I thought I posted this earlier, but even after logging off and logging back on, I didn't see the post show up on the board.  So I'm having another go, and forgive me if it turns out that it double-posts.  Such is the technical status of the new DS site.  

I live alone, so I don't have anyone to run my scouting results by and I hope it's ok to run them by you here.

I took a ride around this city I'm visiting of San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico today with an eye not as a tourist, but as a potential retiree here.  With my kidney disease added to my PTSD I don't think I have more than 2-3 more years of full time work in the US left in me health-wise.  I think I'll do well to make it that far, so I need to get real about retiring.  I can't afford to take early retirement and its cut in Social Security payments and pay my way to live retired alone in the US, so this is my option.  

I saw today that this city's got a population of about 200,000, so it would have all of the conveniences I'd need.  It's a lovely colonial town, although I did spy a Subway sandwich restaurant, in case I miss a sub sandwich USA-style.  I also found that the modest hotel I'm staying in has cable with US tv channels, some in English, CNN in English, and even a channel that shows US sports like NBA and NFL games, for when I get homesick for US life.  

I know myself well enough to know that I would get homesick, too, no matter how cheap or great retirement was here, so I'm glad I'd have US tv shows and sports here.  I've seen lots of North American and European tourists walking around town every day, so it looks like I'd have people to speak English to when homesickness got to me. 

Another thing I confirmed, and that is that the cost of living is indeed less than 50% of where I live in the USA, so the financial advantages of retiring here are real.  A furnished 1 br apartment in a decent part of town goes for US$350 a month with all utilities and wifi included.  An occasional home cleaning person is also affordable, something that is totally not affordable for me in the US.  With my kidney disease, down the line in retirement I might need that sort of help.  

I've gone to the supermarket 4 different times now, and groceries are cheap, as is food in general. I have had several sit-down non-gourmet Mexican style meals in downtown restaurants for US$5, tip included, and a fancy dinner once for US$14, tip also included.  Cabs go for US$3-4 instead of the US$12 I'm used to paying to get around my hometown in the US.  ALso unlike my US hometown, neither air conditioning nor central heat are needed here because the city is up in the mountains with a temperature around 75 degrees all year.  

With my Spanish fluency, I can really consider doing this.  I also confirmed by talking to lots of locals that, unlike Mexico's north with its cartel violence, here in Mexico's far south things are safe as safe as the US State Department website said it was.

Mostly today around town I kept an eye out for medical facilities, since I have kidney disease, and I saw them.  I saw doctors' offices with signs out for psychiatric services, too.  I take Prazosin at night for PTSD nightmares, so I'd like to have a pdoc here in retirement who could prescribe that for me.  US insurance is no good here, but doc visits and prescriptions are way cheaper like they were back in the US in the 1950s while I'm finding out that  pharmaceuticals and medical tech are both up to date.  I care, because with kidney disease I may need dialysis some day.

I even saw a sign out for a support group.  I wonder if it would be like ours here.  One thing's for sure:  I'd stay online with DS PTSD from down here, and that's a huge support when thinking about going forward.  

Today was 3 Kings Day here, an extension of Christmas, so little kids got presents and bigger kids set off fireworks sporadically all day.  Sometimes the fireworks triggered my PTSD, but I was able to calm myself.  

A couple of tiny kids were hilarious with me, since the fact that I'm round and white-bearded made them wonder if I was Santa Claus.  One tiny little boy even followed me off the street into my hotel lobby calling out "Papa Noel" to me.  I had to get his mom's attention to head him back in the right direction.  My hotel's desk clerk saw it all and laughed her head off.  It was darn cute.

Thanks for letting me run these scouting & recon observations by you.  It helps me have you all as a sounding board here on the DS PTSD board right now since I'm weighing making this move solo in just a couple of years. I'm obviously apprehensive.  I had one hyperventilating panic attack about it today, but I was able to recover within the hour.  

Any thoughts are welcome.  And yes, by the way, I took the suggestion I got here this week and bought a piece of raw amber on the street that I used as a rock to ground myself when I got anxious.  That was good advice.  It worked in today's panic attack. Feel free to keep advice coming.

Meanwhile, I hope you all are doing well entering the new year.  Much support back to everybody.