Some good rules of thumb about retiring overseas.
1) Retire to a colony of Americans, not just on your own. The more it is like an enclave, the safer you will be. Avoid being the first or the newest to move in. Have neighbors that will watch your place if you leave it for a while.
2) Figure out the back-and-forth with America. That is, how often travelers come and go to the US. It is much easier to live outside of the US if you have “private importers” willing to bring you stuff you can’t buy locally. Also find out what you can mail order, and what you can’t, and if the local Post Office and international shipping companies are honest or not.
3) If you need servants, there are all sorts of rules that you must follow. Americans are often servant-averse, at least at first, but in some places, servants come with the property. If you fire them, they and their family are sometimes financially ruined. Importantly, they are often fonts of local news, that can save your bacon if they share it with you. “Oh, BTW, the revolution starts next Tuesday. You might want to leave the country”, is worthy of a very big tip.
4) Avoid arguments about politics and religion, and remember that the US constitution and Bill of Rights does not apply there. You must learn a whole new set of laws. If there is corruption, don’t try to fight it, because you will lose.
5) Most other countries are not the Moon, so if you are willing to pay for it, you can probably get it. Adapting to local food and customs is a lot cheaper, however.
I have a question. We have a friend who moved to Panama last year. When we send her mail, we are supposed to send it to a PO box in Miami and we do. And when she sends mail it has that same Miami return address. Do you know why they’re doing it that way (sending mail bulk to and from Miami).
“Oh, BTW, the revolution starts next Tuesday. You might want to leave the country”, is worthy of a very big tip.
Beverage. Out. Nose.