My husband Bill and I have both been fortunate enough to experience living overseas.  Bill has lived in Germany twice, courtesy of the U.S. Army.  I have lived in Germany, England, and Armenia, courtesy of the Army, Air Force, and the Peace Corps respectively.  For many reasons, we both love being expats.  We both love to travel and enjoy the challenges that come from living in a different country.  We love seeing new things and meeting different kinds of people.  And we both have a strong case of wanderlust, even though neither of us thinks the moving process is any fun.

Lately, Bill and I have gotten hooked on the HGTV show House Hunters International, a television program about American couples who are looking to buy housing in different countries.  Every week, there’s an episode or two about a couple making a new start in a new place and shopping for that all important first thing– a home!  In the spirit of that show, I started looking for books about retiring overseas and ran across How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (for Less) Abroad.  Published byKathleen Peddicord in 2010, this book, available in both print and Kindle editions, is all about how to retire overseas.

What would motivate a person to leave the good old USA?Some Americans can’t even fathom the idea of moving abroad.  Their minds immediately start reflecting on the logistical difficulties of such a plan.  Many people wonder how they will get along not knowing the local language or being far away from family and friends.  However, as Peddicord points out, there are plenty of good reasons to retire overseas.  First and foremost is the fact that the dollar goes a lot further in many parts of the world than it does here at home.  Less expensive medical and dental care alone is one good reason some people opt to move abroad.  In some areas, a Social Security check is enough to provide for food, housing, medical care, and even household help.

Many people move abroad because their employment requires it.  Indeed, Peddicord initially moved from Maryland to Waterford, Ireland because her employer wanted her in Ireland.  That was her first experience living abroad and she had the usual hiccups getting used to the Irish way of life.  Then she was moved to Paris, France, where she and her family had to adapt once again.  And then the family moved yet again, this time to Panama City, Panama, where evidently, they still live.

What subjects does this book cover?In her confident, conversational writing style, Kathleen Peddicord lists some of her top picks for Americans wanting to live abroad.  All of the places she and her family have lived make the list, probably because she knows intimately what it’s like to move to those countries.  Peddicord also includes other countries she hasn’t lived in.  She gives her reasons for each suggestion, along with warnings about pitfalls that may pop up along the way.

Peddicord even includes a handy chart at the back of the book, showing approximately how much her suggested countries would cost per month and what expenses the money would go to.   She also includes a Frequently Asked Questions section with top questions posed by would-be overseas retirees.

Caveats

One thing I noticed when I was reading this book is that it’s largely based on Peddicord’s own experiences.  Therefore, a lot of her information is a bit biased.  I didn’t get the sense that she interviewed a lot of people to get a broader perspective.  Moreover, this book is probably best suited for people who are just starting to think about moving overseas for retirement.  Peddicord’s tone is very enthusiastic and encouraging, but I don’t think this book goes into quite enough detail for people who have really narrowed down their choices and are about to take the plunge.

Overall

I enjoyed reading Kathleen Peddicord’s book, How to Retire Overseas.  I think it’s best used as a first book for getting a general idea about what moving abroad entails.  Then, if Peddicord has sold you on the idea of leaving the US in favor of another country, look for other, more detailed resources to make the move actually happen.  Also, any information you get from this book should be verified by resources that are frequently and easily updated.  Books have a way of quickly becoming dated.

For more information: http://www.kathleenpeddicord.com/

Buy How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (for Less) Abroad