Posted on 07/17/2017 12:46:44 PM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
This article is reprinted by permission from NextAvenue.org.
I’m seeing a yearning of many people around my age to return to a simpler time, like when we were growing up. My evidence: the hundreds of interviews I’ve done for Best Places in the World to Retire and the studies we did in which we asked expats about their lives abroad.
Interestingly, many Americans and Canadians have not only moved abroad partly to search for a life reminiscent of an earlier time, but quite a few tell me that they’ve found it — and in some very unlikely places, including Mexico, Panama, Belize and Nicaragua.
Here’s what they told us: Less government involvement
It may sound odd that the government in countries considered to be socialist would have less government involvement than in the U.S., but in the day-to-day lives of the locals, it’s true. Whether these governments would want to be more involved or not, they simply don’t have the resources to do so. That means locals find themselves doing some things that the federal and state governments often do in the U.S.
“Having the government less involved creates an entirely different dynamic than north of the border,” explains Dr. Santiago Hernandez, formerly from the Chicago area and now practicing in Ajijic, Mexico, on Lake Chapala. “If there’s a problem, most locals don’t expect the government to fix it, so they either live with it or fix it themselves. This creates more community cohesion and a feeling of involvement and belonging.”
While this is true of locals, it is even truer among expats, especially the “fix it themselves” part.
(Excerpt) Read more at marketwatch.com ...
Went to college in the Land of Opportunity and can recommend it highly. The northern part of the state is beautiful and the cost of living is very, very affordable. On the list of places I’m thinking about retiring to when I hang it up in 10 years, along with Tennessee and Mississippi.
The only downside to living in a place like Arkansas is that too many Yankees are discovering it as well. They move there, driving up property values and bring along their liberalism as well. Not that I expect Arkansas or Tennessee to turn blue anytime soon but the second Yankee invasion continues unabated.
When I go to the airport in Florida it's "Hey Pops!" when I exit the terminal at Tân Sơn Nhứt it's "Honored Grandfather."
I’m wondering when the local homeless will realize that California has legal weed and stays warmer.
One of my liberal friends moved to Panama and only comes to the U.S. to use his season tickets to sporting events which he can afford by not living in the U.S.
At some point, I will need access to a good cath lab.
Mexico will be a very nice place to retire once all of the Mexicans are in California.
” I could move to interior Maine where people still don’t use electricity, form their own militias, and mind their own business.”
Most people in Maine use electricity and don’t form militias. We do mind our own business though. Having said this, don’t f with us though.
It’s buying property (acreage) possible and available there or it perpetual lease like in Mexico and other foreign? I have looked at Panama, but without the PMZ I’m more interested in Asia. Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, perhaps even Laos?
“Do you have a blog or can you recommend a site for ex-pats retiring in Thailand?”
http://www.thaivisa.com/ has forums, etc.
Good advice!
i hope they don’t discover “my” Arkansas, lol.
I’d cross off the list anyplace without the rule of law.
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That would include the USA.
I get that the money goes further but some of the countries Americans move to are unsafe like Ecuador, Phillipinees and Mexico.
Last month I was walking the streets of Bangkok at 11 pm, did not feel threatened at all, I would not do that in Detroit or Chicago.
I can't think of anything worse than that? Well maybe Anthony Weiner. Awful.
Lawton Oklahoma.
There’s no better place.
This is the ex-patriots `tuck-tail-and-run’ thread?
Don’t let the door hit you in the asses as you leave.
I guess I should have had her become a Muslim. I even considered using a private yacht and get her in illegally, once in she would have been fine.
However, things kind of worked out for the best. We had a daughter and now I get to be a full time Dad to my 4 year old. And still no US visa for my wife who is also a mother of a US Citizen.
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