As you read this article, you may realise that the best part of your life could be in Asia, and the best time is now.
Most articles about retirement are about where to retire in the United States. The AARP, on the other hand, says that about 80% of Americans don't plan to move when they retire. Even though it's possible to start over when you retire, most people just stay in the same town, house, and routine. The quality of life must be better in retirement, and it is! These days, more and more retirees are not only moving out of their home but also out of the United States.
In the past few years, more and more of my friends have written to me about my life in Asia. Questions have been asked for different reasons, such as political dissatisfaction or money problems. Many of the worries are about the high cost of living, like heating and cooling bills, taxes, grocery bills, the price of gas, medical bills, dental bills, home repair bills, and the list goes on. Without a doubt, the cost of living in the United States goes up every day. Many of the people who write to me aren't really enjoying their Golden Years; they're just getting by. If you are planning for retirement or are already retired, this should worry you. Every day is a gift, and we should try to enjoy it to the fullest. Things will get better.
Let's go in a different direction with our thoughts. I have spent the last seven years of my retirement in Pattaya, Thailand, a beach resort city in Asia. When you think of a tourist destination, you probably think of a place with a beautiful view of the bay, good restaurants, and lots of fun things to do. There's more to it than that. Public transportation makes getting around the city so easy that my car stays in the driveway. We have modern shopping malls, movie theatres, health spas, fitness centres, golf courses, and even an IT centre with 5 floors of computers, cell phones, and other electronics. Pattaya has not just one, but two hospitals that meet International Standards. Health care is not out of reach. As a tourist city, most stores and restaurants in Chiang Mai have Thai employees who speak English, German, Russian, and other languages. Language isn't a problem, but it's fun and useful to learn a little Thai. It costs about $2.50 to see a Hollywood movie in a high-tech theatre with English sound track. The city bus with air conditioning costs 50 cents, while a private bus costs about 25 cents. A meal at a Thai food bar costs about 75 cents. We have clubs where people from other countries can get together every week. Newcomers to the community can ask questions in Open Forums. In most Asian countries, life for foreigners is a lot like what you just saw. With your pension, you can live a good life without stress.
Why is Asia important? Asia is the most interesting and easiest continent to live on. Not just "getting by" on your retirement pension, but living in luxury for very little money. The cost of living and retiring in the United States and Europe is getting so high that it's almost impossible. Find out more about the Asian countries and why you might want to live in one of them when you retire. If you have enough money, plan a holiday trip to one of the interesting countries. On the other hand, the Internet is a great place to learn things. Also, you can join a blog or group on the Internet and learn from people who already live abroad. As I said in the beginning, the best part of your life could be in Asia, and the best time is now.
