About sandyjeans

Status:

Preparing to Move Abroad 

Gender:

Female

Currently Lives:

Citizen Of:

United States

About sandyjeans

I've always had a travel bug, as has most of my family, but as the primary caretaker for several seriously ill family members for most of my adult life, I had to put off most of my explorations. I am finally in a position with financial and family obligations to be able to take off. Unfortunately, I suffered my own health crisis, but am on the mend and as soon as I get the OK from my Drs, I'm outta here! I'm selling off or giving away almost everything - my home, my collections, even most of my clothes! My car is already gone. I'm reorganizing my online sales business of 17 years to a form and size I can manage while on the road. I'm 62, obese, and in terrible shape physically after a year of enforced idleness, but with the drive and curiosity of a 20yo. I plan to wander for at least 10 years, hopefully beginning in Dec 2015. Most of my destinations are in Central America to start, with the intentions of painlessly losing weight by indulging on all the great fruit & increased walking. I also plan 2 cruises with my father in '16 to cover the last 2 items on his bucket list: Panama Canal & Boston to Quebec for the Fall Colors. After that, I have a world to experience! Luckily, I have immediate and extended family in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Florida, Virginia, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Africa, Singapore, & Indonesia. I have friends all over the world, too. So if not beds, I will have personal tour guides there. I plan to travel slowly, spending a few weeks or even months each place. Very little of that will be in hotels. Maybe just the 1st night of arrival & before catching an early flight. Most of it will be renting furnished apartments or a room in a local home, or staying at hostels. Most tourist attractions I'll avoid. I'd prefer history museums, local markets, and sitting in cafes & sodas watching people since I want to learn the culture. My Spanish & German are rusty, but are quickly coming back to me as I use DuoLingo. I have a plan for the 1st 2 years, but it's a loose one, so I can go with the flow and take advantage of killer deals I find or tag along with another traveler to somewhere I haven't been. I do have friends that want to join me for certain legs, but for the most part, I'll be traveling alone.

Advice for New Expats

Pare your life down to a suitcase, a carry-on, and a few boxes in storage or with a friend. Sell the house. Sell the furniture. Sell the car. Get out there & explore the world and be open to alternative forms of travel. Eschew the upscale hotels & try hostels, airbnb, VRBO, house-sitting, couch surfing, etc. Stay each place for at least a few days & if you like the vibes, rent a furnished home for a month or so in a neighborhood, not a compound. Worrying about theft is silly - don't bring anything you would not be willing to lose!

I would love to live in...

On the road!

Favorite Cuisine:

Sonoran Mexican

Some Forum Posts:

Guatemala: Netflix video about Guate:

I'm not seeing it on netflix

Mexico: Best climate & safe?:

I am a single, 62yo woman and plan to leave the US next year to travel the world for the next 10+ years, spending 1-6 months in each place. I'm in Phoenix now, so the logical first stop would be to spend time in Mexico before I head south. I know a lot of the country has become pretty dicey as to safety, but also know that's not the WHOLE country. I'm looking for towns with temps between 80 highs & 50 lows, not more than 4000 ft elevation (breathing problems). They will need to have bus service & taxis available as I am not bringing a car and some sort of medical urgent care or similar and a hospital not more than an hour away. I want to rent a small, furnished home (or apt if I have to) while there. I do not need an expat/gated community, but the area MUST have fast internet available, as I work online, keep in touch with my Filipino employees via Skype, and like to stream movies. Dining out at fine restaurants is not my thing. While I do like to eat at taco shops frequently, I plan to eat like the locals when at home. I'll shop ferias and small shops with only occasional trips to an American-style market for a few things. I'll already be packing the condiments/spices I can't live without. I don't garden or hike - I get more enjoyment out of sitting outside a cafe or on the plaza people watching, talking to locals, or exploring small history or art museums. I do speak un poco Espanol already, and have started online classes to refresh my university classes from years ago. I have retirement income of $2150/mo from 2 government sources and my online business clears a couple hundred a month, but I want somewhere I can comfortably live on $1200 or less. I will have a small nest egg as emergency funds and the balance of my income each month will go towards transportation to the next place or sightseeing where I am. I know it can be done on that, but am trying to figure out where to go! Where do you recommend? Any other tips would be appreciated!

Costa Rica: Where to live/avoid for asthmatics:

I am planning to move to CR in about a year and am doing homework on where to live. I have serious asthma and am wondering if there are areas recommended to check out OR to avoid.

Ecuador Welcome Forum: Netflix in Ecuador:

I currently watch my Netflix through my Tivo box (still in US). I hope that will work there, too!

Guatemala: Need temp place to rent/stay around Antigua while I look for long-term house to rent:

Check https://www.airbnb.com

Guatemala: Medical marijuana?:

Is medical marijuana legal here?

Ecuador: Medical marijuana?:

Is medical marijuana legal here?

Costa Rica: Medical Marijuana?:

Is medical marijuana legal here?

Ecuador: Internet in Banos:

This is great to know, Ecuadorjoe! Salinas is on my short list, but fast, reliable service is important to me both for my business and for streaming Netflix :-P

Costa Rica: Be honest. . . cockroaches & sewer roaches?:

I can deal with mice, bats, scorpions, snakes, spiders, etc. But have an extreme phobia of cockroaches & sewer roaches. How big a problem are they in different parts of the country? Also, I have finally found a poison that REALLY works on them. Replenish it every 6 months & not even a sign of them anymore. And I live in a 1971 mobile home that was overrun when I bought it 6 years ago. Am I going to run into probs with customs bringing it in?

Date Joined:

8/17/2014

Total Posts:

32

Posts/Day:

0.03