Job Discussion Forums

[Nabby Adams]

The longer I stay away from the UK the more I am coming to the conclusion that I don't want to go back. I'm earning a good salary at the mo but I also need to find a country to retire too as I wont be able to afford to live here in Japan when I no longer work. There must be many a long term teacher in a similar boat. Well at least the ones who aren't inheriting a house back home.
So where do you plan to hang up the chalk?

I'm thinking of somewhere like Malaysia or Thailand but not sure.

[sheikh radlinrol]

Yes, Nabby. I'm in the same boat. I'd like to retire to the Costa del Sol or Mallorca. When I was in the Gulf I met a number of people who had set up home in Cyprus and were pleased. Not sure, however, if I'd want to eek out my remaining days next to ex-squaddies and Sergeant Majors.
As for the UK? I enjoy my visits but the weather is **** and it's so bloody expensive!

[Guy Courchesne]

My retirement plans - still 30 years away mind you - are to remain in Mexico most likely. Getting into real estate now and hoping to form a family soon. I see no reason to go back to Canada.

[hollysuel]

I have similar plans here in Finland. I bought my own home a few years ago and should have it paid off sometime in my 50s... who knows what life will bring, however...

[spiral78]

Yeah, most likely the Czech Rep for me...already own a flat there.

[guty]

Does it matter if you are single or have children?

When I was single, I think I could have lived or died anywhere in the world, it wouldn't have mattered much, I made my decisions as an adult.

But now I have kids, I would rather that they grew up in the first world and have the opportunities, i.e. the wealth, to leave it or not.

The alternative would be that they grew up in a poorer country where they would be comfortable, but would find it difficult to get the capital to set up in the first world.

In other words, if they grow up in Canada/US/UK/Oz, they can afford to go and 'play' in Czech/Thailand/Peru for a few years when they grow up. I dont think that would be true in reverse.

Maybe having children is why I left EFL as a career, it is a great job for a young, single person, but once you have commitments to anybody else, or you start to think about retirement, you have to re-evaluate everything.

[Nabby Adams]

Good to hear from posters who have sorted out property for themself.

guty, I think that you raise good points but there are people like myself who find the idea of going back to the Uk bad enough, let alone try to raise a family there.

Guy you work in Mexico city, right? Do you plan to live there after retirement? I mean, capital cities are great places for earning money but wouldn't it be hard to retire there? Actually if you don't mind how much is a decent place?

Spiral, same for you, a rough guide to prices if you don't mind.

I have savings that I worry about now as inflation takes hold. I'm not sure but the idea of buying a place now....mind you Im only 40-years away from retirement I hope, seems like it may be a good idea.

Cyprus.....hmmm, yes too many Brits and squadies there for my tastes.

[naturegirl321]

Most likely Peru, we're planning on buying property. we fix it up, and it's not fun living there while it's happening and sell. We figure if we do that a couple times we could live pretty well. BUt for now, I need a break from the lifestyle here.

Id' love to retire in thailand, but I don't think that my husband'd go for that.

But there's no way I would live in Lima to retire, two years here is enoguh.

[Mike_2007]

I don't think I'd like to go back to the UK either.

I have a flat here in Bucharest and over the next few years I'd like to invest in another. I have a while till I retire, being only 36, but the basic plan would be to move out to one of the small cities in Romania and rent out this and (if it all goes according to plan) a second property in the capital and live quite comfortably off the income. Seems a lot more secure and financially rewarding than depending on either the UK or Ro pension schemes.

Mike

[denise]

[spiral78]

The Czech Rep is not cheap. That's not why I want to be there...a decent flat anywhere within 45 minutes of Prague can easily start around 75,000 USD these days. Houses would start around double that (obviously depends on age/condition/location, but single-family homes are generally VERY expensive).

The economy's relatively sound and both wages and prices grow, but not exponentially. What has soared out of reach for many is housing

It's not a place to take your TEFL savings and expect to live well.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

Good topic.

Here in Russia, I'm married (to a local) and we own a flat. We also have a young son.

The conversation about whether or not to return to the States is one we've been having, off and on, for nearly two years. The biggest reason I can see for going back home is for my son to have all the opportunities I had growing up. However, I'm not--nor will unlikely be--as wealthy as my parents (my father having been a big-wig at a bank). I have had decently paid jobs in the US in the past, though, and I'm confident I could get another if we relocated.

One the other hand, we do have a quite comfortable life here in Russia and my wife has a great job (along with my decent earning potential), so I can see no reason to leave yet. We will have a difficult decision to make in the next few years!

In terms of retirement (I'd prefer working retirement), no matter where we end up in the short-term, I can see us settling down somewhere with better weather than the Russian Far East (or Minnesota) and with enough cash to live comfortably--perhaps SE Asia (a region we both enjoy) or Latin America.

I do have certain regrets about not investing in real estate in any of the countries I'd lived in before moving to Russia (mostly Ukraine, Mexico and India). The thought had never really occured to me in my 20s, and, in retrospect, opportunities were there. My recommendation is to look into owning property (as many on this thread have done) if you see yourself making TEFL a long-term career. It is probably one of the safest and most viable retirement plans for those of our ilk!

[naturegirl321]

[GambateBingBangBOOM]

[Mrguay84]

Nabby, are you back in the UK yet?