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Some Thoughts on Retiring to an Expatriate Destination As a Single Individual


Advertisements of the ideal Retirement destination -- and every destination advertised is for the advertiser THE ideal location -- usually contain photos of older couples. They are often depicted walking hand in hand along a beach, or sitting quietly together under a coconut palm, sipping margaritas. The unspoken supposition is that upon retirement most of us will find ourselves in one way or another tied to a spouse or significant other with time for the adventure, hobbies, travel, and romantic adventures that were not possible prior to retirement.

You seldom see a picture representing retirement with a single individual as the focal point. Of course, in the real world there are large numbers of single retirees. When you consider that most retirees are over sixty, even with the extended lifetime expectancy today, there will be a significant number of individuals that have been married, but are now divorced, widowed, or a widower. You also find that there are a significant number of unattached singles that, due to career choices, never tied themselves to one partner.

Who is in this singles group? A lot of us! As recently as Fall, 2010, National Public Radio reported that in the United States there are now more single adults than married adults, with approximately 40 million each of male and female Baby Boomers. Those numbers are significant and there is a very good chance that you might be in this group (if not already), when you start choosing your Expatriate retirement destination.

After retirement, whether you retire to a specific expatriate destination or become a perpetual traveler, you will be sharing your life with someone, even if only your neighbors, or fellow group travelers. The degree to which you interact with them depends on your own personal social patterns. As a single, your interactions with people of a certain marital status should be less significant that whether you share common interests. This is no different than in the relationships of couples.

There are many opportunities in most expat communities to socialize and serve. Being single in some cases might make it easier to do so. You will probably have more flexibility than a couple would. Not having to consult with a partner can also make it easier to uproot and move to another destination if the present one becomes inconsistent with your personal needs.

When you desire to share your expatriate ventures with someone else, that too is easy. For the most enjoyment, you should always choose a like-minded partner or partners with whom to share your adventures.

Finding a similar interest group is easiest when traveling. You simply pick topical adventures where participants are likely to share the same interests as you, and hope that personality differences will not hinder you enjoyment.

In general life for a single expatriate differs little from that of a couple. As long as you choose to be around people with compatible interests, you may find it even easier to adjust than a couple.



Dr. Lamar Ross, a cultural anthropologist by training, has a special interest in training individuals for expatriate living and providing information on unique travel destinations. He is an author, educator, photographer, internet entrepreneur, and international traveler. He has lived in the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and India and has traveled extensively in 29 different countries.

He presently splits his time between the U.S. and the Republic of Panama. He speaks both English and Spanish fluently and has a basic ability in several other languages. For more information on expatriate living, check out the blog Expatriate Traveler Notes. Check out also his Everything Travel Blog






This post first appeared on Why Do Single People Have To Pay More To Stay Alon, please read the originial post: here

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Some Thoughts on Retiring to an Expatriate Destination As a Single Individual

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