Saturday, November 10, 2007

Autumn of our years...

Autumn already and, to continue the (fairly) recent theme, one could be forgiven for thinking that this blog had gone into retirement - but real life and the day job inevitably take their toll from time-to-time!

Perhaps it is an appropriate time of year for the subject of retirement and I have been wondering how this time of life may be more or less challenging for expat retirees and what different options may be open to them. Many people I meet who have retired overseas seem to be enjoying life enormously - have they just been able to create their ideal retirement or does living in another place provide more opportunities and stimulation?

Unfortunately, images of typical expats and typical senior citizens seem to get in the way of seeing the real people, and their very real lives, so in some future posts I would like to try to strip away much of the stereotyping and try to look very simply at how one can make this major transition - in another place. Contributions in "Comments" will be welcomed!

3 comments:

Nature Nut /JJ Loch said...

The retired people who take the chance to develop their interests, which lay by the wayside when they were busy, are the ones who enjoy a more relaxed life. It's an awakening where one feels more alive than ever.

JJ :D

Keith Pow-Williams said...

Yes, it seems to me that the way to view retirement is as an opportunity - we will be coming back to this, but also to see if retirement offers an expat more options or challenges...

Mike Rose said...

Well 61 or not I don't feel in the Autumn of my life!

I think expat life and retirement are what you make them. Perhaps providing the daily challenges and stimulation that everyone needs is the key.

Lets face it one can vegetate as easily in Thailand as in the UK if you let it happen.

Additionally living in a new country provides opportunities that are not readily available in the UK where anyone over 60 is stereotyped as either senile or past it.