Building a Life Before You Need It
I like being old. I hope I get to stay old for a long time — not just alive, but active and curious. If I’m lucky, I’ve got another 20+ good years ahead of me. That feels realistic, given my family history and my health (I'll turn 60 this year).
What I’ve known for a long time is this: I don’t want to spend those years growing old here, in America. We are a youth-worshipping culture, and that has consequences. It's one reason why, to live a decent life here, you need $1 million+ in a 401k: You will have to pay through the nose for services that, in most countries, are not considered a terrible burden.
A friend's garden in my wife's hometown.
That's why I’m heading to the Philippines.
A lot of people my age are looking toward Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Southern Europe because they want an adventure, and they can’t afford to grow old here.
Many imagine they can parachute into a new country and instantly build a life. When I emigrate, I’ll be moving to a place I’ve visited many times, where I have extended family I genuinely like, and where I’ll be living with the woman I’ve been married to for a long time.
What worries me is how many Americans my age will move overseas with none of that. They’ll land in a country they barely understand, with no support network, no long-term relationships, and no one to call when things go sideways.
If you’re thinking about retiring abroad, start preparing now. Visit the place more than once. Make friends. Stay in a rental near the neighborhoods you’re considering. Go during the off-season, when the tourists are gone and life is normal. See the place as it really is.
I think about my great uncle sometimes. Back in the pre‑internet days, the police once called me because he got lost driving home from the grocery store — and this was in the neighborhood he’d lived in for forty years. He was a physician, brilliant and funny, but his mind went quickly at the end. Thankfully, his children lived in a nearby city, and they were able to help.
What would have happened if he’d been overseas?
I hope that aging abroad will be a fun adventure for me, in a time when most people are sitting around waiting for God. I think my chances are good, only because I thought about it 25 years ago, and started exploring the Philippines 15 years ago.
If you're thinking about the same kind of adventures, start building a life for yourself before you need it, not the month you file for Social Security.