So here's my advice, and it sort of mirrors the advice given in this video... ALWAYS be ready and capable of LEAVING, wherever you are, on fairly short notice. Based on this premise, I would never purchase anything abroad that I wasn't willing to walk away from at a total loss... condo, car, scooter, whatever.
Thank you for your post. You have so very intelligently articulated my thoughts! I have researched moving to Panama for years now and have been executing my plan for about two years. I have had pushback from many people, friends and family who have never been to Panama but continuously tell me how unsafe Panama as well as other countries are. these same friends and family do not have a passport and have not traveled, but they are full of advice and fears for me. I’ve gotten my residency in Panama. I’ve been to Panama for three extended visits have acquired friends there who are from North America who I keep in contact with, and it is such a lovely country. I have stopped trying to convince others, because they have their own biases and prejudices.
Good job. I know it’s hard to convince people to jump. We have been in Germany now for 4 years. Came from the west coast. Honestly,Germany is toast. We looked at Turkey,absolutely beautiful. In fact many many Germans vacation and plan to retire there. I’m not a fan of the massive earthquakes they have there. So it was a no go for us. As I write this I’m looking at our many packed suitcases ready to go. Just finishing the multitude of paperwork to exit here for good. Our trifecta is going to be Panama City because of the stability,infrastructure,no natural disasters. Paraguay. Residence gives us entrance to the mercursor which is like the EU only for Latin America. Finally Argentina. Huge country,will buy a ranch there. Just a note about Paraguay,huge amount of people,especially Germans and Americans living there. Any of those three countries you can live very cheaply and safely. Do your research for yourself. Go on expat forums on Facebook. You will find a wealth of boots on the ground information.
Good sir, thank you for the commentary. Extremely insightful and valuable. Many of the 98 percenters currently have rose colored glasses on. In my opinion the US is in decline. We have a full plate of issues and our leaders are vying for clicks. That 98% you speak of may begin to trend downward as the year rolls on. Good day to the both of you.
WRONG about Colombia:After 4 weeks of holiday in Bello, Envigado, el Poblado, Medellin, I got out of Colombia. What a crazy place not all but many people are out to find ways to scam you out of as many pesos as possible. Tried the airbnb in 3 different locations one infested with cockroach the other was threaten by the host son in the next apt for complaining about the music at 3am 5-6 nights a week and the last was a total scam listed an address for a decent location apt. in Envigado but was brought to a completely different address at the time of checking in. Not to mention being ripped off by almost all the taxi drivers (not everyone has Uber on their phones) and short changed by many vendors. Sept. 12, 2023 to mid Oct. 2023. I also met these 2 guys from France in El Poblado at a money exchange place (I'm bilingual French, English and some Spanish from Canada) who told me just the day before got both their cell phone stolen at knife point in El Poblado by 2 local thugs in broad daylight on a busy street and no one had the courtesy to even call the police, not that it would have even made a difference.
Normally you don't want to generalize, but when safety I the issue, .... Generalizing about Colombia is a good idea. When the government starts to value tourism, they will do something about the crimes against tourists.
New subscriber. I'm not sure what to think anymore. I have been considering immigrating to South America for the past five years. At first, it was a financial consideration. But now, with the stridency that has been ongoing in the US, I am thinking it is to break from that. I don't look at another country as some sort of panacea - not at all. I see an opportunity to broaden myself and to force myself to be something different than I am in the US. I was born in San Francisco and grew up in the Bay Area. Last September I went to visit my mother in Oakland and I was crushed to see the decay there. My god. Dangerous? If you told me living abroad was dangerous, I'd think you a fool.
Great video, which I say because it reinforces all the reasons I have for retiring as an expat. At the moment I'm a roving, slow-traveling expat, kind of scouting out where I want to end up, though I already have a good idea. And thankfully, I didn't get any negative reactions. I guess because the people I know and love know me well enough that no one was surprised. The only not-quite pushback I got was from family, and that only because they miss me.
I guess I'd be considered a multi category expat. I've twice lived abroad (OCONUS) on an extended basis for my job. I've also traveled internationally, extensively, for a month or a two per trip over the last 20 plus years of my profession. Now, at 67, I'm exploring retirement abroad (just back from Thailand, heading to Panama soon). Lol... I have a stack of ten well-used and now expired passports. Six are blue, one is brown, and three are black (for those who know the differences). My eleventh one (blue) has a few years of validity left on it, and I plan to get my money's worth out of it!😊 Yep, guess I'm a global expat. But then there are those who are absolutely domestic citizens. I have friends who live within 50 miles of where they were born, have lived there their entire life, have never ventured outside the U.S., and will never do so. To each their own.
Well that's probably because other countries are different , their society's are structured different , their culture is different , their geographical location is different , their foods are different, their holidays are different , they dress differently SO YEAH THEY ARE DIFFERENT!!! SO YOU DONT START RUNNING YOURE MOUTH , IM A RETIRED ARMY VETERAN , IVE BEEN TO EVERY CONTINENT IN THE WORLD!!! AND LIVED IN MANY OF THEM😮
@@PenSteel-ih8qr Oh wow, congrats on stating the most obvious thing ever! I mean of course, everyone in the entire world knows that there are differences in cultures, countries, food, holidays etc. It's not like we needed you to come and enlighten us with your profound wisdom. But hey, I guess it's nice of you to remind us that many Americans are completely clueless about the rest of the world. Because you know Americans are the center of the universe and everything revolves around them. It's not like there are many other countries that are beautiful and amazing right? Let's not forget every place has their own set of problems, including the USA. Because your opinion is just so important and everyone should bow down to your superior knowledge. And Karen, oh Karen, you must have been so honored to caught the attention of someone as important as you? It's not like there are millions of other people who have served and are proud of it. Nope, your the only one. Oh shoot wait almost forgot can you believe I proudly served in the Army as well and traveled the world😮 So keep being you amazing self and let everyone's opinions bother you, because who needs friends when you have such a high opinion of yourself.🤡
@@PenSteel-ih8qr oh wow! congratulations on stating the most obvious thing ever. I mean, of course everyone in the entire world knows that there are differences and cultures, countries, food, holidays, etc. it's not like we needed you to come and enlighten us with your profound wisdom. but hey, I guess it's nice of you to remind us that many Americans are completely clueless about the rest of the world. it's not like there are many other countries that are beautiful and amazing, right? Nope, only the US and let's not forget every place has their own set of problems including the United States. Because you're an opinion is just so important and everyone should bow down to your superior knowledge and Karen. oh Karen, you must be honored to have caught the attention of someone as important as you, I mean who wouldn't be impressed by your service in the United States Army. it's not like there are millions of other people who have served and are proud of it. Nope, you're the only one. Oh shoot, wait a minute I also proudly served in the Army and traveled the world, and let's not forget the only person running their mouth is your dear friend Karen. So keep on being your amazing self and don't let anyone's opinion bother you because you know you just don't care who needs friends when you have such a high opinion of yourself right?🤡
@@PenSteel-ih8qrWow, all that shouting’s a pretty big overreaction to a simple comment. I always thought the military taught self-control. BTW, it’s societies; an apostrophe isn’t needed to make something plural. 😉
@@leapintothewildnot sure what youre even talking about and you obviously don't know anything about the military , of course we in the military defend even cowards like you!!!
I do not believe that I have ever commented on a RUclips video. This really makes a lot of sense to me. Now my exploratory trip will be Boquete then Argentina (I desire a smaller city/town than Buenos Aires). Thank you for your thoughtful video. All the best.
Great video, as always...and by the way, the production value of your videos are exceptional. It's obvious you put a ton of work into them and are very detail oriented, and it shows. We love your channel :)
Thank you, Mr. Laptop Seniors; I really needed this pep talk from you. I’m one of those US retired citizens who’s never lived anywhere outside this country, and the thought of relocating to another country seems almost unfathomable to me but I’ve been seriously thinking about it. I’ve never been a real traveler. In my lifetime I’ve only been to Montreal, Germany - - and to Panama just last year - - and absolutely loved Panama City. I have a dear friend who just got his Pensionado Visa and I so admire him for doing that. It’s caused me to become extremely interested in what it would be like to become an expat myself. I watch all you and your wife’s videos and they are helping me lose some of my fears. Please keep making videos; they are so helpful to people like me. Thank you again!😊
Thank you so much. One of the easiest ways to relocate (if you can afford it), is to simply go somewhere for 6 months....while keeping your home apartment/home/condo. Knowing you can always just go home really makes the whole process easier and less stressful. If your new place is a good fit, you'll know it within 4 months, or perhaps you need more time. Just go home for a month or so and return to compare how you feel and how your life feels in each place. The answer and comfort with your decision will just sort of work itself out.
This sounds crazy, but I’m still moving to Ecuador in April. The reason the drug cartels are going crazy is that the new president, Noboa, declared war on them. He’s pretty much following El Salvador’s playbook. Ecuador is a country, with very different regions. I’m moving to Cuenca, which is up in the mountains. Talking to both expats and Ecuadorians, Cuenca has been very quiet. One of the videos showed people running in terror from the center park because of gunshots. Turns out, it was some kids setting off fireworks. But you never hear the correction. Most people there are actually optimistic about Ecuador’s future. Getting the drug cartels out is considered a huge plus, and worth putting up with the problems. The takeover of the tv station was horrifying, but every single gang member who did it is now in jail. I had been planning on buying a property right away, but I’ll probably rent for awhile to see how it all plays out.
Lol...only a little crazy. El Salvador totally altered their country with their crackdown really fast and now they have one of the lowest murder rates in the world....from the worst. Hopefully the new Pres of Ecuador can pull that off. And, as always, even with gangs, some places are safer than others. And yes, renting first is always a better way to go. Good luck.
I have people telling me that I will be murdered if I go to another country. They are completely insane and irrational. Right now I am looking at Thailand.
They would be the ones I was describing. Unfortunately mostly wrong in almost all retirement countries around the world. So many countries are much safer than the US or Canada....if that's where you're living Matt.
@@laptopseniors Yes, I'm in the US. Statistically, I would be safer living in downtown Kiev than I would be in downtown Austin. I'm also looking for someplace where I can live comfortably without needing to drive. These same idiots are trying to tell me there are places where it is practical in the US. There isn't.
I live in rural NE Tennessee in a very nice area near a vineyard and winery, but have a Sig on my hip whenever I do yard work. We live so far out that it can take 30-60 min to get a cop or volunteer EMT, and so few cell towers that I can’t get a signal once I step off my porch and lose WiFi, so if I’m at the edge of just our 1.4 acres I have to be able to take care of myself. Meth, home invasions, armed theft, even general mischief are realities, not to mention our black bears. Listing the house next week and we’re off to slomad the world!!
Great video. I’ll take this type of ‘stream of thought’ video over one of those driving videos any day. 😃👍 For what it’s worth - I loved your Argentina video.
I lived in Cameroon as a Peace Corps Volunteer after college and have travelled all over the world but I can’t decide where to settle for retirement. I live in southern California now and want to move overseas due to the cost of living, crime, traffic and poor government in California and the USA.
A good place to start to narrow down your choices of countries is a channel called NOMADCAPITALIST. His information is timely, very spot on, and realistic. There's many countries that are great to retire too, and a better life. Sorting through them should narrow down your choices.
Great video. I live in downtown San Francisco (Mission Bay). I'm native to the SF Bay Area all my life. I know what I am doing in SF. You do NOT leave anything in your car. That being said, my wife and I are applying for the Panama Pensionado Visa as we feel Panama will be a great home base for us as we explore the world. Will Panama be our final retirement destination? Who knows. I have lived in Italy, Japan and Taiwan. There is a big world to explore.
Great video! This is my way of thinking. I have very little money, I mean very little, yet I can live so much better in some of these places. When I wokeup to this fact it changed my who;e way of thinking as a rtired person. I am going for it! Thanks for reaffirming what I already been doing!!!
If 98% of people are afraid to leave the USA for one reason or another, what are the odds that you can find a couple that would be interested in doing so. I've tried to go to Ecuador, lasted about 3 months, wife missed the grandkids. Still glad that I tried.
I am retired Canadian living in Colombia past 7 years, in smaller town outside Medellin. This is primarily for economic and climate reasons. Colombia is LESS safe now than 7 yrs ago. There are some upsides, though , including a very modern medical system.
I love to explore, spent my life in the military, so im used to moving every few years , spent most of my time over seas , so sometimes America seems foreign!!!
I really enjoyed this video and the videos you made about Argentina. You bring great points about being an expat retiree there. The upsides sounds great but the downsides for me as a single man would be to leave my three grown children behind and my family. I don't know how I would get used to retire in a country without knowing anyone. Also probably culture shock since I lived in the States all my life. I have visited several times Costa Rica where I thought retiring there, then Colombia and finally Peru. These countries appear to be closer to the US then Argentina since is so far away. Nevertheless I am planning to go to Argentina sometime this year and try it out.
Yes, the distance is tough. One of the reasons we left living in AR and UY. Just too far as we got older. But...we LOVED Argentina. Buenos Aires is a spectacular city. So much fun and great food.
Good point about the option to leave if you are an expat. The locals don't think it's an option. Like here in the USA, most people don't have a passport, and have never even researched living in another country. So now that the USA has become a sh!t Show, most 'locals' think it's just something we gotta live with. People figure it out. Like your example of Turkey... it might be time to invest in Argentina, IF things turn around. But that country has been in a huge downward spiral for a very long time. So is it time to go there? Maybe. The new President has the right idea, but can he get all these things done? I hope so, he seems like the only person that has a couple brain cells with common sense. It's worth a look. I can't decide between Americas or Europe. I need to travel a bit more. I spent 10 days in Panama and LOVED it.. Is Argentina comparable?? I have to go back a rewatch your videos on it to see.
I am not running to another country as much as running from the US. I was put on US watch list although I am not a terrorist, not a criminal, except for traffic tickets. I have been stalked, harassed for over 20 years with several attempts on my life. I hate the US for treating me and other innocent people this way. If Argentina is not a fit or if stalking starts there, Italy is next stop. There are a number of counties that are potentials
Yes, and they've added a few other restrictions. I was trying to keep it simple for the video of what happened. I was talking of 3 years ago and their original offer. Thanks though Ozzy for adding that here.
I posted a negative comment about your earlier video because you talk in generalities that are often contradicted by the facts. Just two small examples: you said Buenos Aires had a population of 15 million people. That’s just WRONG. The population of the city is 3.5 million while the figure for the region of BA is 19 million. Your wife said BA had the broadest avenue in the world. While that was once true the broadest avenue in Latin America is in Sao Paulo, Brazil, not Argentina. This may not matter to you but when you speak in generalities but you are factually incorrect then your readers should distrust you. There many such examples in that video and in your video today. Other readers corrected you on Columbia and Turkey. I have dual citizenship in France and the US but for the time being I live in SF. Some areas are not as safe as others but in general the city suffers from bad press and people like you. We go downtown when we want and have never had a problem. SF is like any other city with some problems but many attractions as well. As long as you keep spouting this kind of noise I don’t know why anyone should listen to you.
You can call yourself an expat but just know you are actually an immigrant. I AM in Ecuador now, and love it. There are areas you dont go to, the locals where I am dont go to those places. Where I am you wouldn't know there was any change from before. This isnt "America." You cant move from one state to another and expect the same safety and lifestyle. You have to know what youre looking for, you have to become familiar with local communities, then you have to be satisfied with your decision because NO WHERE is perfect. P.S. Colombia is NOT safe.
Trying to retire in Mendoza with the U.S. SS alone, looking for Apartment/House to rent without Guarantors/Bonus? thing. Any advise on this matter? Will appreciate..
The usual. Try to rent local versus on an english website if you can. You may run into a high security deposit requirement and/or pushback for not having the AR equivalent of a social security number. That's mostly normal. But you can find places that will temper those down.
OMG...you're so correct. Thanks. Duh. You know it didn't look right to me from the beginning and I googled the spelling and it came up correct. Obviously right...but for the University etc, not the country. My apology.
Turkey is leaning more and more islamic. No thank you. I know trouble when I see it. There is a video about why Islamic countries are poor. The answer: islam. I have some experience in an Islamic country and I will never go back. IF I was a woman I would object even more strongly.
Хобби
So here's my advice, and it sort of mirrors the advice given in this video... ALWAYS be ready and capable of LEAVING, wherever you are, on fairly short notice. Based on this premise, I would never purchase anything abroad that I wasn't willing to walk away from at a total loss... condo, car, scooter, whatever.
Thank you for your post. You have so very intelligently articulated my thoughts! I have researched moving to Panama for years now and have been executing my plan for about two years. I have had pushback from many people, friends and family who have never been to Panama but continuously tell me how unsafe Panama as well as other countries are. these same friends and family do not have a passport and have not traveled, but they are full of advice and fears for me. I’ve gotten my residency in Panama. I’ve been to Panama for three extended visits have acquired friends there who are from North America who I keep in contact with, and it is such a lovely country. I have stopped trying to convince others, because they have their own biases and prejudices.
Good job. I know it’s hard to convince people to jump. We have been in Germany now for 4 years. Came from the west coast. Honestly,Germany is toast. We looked at Turkey,absolutely beautiful. In fact many many Germans vacation and plan to retire there. I’m not a fan of the massive earthquakes they have there. So it was a no go for us. As I write this I’m looking at our many packed suitcases ready to go. Just finishing the multitude of paperwork to exit here for good. Our trifecta is going to be Panama City because of the stability,infrastructure,no natural disasters. Paraguay. Residence gives us entrance to the mercursor which is like the EU only for Latin America. Finally Argentina. Huge country,will buy a ranch there. Just a note about Paraguay,huge amount of people,especially Germans and Americans living there. Any of those three countries you can live very cheaply and safely. Do your research for yourself. Go on expat forums on Facebook. You will find a wealth of boots on the ground information.
Good sir, thank you for the commentary. Extremely insightful and valuable. Many of the 98 percenters currently have rose colored glasses on. In my opinion the US is in decline. We have a full plate of issues and our leaders are vying for clicks. That 98% you speak of may begin to trend downward as the year rolls on. Good day to the both of you.
WRONG about Colombia:After 4 weeks of holiday in Bello, Envigado, el Poblado, Medellin, I got out of Colombia. What a crazy place not all but many people are out to find ways to scam you out of as many pesos as possible. Tried the airbnb in 3 different locations one infested with cockroach the other was threaten by the host son in the next apt for complaining about the music at 3am 5-6 nights a week and the last was a total scam listed an address for a decent location apt. in Envigado but was brought to a completely different address at the time of checking in. Not to mention being ripped off by almost all the taxi drivers (not everyone has Uber on their phones) and short changed by many vendors. Sept. 12, 2023 to mid Oct. 2023. I also met these 2 guys from France in El Poblado at a money exchange place (I'm bilingual French, English and some Spanish from Canada) who told me just the day before got both their cell phone stolen at knife point in El Poblado by 2 local thugs in broad daylight on a busy street and no one had the courtesy to even call the police, not that it would have even made a difference.
Wow, that's terrible. GREAT that you're writing this. Our only info was coming from Cartegena and Medellin....and it was all decently positive.
Normally you don't want to generalize, but when safety I the issue, .... Generalizing about Colombia is a good idea. When the government starts to value tourism, they will do something about the crimes against tourists.
New subscriber. I'm not sure what to think anymore. I have been considering immigrating to South America for the past five years. At first, it was a financial consideration. But now, with the stridency that has been ongoing in the US, I am thinking it is to break from that. I don't look at another country as some sort of panacea - not at all. I see an opportunity to broaden myself and to force myself to be something different than I am in the US. I was born in San Francisco and grew up in the Bay Area. Last September I went to visit my mother in Oakland and I was crushed to see the decay there. My god. Dangerous? If you told me living abroad was dangerous, I'd think you a fool.
Great video, which I say because it reinforces all the reasons I have for retiring as an expat. At the moment I'm a roving, slow-traveling expat, kind of scouting out where I want to end up, though I already have a good idea. And thankfully, I didn't get any negative reactions. I guess because the people I know and love know me well enough that no one was surprised. The only not-quite pushback I got was from family, and that only because they miss me.
I guess I'd be considered a multi category expat. I've twice lived abroad (OCONUS) on an extended basis for my job. I've also traveled internationally, extensively, for a month or a two per trip over the last 20 plus years of my profession. Now, at 67, I'm exploring retirement abroad (just back from Thailand, heading to Panama soon). Lol... I have a stack of ten well-used and now expired passports. Six are blue, one is brown, and three are black (for those who know the differences). My eleventh one (blue) has a few years of validity left on it, and I plan to get my money's worth out of it!😊
Yep, guess I'm a global expat. But then there are those who are absolutely domestic citizens. I have friends who live within 50 miles of where they were born, have lived there their entire life, have never ventured outside the U.S., and will never do so. To each their own.
Sounds like you had an adventurous life. Good for you. Thanks for watching and good luck in Panama. We think you'll like it.
Great video. I think people amplify the bad things, and they fear the unknown.
👍
Unfortunately, a lot.
I always laugh at people who look at other countries differently than the U.S. We have a lot of issues here.
Well that's probably because other countries are different , their society's are structured different , their culture is different , their geographical location is different , their foods are different, their holidays are different , they dress differently SO YEAH THEY ARE DIFFERENT!!! SO YOU DONT START RUNNING YOURE MOUTH , IM A RETIRED ARMY VETERAN , IVE BEEN TO EVERY CONTINENT IN THE WORLD!!! AND LIVED IN MANY OF THEM😮
@@PenSteel-ih8qr Oh wow, congrats on stating the most obvious thing ever! I mean of course, everyone in the entire world knows that there are differences in cultures, countries, food, holidays etc. It's not like we needed you to come and enlighten us with your profound wisdom. But hey, I guess it's nice of you to remind us that many Americans are completely clueless about the rest of the world. Because you know Americans are the center of the universe and everything revolves around them. It's not like there are many other countries that are beautiful and amazing right? Let's not forget every place has their own set of problems, including the USA. Because your opinion is just so important and everyone should bow down to your superior knowledge. And Karen, oh Karen, you must have been so honored to caught the attention of someone as important as you? It's not like there are millions of other people who have served and are proud of it. Nope, your the only one. Oh shoot wait almost forgot can you believe I proudly served in the Army as well and traveled the world😮 So keep being you amazing self and let everyone's opinions bother you, because who needs friends when you have such a high opinion of yourself.🤡
@@PenSteel-ih8qr oh wow! congratulations on stating the most obvious thing ever. I mean, of course everyone in the entire world knows that there are differences and cultures, countries, food, holidays, etc. it's not like we needed you to come and enlighten us with your profound wisdom. but hey, I guess it's nice of you to remind us that many Americans are completely clueless about the rest of the world. it's not like there are many other countries that are beautiful and amazing, right? Nope, only the US and let's not forget every place has their own set of problems including the United States. Because you're an opinion is just so important and everyone should bow down to your superior knowledge and Karen. oh Karen, you must be honored to have caught the attention of someone as important as you, I mean who wouldn't be impressed by your service in the United States Army. it's not like there are millions of other people who have served and are proud of it. Nope, you're the only one. Oh shoot, wait a minute
I also proudly served in the Army and traveled the world, and let's not forget the only person running their mouth is your dear friend Karen. So keep on being your amazing self and don't let anyone's opinion bother you because you know you just don't care who needs friends when you have such a high opinion of yourself right?🤡
@@PenSteel-ih8qrWow, all that shouting’s a pretty big overreaction to a simple comment. I always thought the military taught self-control. BTW, it’s societies; an apostrophe isn’t needed to make something plural. 😉
@@leapintothewildnot sure what youre even talking about and you obviously don't know anything about the military , of course we in the military defend even cowards like you!!!
I do not believe that I have ever commented on a RUclips video. This really makes a lot of sense to me. Now my exploratory trip will be Boquete then Argentina (I desire a smaller city/town than Buenos Aires). Thank you for your thoughtful video. All the best.
Great video, as always...and by the way, the production value of your videos are exceptional. It's obvious you put a ton of work into them and are very detail oriented, and it shows. We love your channel :)
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Laptop Seniors; I really needed this pep talk from you. I’m one of those US retired citizens who’s never lived anywhere outside this country, and the thought of relocating to another country seems almost unfathomable to me but I’ve been seriously thinking about it. I’ve never been a real traveler. In my lifetime I’ve only been to Montreal, Germany - - and to Panama just last year - - and absolutely loved Panama City. I have a dear friend who just got his Pensionado Visa and I so admire him for doing that. It’s caused me to become extremely interested in what it would be like to become an expat myself. I watch all you and your wife’s videos and they are helping me lose some of my fears. Please keep making videos; they are so helpful to people like me.
Thank you again!😊
Thank you so much. One of the easiest ways to relocate (if you can afford it), is to simply go somewhere for 6 months....while keeping your home apartment/home/condo. Knowing you can always just go home really makes the whole process easier and less stressful. If your new place is a good fit, you'll know it within 4 months, or perhaps you need more time. Just go home for a month or so and return to compare how you feel and how your life feels in each place. The answer and comfort with your decision will just sort of work itself out.
@@laptopseniors Thanks for responding!. That makes sense.👍🏼
Great conversation, you are so right, we travel around the world,we have never had trouble with the countries politics.
This sounds crazy, but I’m still moving to Ecuador in April. The reason the drug cartels are going crazy is that the new president, Noboa, declared war on them. He’s pretty much following El Salvador’s playbook.
Ecuador is a country, with very different regions. I’m moving to Cuenca, which is up in the mountains. Talking to both expats and Ecuadorians, Cuenca has been very quiet. One of the videos showed people running in terror from the center park because of gunshots. Turns out, it was some kids setting off fireworks. But you never hear the correction. Most people there are actually optimistic about Ecuador’s future. Getting the drug cartels out is considered a huge plus, and worth putting up with the problems. The takeover of the tv station was horrifying, but every single gang member who did it is now in jail.
I had been planning on buying a property right away, but I’ll probably rent for awhile to see how it all plays out.
Lol...only a little crazy. El Salvador totally altered their country with their crackdown really fast and now they have one of the lowest murder rates in the world....from the worst. Hopefully the new Pres of Ecuador can pull that off. And, as always, even with gangs, some places are safer than others. And yes, renting first is always a better way to go. Good luck.
Thank you this information. I hope to start back traveling this year.
I have people telling me that I will be murdered if I go to another country. They are completely insane and irrational. Right now I am looking at Thailand.
They would be the ones I was describing. Unfortunately mostly wrong in almost all retirement countries around the world. So many countries are much safer than the US or Canada....if that's where you're living Matt.
@@laptopseniors Yes, I'm in the US. Statistically, I would be safer living in downtown Kiev than I would be in downtown Austin. I'm also looking for someplace where I can live comfortably without needing to drive. These same idiots are trying to tell me there are places where it is practical in the US. There isn't.
I live in rural NE Tennessee in a very nice area near a vineyard and winery, but have a Sig on my hip whenever I do yard work. We live so far out that it can take 30-60 min to get a cop or volunteer EMT, and so few cell towers that I can’t get a signal once I step off my porch and lose WiFi, so if I’m at the edge of just our 1.4 acres I have to be able to take care of myself. Meth, home invasions, armed theft, even general mischief are realities, not to mention our black bears. Listing the house next week and we’re off to slomad the world!!
Great video. I’ll take this type of ‘stream of thought’ video over one of those driving videos any day. 😃👍 For what it’s worth - I loved your Argentina video.
I lived in Cameroon as a Peace Corps Volunteer after college and have travelled all over the world but I can’t decide where to settle for retirement. I live in southern California now and want to move overseas due to the cost of living, crime, traffic and poor government in California and the USA.
A good place to start to narrow down your choices of countries is a channel called NOMADCAPITALIST. His information is timely, very spot on, and realistic. There's many countries that are great to retire too, and a better life. Sorting through them should narrow down your choices.
Great video. I live in downtown San Francisco (Mission Bay). I'm native to the SF Bay Area all my life. I know what I am doing in SF. You do NOT leave anything in your car. That being said, my wife and I are applying for the Panama Pensionado Visa as we feel Panama will be a great home base for us as we explore the world. Will Panama be our final retirement destination? Who knows. I have lived in Italy, Japan and Taiwan. There is a big world to explore.
Great video! This is my way of thinking. I have very little money, I mean very little, yet I can live so much better in some of these places. When I wokeup to this fact it changed my who;e way of thinking as a rtired person. I am going for it! Thanks for reaffirming what I already been doing!!!
You're on the right track. Thanks for watching.
Great chat!
I am with you. My husband is so afraid. Thank you so much for the video.
If 98% of people are afraid to leave the USA for one reason or another, what are the odds that you can find a couple that would be interested in doing so. I've tried to go to Ecuador, lasted about 3 months, wife missed the grandkids. Still glad that I tried.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Larry.
We understand the fear and appreciate your comment. 🙂
Thank you for your overview. Planning to be an expat before the year is over.
I am retired Canadian living in Colombia past 7 years, in smaller town outside Medellin.
This is primarily for economic and climate reasons. Colombia is LESS safe now than 7 yrs ago. There are some upsides, though , including a very modern medical system.
Beem to Turkey...coastline is stunning.
I love to explore, spent my life in the military, so im used to moving every few years , spent most of my time over seas , so sometimes America seems foreign!!!
I really enjoyed this video and the videos you made about Argentina. You bring great points about being an expat retiree there. The upsides sounds great but the downsides for me as a single man would be to leave my three grown children behind and my family. I don't know how I would get used to retire in a country without knowing anyone. Also probably culture shock since I lived in the States all my life. I have visited several times Costa Rica where I thought retiring there, then Colombia and finally Peru. These countries appear to be closer to the US then Argentina since is so far away. Nevertheless I am planning to go to Argentina sometime this year and try it out.
Yes, the distance is tough. One of the reasons we left living in AR and UY. Just too far as we got older. But...we LOVED Argentina. Buenos Aires is a spectacular city. So much fun and great food.
Good point about the option to leave if you are an expat. The locals don't think it's an option. Like here in the USA, most people don't have a passport, and have never even researched living in another country. So now that the USA has become a sh!t Show, most 'locals' think it's just something we gotta live with. People figure it out. Like your example of Turkey... it might be time to invest in Argentina, IF things turn around. But that country has been in a huge downward spiral for a very long time. So is it time to go there? Maybe. The new President has the right idea, but can he get all these things done? I hope so, he seems like the only person that has a couple brain cells with common sense. It's worth a look. I can't decide between Americas or Europe. I need to travel a bit more. I spent 10 days in Panama and LOVED it.. Is Argentina comparable?? I have to go back a rewatch your videos on it to see.
Thanks Annie.
I am not running to another country as much as running from the US. I was put on US watch list although I am not a terrorist, not a criminal, except for traffic tickets. I have been stalked, harassed for over 20 years with several attempts on my life. I hate the US for treating me and other innocent people this way. If Argentina is not a fit or if stalking starts there, Italy is next stop. There are a number of counties that are potentials
Turkish citizenship is $ 400.000 now. FYI..
Yes, and they've added a few other restrictions. I was trying to keep it simple for the video of what happened. I was talking of 3 years ago and their original offer. Thanks though Ozzy for adding that here.
I posted a negative comment about your earlier video because you talk in generalities that are often contradicted by the facts. Just two small examples: you said Buenos Aires had a population of 15 million people. That’s just WRONG. The population of the city is 3.5 million while the figure for the region of BA is 19 million. Your wife said BA had the broadest avenue in the world. While that was once true the broadest avenue in Latin America is in Sao Paulo, Brazil, not Argentina. This may not matter to you but when you speak in generalities but you are factually incorrect then your readers should distrust you. There many such examples in that video and in your video today. Other readers corrected you on Columbia and Turkey. I have dual citizenship in France and the US but for the time being I live in SF. Some areas are not as safe as others but in general the city suffers from bad press and people like you. We go downtown when we want and have never had a problem. SF is like any other city with some problems but many attractions as well. As long as you keep spouting this kind of noise I don’t know why anyone should listen to you.
@@laptopseniors husband and wife you guys are a good team ..I like your videos keep informing us..
You can call yourself an expat but just know you are actually an immigrant.
I AM in Ecuador now, and love it. There are areas you dont go to, the locals where I am dont go to those places. Where I am you wouldn't know there was any change from before. This isnt "America." You cant move from one state to another and expect the same safety and lifestyle. You have to know what youre looking for, you have to become familiar with local communities, then you have to be satisfied with your decision because NO WHERE is perfect.
P.S. Colombia is NOT safe.
Trying to retire in Mendoza with the U.S. SS alone,
looking for Apartment/House to rent without Guarantors/Bonus? thing.
Any advise on this matter? Will appreciate..
What I've heard is what some people do is rent a place through AirBNB & then may owners will do a longer term rental without using the Guarantors.
The usual. Try to rent local versus on an english website if you can. You may run into a high security deposit requirement and/or pushback for not having the AR equivalent of a social security number. That's mostly normal. But you can find places that will temper those down.
Columbia or Colombia, brother? Cheers
OMG...you're so correct. Thanks. Duh. You know it didn't look right to me from the beginning and I googled the spelling and it came up correct. Obviously right...but for the University etc, not the country. My apology.
Yup you have to learn exchange rates and how to convert it😂
Would not retire there or travel alone as a woman. Dodgey
Just to add I am a seasoned traveler over 20 years.
Turkey is leaning more and more islamic. No thank you. I know trouble when I see it. There is a video about why Islamic countries are poor. The answer: islam. I have some experience in an Islamic country and I will never go back. IF I was a woman I would object even more strongly.
Definitely something to factor in.