What?

What the heck am I doing? Well, I’m getting ready to retire from the 9-to-5 and I’m moving to Panama. Actually, retiring in a foreign country has been in the back of my mind for a long time. Twenty years ago, I went to Ghana on a cultural tour, and the thought crossed my mind that I might retire there. But at that time, I was so far away from retirement age that it got pushed way into the background by the busy-ness of everyday life.

But for the past couple of years, the notion of retirement in a foreign country has definitely come to the forefront of my thinking. I used to say that I didn’t think retirement was in my future. I couldn’t see how I could maintain even the modest lifestyle I have today without a full-time job. So I began researching low-cost lifestyles, and the most obvious choice was to move to a place where the cost of living was significantly lower than in the USA.

So the seed that was planted 20 years ago is finally coming to fruition. This blog is my effort to stay in touch with friends and family, even though I’ll be living in a relatively distant land. (It’s really not that far away, though – about a three-hour flight from Miami.)

I’ll be sharing my observations and experiences in Panama here, and I hope you enjoy hearing about this re-invention of myself. Some call it brave, some question my choices, but most people I’ve shared my plans with have been excited and happy for me, and are very encouraging. So please feel free to comment or ask questions, and thanks for your support!