Best Places In The World To Retire

I’m retired here in Ajijic, and I’m busy all the time. 

 

To give you an example, here is my typical day here in Ajijic.  Every morning is my exercise period, so 3 days a week I play golf, which is 10 minutes from my house.  My course does not have golf carts because it’s a mountain course, so I have to walk which is one of the reasons why I play golf-- to exercise.  I walk 18 holes on a mountain course 3 times a...

I’m retired here in Ajijic, and I’m busy all the time. 

 

To give you an example, here is my typical day here in Ajijic.  Every morning is my exercise period, so 3 days a week I play golf, which is 10 minutes from my house.  My course does not have golf carts because it’s a mountain course, so I have to walk which is one of the reasons why I play golf-- to exercise.  I walk 18 holes on a mountain course 3 times a week. 

 

The other 4 days a week my buddies and I walk our dogs, have breakfast and “chew the fat.”  Then, I walk home.   I live on the side of a mountain so I have to climb to get home. We start at 8:30, and I’m home about 10:30.

 

I usually have a few hours of chores around the house or things that I need to do in the garden, and then I have a full workshop in my garage.  After lunch, I usually go to my workshop.   I have little hobbies and fiddle around there for a few hours.  I then go back into the house, get in my recliner and watch the news and read.  About 5 o’clock I clean up and get ready to start either fixing dinner or going out to dinner. We go out to dinner 2 or 3 times a week, and we go dancing at least once a week.

 

We have a group of friends that we hang out with quite a lot, and we often go each other’s houses.

 

A number of people volunteer, and there are many entities that benefit from the "foreign" knowledge base.

 

The Lake Chapala Society was started back in the 40s or 50s as a welcoming site for visitors and immigrants.  They now have the largest English language video library in Mexico, and they also have a significant English book library. They have seminars and talks, and clubs for computer, ancestry, quilting, etc.   Volunteers run art classes, English as a second language, and computer lessons for the Mexican community.  There are things going on there every day of the week.

 

Before I fully retired 3 or 4 years ago, I started a free clinic for skin cancer screening at the Lake Chapala Society and recruited a Mexican dermatologist to help me.   We screened about 50 patients every other Wednesday, and then on Thursday we would operate. The screenings were free, but patient  paid for the surgery.  The money that we made from the surgeries was used to fund scholarships. It turned out to be a big business, and we had about 40 students on university scholarships at all times.  I don’t do that anymore, but the program goes on because we recruited other physicians.  

 

(Lake Chapala,  Mexico, pictured.)

The Algarve is made up of two areas. One is the coastal Algarve, which is the strip of land closest to the Atlantic Ocean, and the other area is the interior of Algarve, called “Barrocal.” This division, which is geographic more than anything else, tends to also describe the difference between the cultures of the people, especially the local people, who live in the province of the Algarve.

 

In the Barrocal, there are many more local traditions....

The Algarve is made up of two areas. One is the coastal Algarve, which is the strip of land closest to the Atlantic Ocean, and the other area is the interior of Algarve, called “Barrocal.” This division, which is geographic more than anything else, tends to also describe the difference between the cultures of the people, especially the local people, who live in the province of the Algarve.

 

In the Barrocal, there are many more local traditions. You will find people who still practice local agriculture by growing or having small holdings of garden crops. They produce the local “fire water,” which we call “medronho.” In certain areas, they may be involved in citrus farming, carob or maybe in cork production. You will find small communities, which are linked to their little towns or village.  The town or village tends to be traditional in that they live in a predominantly Christian Catholic country in which there will be communities built around the local church, and the people of the area attend church quite frequently. Younger generations attend catechism and so on. This way of life and culture is particular to the interior of the province of Algarve.  The traditional roots are very strong, and are linked to the religion, the agriculture, and the work of the people.

 

On the coast of Algarve, it is very different. The culture of people on the coast is eclectic; a neutral international society. A comparison I can make to Algarve is when we lived in Florida, it was a transient international society so people used to come and go and they used to build their networks with other international people originally within the local community and then when they move on, other people would come in to take their place. In the Algarve it’s different than that in the sense that people do not tend to move in and out frequently. People come here and they tend to stay because they like it. They build their culture in Algarve, which is very much a multinational culture built around sports, wellbeing, reasonably healthy living, and gastronomy. People love to eat here. Algarve has an international society that lives a sub-urban living, which you might observe in any international destinations.  

 

(Bottle of Portuguese "fire water," medronho, pictured.)

The government of Nicaragua is very interested in encouraging investment in Nicaragua and has a foreign investment law to assist and protect any investor who wants to invest in Nicaragua or start a business in Nicaragua.  

 

The important thing to know when doing business in Nicaragua is that you need to get good local advice.  This is especially true in regard to issues regarding property.  The reason is that during the years of the...

The government of Nicaragua is very interested in encouraging investment in Nicaragua and has a foreign investment law to assist and protect any investor who wants to invest in Nicaragua or start a business in Nicaragua.  

 

The important thing to know when doing business in Nicaragua is that you need to get good local advice.  This is especially true in regard to issues regarding property.  The reason is that during the years of the revolution, some property was confiscated and then was later returned to the owner, and title became confused.  Now, when people come to Nicaragua and want to do business, it is important that they get the advice of a recognized legal advisor who can do all the due diligence regarding the properties they want to buy in order to warranty that the property has no legal problems and clear title.

 

In all matters regarding doing business in Nicaragua, you should go through good and recognized channels.  For example, you should get in contact with the appropriate business organization, because business organizations can accompany deals and warranty that things are done properly.  Examples of business organizations that may be appropriate for a type of business are the Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber of Industry, the Chamber of Construction, etc., all depending on the field in which the investor wants to do business.  These organizations are important allies in order to warranty an investment in the country.  The reason is that these organizations have good communication and permanent dialogue with the government of Nicaragua and are set up to facilitate all issues regarding businesses and investments into the country.

 

There are a lot of things you need to know about living abroad, starting with your attitude. I find a lot of people come down here to Panama and they still have the same attitude and expectations as when they lived in Canada or the US and they should rather adapt to what’s going on here. At least they should have an accepting attitude, etc.

 

For example, the quality of workmanship will not be as good here as in North America. If you don’t accept...

There are a lot of things you need to know about living abroad, starting with your attitude. I find a lot of people come down here to Panama and they still have the same attitude and expectations as when they lived in Canada or the US and they should rather adapt to what’s going on here. At least they should have an accepting attitude, etc.

 

For example, the quality of workmanship will not be as good here as in North America. If you don’t accept it you can pretty well drive yourself a little mad. If you do find someone who provides good quality workmanship, you should stay with them.

 

You don’t have to agree with how things are here, but you need to accept it.  For example, I don’t agree with the traffic here in Panama City but I accept it because I’m driving in it. I don’t agree with the lack of training many times service people have.  For example, recently, I had to show a gas station attendant how to check my oil.  I don’t agree with it, but I accept it.   

 

(Puma gas station, Panama, picutred.)

Personally, I think the best sightseeing in Ambergris Caye is in the main town of San Pedro. I just love the tropical colored buildings and seeing all the people. Up north, it’s like a tropical rainforest, which is also really pretty, but I really love the heart of San Pedro because of the buildings. 

 

Ambergris Caye is such a relaxing, wonderful place. You don’t have to be stressed out. You just take your time and not worry about anything....

Personally, I think the best sightseeing in Ambergris Caye is in the main town of San Pedro. I just love the tropical colored buildings and seeing all the people. Up north, it’s like a tropical rainforest, which is also really pretty, but I really love the heart of San Pedro because of the buildings. 

 

Ambergris Caye is such a relaxing, wonderful place. You don’t have to be stressed out. You just take your time and not worry about anything. It’s a very friendly place. Everyone is looking out to help you and just welcome you to the community.

 

(Pictured: Yoga room in Ambergris Caye.)