Inspiration and Vision for Single Expats

By Lady C.

Born in London England, I have always been a culture and travel enthusiast and am an expatriate of 26 years. To date I have backpacked across, lived in, and vacationed to 35 different countries. Over my lifetime of love for travel I came to deeply appreciate and yearn for a more permanent (or at least semi-permanent) lifestyle outside of the high-pressure rat-race for money and possessions. I experienced where work schedules were kinder, social gatherings emphasized, and people have more time to spend with their friends and families. It was an Australian who best summed the major difference between Australia and America. “You live to work”, he said, “We work to live”.

Now, a single baby boomer with children grown up with their own lives, I was ready to resume my passion for globe-trotting, only this time with a different focus. While in the past I enjoyed travel for the love of culture and adventure, I was now traveling with ‘a second home investment and/or retiring overseas’ in mind.

It was my experience in Panama on part of an organized real-estate tour which brought the problem to light and gave me the idea of ‘retiringsingles.com’. I had a small group of single people to analyze the travel experience with, to bounce around ideas… Where does the best opportunity lie? Where would the best location be, beach or mountain? Condo or Villa? Who is investing here and how is it working out?

What Can Single Expats Do?

Many in my group were facing the same dilemma, looking out at the same picture. They were widows, singles and divorcees who simply wanted to simplify their life in a more happy and affordable way without the rat-race and pressures. It was my need to be able to toss experiences around with another like-minded single person that inspired me with the idea and passion to create the first platform of its kind.

There is a supposition that when we retire, we are all comfortably in ‘coupledom’. The ads and the information sites, show nice air-brushed, cozy pictures of couples with sweaters casually thrown round their shoulders deep in conversation, broad smiles on faces – or walking hand in hand towards the sunset. But some of us who retire and re-locate are actually on our own.

I’d been on a few group tours overseas, gone single-handedly to Costa Rica, Panama, Croatia and Italy all in the search for the potential of investing or living overseas some of the time or all of the time.

I had read many articles about possible ‘escape to’ locations, travelled singularly to Italy and Croatia, researching the beautiful properties overlooking ocean and mountains. I went to Costa Rica and Panama on separate occasions with small groups of three to four people, who coincidentally, turned out to be single too.

We had a good time exploring, discovering and wondering; trying to decide where the right place is, what is the right price, when would be the right time? As we got to know each other better it became apparent to me, that having a like-minded partner would make all the difference to the task of making these decisions. Most of us need someone to share our dreams and joys!

Investing in property in a foreign place in an exciting prospect, but the uncertainty of making such a huge life change alone is, to say the least, daunting. In a world of airbrushed couples walking hand-in-hand on a sand-spit in paradise, you find yourself excluded.

We Single Expats do Not Have to be Alone Anymore

I felt the need for this adventure, this decision, this dynamic exploration to share with someone that is like-minded – to share my views, maybe find someone to share the investment, someone to share the love. I thought how wonderful it would be if there were a way to get these like-minded people like me together to relate, to share. So many would prefer to share the costs of a hotel room, trip, etc. It’s hard as a single person to make 100% the decision, 100% of the money, 100% of everything – it’s a big thing. Especially when everyone in your homeland might think you’re crazy!

If you’ve never thought of it before, retiring or living or even working abroad is perhaps economical enough to make it worth looking into for everyone. It’s become evident how fast-paced Western society brainwashes us into the ‘greatest country in the world’ mentality which I define as the rush for material possessions when nobody really seems any better off. In many other affordable, beautiful countries I have seen, they have decent working hours, much more paid time off and social gatherings are core values of the cultures. There is not the same stress from life, divorce, fear and crime. People have time to spend with their families.

Members of retiringsingles.com have the option to search by Desired Destination and Partners (investment, romantic, travel, other) and the opportunity to meet up with like-minded partners – those who also have the desire to purchase property, invest or retire in Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Spain, Dubai, Bulgaria, Croatia and many, many more destinations. And don’t forget the possibilities of falling in love again!

Members are encouraged to share their travel stories, write articles, create their own blogs, upload travel videos or chat. If you have a house to rent or a boat to sell, you can make it known in the Classifieds. Members frequently discuss investing opportunities, the realities of living in a particular country, and consult Expats who have already made the move abroad. Want to organize an Event, you can do that too. Want to form a Group for your particular ideas and thoughts – can do. And best of all, your membership is free to find your adventurous best friend, perfect romantic travel partner, or the financial partnership that will make your endeavors all the more possible.

Come join me and the others at retiringsingles.com.

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