Where Do I Go Now?

You know where you would like to be. You’d like to live on the beach, in the mountains, or  in Paris. You’d sip your drink or go out to the cafes, and the furthest you would have to drive would be to the local sushi shop or steakhouse on a Saturday evening.

Where to retire, get a second career

Join millions of others who enjoy the expatriate life.  Which is it?

Okay, now step back from the daydream, and think about the elements that made you the happiest.

Let’s say you want to be able to lie on the beach whenever you feel like it. Now in your mind, you may be picturing Hawaii, a lounge chair, and a drink with a paper umbrella – but there are other beaches, in far more affordable areas.  Have you ever gotten out a map and thought about it?

Once you nail down a few locations, look up the price of real estate and the cost of living for the area.  You might be surprised.  The set up that would cost you an easy million in Hawaii, might be a fraction of that if you’re willing to be on a river instead of the ocean.  Sometimes all it takes to see a price difference is moving out of commute range of the big cities.

If you don’t want to be right on the water, the prices plummet. I have a friend that moved three hours from Washington D.C., and lives five minutes walk from a marina on the Chesapeake Bay. Her house is modest, but is set in a gorgeous, picturesque fishing village.

Cost of buying the house?

$104,000

Seriously.

If you’ve found an affordable place to live one of your dreams, you’re half way there. The next step is figuring out how to make a living while your there, and how to fund the move.

Or maybe you want to go to Paris. You’d love to spend a month there – but who gets that much vacation time in workaholic America? Not to mention the cost of a hotel in the most romantic city in Europe.

All true, but have you ever thought about a second career working overseas? The IT industry and English education both offer opportunities to live and work abroad – not just in France, but all over the world.

Start Googling on the names of various countries and your own areas of expertise – but there is someone out there looking for someone like you – and they may very well live on the beach.

Or in the mountains.

Or in Paris.

Start with a mini-retirement for a month, network with people you meet and you may end up living as an expatriate.

Related articles for ideas on where to visit and where to retire

• Boomer Generation Defies Labels (boomercafe.com)
• What’s Your Favorite Beach? (delta.com)
• Your dream destination awaits (slideshare.net)

Tags: Finding a second career, mini-retirement, networking, Where to Retire / Expat Living