Wherever we've lived around the world, we've always lived among the natives and locals ...
... not in an enclave for expats.
Our circumstances are somewhat different now, "thanks" to our age and the next chapter in our lives.
Retired and living on Social Security + Medicare (with wraparound "Medicare Advantage" health insurance), we're looking to get out of the increasingly political hotbed that's going to explode one of these days over any number of issues national, international, and local. Remember "states' rights" and the Civil War?
Anyway, our plan is to settle either in Cuenca, Ecuador (perfect climate year-round, beautiful history, etc.) which is a bit too far, costly and time-consuming in terms of airfares and transit times to the states, and complicated in terms of moving our three dogs through four separate take-offs and landings.
Granada, Nicaragua, has much that we like going for it, including that it takes half the time and half the cost to travel to and from the USA.
Granada proper, however, is a little too hot for our comfort ... and doesn't lend itself well (at a price we can afford) to opening a small "boutique" bed and breakfast.
Lake Apoyo, however, does.
We have come across this large, new property that has plenty of rooms, a separate guest house, a pool, and two garages ... for, what we think, is a reasonable price: $165,000 USD.
http://jproperties.weebly.com/nicaragua--new-lakeview-villa.html
The issue we grappling with is that the property is part of the planned "Club Vistalagos" which has much going for it in terms of its proposed efforts to revive and preserve the ecosystem and natural resources.
But it's a gated community for Canadian and American expats. Sure, our guests would probably feel safer in such a compound ... but something simply bothers me about moving to other people's country and then living apart from them in a zone of my own.
I would appreciate any input or feedback you might be willing to share on our dilemma ... as long as the discourse is civil, polite, and as honest as possible.
Thanks for your consideration.
... not in an enclave for expats.
Our circumstances are somewhat different now, "thanks" to our age and the next chapter in our lives.
Retired and living on Social Security + Medicare (with wraparound "Medicare Advantage" health insurance), we're looking to get out of the increasingly political hotbed that's going to explode one of these days over any number of issues national, international, and local. Remember "states' rights" and the Civil War?
Anyway, our plan is to settle either in Cuenca, Ecuador (perfect climate year-round, beautiful history, etc.) which is a bit too far, costly and time-consuming in terms of airfares and transit times to the states, and complicated in terms of moving our three dogs through four separate take-offs and landings.
Granada, Nicaragua, has much that we like going for it, including that it takes half the time and half the cost to travel to and from the USA.
Granada proper, however, is a little too hot for our comfort ... and doesn't lend itself well (at a price we can afford) to opening a small "boutique" bed and breakfast.
Lake Apoyo, however, does.
We have come across this large, new property that has plenty of rooms, a separate guest house, a pool, and two garages ... for, what we think, is a reasonable price: $165,000 USD.
http://jproperties.weebly.com/nicaragua--new-lakeview-villa.html
The issue we grappling with is that the property is part of the planned "Club Vistalagos" which has much going for it in terms of its proposed efforts to revive and preserve the ecosystem and natural resources.
But it's a gated community for Canadian and American expats. Sure, our guests would probably feel safer in such a compound ... but something simply bothers me about moving to other people's country and then living apart from them in a zone of my own.
I would appreciate any input or feedback you might be willing to share on our dilemma ... as long as the discourse is civil, polite, and as honest as possible.
Thanks for your consideration.
