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The Founding Fathers would be appalled at what modern liberals have become. But in any case, we're not demanding that you all leave. We're simply agreeing with you when you say that Europe would be a better fit for your sensibilities, and we're encouraging you to follow through on your stated desire to live under a European-style society.
Lincoln must be about to molten core of Earth fast as he is spinning in his grave at what the Republican Party has become. LOL. Teddy Roosevelt not far behind. Even Reagan is starting his spin and downward decent. Hitler and Mussolini however stopped their spin, they are happy fascist zombies.
Lincoln must be about to molten core of Earth fast as he is spinning in his grave at what the Republican Party has become. LOL. Teddy Roosevelt not far behind. Even Reagan is starting his spin and downward decent. Hitler and Mussolini however stopped their spin, they are happy fascist zombies.
this comment is brought to you by the left wing media (the other fascists)
Oh yeah the cartels, which make hundreds of millions of dollars running large scale criminal activities as stealthily as they can, are going to be interested in some retiree living in a gringolandia enclave so they can draw the attention of the US government and in turn Mexican government which is bad for their actual business of making lots of money.
Retirees in Mexico worry about occasional street crime, not drug cartels.
Oh yeah the cartels, which make hundreds of millions of dollars running large scale criminal activities as stealthily as they can, are going to be interested in some retiree living in a gringolandia enclave so they can draw the attention of the US government and in turn Mexican government which is bad for their actual business of making lots of money.
Retirees in Mexico worry about occasional street crime, not drug cartels.
They're like the mafia. You have to pay for "protection." And the cartels control the Mexican government, so they don't care that this happens. Such "arrangements" are common in less-developed countries.
I'm a US citizen retiree (age 67) with a moderate retirement income from a corporate pension. I retired almost 5 years ago, and have spent about half of the past 5 years here in Germany. I speak fluent German, and I generally agree about the need to learn the language, especially living outside of the main cities of Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich or near the big US military bases (Ramstein, Grafenwoehr/Vilseck, Ansbach, Stuttgart). I live in Chemnitz, a medium sized city in eastern Germany, population 250K. One hour by train to either Leipzig or Dresden. Nobody speaks English to me, and I rarely speak English to anyone else - so far this year, I have only run into 3 Americans in Chemnitz, a couple of Mormon missionary guys on their day off, and last week a guy in a duo that performed a great concert in the city park.
In Germany as a US retiree, it is actually pretty easy to get a non-work residence permit, first time valid for 2 years and then renewable for longer - IF you have good, documented retirement income over roughly $2000 USD monthly (which is now about the same number of Euro). Social security or private pension income is what they like to see since it is a permanent income stream. You will need to know German pretty well to go through the process to get the residence permit. The caveat is first you need to find an apartment or home to lease under a contract and register as a resident of a city. Then you have to get health insurance in Germany - this is likely the hardest thing. Over age 65, private insurance companies don't really want you as a new customer. You will have to get a doctor's evaluation, and the insurance Co. will use any reason they choose to reject you. If you can even find one that will take you, they will charge a minimum of $600 monthly for coverage, likely much more. I found a plan by a private company under the government-regulated health insurance plans used by the majority of people in Germany which costs 15 percent of my monthly income.
After all of the above, you can apply for the residence permit. It can take 1 or 2 months to get approved and issued by the local Auslaenderamt (foreigner's office) and will cost 100 Euro.
Aside from paying about $350 monthly for health insurance, I pay $650 monthly for very nice, quiet, fully furnished and equipped apartment including all utilities - power, heat, hot water, water, trash, basic cable TV, high speed internet. I am 10 minutes or less walking distance to downtown, transit stops, many grocery stores and local shopping outlets. I don't have a car here, I use my bicycle a lot, and also local trains and transit. I wish I could find a setup like I have here in a medium sized city in the US, but have my doubts. I am stunned by the fast rise in rental prices and real estate costs in the US over the past few years.
Yes this sounds like a hopeful place to turn to, but I’m wondering if I can work my existing job as a remote teleworker in Germany and have that be my income rather than a pension as I’m not near ready to retire
There are small towns in Europe dirt cheap too - cheap for property.
However, they're dirt cheap because they offer nothing to either a young professional or a family or even a retired person.
No offense, but for example I couldn't live in Oklahoma. Flat, no sea, boring suburbia, chain stores, bad weather. I mean I could live there, but I wouldn't want to.
I would choose to live in Oklahoma if it meant I could save enough money to live better by going there, vs living where 99% of my time is working job after job after job so I don’t lose my roof over my head. Would you rather burn yourself out, or get a nice needed calm in an Oklahoma ranch and have less worry so you can build something to then get out anywhere you want to go
They're like the mafia. You have to pay for "protection." And the cartels control the Mexican government, so they don't care that this happens. Such "arrangements" are common in less-developed countries.
That happens in parts where the government has lost control. Retirees are not moving to those areas.
I would choose to live in Oklahoma if it meant I could save enough money to live better by going there, vs living where 99% of my time is working job after job after job so I don’t lose my roof over my head. Would you rather burn yourself out, or get a nice needed calm in an Oklahoma ranch and have less worry so you can build something to then get out anywhere you want to go
I guess. I’d rather live in Oklahoma in that case than be cash strapped and in a rat race.
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