I don’t want to inundate this forum with my postings but I feel a certain impulse to express my thought based on my personal memory. I thank this forum for providing excellent opportunity for anyone to write wide variety of opinion.
Since I started looking for a country in which I want to live after retirement, I have noticed somewhat selfish motive of retirees and related business communities for which I felt a little resentment. So I intentionally criticized certain activities and related people, for which I like to make excuse and explain further in detail.
All or majority of expat service related web sites’ focus is on real estate investment opportunity and also most future expats’ interest seems to be on the same subject. It is understandable for anyone to protect his financial interest for which he or she has spent significant portion of lifetime savings whether it is business or dwellings but if its motive is on pure speculation that most web sites instigate or a certain people are looking for then we really have to take into consideration of its effects. This itself takes so lengthy discussion that I’d like to skip any more writing for that matter.
Another thing I’ve noticed is the superficial perception of gringos toward the local people. Without any exception there is unanimous agreement how friendly the people are. The real interesting fact is the agreement is ubiquitous for any country in any region. It seems to be any people all over the world except gringos is friendly or every body in the world is friendly especially to gringos. Perhaps they may have different expectations before they arrive. So a lot of expats are enjoying the life in a place with rich culture and friendly people.
These two are major impressions I am having from most response or web sites. I am not trying to judge whether it is good or bad but I always feel that there is a certain thing missing. Whenever I took a trip to remote farm area to escape rat racing urban life I felt peaceful tranquility with beautiful scenery. And seeing the farmers with rough hands, tanned face and warm hospitality, I got into hypnotized illusive romanticism and whispered myself how pure these poor people were. I felt that in Thailand and Philippine too. Is really poor farmer purer than urbanite? One day I put myself as the poor farmer and ask myself whether I would think I had peaceful life with tranquility and pure spirit. But the reality was every young generation wanted to get out of farming country which was deserted gradually and no one seemed to think their parents were purer and friendlier than others. Actually their naked nature without urban discipline tends to get more violent and less civil. It was just my own fantasy without true knowledge and understanding of their hard and rough life. I used them as an objects for my impromptu fantasy.
I’m not trying to write an essay and I have no talent for literature. But I feel a little paradox while millions of Latinos try to get out of their own country and smuggle to other area as illegal aliens, all the gringos enjoy retirement life in their country thinking how wonderful and friendly the culture and people are. It is as if young man sees a beautiful girl and thinks how sexy she is without knowing her sorrow. And I keep thinking whether I can feel their pain and see the world with their eyes. Then how should I live there and what should I talk about with them?
I really don’t care about the crime rate or a location of nice restaurant. I’d like to talk about more fundamental things I can share with them. Real estate investment is obviously not one of them. As a matter of facts I will not even buy any property. Renting is better for me and them.
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