In 2023, at 50 years old, I left my career as a pharmacist in California and moved to Ajijic, Mexico.
Three years later, I’m waking up to bird calls and watching avocados grow in my backyard. It hasn’t been an easy journey, but it’s been a worthwhile one.
Here are a few things I’d tell any American who’s also hoping to retire abroad in their 50s.
Start stress-testing countries (and neighborhoods) as soon as you can
Before I moved, I treated Mexico like a vacation destination rather than a place I’d actually live in. And if a place looked nice in pictures or on a quick tour, I believed I’d found “the one.” This thinking turned out to be a big mistake.
For example, in late 2022, I was vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, a trip I’d planned long before I decided to retire in Mexico. But by the time I flew out, I’d bought my one-way ticket to Ajijic and was actively hunting for a place to live.
Since I was already in Mexico, I figured I could just squeeze in a quick visit to Ajijic and line up rentals. One by one, my viewing appointments were canceled. The only house available during my short trip was much larger and more expensive than I’d budgeted.
It was beautiful, and I loved it so much that I ended up signing a yearlong lease — something I’m confident I would’ve resisted if I’d taken the time to know the area first.
Soon, I discovered the frequent, loud block parties in front of the house that lasted until early morning. Eventually, I broke the lease at a loss and moved to a quiet neighborhood away from all the action in the town center.
Looking back, I needed months in Ajijic, not days, to explore different neighborhoods and find the one that fit my needs.
No matter where you go, a short resort stay won’t show you what it’s like to live somewhere full time. Seasons and tourist cycles change traffic, noise, and prices.
After researching your dream retirement country, plan an extended stay during a less favorable season and rent in local neighborhoods rather than popular tourist areas.
Build a financial cushion that’s more than what you think you need
To cover my living expenses and prepare for emergencies, I set up high‑yield savings accounts, CDs, bonds, and money‑market funds while working with a financial advisor to grow my long‑term investments before I left.
However, in the first months of my early retirement, the lack of a paycheck felt jarring. I was anxious watching money go out but not come in.
On top of that, the US-dollar-to-Mexican peso exchange rate dropped sharply in 2023, so my money didn’t go as far as I expected. Inflation and surprise expenses, such as large repair costs and frequent flights home for family emergencies, also added to my financial concerns.
As I settled in, I learned to reduce expenses by finding better-priced stores and services. I set up a dollar‑to‑peso exchange-rate alert and converted money in batches when rates were favorable, so I felt less at the mercy of rate fluctuations.
Working with a financial advisor also keeps me grounded. I know exactly how much I can spend each year until my pension and Social Security kick in, and I put what’s left toward travel in Mexico and beyond.
Have the hard conversations with your loved ones early on
I sat down with my mom before I moved to Mexico. She wanted to stay near her friends in San Francisco; I needed a lower‑cost, comfortable environment to pursue creative work.
She worried I wouldn’t be around to help out. I promised weekly calls and twice‑yearly visits, and I kept managing her medical appointments and medications from afar.
Before I left, I helped her move into an independent senior-living apartment building with a staffed front desk and around-the-clock on-call support.
We message each other almost daily, sharing things we find online. We talk more now than we did when I lived 20 minutes away, and our bond has grown stronger because of the distance.
If you’re thinking of retiring abroad, bring your family into the conversation early so they have time to understand your plans and stay connected.
Don’t wait to build the life skills you’ll need — or to prepare for the identity shift that comes with retirement
Moving abroad often means learning a new language. I wish I’d started learning Spanish long before my move.
Since Ajijic is a popular town for American expats, I can get by on basic phrases. Once I venture out, though, Spanish becomes essential.
So I began taking lessons on Baselang, an online tutoring platform with native Latin American instructors. I’m still far from fluent, but I’ve talked soccer with my gardener, been invited to weddings, and gained a deeper understanding of Mexican culture.
Language is one thing, but identity is another.
With early retirement, my identity as a health professional disappeared overnight. I had moved with a clear intention to write, but it was still a shock to lose the role I’d held for years.
I used to counsel patients on weaning off potent medications to ease withdrawal symptoms. Now I suggest “weaning off” your old profession by reducing your reliance on work for your identity while building your new one through classes, communities, or side projects.
Start with one thing that energizes you or a skill you’ve always wanted to learn, and build your daily structure around it before you retire, not after.
Retirement is a big change, and so is living in a new country. When you combine both things, uncertainty is inevitable, but patience and resourcefulness go a long way.
Treat the first year as an experiment
Even with meticulous planning, things will go differently than you expect. Instead of trying to make everything right, focus on the big pieces — housing, healthcare, legal status — and accept that smaller decisions might not work out perfectly.
I made plenty of mistakes during my first year in Mexico, but each one made me wiser. What helped was treating them as learning curves and character-building opportunities rather than permanent realities.
I came to Mexico for a new life, and now I have a brand-new perspective that goes with it as I let go of the need to control everything and learn to live in the moment.
Despite all the imperfections, I feel happier and more peaceful here. And I’m OK with the fact that I am still learning.
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