wouldn't expect to do much work (if any) inside the local economy. Instead, I would just try to keep up with my online editing work and slowly begin to phase it out when it becomes too much.
As a teacher turned freelance communications consultant, I'm looking for a places with lower cost of living and a climate that doesn't get too hot (and especially too humid) or too cold. I'd like to live in a place that isn't too noisy or crowded but is still close to an international airport. There are other factors to consider such as the difficulty of the local language, the local food and drink scene, the tax situation, visas, and a whole list of other factors that are too silly to mention here.
I have a former co-worker who has a cabin in rural Canada that he stays in during the summer and then every winter he chooses a new country, closes up the cabin, and heads out. That could be an option if I wanted to keep Korea as a base, but Korean summers are no picnic.
So for now, I'll just keep dreaming and continue to travel whenever I can. I've had great experiences in a lot of interesting places but I don't think I've found that one perfect place yet. Maybe the thrill is in the search.
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