Thinking about retirement?

[respice finem]

Trouble is that as we get older, it gets harder to learn new languages.

Swings and roundabouts, as to when/where best to retire, I reckon.

Correct. It is even possible to partly forget one's native language. Happened to me with Polish, after not using it for 20 years.
But luckily it comes back very quickly when used again.

Retire abroad, IDK... The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

 

[Salt]

Off topic, I am in Paris right now. I am loving the history of Paris. But the lack of widespread air conditioning, is killing me. I am suffering from heat exhaustion, headache, fatigue, light headedness and all that.

How do you French do it with no air conditioning!

That heat was unusual in France (and middle Europe) until few years ago, so no AC was necessary at all.
Now there's climate change, undeniable.
(Btw. visiting a Metropole in the mid of summer, when all inhabitans try to escape, is a special approach ).

 

[respice finem]

I am observing the same in Poland - most new houses and offices have AC, which was very scarce 30 years ago.
But 30 years ago it was normal to have up to 90+ days of frost in a year, not 10 - 20 like now.

I'm coping well without, but got "natural AC" (white house and tall trees).

 

[Ken1951]

That heat was unusual in France (and middle Europe) until few years ago, so no AC was necessary at all.
Now there's climate change, undeniable.
(Btw. visiting a Metropole in the mid of summer, when all inhabitans try to escape, is a special approach ).

We'll be in Paris from Sept 3 - 10 before heading to other areas in France. Hoping for temps more in line with what we've seen in early forecasts for that time period. But anyone who doubts that the climate is changing just isn't paying attention.

 

[TechLvr2]

I am observing the same in Poland - most new houses and offices have AC, which was very scarce 30 years ago.
But 30 years ago it was normal to have up to 90 days of frost, not 10-20.

I'm coping well without, but got "natural AC" (white house and tall trees).

I'm only saved from suffering because I'm near the Atlantic, so even though much of inner Portugal is over 40°C the coastal areas/cities are cooler. Another thing on top of the heat; Lots of wildfires in southern Europe right now.

 

[PristineSound]

That heat was unusual in France (and middle Europe) until few years ago, so no AC was necessary at all.
Now there's climate change, undeniable.
(Btw. visiting a Metropole in the mid of summer, when all inhabitans try to escape, is a special approach ).

I am observing the same in Poland - most new houses and offices have AC, which was very scarce 30 years ago.
But 30 years ago it was normal to have up to 90+ days of frost in a year, not 10 - 20 like now.

I'm coping well without, but got "natural AC" (white house and tall trees).

The saving grace is that, it's not too humid many parts of Europe.

In the East coast of US, where I am, it's B A D. With humidity, sometimes it feels like 41°C. While most homes have AC, few homes still don't, it's not uncommon for elderly to die in their home with no AC.

So the moral of the story, make sure you have enough money for AC and to pay the electric bill before you retire? Especially with global warming.

 

[respice finem]

As a Polish satirist once said (in the 80s): It's always been better to be young, healthy and rich, than old, sick and poor.

Life can be really hard, we just tend to forget about it, being lucky to live in relatively wealthy times - compared to ages before us.

As a sidenote: Statistic timelines of heat related deaths, while the diagnosis is mostly correct today, should be taken "with a pinch of salt", from a phycician's viewpoint. The cause: Decades ago, few physicians would write this diagnosis as the primary cause of death, if it was an old person in bed at home. Mostly doctors would have chosen the usual "suspects" as circulatory insufficiency etc. So, while there is an increase, it's unlikely IMHO to be 500% or what the papers write.

 

[PristineSound]

As a Polish satirist once said (in the 80s): It's always been better to be young, healthy and rich, than old, sick and poor.

Life can be really hard, we just tend to forget about it, being lucky to live in relatively wealthy times - compared to ages before us.

Indeed, indeed. The average wealth and income has significantly increase since the Dutch pioneered the modern day economy since the late 1600 to early 1700. Before then, almost everyone, except for few lords and kings, were universally poor.

And in our modern era, while there are still so much inequalities, many of us have a lot to thank for.

 

[Salt]

Saving for AC doesn't help if you're living in a retirement home, where there is no such thing as AC (true for 100% around here, and I visit them all regularly).
So better to not have to live there (in summer).

(Btw. from Paris it is 2 h by train to the sea/Atlantic for refreshing

 

[Audionaut]

Trouble is that as we get older, it gets harder to learn new languages.

Actually, it will be easier if you have already learned one or two other languages in your life, because then you know how it works

 

[respice finem]

In some aspects, even the kings were poor - no car, no PC, no Internet

 

[respice finem]

Actually, it will be easier if you have already learned one or two other languages in your life, because then you know how it works

Yes, but even so, at least in my case, I've taken a hit after my COVID pneumonia (with transient cerebral hypoxia). I was speaking four languages fluently before, and am still struggling, years after. It sometimes really makes me nervous, when I have to look up a word I know I knew... and I know I've looked it up at least three times.
Also, if I were in a country with a language remotely similar to one I've learned, I could understand people immediately, or read a paper after a few days - not any more. It's like after having a stroke.

 

[PristineSound]

Saving for AC doesn't help if you're living in a retirement home, where there is no such thing as AC (true for 100% around here, and I visit them all regularly).
So better to not have to live there (in summer).

(Btw. from Paris it is 2 h by train to the sea/Atlantic for refreshing

If that is the case, then you are forced to take a 2 month vacation every summer, what an unfortunate situation to be in during retirement

In some aspects, even the kings were poor - no car, no PC, no Internet

That is absolutely very true.

 

[antcollinet]

Yes, but even so, at least in my case, I've taken a hit after my COVID pneumonia (with transient cerebral hypoxia). I was speaking four languages fluently before, and am still struggling, years after. It sometimes really makes me nervous, when I have to look up a word I know I knew... and I know I've looked it up at least three times.
Also, if I were in a country with a language remotely similar to one I've learned, I could understand people immediately, or read a paper after a few days - not any more. It's like after having a stroke.

That sucks. I know I am mentally slower than a few years ago. Sometimes i wonder if that is covid related - rather than just normal age related decline.

My wife is currently lacking sense of taste after a bout of it at the end of June. All sorts of weird non-respiratory symptoms also that are tracking 1:1 with when she first had it back in '20 or '21. There is no doubt covid has all sorts of impacts on the body other than the obvious.

 

[JeffS7444]

There hasn't been a lot of discussion in this thread about the importance of mental stimulation - genuine mental challenges if possible. I am still consulting one day a week to continually push the grey matter. Sometimes it's hard to squeeze in a whole day in the mix of motorcycles, pushbikes, travelling and music. I am a big fan of Dan Pink's theory of mastery + autonomy + purpose. I believe this applies to both work and retirement.

I find that it helps to stay curious! For me, it can be as simple as taking the time to notice little changes in familiar settings, or finding amazement in a novel from an author I've never heard of, in a genre I hadn't previously considered. But I didn't adopt these attitudes after my last job ended, I've cultivated this way of thinking for much of my life, partly under the guise of photography and learning to see.

 

[Salt]

General question for retirement as expat was made up by @Astoneroad , in this case about Portugal, but there may be several targets to consider?

 

[Ken1951]

Actually, it will be easier if you have already learned one or two other languages in your life, because then you know how it works

My problem - actually one of many - in learning French is constantly lapsing back into some Spanish pronunciations. Not that I use Spanish much anymore, but i did on and off for a fair while. As I used to tell my students - have great sympathy for anyone trying to learn English - it's an insane language.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

I retired in 2010. I last worked in 2008 when my employer of 15 years went bankrupt. Shortly after came the big recession. When my unemployment ran out after 2 years I applied for SS. Even in good times programmers in their early '60s don't have an easy time finding work. Things worked out OK. My wife has a defined benefit retirement with medical and I have a supplementary source of income. Between the two of us we're living indoors and eating regularly. We have decent medical insurance. I just had a knee replacement for the cost of an office visit. I spent several times that on the follow up physical therapy. Regardless, like several others here I had been looking forward to retirement more or less since when I learned to read. I never got much of my identity from my work even though I did have a couple of mini-careers that lasted a total of close to 30 years that I liked. I'd rather read and listen to and play music, always have. Other than errands and various home maintenance things I'm doing what I like.

 

[xanalog]

That sucks. I know I am mentally slower than a few years ago. Sometimes i wonder if that is covid related - rather than just normal age related decline.

My wife is currently lacking sense of taste after a bout of it at the end of June. All sorts of weird non-respiratory symptoms also that are tracking 1:1 with when she first had it back in '20 or '21. There is no doubt covid has all sorts of impacts on the body other than the obvious.

That sucks but count your blessings if you two can still appreciate the music!

 

[EJ3]

Here is the article - https://archive.is/mEvSV

Part of some peoples enjoyment is giving them (the ones that might stand to get something later, but, if it work it out right, those people will have spent it all, including a good bit on their inheritors for their birthdays, Christmases, & doing things with them that they wanted to do with them.