I’m living a lifestyle I couldn’t come close to in the U.S.,” Robert Venhuizen, 68, says. “I have enough money to do what I want.” After working for decades as an independent manufacturing representative in Holland, Michigan, Robert decided to retire at age 50. “I was just burned out with materialism,” he says.
“Tulum is my perfect place. The beach is amazing and, once or twice a week, a bunch of women get together for a game night. And my days are as full as I want them to be. I never planned for this to happen, but I’m accidentally living the dream that many people want,” Margo says. “Now it’s my dream, and I’m keeping it!”
What I like most about my new life as an expat is that it has enabled me to reconnect with what is truly important. It should come as no surprise to anyone that what turns out to be important isn’t the big houses, the new cars, or all the possessions...
Take a look at your local real estate listings and see what $172,000 will buy you. Probably nothing close to what my wife Nicki and I built in Nicaragua. From our covered terrace, we savor views of Lake Nicaragua spanning nearly the entire eastern horizon...
Do you daydream of moving to a tropical island and building a home overlooking the sparkling Caribbean Sea? Do you think of waking to the breeze whispering through the tree tops? Of enjoying the views of the lush valleys leading down to the beach...
As I sit at my writing table on my oceanside veranda, staring at the lapping waves of the Pacific, gentle breezes blowing my hair, I am a 65-year-old, extremely happy roving retiree. The path I’ve trod across Latin America over the last year or so has been incredibly rewarding.
Since arriving in the Costa Rican mountain town of San Ramón, John and Caryl Buford have done much to endear themselves to the local community. But they’re especially proud of bringing TubaChristmas to Costa Rica, which has performed favorite Christmas carols since 2011.
Becky and Ken Campeau have a busy retirement—and wouldn’t have it any other way. “I would love to tell you about being retired and enjoying our down time relaxing and playing,” says Ken. “But we stay active in community projects and socializing with our friends.
For Chuck and Susan Bussey, relocating to the highland town of Cotacachi, Ecuador, was the move that saved their retirement. They both had good jobs in Georgia, where Chuck was an airline mechanic for Delta Airlines and Susan was a dental hygienist.
“If I had stayed in the U.S., I’d be dead now,” says Warren Sklar, reflecting on his new life in Ecuador. “I was 140 pounds heavier, I was having a very difficult time controlling my blood pressure with three medications, and my diabetes was pretty much out of control.”