A New Beginning!

Roger & Suzanne

  What a ride it has been over the past few months!  Our home for more than a decade has been sold.  We've done  flea markets, consignment shops and visited donation centers to reduce our 40-plus year accumulation of personal possessions.  We've restructured our 401-K's, rolled over Suzanne's pension money and calculated budgets at least three dozen different ways.   We've read everything from magazines to blogs and have corresponded with ex-patriates and sought advice from people who have lived overseas.  We listened with patience to the horrified cautions issued by our friends.  We've sought advice and council from our grown son.  Our doctors have inspected and examined us in detail and pronounced us fit for travel.

  It has finally boiled down to searching our heart of hearts and making a decision.  Are we ready to retire?  Are we prepared to adopt a whole new way of life? Are we ready to begin the adventure of moving abroad and accepting the challenges of a whole new culture and environment.  Can we really make this happen?  Is this really what we want to do at this point in our lives?   We keep asking ourselves these questions over and over again.  The answer has echoed back from the centers wherein our deepest thoughts and feelings lie:  Yes! Yes! Yes!   

   And so it finally begins.   After at least two and a half years of contemplation and exploring, we've reached a decision.  Within three weeks of this posting, we will both be separated from our jobs and making final preparations for the beginning of our journey.  Our first step will be an exploratory two month visit to Ecuador.  Cuenca, Ecuador is currently our first choice of retirement locations based on our research. but we've never been there.  There's no better way to make the final decision than to just go there and live.  Should, it not work out, the central highlands of Mexico, an area we've visited multiple times and dearly cherish will become our home.  We are in awe of the options we have before us and we feel truly blessed.

   Are there anxious moments?  Certainly!  Do we sometimes wonder if we've thought everything through?  Of course!   But are we excited, happy and, at moments, giddy as we once were when we bought our first new home together? Oh yes, indeed!   Hand in hand, we look forward to tomorrow and all the challenges and wonder it may bring.  We are together on the road of life.  Juntos en el camino de la vida!