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What I found interesting was the comments about clothing
Quote:
Rather, “I was tired of not having a closet! Living out of a 32-inch rolling duffel is one of the challenges of a home-free lifestyle. My small, mostly black travel wardrobe made me look like a perpetual funeral attendee.”
This made me realized I will have to ship my clothing overseas. With a four season climate, I am still going to need winter coats, boots, and sweaters overseas.
I've spent two years of downsizing and donating household goods to move into a smaller home or for a shortage unit. I am still not done!
It is harder for females, my wife usually only has two pairs of shoes (tenis and sandals) which drives her crazy. She also likes shopping for vintage/retro clothing so tends to slowly accumulate clothes until it's too burdensome to travel with then ships them home to her sister in USA who stores them in her garage for us. I joke with her that she has actually paid $30 in Thailand to ship $20 worth of clothes.
We've shipped boxes home from Hong Kong, Thailand (several times), and India. India was the weirdest situation, you had to pay the post office for a box that turned out to be an empty beer carton that they put in a cloth dealie and sew up. However everything we've shipped has eventually turned up in USA.
We've shipped boxes home from Hong Kong, Thailand (several times), and India. India was the weirdest situation, you had to pay the post office for a box that turned out to be an empty beer carton that they put in a cloth dealie and sew up. However everything we've shipped has eventually turned up in USA.
About 20 years ago or so I needed furniture for a new place & back then I was also a fairly regular visitor to Asia on vacations. I ran into a very well known travel journalist who told me how he had someone in Thailand who custom made all his furniture for his houses on the east & west coasts, his CA home had recently been damaged from an earthquake. He said it was good quality at a fair price.
Next vacation I visited this "shop" right behind the Regent Hotel in Bangkok, the hotel is a 4-5 star property & this guy manufactured all the custom furniture in the vast lobby. I had some pictures, sketches, ideas & dimensions & spent the afternoon there selecting fabrics, wood, etc. Modern looking stuff, nothing extraordinary: 2 "slipper" chairs & a sofa, good hardwood frames, etc., 50% down & the remainder paid when finished & ready to ship.
Months later I get a notice that my cargo is at the Port of Newark & I go down to Customs, sign forms. The total cost of manufacturing 3 custom furniture pieces & shipping from Thailand to NY, the other side of the earth: $1500. The additional cost of having this released & delivered by truck from NJ to NY, maybe 15 miles: $1500 Worth it for 3 nice pieces that I still use daily though.
Fourth and final WSJ....
“It took a solid five years until I felt that I’d built some real friendships and felt settled,” says Ms. Ames, now 56....
I have lived abroad for twenty years, and in two countries - Portugal and Cyprus. I have always thought that I had a well-developed/over-developed loner side, but if it had taken me five years to feel I had friends and felt settled, I would be long gone.
Call me a snob, a snark or a snoot, but I did not move from the U.S. to live in an American enclave in a foreign country, nor do I find myself comfortable living surrounded by the English. So, these places haven't played a big part in my life. That said my best friend in Cyprus and my best friend in Portugal were both English, though in each case they were on the edge of their communities socially.
I'm guessing that perhaps one thing that makes it easier is being a guy, but the major leg up is knowing enough of the language to navigate. Knowing enough is enough in the beginning, and because it leads to more and easier contacts your language ability increases quickly and goes beyond the basic "enough" level.
Another thing is to shamelessly "exploit" people. Service people are great contacts - they are also captives . Talk with them, not just about the problem or whatever they are at your home for, but about anything they say, do, wear that attracts you attention. Almost everyone likes to talk about themselves, and you are paving the way for more personal contact the next time. Plus, many foreigners keep these contacts down to the business at hand, but if you are being more than formally courteous, you give them an opportunity to "exploit" you conversationally. Ten years later, after beginning like this, I meet my computer repair guy socially for coffee, and there is one delivery guy who takes a quick break when he brings a package and we have coffee at the corner. My dentist, who has offices in my neighborhood, is another person I now know well socially.
Another good opportunity is hanging out in small neighborhood cafes. I began by talking to the counter people and waiters, and over time neighborhood people recognized me as a repeat customer, a regular. And they felt free to join in conversations and make quips, and that is how I know some of my neighbors.
That's your experience. It will be different for everyone. "Certain things" might be better in other countries but not others.
We can afford health care and oceanfront living here on a pittance. I'm not "profiting" by one cent by saying that, just trying to give HOPE to those like us, who for whatever reasons, end up with a marginal retirement.
We could be sitting in an old Winnebago in Quartzite or a decrepit mobile home in Alabama, but we chose this. Or spending the majority of our income on Medicare supplement plans instead of our all-inclusive $80 a month for both of us.
It's all about the trade-offs one is willing to make.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevxu
I have lived abroad for twenty years, and in two countries - Portugal and Cyprus...... I did not move from the U.S. to live in an American enclave in a foreign country, nor do I find myself comfortable living surrounded by the English. So, these places haven't played a big part in my life. .....
Another good opportunity is hanging out in small neighborhood cafes. ... over time neighborhood people recognized me as a repeat customer, a regular. And they felt free to join in conversations and make quips, and that is how I know some of my neighbors.
This was what worked so well living overseas with our kids. Their homeschooling included doing our daily shopping at the fresh market, exchanging currency, learning foreign foods, culture, and languages. Kids opened a lot of doors to relationships. We too preferred to steer clear of the expat communities and events.
Just got a report from our 80 yo neighbors who I booked to Philippines They chose to go to Mindanao for their first trip to Asia! They stayed in local rural towns ($20/ night hotels), ferries that included pigs and chickens and goats, ... Eating at local night markets.... They were well out of their comfort zone, but had a great trip, and much richer experience and memories than using a 4-5 star accommodation full of westerners.
Choosing to live internationally on a lcol routine is not going to be much like home. That is not a bad thing, just a different thing. Embrace it, or be imbittered Until you leave for 'home'. (Since you chose to not to Be Home in a different culture.)
I have been living overseas for about 16 years and consider it my home. My sole reason for moving was Love and the desire to have more children. I am 66 and am blessed with 2 son's 4 and 14!
Yes. I have my eye on London. It's my favorite place in the world.
I'm always happy when I spend time there; I'd like to make it my home as soon as I retire. The free 60+ Oyster card will make me so happy, not to mention all the free museums, galleries, and other cultural events. I have lots of money saved up for plays and other ticketed events. After more than 30 years of visits, both short and long, I know the city quite well.
Plus, housing costs are falling there because of Brexit. It seems that all the pieces are falling into place.
Where in London are you looking at living? I had no idea housing prices are falling.
It's one of my favorite cities too (behind Edinburgh) but I'm not sure I'd want to live there. I mean I already know I definitely don't want to retire in the UK, I live there now and miss the USA way too much and certainly don't love the UK as much.
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. Talk with them, not just about the problem or whatever they are at your home for, but about anything they say, do, wear that attracts you attention. Almost everyone likes to talk about themselves, and you are paving the way for more personal contact the next time. Plus, many foreigners keep these contacts down to the business at hand, but if you are being more than formally courteous, you give them an opportunity to "exploit" you conversationally. Ten years later, after beginning like this, I meet my computer repair guy socially for coffee, and there is one delivery guy who takes a quick break when he brings a package and we have coffee at the corner. My dentist, who has offices in my neighborhood, is another person I now know well socially.
