Hi everyone, well this is my last day off, back to Wally World tomorrow, but I thought I would share some of the many pieces of information I received on Ecuador with you, hope you enjoy it.
It's finally nice enough here today to actually call it a spring day, and as I sit on my back porch for the first time since last summer, I can't help but think wouldn't this kind of day be nice to have all year long. Given that Ecuador is located on the equator (hence the name) it's average temperature is spring like in most areas with some variation, depending on the direction you go, up towards the mountains or over to the coast.
There are many other places that are options in Central and South America as well that I am in the process of researching also. Places like Uruguay, Belize, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Italy, its pretty amazing the places I have found that I would never have imagined even giving a thought to visiting (except maybe Italy!:)) let alone considering living there either part or full time. The problem I'm having is figuring out how to work out visiting all of them. With only two weeks vacation each year, it makes it a little challenging. Wow, work always seems to get in the way and ruin everything. I've come across a connection that offers "Chill Weekends" for around $200 per person (some less depending on the location) including everything (hotel, transportation, meals, drinks, etc) but airfare (which can be expensive), 4 days 3 nights, so I'll have to work on that angle. Yes, its to look at properties, but what the heck, that's what we're looking for anyway.
If anybody has a connection to cheap airfare please feel free to share :)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Update March 29, 2010 - retirement
Well today is the second of my three days off at Wally World, three on three off sure beats the heck out of the schedule we used to have. The world of retail is not one I ever dreamed I would be in, but here I am at 51 years old an assistant manager for the worlds largest discount retailer. That is another whole blog in itself, life inside the world of Wal-Mart, maybe I'll start one on that one day but until then I'll just share some of those experiences with you along my journey, as each day there just fuels my quest even more.
My time on my days off anymore when it is not spent taking my Dad to one doctor or another, or paying his bills, or taking him to this store or that or cleaning his house, or visiting my mother in the nursing home, is consumed with scouring the Internet and trying like a huge sponge to absorb all I can about retiring elsewhere. The place of choice I am focused on is Ecuador. Slightly smaller than the state of Nevada, Ecuador is a very diverse country. You have the opportunity to go from Ocean to mountains in relatively few hours. The cost of living there is 60% less than in the U.S. which is a big factor. There are several things we are looking for, inexpensive cost of living, very low land cost, good health care, and quality of life. According to everything I have read and information I have received Ecuador fits the bill for every one of those things.
We have planned a trip to Ecuador with my son and daughter in law in July to check it out, so there will be updates as we draw near and on our visit while we are there. One of the challenges we will have to overcome if we decide to retire there is the language, it's Spanish. And short of barley passing Spanish in high school, I can, count to ten, say good morning and hello, "buenos dias" and "Ola". So back to school it will be to learn their language. That should be an interesting read. Especially watching Jim (my husband) trying to learn it. But I'm determined, and once I set my mind to something, nothing will stop me.
My time on my days off anymore when it is not spent taking my Dad to one doctor or another, or paying his bills, or taking him to this store or that or cleaning his house, or visiting my mother in the nursing home, is consumed with scouring the Internet and trying like a huge sponge to absorb all I can about retiring elsewhere. The place of choice I am focused on is Ecuador. Slightly smaller than the state of Nevada, Ecuador is a very diverse country. You have the opportunity to go from Ocean to mountains in relatively few hours. The cost of living there is 60% less than in the U.S. which is a big factor. There are several things we are looking for, inexpensive cost of living, very low land cost, good health care, and quality of life. According to everything I have read and information I have received Ecuador fits the bill for every one of those things.
We have planned a trip to Ecuador with my son and daughter in law in July to check it out, so there will be updates as we draw near and on our visit while we are there. One of the challenges we will have to overcome if we decide to retire there is the language, it's Spanish. And short of barley passing Spanish in high school, I can, count to ten, say good morning and hello, "buenos dias" and "Ola". So back to school it will be to learn their language. That should be an interesting read. Especially watching Jim (my husband) trying to learn it. But I'm determined, and once I set my mind to something, nothing will stop me.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The nightmare of healthcare reform
As I lay in bed trying to sleep the night the healthcare bill was passed, thoughts kept creeping into my head. What will be next, what downward spiral will the government, or should I say the American people that elected the current administration, throw us into next.
How have we fallen so far from where we began only 234 years ago. Our forefathers would turn over in their graves in witness of what is happening in this country. For the government to be so arrogant as to force, force every American to carry health care and then fine us if we don't, is unconstitutional. Suddenly George Orwell and 1984 began coming back to me. Oh maybe not in the sensational form in which it was written, but the core of the message is becoming more and more of a reality every day.
As my mind continued to wonder, fear began to set in. Fear for my children and grandchildren. The direction this country is headed is straight to hell. What will become of my childrens dreams, of their childrens dreams. Where did the country that my 88 year old retired military father fought so hard for go to in the last 50 years. I've seen him hang is head in sorrow and mourn the loss of the greatest nation of all time. We are no longer that nation. I used to be proud to be an American, but not any more. My government has let me down and so have the people who proclaim to be Americans.
There is no more pride, there is no more honor, only the question, what can the government do for me. Well wake up America, where do you think the government is going to get the money to pay for all the things you feel you are owed, as I constantly told my kids when they were young, go out back and pick some more money from that money tree. The answer is from me and every other American that still believes that work is a time honored tradition. The problem we run into now is the government must find a way to pay for this health care and the only solution is to tax you and me and businesses, small and large. Businesses can pass the cost on to you and I , so guess what we get a double wammy, more taxes and higher prices.
The government will force public insurance companies to allocate a higher percentage of the premiums they collect to cover more of the cost of test, procedures, etc, until it will bankrupt each and every one and the only insurance that will be available is the one from the government. Again, Big Brother, socialism, they will own every one of us, control every one of us, not a future I am looking forward to.
As I lay there hour after hour contemplating what our country has become, the reality of moving to a different country grew more and more promising. I never thought I would see the day that I would want to leave my country and abandon all that I had known, but the future of this country is quickly becoming bleak and life as I had known it growing up was gone and getting worse.
I end with a question for all who read this, how long are we going to let Washington take from us what we fought so hard for so many years ago. If we don't stand together, united we will fall.
How have we fallen so far from where we began only 234 years ago. Our forefathers would turn over in their graves in witness of what is happening in this country. For the government to be so arrogant as to force, force every American to carry health care and then fine us if we don't, is unconstitutional. Suddenly George Orwell and 1984 began coming back to me. Oh maybe not in the sensational form in which it was written, but the core of the message is becoming more and more of a reality every day.
As my mind continued to wonder, fear began to set in. Fear for my children and grandchildren. The direction this country is headed is straight to hell. What will become of my childrens dreams, of their childrens dreams. Where did the country that my 88 year old retired military father fought so hard for go to in the last 50 years. I've seen him hang is head in sorrow and mourn the loss of the greatest nation of all time. We are no longer that nation. I used to be proud to be an American, but not any more. My government has let me down and so have the people who proclaim to be Americans.
There is no more pride, there is no more honor, only the question, what can the government do for me. Well wake up America, where do you think the government is going to get the money to pay for all the things you feel you are owed, as I constantly told my kids when they were young, go out back and pick some more money from that money tree. The answer is from me and every other American that still believes that work is a time honored tradition. The problem we run into now is the government must find a way to pay for this health care and the only solution is to tax you and me and businesses, small and large. Businesses can pass the cost on to you and I , so guess what we get a double wammy, more taxes and higher prices.
The government will force public insurance companies to allocate a higher percentage of the premiums they collect to cover more of the cost of test, procedures, etc, until it will bankrupt each and every one and the only insurance that will be available is the one from the government. Again, Big Brother, socialism, they will own every one of us, control every one of us, not a future I am looking forward to.
As I lay there hour after hour contemplating what our country has become, the reality of moving to a different country grew more and more promising. I never thought I would see the day that I would want to leave my country and abandon all that I had known, but the future of this country is quickly becoming bleak and life as I had known it growing up was gone and getting worse.
I end with a question for all who read this, how long are we going to let Washington take from us what we fought so hard for so many years ago. If we don't stand together, united we will fall.
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