Relocating: How Do I Choose the Clothes and Accessories to Bring?

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Hello Akaisha,

I am now a few months from taking the leap of faith and retiring while I still have energy and a dream. I saw my mother wither away after my dad died…she never traveled again!

I think I will be ok moving to Mexico as my home base and going from there. Although I am not quite ready to be a world traveler like you and Billy, I do know that that I am a traveler at heart and need to move to a place where I can afford to live and travel. I do need to make some decisions about clothes and accessories (shoes are my biggest vice).

How did you choose, what did you choose or did you do a clean sweep and got rid of everything? What do regret not keeping?

Would love your advice.

Ours is a casual lifestyle. Here we are in China!

Your friend,

Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth!

Thanks for writing and Congratulations on your upcoming new lifestyle!

I must admit that our transition to being “homeless” and traveling on a more-or-less constant basis wasn’t as smooth as one would think. Initially we sold about 95% of our stuff — and because in 1991 this idea of financial independence and early retirement was all new and I had no clue as to what it might turn out to be — I saved a good deal of my working clothes, shoes, bags, scarves and accessories.

Looking back, I should have sold or donated that stuff and if I found myself needing to work again, just spend $1,000 to get the basics and start over.

Boating in Laos. No high heels here!

What happened was that styles changed, my body shape changed, and things like high heels — for me — were not the kind of shoes I could navigate in on cobblestone streets and broken sidewalks. I had gorgeous snakeskin and eel skin bags and matching shoes — which, since I kept them — simply dried out without the joy of my wearing them to death.

My gallivanting lifestyle simply didn’t require this upscale sort of dressing anymore. It took me a very long time to let go — I hate to admit it — because I loved these classic items and always thought “someday…” For me, it was a fantasy that never made it into reality.

Don’t be surprised if in your new life, nothing will work quite the same way as it does in your native city or town. I can’t tell you how many times I wore my LOUD NEON and bright floral California clothing that looked SO FINE in California or Hawaii, but was simply out of place or made me a target in a colonial city in Mexico or South America.

Bare footin’ in Phuket, Thailand

Or, wearing gorgeous pastel yellows and corals in NYC which thrives on blacks, grays and leather. I wore cutsie cork colored open toed shoes in rainy climates which the mud totally destroyed or beautiful jeweled sandals while walking on the shore to the next beachfront restaurant while the waves lapped over my feet and the sand ground in between my toes… silly stuff!

Another difference in my lifestyle — but perhaps not your new one — is that we, by choice, don’t own a car. That means we go from the front door of our apartment or hotel room and walk to the Plaza to get a taxi or grab a bus or — depending on which country — jump in the back of a small pickup truck or hail down a tuk-tuk. Comfortable shoes are a must in these situations. Often I will join dinner parties where the women there have gorgeous, delicate, high end shoes on – but they have come from their front door, to their car, to the front door of the theater, fundraising event or restaurant.

They have a different mode of living and it’s all good — it’s just that I would hate to have to own a car to support my choice in footwear.

Walking down the gravel trail to the airplane, Laos.

Scarves and faux jewelry can be purchased in your new location. Those items are affordable and will “update” anything basic that you choose to carry with you from your previous lifestyle.

My strongest suggestion would be to choose bags and shoes that are the most comfortable, the ones that will go with the most outfits you own and then pick one or two things that you just “must have and can’t live without.” Remember that practical is paramount and keep whimsical shoes for special occasions.

Of course, all of these choices are up to you and the important thing is to be happy.

I know I’ve told you this before, but I am very lustful of your Zebra striped high heels and if you choose to leave them behind, please mail them to me. I promise you can borrow them anytime, but you might have to come to Cambodia or Nicaragua to get them! ;-)

Every good thing to you, Elizabeth, and thanks for keeping in touch.

Akaisha

Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.

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Best Way to Travel? Feed Your Passion for the Unusual!

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Suzie Hammond is the author of a system on how to relocate successfully. I am Not Sure Where I Want to Be -But it’s Not Here (A Comprehensive System for Finding the Perfect  Place to Live )

When my in-laws went traveling years ago they got to go see a huge number of places and quite frankly I was slimy with envy.  Off to Hershey Pennsylvania, Canada, Paris, Rome and Moscow they went.  After their first few trips though they were not so excited.  Their tours were all totally organized and a part of a special interest group.  Their business was owning an amusement park and so the tours were all centered around seeing an amusement park or two and then the sights of the destination.  I don’t know about you, but I found the prospect of riding a huge roller-coaster outside of Sydney Australia and then paying a visit to the Opera House a pretty splendid idea.

Seemed like an exotic plan to me.  But since they were almost sixty years old by this time after 4 or 5 trips the gloss had worn thin.  I began to think about this as we did our own modest and then more far flung forays away from home.  It wasn’t long before I decided that perhaps a different strategy was in order.  I wanted to spend our money and come away enchanted with the whole experience.  So how to do that?

SuzieHammond

First I gave myself a headache as I threaded my way through why and what I wanted to achieve in my travels.  For many people learning something new and experiencing something different is not as good as being in mostly familiar settings and being on a tight schedule to fit in visits to the famous landmarks of an area.

I thought that if we’d be arriving back with little more than exhaustion and  photos of us posed in front of world heritage sites we might as well save the money, stay home and watch TV.  Seeing something that is really new to me, discovering things I didn’t know anything about and  is a wonderful way to become a bigger person .

But let’s take that idea a step further.  You and I already have things we are mad to learn about, right?  Maybe you are a WWII expert or you have watched and read up on the India of the Raja’s. We are all drawn to places connected with our interests.  But take that a step further.  What aspects intrigue you?

This is where your internet comes racing to the fore to rescue you from an otherwise tepid tour. For Instance, if you are headed for Sydney because you have always loved the idea of the place, their convict past and devil may care attitudes, go one better.  I’ll bet you also find Billy the Kid fascinating.  So let’s find out what kind of ne’er do wells, bandits and justice seekers they had there.  There are some beauties…. Go visit the site of great outlaw gun battle of Ned Kelly for instance.  His legend includes making his own armor out of water buckets and other farm metals in an attempt to outlive the huge number of enforcement officers sent to fetch him.  Then you could go off to the museums that detail the history of the early colony.  (Captain Bligh was one of their early governors you know.)

Children’s Museum of Toys and Art

There are always a goodly number of fascinating people and events from any given place.  And there are local people keeping those histories alive who love sharing those stories.  Find them and visit their troves.

Discovering these sorts of stories and destinations are often not easy.  They are not cuddled in the pages of most of your guidebooks.  They usually take more digging to uncover than the cursory look through the ‘things to see and do’ section of the local websites.  But since your specific researches would be in an area you really enjoy anyway it’s not usually an onerous a task.

You can wind up with a list of places to see and things to do that are really exciting for you.  In this manner your travel becomes almost a pilgrimage to awesome and peculiar aspects of our human endeavors.  And that makes travel very cool.

Additionally you may find it leads you to some wonderful possible destinations for a whole new lifestyle. It led us to a magical new country and we wish you the same opportunity.

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Spectacular Surprise Sixtieth

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Canadian-born Jody Hanson often quips that she never, ever, ever wants to see snow again and that the only acceptable ice is in her vodka and tonic. Consequently, she made an active choice and has lived most of her adult life overseas: Nigeria, China, New Zealand, Australia, Morocco, Chile and Argentina. In 2010 she carved out a niche as a freelance writer and editor and now follows the summers.

Mirror image?

When I showed the Nurse – as we call her – the email from Scott she immediately squealed, “You have to go.”

Scott is my kindred spirit from Sydney. We are uncannily alike in so many ways that it is scary; think of a mirror reflection of me. Interestingly enough, we arrived at the same space from diametrically opposed directions. Fortunately, we do have our differences as otherwise our “sameness” might be illegal.

No arguments please

A man of few words, Scott does things simply because he can. Or doesn’t, even though he could, depending on the situation. He wrote that he had organized a surprise for my birthday. Peter — whom he knows from his Sandhurst days — owns the River Lodge on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls and I was to go there. And he ended his message with “Transport has been arranged for 11:00. No arguments please.”

What to wear, what to wear? I travel with a carry-on and have this idiosyncratic “rule” that if you don’t wear every item of clothing at least once you didn’t get it right. Yes, yes I know I’m becoming increasingly eccentric and/or neurotic, but you have to give me a break as I had just turned 60 that morning. So I proceeded to cobble together a Carmen-inspired outfit to go with the necklace I bought myself as a 60th present in Cape Town.

Jody and Scott at the Lodge, photo by Monique James

The driver appeared, the passport was stamped and another driver waited for me on the Zambian side. He carried on after the sign to the River Lodge and then turned left down a buffalo trail that had grass growing between the tire tracks. A helicopter ride perhaps? Scott owns a Bell and he knows I enjoy flying.

The Zambezi appeared before us. As I stepped out of the van Peter greeted me and said we would go to the lodge by boat. I clamoured onto the waiting jetty – graceful in such situations has never been my forte – and noticed a man with his back to me. He slowly turned around and there stood my 60th birthday present: Scott.

The presents keep coming

We meandered back to the lodge, getting close to some hippos in the river and watching four elephants – two standing and two laying – under a tree. Very African safari stuff. Peter said the animals in the area know the sound of his outboard motor and aren’t scared, which is why he can get so close.

As I walked towards the lodge, a blond woman came towards me with her arms held out and said “And I’m Monique James.” Surprise number two as I’d introduced Scott and Monique to each other years ago. And I got to meet Sarah, a delightful woman Scott has known forever, who had come along. 

Lunch was served in the gazebo. I will leave it to your imagination to droll about how good it was. Peter whacked the cork off the third bottle of champagne with the bottom of a wine glass. It cracked the glass perfectly so that it broke cleanly with the cork still embedded. The force of the bubbles kept anything from going back into the bottle. Scott sniffed and said it really should have been properly executed with a sword. I asked Peter if he had practiced on bottles of Baby Duck before moving on to Verve. He shot me a look that answered the question.

A birthday cake – complete with candles — appeared. I kept blowing and they kept relighting. Scott had brought them with him to make me puff for my wish.

Victoria Falls from the air – photo by Monique James

A rocky start

After lunch we piled into the lodge van and headed to the helicopter field for a 30-minute flight over Victoria Falls. The first attempt had to be aborted as it started to rain. Walking away Scott and I looked at each other as the pilot’s rocking-landing had been so bad even I noticed.

On the second go we flew over the falls — breathtaking panoramic view — and then followed a gorge. I was a touch twitchy as we were close to the rocks. Even the slightest ding in a propeller and it would have been a fast drop into the white water below. Scott critiqued the ride and said it was the “weightlessness” drops that had worried him.

Lounging perfection moves into delightful dinner

High tea was waiting when we returned to the lodge. Monique decided to nap, Sarah had a pedicure and Scott wanted to fish so I went to the dock with him. After one cast a boat arrived so there wasn’t even enough time for a one-that-got-away story to develop.

We moved to the lounge in Scott’s stilted tree-house that overlooked the Zambezi. It was literally on top of the water, but the pet hippo who hangs around the lodge didn’t make an appearance. It was a delightful time. The four years since I’d left Sydney had slid away the moment I saw Scott on the boat and we had picked up where we left off. I draw on his strength and energy. He thinks I have some sort of spark embedded.

In the evening, Trudy from the lodge joined us for dinner in the gazebo. We regaled each other with stories and opinions not often found at a dinner party. She was a touch wide-eyed and confessed that her assumptions had been challenged. On the walk back to the lodge to escape the mosquitoes I stage-whispered to Scott that it was a good thing we hadn’t included accounts of our truly outrageous antics as it might have hospitalized her.

A border goodbye

At 21:15 Peter arrived to whisk me away to the border. I was on a day-pass and had to cross before it closed at 22:00. Scott knows he is a central person in my life, and I wanted to remind him of that as we walked towards the van. He came back with “It will have to wait until the next unexpected catch-up. And no, I won’t be giving you any notice for that one either.”

My surprise sixtieth can only be described as spectacular. And, frankly, Scott is the only person on the planet I know who would do it simply because he could: flights, accommodation, meals, a helicopter trip and a birthday cake with trick candles.

Magic.  

My only regret is that I returned Scott’s sweater just before the van pulled away. He laughed and said, “Now that you’re going to be in Cambodia it is easier to see you as I’m in and out of Asia regularly. The plan was to collect the jumper for your 61st.”

That constitutes cruel and unusual punishment!

Other articles by this Author:

The Lighter Side of the Black Market

Santiago Cooks

Galapagos on the Cheap

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Making Additional Income by Ghostwriting

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Jason Miner plays a vital role for blogcarnival. He is an expert in writing topics of different categories and is helping the carnival team to grow, making it an even better place for bloggers.

We could all use a little bit of extra income in these trying times. If you have an hour or more to spare in your day and you love to write, there is a way you can add a few dollars to your account every week. As a ghostwriter, clients will pay you to develop content for their needs. Websites, newspapers, magazines, and more have featured work developed by ghostwriters and there is a good chance you’ve read works developed by them.

This isn’t a “work-from-home” scheme that requires a down-payment or an investment fee. In fact, there are quite a few legitimate locations on the Internet that will pay you to write content for clients based on amounts per-word. This means that you get so much money for every word you write for a client. The best part is that you don’t need to have previous experience or a college degree to get started – just a competent grasp of the language you are writing in and knowledge of the subject.

1. PayPal - As many of these writing websites pay through PayPal, you will need to set up an account before you start writing. PayPal is free to sign up with and most companies that pay you to write will pay the usage fees so you receive exactly what you make in writing. PayPal also has a debit card that will work as any Mastercard debit card will. This will give you immediate access to any funds you receive and works the same way as a bank card. You can use these cards anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

2. Writing Websites - Legitimate writing companies are all over the Internet. Some of the more popular are TextBroker.com, WriterAccess.com, and oDesk.com. Signing up with any of these is free. You won’t have to worry about hidden, usage, or banking fees when writing for any one of these websites. There are plenty more and running a search in Google for “freelance writing” or similar will result in quite a few locations you can start from immediately.

3. Hiring Process - Each one of these writing websites has their own method of properly evaluating your abilities in order to place you in the best Level for your skills. Some will provide a literary test while others will gauge your abilities through a sample piece and a handful of “live” articles to make sure you’re correctly rated. Even those individuals who have poor literacy can get started right away. Some clients just want content and will hire anyone to write anything.

Once you have established an account, it’s in your best interest to fill out your profile as much as you possibly can. The profile is used when clients search for specific writing talent to meet their needs. If you have experience as a real estate agent and a client is looking for someone to write about his or her apartments, your name can come up in the search criteria.

4. Orders - Most writing websites will have a “pool” of orders that writers of a specific skill level have access to. Different levels will provide different incomes per word. You simply select an article you want to write. Once the content is complete, submit the order and move on to the next. It’s that easy. If the client approves of the work, you get paid. If not, they may return the order to you with revision requests which means they want you to rewrite specifics.

5. Payday - The payouts occur depending on the company you are writing for. Some will pay out every Friday while others payout at the beginning of the month. If you write for more than one company, you could easily see a flow of income that doesn’t seem to end at times, as long as you’re an active writer. These monies will be deposited into your PayPal account and immediately available to you if you have the debit card. Otherwise, PayPal can take up to five days to process transferring funds from the account to your bank.

6. Development - If you initially don’t score well, it’s nothing to fret about. As time continues, your skills as a writer will undoubtedly improve. Some of these writing websites will offer critiques on random articles to let you know what you can do to improve your skills. These are professional editors and you’d be wise to pay attention to their knowledge as it could help you in great ways.

7. Opportunities - Most of the writing websites you come across may offer opportunities such as direct clients, teams, or a list of some kind that clients will use to give you orders directly. You can make more money from these opportunities so it helps to be interactive and constantly improving your abilities.

By spending a few hours per day, you could easily replace a full-time income if you have talent as a writer. There have been quite a few people that have turned this into a career and enjoy the benefits of working from home full-time making a decent amount of money. All it takes from you is a little bit of time to invest into developing your skills. Even if you decide it’s something that you don’t see yourself doing all the time, you stand to lose nothing by trying.

 

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Behind Closed Doors

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Guest post by Laverne H. Bardy whose humorous, often irreverent, slant on life in general, and aging in particular, draws a large readership. She has been syndicated with Senior Wire News Service since 2004.  Her book, How The (Bleep) Did I Get This Old? was released in January, 2012, and is a compilation of the best of her columns.   

I was sitting with a group of old girlfriends; old being the operative word. We meet at each other’s home, with our husbands, four times a year. Weather permitting, the men play golf while the women stay behind, wolfing down chips, nuts, cheese and crackers, and kvetching about how impossible it is to lose weight. Over the years our conversations have moved from breast feeding and potty training to impossible teenagers to the aches and pains of aging.

On this particular afternoon we were raving about our talented, beautiful grandchildren and complaining about our husbands, and their sex drives that showed no sign of dwindling. We wondered how it was that aging had zapped them of energy for yard work, and housework, but they were always up for sex…(pun intended).

Our husbands would probably blush if they knew what we talk about when they’re not around. They probably think we discuss shoe styles, recipes and fifty ways to sexually satisfy them. Those topics, seen slashed across covers of women’s magazines, may be addressed in the Thirty Something circle, but they rarely cross the lips of my Down And Dirty Well-Over-Sixty girlfriends –- especially if a bottle of Merlot is involved.

For years there has been a hushed battle between couples married thirty or more years. Most men in these relationships continue to want sex on a regular basis – like once a day. Women also enjoy sex on a regular basis; but more like once a month. This issue may have remained under cover, so to speak, were it not for the creation of Viagra, and Senator Bob Dole’s candid television talks about it back in 1999. These two events enlightened the world to the fact that older couples not only “do it” but are intent on doing it clear into senility. This new drug has caused men to pound their chests and howl like Tarzan, while their Janes can often be found hiding in fetal positions, on the floor of closed closets.

The accepted theory is that man’s desire for sex is nature’s way of assuring propagation. Towards this goal God, in His infinite wisdom, created Little Helpers, in the form of Playboy Magazine, Fredericks of Hollywood, Victoria’s Secret, and the Wonder Bra, and since when do men need a special bra to ensure that they’ll notice women’s breasts? Recent years have brought a litany of additional male enhancement drugs, with Viagra still leading the pack.

I thought I’d spice things up by asking my girlfriends direct questions about their sex lives. We’re pretty candid with each other so I didn’t think they would object. Each has been married over forty years, with the exception of me. I had been married for twenty three years, divorced for twenty three, and was now remarried, for five years. We were all anxious to talk; mostly about our timeworn libidos.

“He wants sex every damn morning,” complained Vicki. “I can’t sneak out of bed fast enough. His eyes barely open and he lunges for me.”

“Well,” Michelle chimed in, “I’m still asleep and looking like a raccoon with yesterday’s smeared eye makeup, and morning breath that could win a war but does any of that matter to Don?  Nooooo. ‘There’s only one thing I’m interested in,’ he said, ‘and it doesn’t involve your breath or your face,’ he winked.”

“‘Doesn’t it bother you that I’m not mentally here to enjoy it with you?” I asked him. ‘Not at all,’ he answered. So we compromised. I told him he could do whatever he wanted with me so long as he didn’t wake me up me in the process.”

“I’m afraid to sleep with my back to Bob,” said Vicki. “I did that once and was rudely awakened when he bulldozed me onto the floor in the throes of passion.”

Denise smiled. “The best thing that ever happen to me was Al’s blood pressure pills. They render him helpless.”

“I’ve always enjoyed sex,” I admitted, “but somewhere along the way my sex drive plummeted. I knew it wasn’t fair to Marc. My gynecologist suggested adding a little testosterone to my estrogen prescription, confident it would perk up my libido. It didn’t. But it worked out great. My voice dropped an octave, and I grew facial hair, so Marc is no longer interested.”

I continued probing. “Do you think another man, other than your husband, might be capable of turning you on?” I asked.

“Absolutely.” “Damn tootin’.” “You betcha’.” They each responded positively.

“So,” I continued, “it’s not that you have lost interest in sex; it’s that you’ve lost interest in sex with your husbands.”

“It would seem that way,” said Michelle. “After 48 years with the same man it’s like a robotic dance,” she continued. “One. Two. Three. Moooan.”

“It’s like a new dress,” said Sondra. “After wearing it a few dozen times it’s hard to get excited about it anymore, and you find yourself wanting to head to the mall for something new.”

Michelle jumped back in. “Viagra is killing me. Since his retirement, I swear, sex is Don’s new hobby. I begged him to find something else to do; something that doesn’t involve me, but he flashed an evil grin, and said it’s more fun with me.”

“A form of Viagra is now being used by women,” I said. “Some believe it helps and others say it doesn’t. It’s hard to know because it’s difficult to measure impotency in women; we don’t get erections. And there’s so much more to deal with like difficulty getting aroused, painful dryness,………….. ……………..” “……..and it can take so long to reach orgasm you’re both certain the Messiah will come before you do,” interrupted Michele.

Everyone laughed and shook their heads in agreement.

Nothing was solved at this gathering, but I think we were happy to discover we were not alone in the way we felt.

How comforting for men to know that when their sexual desire no longer matches their performance ability, there will always be doctors, scientists and the FDA working overtime to restore their joy and pleasure. It seems to me that if God could create majestic mountains, magnificent oceans, and men with sex drives that last far beyond child bearing years, He could have put more time and effort into spicing up aging women’s sagging libidos. As it is, the playing fields are not equal.

Other posts by this author:

Battle of the Bulge

How the Home Shopping Network Turned Me into a Zebra

Open at Your Own Risk

Up, Up and Away – Or Not

An Apple a Day Doesn’t Work

Vacationing with a Stranger

Help! I’m Drowning in Minutiae

 

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That’s Life

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

I walked right into this one.

It was the Tuesday after Easter and Felicia, our maid, showed up to clean our sunny studio apartment which we rented for our short stay in Chapala, Mexico.

Easter is a BIG deal here in Latin America. If one is looking for topics of conversation with locals, it’s always safe to ask about family, church holidays, and the weather.

The beautiful malecon in Chapala

“Did you have a good Easter?” I asked.

Felicia’s blank look took me by surprise.

“You know, there’s Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, then Easter. Did you have a good Easter?”

“No,” she said. “I had to work. I work every Sunday. All day. I take the bus to Guadalajara and clean this lady’s house.”

I couldn’t help myself. “Even Easter?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes. I have to work, I have no choice. My husband is sick.”

Oh boy. Emotionally, I didn’t want to be here. I tried to have a light, friendly conversation on a safe topic and here I am, right in the middle of it. Many times the husbands of these working class people have back problems from the manual labor they do. I just assumed that was the issue, but I couldn’t retreat from the conversation now. Should I just pretend I didn’t hear her response or that I didn’t understand her Spanish? Or maybe I should be rude, turn my head and not continue our chat.

The pier at Lake Chapala

But you know that’s just not me. I had to move forward now that I was here, and the only way out was through.

“Oh… problems with his back?” I returned. “How old is he?”

“No. No problems with his back. He’s 45 years old and has been sick since he was 37. He has seizures. Do you know about Epilepsy?”

I wasn’t really expecting this. Yes, I was familiar with epilepsy and seizures but the people I knew had the disease contained with medication.

“He can’t work because he never knows when he’s going to have an attack. He falls, hits his head. He doesn’t remember things. He takes 9 pills every day for this, but nothing works.”

Now it was my turn to look at her blankly. I really didn’t know what to say.

Felicia continued. “He has no more upper teeth or lower teeth because the falls knocked them out. And the left side of his tongue is gone because he bit it off.”

I had no more words to say. I had no answers. Not even suggestions.

“That’s life,” she said as she went back to mopping the floor.

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The Cyprus Crisis

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Ray is one of our regular Readers who presently lives in Italy. From time to time, he sends us his perspective on the current economic situation in Europe. In this post, he tells us his inside view of the Cyprus Banking Crisis.

This month, my letter to you from Southern Europe is an insight into the current banking crisis which is gripping most of the Mediterranean countries these days. Cyprus has been grabbing headlines all week with dangerous new precedents being set almost every day as we observe this crisis unfold.

What is it all about and how did we get here? You may well ask.

It’s called interconnectivity.

Everything in the Eurozone is completely interconnected and the power lies firmly in Brussels. What is very worrying for its citizens is the fact that Brussels now has the power to sack and elect prime ministers without holding democratic elections. We have already seen this play out here in Italy with the forcing out of Berlusconi and his replacement by the EU bureaucrat, Monti.

The result?

The economy has deteriorated, unemployment is skyrocketing, companies are closing down every day and the people are becoming desperate. Money is moving offshore to other places like Malta where currencies can be hedged against the € for example, by holding £ sterling.

NOTE: 85% of this bank account has been blocked!

Following the recent elections, Italy is now worse off than it was before and currently has no government at all, with each side refusing to compromise with the other.

Every day we see dangerous new measures being taken in Cyprus that challenge what we thought was previously secure. The reason that this country is in deep trouble is the fact that it was punching well above its weight as a tax and banking haven. The financial services sector had become up to 6 times larger than the true GDP, and therefore far too big to fail. With the meltdown of Greece, the two main Cypriot banks held over €5bn in Greek bonds, and with the ‘hair cut’ announced by the Greek government, their creditors took a massive hit. This included the main two Cypriot banks, sparking this current crisis. The EU central bank, the IMF and the EU Commission egged on by Germany, all piled on pressure for Cyprus to plunder the deposit accounts of its savers – a significant proportion of whom are Russians – to raise almost the same amount as caused by the crisis in the first place.

Lesson from Cyprus? Own physical Gold & Silver

In Italy, back in 1992, the then-government made a one-off bank levy of 1% to raise money to pay off debts, but these moves forced on Cyprus in response to the EU demands as part of a bail out set totally new and very dangerous precedents.

For the first time, depositors have found out that tax havens and places where the deposit interest rates are higher than that the norm are no longer secure. The commentators are saying that some depositors will be losing up to 80% of their money. It’s madness. The Russians called it ‘stealing stolen money.’ These events point to a declining and desperate Europe which has accumulated so much debt that it’s looking more and more like a banana republic every day. Your money is no longer safe and people who worked hard and saved hard are now being told they cannot freely obtain their own money. Instead, they have a very limited access. The lesson here is that this will soon be the new standard to follow for other troubled European countries. This could happen in Portugal, Spain and even here in Italy. This kind of ‘war on investors‘ who are looking for above average returns is dangerous new territory with untold implications.

The Cypriots have rioted on the streets the same as in Greece and its citizens are waking up today to the dawn of a new era. And it could be coming our way any time soon.

Best regards,

Ray

Other pieces by this author:

A Current Economic Glimpse into Europe

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Orthopedic Care in Guatemala

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Guest post by Lori Shea, Owner, Guatemala Medical Travel.  Lori first arrived in Rio Dulce, Guatemala aboard a sailboat in 2005 and had a home and business there for two years. For more information on Cancer therapies visit her website.

With no conscious effort at all, our bones, joints and muscles engage as one miraculous mechanical unit. They propel us forward, as intended, with perfectly syncopated balance and strength. That is, until the pain starts.

Sometimes it’s a dull ache in the hips or a “slippery,” unstable feeling in the knees that gives you concern. Ibuprophen and other anti-inflammatories can work wonders to reduce discomfort. However, when the pain keeps you up at night, and it’s difficult to rise from sitting, it is time to see the doctor.

About hips

X-rays may show loss of the cartilage in the hip socket and a “bone-on-bone” appearance. Bone spurs and bone cysts are commonly seen on detailed diagnostic scans like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scans. The goal of hip replacement surgery is to relieve pain and increase the mobility and function of a damaged hip joint, and is usually considered only when other therapies, such as physical therapy and pain medications, have failed.

Minimally invasive hip replacement allows the surgeon to perform the hip replacement through one or two small incisions. Patients usually have less pain compared with traditional hip replacement surgery, and rehabilitation is faster.

Total hip replacement, called total hip arthroplasty, is a common orthopedic procedure also; it involves removing the head of the thighbone (femur) and replacing the ball-and-socket mechanism of the hip with artificial implants.

Hip prostheses consist of a ball component, made of metal or ceramic, and a socket, which has an insert or liner made of plastic, ceramic or metal. The femoral component is generally cobalt chromium combined with titanium, which induces bone growth into the implant. The ceramic head of the acetabular cup is coated with bone growth inducing material. The implants used in hip replacement are bio-compatible—meaning they’re designed to be accepted by your body—and they’re made to resist corrosion, degradation and wear.

Do not let Fear make your decisions for you. Risk has a price and so does security.

Leading experts

In Guatemala, Dr. Guillermo Claverie is a leading figure in the field of orthopedics. He has over 25 years of experience and performs 500 total hip and knee replacements per year. Dr. Claverie has documented high success rates with private patients from all around the world, and with local Guatemalans who benefit from low-cost surgeries through his charitable foundation, Fundaorto. The Guatemalan-American Foundation for Advanced Orthopedic Surgery was founded by Dr. Claverie and his wife in 1999.

US prices on left, Guatemala prices on right

Arthroscopy is a common surgical procedure in which a joint (arthro-) is viewed (-scopy) using a small camera. During the procedure, your orthopedic surgeon inserts the arthroscope (a small camera instrument about the size of a pencil) into your knee joint. The arthroscope sends the image to a high-definition television monitor so that your surgeon can see the structures of the knee in great detail. Arthroscopy is a very effective tool that allows your surgeon to feel, repair or remove damaged tissue.

In the prestigious and modern Multimedica Hospital in Guatemala City, Dr. Álvaro Collia has specialized in traumatology, orthopedics and sports medicine for over 11 years. In his practice, he normally treats 300-350 cases of shoulder, hip and knee problems per month. Dr. Collia performs about 20 total hip and knee replacements every month with nearly 100% successful results and patient satisfaction. Since 2010, Dr. Collia has been researching both minimally invasive surgery methods and stem cell therapies in order to offer his patients the most cutting-edge medical treatments available.

Durable and flexible materials used

The materials used in artificial joints vary, depending on the type of joint being replaced and how the joint needs to function.

Hip joints, for example, need to be sturdy and able to bear your body’s weight. Knee joints need to be flexible as well as strong. In general, the components must be durable, flexible and able to function in the body without causing an immune system reaction.

Replacements for hip and knee joints include portions made from metal, such as stainless steel, titanium or chrome and cobalt alloys. The patella or kneecap replacement is made of a strong, durable plastic called polyethylene. The zirconium implants are made of metal that has gone through a process that allows oxygen to absorb into the metal, creating a ceramic surface. These implants incorporate the benefits of a smooth surface with the benefits of a hard material, making it an ideal option for both hips and knees.

Artificial joints have improved greatly since they were first introduced around 40 years ago, and all the finest high-tech Biomet implants are imported to Guatemala direct from the manufacturer. There are new types of knee replacement parts that are highly flexible, allowing the knee to bend up to 155 degrees. The pieces are designed to fit perfectly together and to function as closely as possible to a natural joint. Special bone cement is used in some cases to hold static parts of the artificial joint in place.

While traditional implants last about 15 years, those made of these newer materials potentially can last up to 20 or 25 years. Guatemalan surgeons, with many years of global training, extensive practical experience and cutting-edge technical instrumentation, are striding gracefully and confidently into the future.

Other articles by this author:

Buying Medical Care vs. Buying Medical Insurance

Cancer Treatment in Guatemala

Stem Cell Therapy – The Future

To watch an insightful and instructive video on Guatemala Medical Travel with interviews of both Doctors and Patients, Click Here 

Interview with Lori Shea, Owner, Guatemala Medical Travel

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Questions on Continuous Care in Latin America

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Hi guys,

My husband and I just love all of the info we get from you! We are in the investigation phase of our plan to live abroad and one of the things we haven’t been able to get any info on is Continuing Care in other countries, especially Latin America. We’re all going to reach a point in our lives where we won’t be able to live independently anymore and what happens at that point?

If we have chosen to move to another country, get involved in the community and make new friends we probably won’t want to come back to the US, plus the cost of care here is already astronomical. Who knows what it will be in another 10+ years. What plans have you and Billy made for such a time? We don’t have any kids to take care of us at that time, but I would imagine that there are folks with kids who still would not want to come back to the US to live.

Thanks for all you do!

Linda

Reduce your cost of living. Pay less for medical care. Find better weather. Create a healthier way of life.

Hi Linda,

Thank you for writing to express such kind comments about our work here on Retire Early Lifestyle. We very much appreciate it!

Your question about Continuing Care in other countries is an excellent one. Especially as we Boomers age, the receiving of live-in care or having assisted living facilities available would simply be the next phase of our age group receiving medical attention.

We may be young at heart, but we are all aging.

What we can tell you from our observation and experience is that the countries which are supplying Medical Tourism on one level or another as a business enterprise, are very aware that we are a large consumer group. It is in their best interest to prepare for a wave of Americans who will need this next level of care.

We know that there are some enterprising Expats who are renovating houses and providing for convalescent nursing home services (I believe there is one located in Ajijic, in the Lake Chapala area). Some of these specialize in stroke victims or Alzheimer’s patients. There are local services in larger towns and cities (Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, Rosarita, Puerto Escondido, Guadalajara, all located in Mexico or Antigua or Guatemala City in Guatemala) which can envision this business opportunity and are organizing in-home nursing assistance where you pay by the hour. There is also an End of Life Care Services organization in Chapala

To learn more about the benefits of medical tourism, international dentists, hospitals, clinics, and insurance click here

Towns and cities where there are larger groups of Expats would be the places to look for these up and coming needed services. Our aging is the next swell of business opportunity, and medical professionals will want to capitalize on this. And I would certainly look into the already-organized volunteer groups in any community to find out the latest news and projects. They will know what’s going on – if anything – on this topic.

On a smaller, more personal level, one could live almost anywhere in Latin America and – after becoming involved in the community somewhat – you could hire a local to take care of things like housekeeping, shopping and cooking. This would be more affordable than you would now imagine with nothing comparable available in the States. I would contact the hospitals and clinics in any area where you are living and arrange with them for nursing care. They would know of nurses available for hire or perhaps put you in touch with someone who could facilitate this. Don’t forget, there are still doctors in Latin America who make house calls and actually have your best health interests in mind. These medical professionals will arrange for what you need, and this is something for which Billy and I can personally vouch.

I would say in general that this is probably still a fairly fluid situation at the moment but not a vast desert with no answers in sight.

Still, for most people, the language barrier, cultural variations and the differences in food will be a daunting challenge. And it seems as people age, they become less flexible of mind and that in itself poses a problem.

For info on bio-nutrition, Naturopathic Doctors, sports medicine, preventative care, leading edge medical approaches click here

The solutions for this next stage will come about, I have no doubt. I don’t believe that they are fully in place now, and there might be some bumpy roads to traverse in the meanwhile. But if you think about it, there are thousands of resourceful people who all want this to happen, and so it will. It will be a partnership with those of us who require this assistance and those who are able to provide it.

I hope you find my response to be useful and please feel free to write any time. In your travels, if you find any viable information yourselves, we would love to pass it on to our readers.

Wishing you all the best,

Akaisha and Billy

 For other related stories and information click here

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Honor, Respect and a Purple Eggplant

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Retire Early Lifestyle

Enjoy this guest blog post by Annegreth Gori who has created a fulfilling semi-retirement with utilizing her skills as a nurse, volunteering around the world. You may follow her here on her blog or write to her directly at annegrethgori@yahoo.ca

To each a different path

I could never do what you do!

I’ve heard this so many times and of course you are right: you could never do what I do and nor should you. Do whatever you want and deep-down desire. If it is staying put in your comfort zone, so be it. If you choose not to stay home, then the world is your oyster and the pearl is yours alone to find and polish.

When I worked full time – often 2-3 jobs plus volunteering in various capacities – I was raising my son as a single parent, and all I wanted to do was escape. I had vague ideas and even less money.

Out of the blue the opportunity arose to report on projects in India. This was financed by a small group I was involved in and for which we did the fundraising. Since the money for the projects was matched by a government agency, an inspection was necessary and long overdue.

I volunteered.

I bravely proposed that if they would pay for my flight, I would do the rest on my own. They agreed, so I went.

Life is your pearl to polish!

Not exactly a smooth landing

Having been to India once before I thought to myself “This is no problem!” I even landed in Mumbai without having bothered with a hotel reservation. This might have worked in Delhi, but arriving in Mumbai in the middle of the night turned out to be a bad choice. All the hotels I could afford were locked tight and my only option was to beg and bribe a watchman to let me stay in the stairwell behind iron gates.

After this self-imposed deprivation, I took the overnight train the next evening to my first project destination vowing to allow myself some luxury. I planned to stay in my guide book’s highly recommended ex-Maharaja palace with a swimming pool.

And, I hadn’t yet contacted my hosts where eventually I was to stay.

Hyderabad was a bit off the backpackers-tourist radar, and the ex-palace was affordable and certainly impressive as I walked into the reception area. Here I was assured there was indeed a swimming pool. The office suggested that I could give them all my clothes to be washed and that they would be ready by late afternoon. Donning my swimsuit, I grabbed a towel and handed my clothes to the maid for cleaning. I happily made my way through the slightly less impressive dusty garden only to find when I arrived at the pool that it was empty!

A tense query at reception resulted in a smile and a shrug so I retreated to my room to sulk.

My host found me here a few hours later, insulted that I had preferred a hotel room to her home. This is when I explained to her that  before moving into her home we first had to wait for my clothes.

Loosen your grip on routine and follow your Dreams!

Meeting powerful perspectives

All the next week we toured project sites and found that many of the wells did not work anymore – pumps were broken and even with replacement parts they had not been fully repaired. The most shocking perspective to me was that the “untouchables” were not allowed to use wells which were still operating. All of this had to appear in my report and I was increasingly uncomfortable with the hospitality I was receiving. I suspected that more was being hidden from me.

Volunteering brings perspective and satisfaction to Life

With relief I boarded the train to my next destination in Orissa, where I then had to take a bus to a small town. My Hyderabad host had been doubtful about my journey but I was eager to be gone. It was not until I sat on the bus – I was the only white-faced passenger – did I feel a little apprehensive. It was a long and dusty ride, and we did not stop for any bathroom breaks. All I can say girls, is wear a skirt! One can learn to squat in a row with all the other women and simply ignore the stares when nature really calls!

When I arrived at my destination and walked into the clinic, I was greeted by shouts of incomprehension.

“How did you get here?”

“By bus of course!” I replied.

Nobody, my new host exclaimed, would take the bus! Of course he meant nobody white, especially a woman who was alone!

Honor, respect and a purple eggplant

Things settled down after that and I had a great time touring clinics and checking wells in remote tribal areas. Here whole villages greeted us upon arrival and we were escorted with music and garlands to the place of honor. To my horror, I found that I had to give speeches. I concentrated on women’s rights, which at this time in history must have confused the heck out of everyone.

But the women in the doctor’s household showed their respect by insisting on making me my first Salwar Kameez. To their amusement and to the tailor’s despair they used more than twice the material needed for a regular-sized Indian woman.

The result was stunning. I looked like a large purple eggplant!

Become a mentor! Teach, learn, give. Volunteer.

For more stories on Volunteering, click here

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