Welcome to my new reality! I loved my job at the Lynn University Library, but my position was eliminated, and after a remarkably short conversation with my husband, I am now officially retired. I even applied for Medicare—nothing says retired quite like that!
Adjusting to this new phase feels a little strange. I’ve spent my entire adult life being busy: working full time, raising a family, cooking, laundry, all the everyday things that fill a life. My husband retired a couple of years ago when his job was eliminated, so now we’re navigating this stage together. It’s a little ironic that we both retired because of layoffs, but that seems to be the way things go these days.
Since retiring, he’s kept himself occupied. He has always taken care of the house, and now he has even more time for it. He gardens, he hikes, and he’s taken on some of the chores I used to handle—grocery shopping, cleaning, and the like. We’ve always shared responsibilities, but he’s taken on more since leaving the workforce, and it’s been a good balance for both of us.
My first week of retirement was a mix of practical tasks and indulgent downtime. I applied for Medicare, completed my separation paperwork, and let friends and family know the news. I also relaxed, read a ton, and binge‑watched The Pitt—far gorier than my usual taste, but truly excellent. I understand the obsession and the awards now.
I’m not ready to give up my blog, so that will keep me busy too. We’ve also been planning for this stage of life ever since my husband retired, so we’re in good shape there. For years we considered moving to Portugal, but the constant changes to their immigration laws—and the general cooling toward American retirees across much of Europe—made us rethink things. So now our focus is on Panama.
We’ve booked a “relocation tour” for July and are hoping we love it as much as the thousands of expats already living there. There are some real advantages: it’s in the same time zone as my kids in New York; it’s only a five‑hour flight away; they use the U.S. dollar; and their electrical system matches ours, meaning my KitchenAid mixer and Cuisinart can come along. Most importantly, Panama genuinely welcomes American expats. Their Pensionado Visa offers immediate permanent residency to anyone over 18 with a guaranteed lifetime pension or annuity of at least $1,000 per month. It’s known for being easy to obtain and for the generous discounts it provides.
Panama is also considered relatively safe—ranked higher than the U.S. on the Global Peace Index—and offers excellent, affordable healthcare. Being close to the equator means consistent temperatures year‑round, and the area we’re most interested in is at a higher elevation, so it’s cooler than the beach towns. There are only two seasons, wet and dry, and after decades in Florida, an afternoon rain shower for half the year sounds perfectly manageable. No hurricanes, either. There are occasional mild earthquakes, which will be… interesting. I’ll know more after our trip.
For now, I’m excited. I’m happy. And I’m looking forward to whatever comes next!
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No money, no problem. Kindness is always free.
As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.
Thanks to The New York Times and The Washington Post for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers
Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™ 