How 'bout a community service position? Teaming up with other folks who are willing to roll up their sleeves in the hopes of making the world a better place is a divine in-road to establishing a healthy place in a new community. Being useful is good for the self-esteem, to boot.

Is there room for establishing a "Sister City" link between your current community and your prospective community? Political bridge building?

Just brain farting here. . . Ply gas mask, if needed. . .

I lived in various countries and it was always easier than I thought. There are certain country specifics to get a handle on (like getting a car license plate in Puerto Rico or how much bribe money you need to have in your wallet). My advice is to find some ex-pats in the area to hook up with and get the gouge about living in that country. Your rights will be different and how the local law interacts with its citizens will be different. You should register with the local embassy or consulate. The one thing that I did miss and eventually miss again when I moved back home was my brands of stuff at the grocery store. You have your brands and then you have to find new brands. I remember really liking a laundry soap that was designed for Islamic women's veils when I lived over seas. that stuff still did a better job than Tide. Just a few ideas.

I agree about hooking up with a group of expats.
My only advice would be to find a good health insurance and locate the clinics and hospitals in the area you are moving to. Pay them a visit before moving there and check them out. Also find out where the US embassy is and who your ambassador will be because you never know if you will someday need his/ her help. They may also have a booklet or printout with guidelines to help you get settled in, where to renew your green card or passport, who you need to see for what documents, processes, etc. Or just a general list of laws / rules that can be helpful.

For what it's worth
Expats, whatever the country they have expatriated from, scare me even more than the "Barracks Rats" I worked to avoid during my military tours. Listening in on those conversations always brings yet another Warren Zevon song to my head: "Lawyers, Guns and Money."

But there are quite allot of ways to float a boat.

Muji, I think with your visits there, you have pretty much established a second home. The embassy and legal regulations are important. In my travels, I always found a smile opens doors. The townhomes I live in are like a mini United Nations, so awareness of differences in every day customs are important. Not much else to share. Hugs.

The last time I moved I had to get used to a whole new set of background noises (that the house makes just because it does) and community/neighborhood rhythm. It took me a while to figure out that these things were even an issue.

I hope your move goes smoothly and that you'll enjoy your retirement.

I’ve never done the expats thing but it sounds like you’re moving in the right direction. Perhaps you might want to consider being an ESL teacher part time. I’ve seen some people do that his expats. I only suggest that because some people have difficulty in retirement going from doing a lot of work to none at all. And I think that would be perfect for you especially if it’s part time. Just an idea. Or you could do it as a volunteer.

Thanks, this week while here I've read a book written by 3 US expats living in different areas of Mexico, one where 12,000 US expats live together and one where none live. They list recommended Mexican cities for expats in their book, and my city is recommended.

It is, however, one of the more remote cities listed, they note. That's true, and it's why for financial reasons I've chosen it--it's cheap enough for me to afford, since those concentrations of US expats have driven rents up in those other areas of Mexico.

Health care, not just for PTSD but for my CKD, too (Chronic Kidney Disease) is priority one. Fortunately, this book shows that if I do the paperwork I can qualify as a foreigner for IMSS, the Mexican national health care system, like Canada's, and actually be covered better than in the States. At least in those years before I reach Medicare age.

soulsearcher's point about going from working to not working is a big issue for me looking ahead. I like to keep busy with my PTSD. I'm looking at volunteer opportunities with Non Governmental Organizations here in town. Plus, I have two signed contracts to translate two books from Spanish to English to keep me busy. That would be solitary work, though, and having the NGO volunteer work would put me with other people.

Some really great ideas here Muji. I also agree that going from working full time to not working could be a challenge. From experience, it was very difficult. I think the idea of you doing part time English lessons is awesome. You would be so great at it and if you did it with little ones I bet you would have a blast. I wonder if you could volunteer that w as y too.

If for some reason the economy skyrockets, will you qualify for assistance there as well? I am really happy you looked into the health insurance, that is important.

I see you thriving there and you have done so much research already. No doubt you will be good. Maybe we could visit some day!

Thanks, Doo, it means a lot for you to use the word "thrive" to validate me about this. In my PTSD recovery I've worked on stages of recovery with my therapist over and over. We work on a traumatic incident, and going from victim to survivor to thriver about it.

It takes a lot of work, and it's not a straight line process, nor one without setbacks It's what I'm aiming for with this move, though. Moving down here will bring up a lot of stuff for me. My traumas happened in growing up on the mission field here in Latin America (like the car bombing when I was 9, etc.). I'm trusting the process, though, that if I backslide to victim flashbacks living here, I'll go on to grow to being a survivor with them, and eventually have the chance, as you see me doing, to thrive here.

Yeah, about visits. One reason I'm choosing Mexico between the two countries (Mexico and Uruguay) where I grew up as a missionary is that Mexico's closest to the States. That way I can visit back to the States, but it's also how I can be visited by friends from the States down in Mexico, too.

Moving is one of the biggies in life so it's great that you're already looking for ways to lessen the stress of it

I would check and see if there's a support group that you might like to attend Muji as well a church that you might want to minister in

It sounds like an exciting new chapter and as Doo wrote you do want to thrive

Hi muji, i agree with everyone and I think you are doing all the right things to make your retirement a time of peace and personal growth.

When i am faced with change of any kind, one of the things I do is remember that everything in life is in constant continual change and evolution so change itself isn't the big scary thing that it feels like to us sometimes.

What is most important is our state of being and if we can still rise and meet the challenges on the emotional, mental and physical levels. Nothing is changing for you in that aspect, its just a change in geography, so whatever the unknowns are about the move, 1. You have been preparing very well for. And 2. You will still have the same capabilities there in Mexico that you have here for dealing with them so you are in a good place.

And you always have DS friends where ever you go, too.

Triple happy new year hugs for you!

Aw, thanks, Ev. That's what I try to tell myself. That my trauma is portable, it's going to go with me wherever I move to, there's no running away from that. But that by the same token, my recovery is portable, too, and there with me wherever I choose to be. I've got to remember that, too.

I followed up on what you said here, SunCloud, and right away I found out that there's a support group walking distance from my hotel where I am right now. It's got a funny name, "Neurotics Anonymous," but I checked it out online and it has a history back in the States that seems ok. I figure the label "neurotic" can't hurt me any more than accepting the label of PTSD. So I'm going to check it out.

I looked at churches for a bit, but got in a tangle of web sites on that one, so I'm going to follow through on the support group and come back to the church idea later on. Thanks for the suggestion