Posted on 12/02/2013 7:35:24 AM PST by posterchild
LOS ANGELES — After 20 years in the US military, James Cummiskey was divorced and looking for a change. Relenting to his buddy's request, he flew to Medellín, Colombia, for a visit. He looked, he saw, and, by dinner time, he decided to stay. Permanently.
"After four to five hours, I was immediately captured by everything I saw," says the ex-marine, who has lived in 35 countries. He spent the next four months selling two homes, three vehicles, two motorcycles, and one airplane. He put the money aside and decided to retire early.
Now he lives in a posh section of the mountain city of 3.8 million, surrounded by lush vistas. He married a Colombian woman, started a coffee export business, and seems to get goose bumps every time he thinks about his new life. "I tell you honestly I have had more fun here in the past four years than in the previous 50," he says.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Wait until he or his wife are kidnapped for ransom or the hefty security bill he will have to foot.
Actually, more than that. It’s a trade-off. Met quite a few in my travels. Living expat ain’t for everybody. And, for most, it’s never “home.”
There’s no Obamacare in Columbia.
My old boss retired early, sold everything and moved to Monterrey, Mexico, loves it there. He doesn’t have any kids though. My wife and I have 3 kids (no grand kids yet) and although they’re adults no, they are still very much a part of our lives. No way could we move that far away from them.
Wait until the FemiNazis get hold of the country!
Then why do I keep encountering Colombians living here who all tell me they’re terrified to go back?
He married a Colombian woman?
I’ve heard some of the attraction of going to some of these countries, for men, is the females.
Not PC to talk about, and don’t know about this man in particular, but some men are aggravated by some American women’s outlook on life. And, actually prefer a woman who has been raised in a different culture, with a different manner of interacting with the man in her life.
Totally not PC to say anything about. But, I’ve heard that’s part of what drives American men to retire overseas or try to meet women from other countries.
I have been to San Miguel de Allende in GTO Mexico many times.
About 12,000 Americans there year round, double that in Winter.
Nice place but the Mayor was kidnapped about 3 years ago.
Good question. Same with Mexicans and Central Americans.
Some expats will leverage the economic inequality and do really well. Some will roll snake-eyes and end up headless on the shore in Acapulco. (One of my good friends at church is from Acapulco; she and her family don’t intend to move back or even visit.)
We visited Ecuador and enjoyed the country. There’s a expat migration going on there. However,there’s a crime problem in many of these countries.
I have my sights on Santiago, Chile after the SHTF. The Panama Canal will close (too easy for raiders to prey on ships) and Valparaiso will once again be the first Pacific port for ships making the trip around Cape Horn. Chile is a very nice country and the people are as (or more)industrious as most Americans.
There’s a large expat group in Panama, and Belize is advertising actively around here.
Problem with the SA countries is the political instability. Look at Venezuela, Argentina.
I've little to base my opinion on, but I can't imagine that the security is any different than living here. There are places within an hour of where I'm sitting that I'd not want to visit without being accompanied by a squad of armed Marines. I imagine (completely baseless opinion.....) that other countries have fine spots to live in, and similarly not-so-fine as well.
I'd also imagine (AGAIN.....opinion ONLY based on those I've talked with....) that the ex-pat life is what you make of it. It's the difference between being a local and a tourist. If you live in a gated compound with a buncha other expats, what's the point to moving, other than to save a few bucks?
Well, part of the attraction of going overseas is also that your money goes farther. I’ve heard of middle class retirees going to these countries, and having a full time housekeeper and other luxuries which they couldn’t afford in America. And, being able to afford a much nicer home, as real estate is much cheaper in many of these countries.
Maybe “lived in” includes every country he passed through. My father (Navy 30 years) and my brother (Air Force 22 years) “breathed in” a lot more countries than they were semi-permanently resident in.
My father only “lived in” the United States, his whole career. Even during his two tours in Vietnam, he lived on a U.S. Navy ship, not in the country.
I’ll go down with the ship here...
Medellin is gorgeous and as secure a place as a lot of places here.
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Probably safer than many U.S. cities like Detroit, Baltimore, Memphis, etc.
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