Straight to the point, I always say.
Myung and I are planning to seek residence somewhere in Latin America, maybe Ecuador or Costa Rica. The best way to qualify for residence almost anywhere is to be married, so we’re going to do it. We’ve gotten through enough with each other and in life to feel confident we’re staying together. It was kind of easy to talk it over and decide. So there’s that, short and sweet.
Plan details: Since I started to receive my US pension, Myung can join me in most countries with pensionado residency programs, even though she herself doesn’t have any guaranteed income. We haven’t got all the details about all the documentation we need, but it does appear being married in the US will streamline some of the procedures. Because of our increased income, we have the discretionary money to make a trip to the US, which we sill do Sept 6-Oct 6. It’ll be fun to show Myung around, and we can take care of some practical matters, particularly that documentation.
We plan to have a simple civil wedding. I don’t expect many will want to attend, but anyone who wants to join us at the courthouse is welcome. Maybe we’ll have a little wingding afterward.
Even if we don’t apply for residence anywhere, it will be good to have some of our i’s dotted and t’s crossed. I’m hoping that stuff doesn’t sop up too much time, so we can tour around and have a good time. Actually, more than a month would be good, but my discretionary money isn’t enough to last longer.
That’s all happening in September. The short-term plan is to stay here in Antigua till our current rent runs out on June 22. From here, we will first go to the Mayan ruins in Copan, Honduras, then probably tour quickly around Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua. By mid-July, we will go to Costa Rica. Obviously, we will be checking that place out as a possible place to stay. People say it’s great, though a little expensive. After a month there, we should know about all we need to regarding this. No doubt, we will go down to Panama, too. Panama has a very attractive pensionado program, but it doesn’t have much cool highland. We aren’t into hot tropics. Anywhere we go will have to be cool. Then on September 5 (arriving September 6), we’ll head up to California.
On Oct. 5 (arriving Oct 6), we will fly down to Colombia. We’re headed for Ecuador, but the flights to there are hundreds of dollars more than the Spirit Airlines chicken bus to Colombia. Likely, we’ll stay no more than a week or so in Colombia as we bus toward Ecuador. Ecuador is another possible retirement destination, but it’s procedures are a little daunting. I’m trying to figure out that place now. I wish I could reach a human at any of the Ecuador consulates in the US.
That’s the big news. We’re winding down in Antigua, basically hanging out and eating up our foodstuffs. Not much to say about that. We have spring fever.
I’ll leave you with what is still my favorite picture of us, the one taken on the terrace of the Taj Mahal back in January, 2008. Be well, all of you.
