Challenges of Moving Countries for Retirement or Employment

[+ José Soplanucas]

11 minutes ago, cany10011 said:

In discussions with Canadian estate lawyer and cross border accountant along with tax attorney to discuss options for me as I like to return to Toronto but have issues with being a dual US Canadian citizen with looming inheritance issues. It sort of keeps me up at night. 

You want to return to Canada from where, if I may ask?

[cany10011]

11 minutes ago, José Soplanucas said:

You want to return to Canada from where, if I may ask?

NYC.  I'm a city boy. Ideally, I like to keep both places. I'm not a big beach person but can see myself in Mexico for a month and Portugal or Greece another month. The rest of the time will be in Toronto where my family and friends are and NYC (for the fall/winter opera season) where I have a lot of friends as well. Most people I know are trying to find a larger home to age in place and moving to cheaper places like Philadelphia. 

Edited July 19 by cany10011

[Johnrom]

Philly is a great city. It’s large and has all  the amenities of a large city. But it’s broken down into many neighborhoods so it feels more intimate.  And awesome sports teams and hometown pride!  Close to NYC and DC, only a short bus or train ride away.  Highly recommend. 

[cany10011]

22 minutes ago, Johnrom said:

Philly is a great city. It’s large and has all  the amenities of a large city. But it’s broken down into many neighborhoods so it feels more intimate.  And awesome sports teams and hometown pride!  Close to NYC and DC, only a short bus or train ride away.  Highly recommend. 

I agree. Went to school there. Love the Rittenhouse neighborhood, which is where I used to live and would choose if I were to live there again. 

[pubic_assistance]

8 hours ago, Johnrom said:

Philly is a great city. It’s large and has all  the amenities of a large city. But it’s broken down into many neighborhoods

Seriously ?

I haven't been for a few years, but last time I was in Philly it was pretty run-down in most every one of those neighborhoods with the exception of Rittenhouse Square. Great food scene there but sketchy traveling at night to get to many of the destination neighborhood joints. Once I retire, I want to be OVER dodging homeless drug addicts.

Edited July 20 by pubic_assistance
spelling

[+ Charlie]

I called Philly home for much of the time between 1964 and 2004 , and I still remember it fondly, but I moved to Palm Springs when I retired. Although I occasionally have a sentimental urge to return, it is not the same place, and I am not the same person who lived there then. Ditto for New York, where I also spent much of my younger days. As I sink into my dotage, the thought of dealing with city life no longer appeals to me.

[cany10011]

37 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Seriously ?

I haven't been for a few years, but last time I was in Philly it was pretty run-down in most every on of those neighborhoods with the exception of Rittenhouse Square. Great food scene there but sketchy traveling at night to get to many of the destination neighborhood joints. Once I retire, I want to be OVER dodging homeless drug addicts.

Large concentration of hot guys/students make it perfect breeding ground for $pecial arrangements . Plus, Philly guys seem to have less attitude than the ones in NYC. One of my regulars is a ballet dancer from Philly now, who comes to visit me on weekends. 

Edited July 19 by cany10011

[KeepItReal]

57 minutes ago, cany10011 said:

Large concentration of hot guys/students make it perfect breeding ground for $pecial arrangements . Plus, Philly guys seem to have less attitude than the ones in NYC. One of my regulars is a ballet dancer from Philly now, who comes to visit me on weekends. 

Right on! Don't know about you but I will definitely start exploring by having some buff college guys help me move! My friends no longer want to help me move for pizza and beer, plus they all have bad backs! 😅

[Johnrom]

Like most large cities, there are some bad areas and some areas to avoid in philly.  But center city, south philly, Rittenhouse Square, and Old City are fine.  Lots to offer. Dining and entertainment. And yes great vibe and attitude in the city of brotherly love  🆚NYC

[pubic_assistance]

6 hours ago, Johnrom said:

Like most large cities, there are some bad areas and some areas to avoid in philly.

Some ? 🤔

You have it backwards.

There are "some" neighborhoods where you can visit but most of the city is a ghetto that you definitely want to avoid.

Edited July 20 by pubic_assistance
grammar

[BonVivant]

On 6/6/2024 at 12:36 PM, JamesB said:

In my opinion, nothing beats the boots-on-the-ground approach. Moving to a foreign country is a significant and costly decision, so I recommend visiting the place yourself. Remember, visiting as a tourist is very different from living there. Go to the supermarket and check the prices of the products you consume. Hire a driver to take you around different neighborhoods and towns to find where you would feel comfortable living. Then, check out local real estate sites for prices in those areas. You may even want to visit a few rental properties (always rent first in a new country) to see them in person. Talk to locals to get an idea of the costs of utilities like electricity, gas, phone, and internet. Visit both public and private hospitals to understand the quality and cost of medical care. Explore the available transportation options and determine which suits you best, then check their prices. Get quotes for health insurance and any other necessary insurance, such as home or car insurance. This will give you a more realistic picture of the cost of living.

I would add: check out some “meet up” groups. My friend got a golden visa to Portugal via a condo purchase in Lisbon.  She made friends and connections through “meet up” groups and got a good social circle going. This is a key aspect of moving abroad. You don’t want to end up alone and isolated. 

[BonVivant]

On 7/8/2024 at 11:02 AM, SouthOfTheBorder said:

many people are leaving the US for other reasons - not just about costs.

the overall environment is very toxic with nonstop political stuff from all sides.  who wants to be surrounded by that in retirement ?

I’ve witnessed several older family members waste years being addicted to politics, angry & bitter.  now they’re dead. what good did it do them ?  nothing - and it didn’t change one thing.  not an uncommon story these day.

 

“Toxic” politics is everywhere if you look hard enough. All of us in first world developed democracies are very fortunate. The “toxicity” happens on the 24 hour news channels. However the reality is so different.  We are alive during the most successful, peaceful, richest era in human history. Now go enjoy life. 

[pubic_assistance]

OK time to get off politics.

 

[+ José Soplanucas]

55 minutes ago, BonVivant said:

“Toxic” politics is everywhere if you look hard enough. All of us in first world developed democracies are very fortunate. The “toxicity” happens on the 24 hour news channels. However the reality is so different.  We are alive during the most successful, peaceful, richest era in human history. Now go enjoy life. 

We are still waiting for data about that.

[pubic_assistance]

11 minutes ago, José Soplanucas said:

We are still waiting for data about that.

No we are not.

Let's get off politics gentleman before the thread is closed.

[+ WilliamM]

23 hours ago, Charlie said:

I called Philly home for much of the time between 1964 and 2004 , and I still remember it fondly, but I moved to Palm Springs when I retired. Although I occasionally have a sentimental urge to return, it is not the same place, and I am not the same person who lived there then. Ditto for New York, where I also spent much of my younger days. As I sink into my dotage, the thought of dealing with city life no longer appeals to me.

Well  Philadelphia  is loved by many gays, including me.  I was in Palm Springs for a few hours when  I returned from Vietnam in 1969.

 

Palm Springs was hotter than Saigon 

[+ Charlie]

3 hours ago, WilliamM said:

Well  Philadelphia  is loved by many gays, including me.  I was in Palm Springs for a few hours when  I returned from Vietnam in 1969.

 

Palm Springs was hotter than Saigon 

Palm Springs is hotter than anywhere today: the temperature in my backyard is 118.

[liubit]

11 hours ago, WilliamM said:

Well  Philadelphia  is loved by many gays,

Philly had Premier Escorts, a very affordable agency with many lovely boys that made many of my weekends in NYC VERY memorable back in the 1990s. 😜

[+ Italiano]

On 7/8/2024 at 1:11 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Very interesting discussion.

About five years back, I bought property in CDMX, initially using it for short-term rental and eventually keeping it more open as I spend more time in the city.

Eventually, I'll call it home.  MX has always felt like a place I'd end up.  It just ticks all of the boxes.

That said, if I didn't speak Spanish, I wouldn't consider the permanent move.  You must learn the language of where you're going.

I lived in CDMX for 10 years in the 90s. I LOVED it and I loved even more the Country. It was quite dangerous and polluted back then but I was younger and definitely more carefree and there so many more pros to the cons. And of course I learnt Spanish while there (through Italian which is my first language  it took me really very little time) and now I still speak it very well.

I have been back few times since for work (I will be back in two months), and even if it is still charming and if still a piece of my heart is always there, I find the cons way too overwhelming. I would perhaps live in Guanajuato, Queretaro, San Miguel Allende instead....

[+ Italiano]

A few more years working here and then I will sell everything and buy a property in a central region of Italy and go back to the motherland to REALLY enjoy life during my old age.

[pubic_assistance]

2 hours ago, Italiano said:

A few more years working here and then I will sell everything and buy a property in a central region of Italy and go back to the motherland to REALLY enjoy life during my old age.

Just got back from three weeks traveling around various destinations in Italy. (I've previously been to Rome, Milan, Venice and Sicily).

Enjoying life does seems to be easy there. Especially in the smaller towns and villages. It feels like a wonderful place to retire.

[+ José Soplanucas]

2 hours ago, Italiano said:

A few more years working here and then I will sell everything and buy a property in a central region of Italy and go back to the motherland to REALLY enjoy life during my old age.

We are on the same stage of our lives, mio amico!

[+ José Soplanucas]

2 hours ago, Italiano said:

I lived in CDMX for 10 years in the 90s. I LOVED it and I loved even more the Country. It was quite dangerous and polluted back then but I was younger and definitely more carefree and there so many more pros to the cons. And of course I learnt Spanish while there (through Italian which is my first language  it took me really very little time) and now I still speak it very well.

I have been back few times since for work (I will be back in two months), and even if it is still charming and if still a piece of my heart is always there, I find the cons way too overwhelming. I would perhaps live in Guanajuato, Queretaro, San Miguel Allende instead....

One of the things I have learned is that there are not places better than others. There are places that are better than others for each one of us. Someone's heaven can be someone else's hell. 

[BonVivant]

2 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

Just got back from three weeks traveling around various destinations in Italy. (I've previously been to Rome, Milan, Venice and Sicily).

Enjoying life does seems to be easy there. Especially in the smaller towns and villages. It feels like a wonderful place to retire.

It’s all good when you are a tourist or visiting for a few weeks. A small town in Italy would bore me to death. Rome on the other hand….

Edited July 21 by BonVivant

[+ José Soplanucas]

1 hour ago, BonVivant said:

It’s all good when you are a tourist or visiting for a few weeks. A small town in Italy would bore me to death. Rome on the other hand….

Too many people make the mistake of falling in love with places they visit more or less often for a few days or weeks as tourists. This is why I strongly recommend to get to know a place better than that before making the decision to move in.