Where do you go from here?

Vacations are fabulous aren’t they? Nothing can beat relaxing on the beach enjoying the surf and sun, sitting in a hammock and watching the sunset with a margarita that should be famous.

Also, you noticed that the locals are the best people on the earth, so much better than those people you know back home, so much happier and kinder. You also thought the town seems to be taken straight out of a fairy tale, and that you can almost see yourself living there, walking those streets, enjoying that margarita day in and day out without a care in the world. You may tell yourself: This is the life isn’t it! Isn’t it?

Of course, there's no doubt, living overseas, abroad, and in another country seems wonderful when you are on a vacation. You may even think: why not buy property here and make this vacation last forever?

But then we all know that a life changing decision is never best made on a whim while on a vacation, because moving to a new country is a huge step. What you experience while on vacation might not be the reality of what life would be like if you moved there. Quite often the reality of the situation is much more... well real than you ever expected. Once the honeymoon of a new home in a sunny country has worn off, the reality of day to day life often sets in.

It's most likely that you will find that a town can change drastically depending on what season you come in. If a country has a high season, then naturally it will also have a low season. If you come from places like the US, Canada, and the UK, then your country can be summed up into one word: Convenience. You undoubtedly, had the most comfortable country in the world. What you want and need is there, easily accessible practically at all times of the day.

Other countries like mine, on the other hand can be quite the opposite. Whether you are looking at settling by the beach or inland, life tends to be set at a slower pace. Adventure is plentiful and living can be inexpensive. But you may loose a lot of the convenience that you have been accustomed to in the U.S. And not being able to find exactly what you need can be quite frustrating. It can be quite a culture shock if you do not consider what changes you will have to make in your daily life in a new environment.

Living and retiring overseas can change anybody's life, and it’s never wrong to chase your dreams... well almost never. Besides the world's too big and interesting to stay in one place. And discovering people's way of living and thinking is always exciting!

So if you can move to another country, would you?