Retirement Dreams Come True: Expat Edition

When Margaret and I retired, we surprised everyone by moving to her hometown in the Algarve. After forty years in Alberta, she longed for the cobblestones and ocean breeze.

I wasn’t sure at first, since my family is still in Canada, but the rhythm of life here in Portugal won me over. Our days begin with coffee at a café with a view of the ocean where the servers greet us by name. I’ve joined a local expat hiking group. Margaret reconnects with cousins she hadn’t seen in decades.

We video call our kids in Edmonton every Sunday, and they visit each spring. The distance isn’t easy, but we’ve found a sense of belonging we didn’t expect. Life feels warmer, quieter, and strangely fuller. It feels like home.

Henry E.

After my divorce at 61, I didn’t just want a change – I needed one. I’d always dreamed of New Zealand, so when I visited a friend in Wellington, something clicked. Within a year, I sold my house in Red Deer and shipped what little I kept across the ocean.

Living here has felt like a second chance at life. I walk the waterfront most mornings, rain or shine. I take the train up the coast for weekend markets. I’ve built a circle of friends through a community garden and a writing class, people who welcomed me like they had been waiting for me to arrive.

My kids were shocked I moved so far, but they say I sound happier than I have in years. And I am. Alberta will always be part of me, but here, on these green hills surrounded by wind and sea, I’ve learned how to breathe again.

Alex L.

When my husband passed, living alone through another Edmonton winter felt unbearable. My brother convinced me to return to our hometown of Baguio in the Philippines, and though I hesitated at first, it has been the best choice I could have ever made.

I live in a household with my nieces bustling in the kitchen, my brother tending the garden, my mother walking to church every day, and neighbours who drop by unannounced. It’s noisy and chaotic and comforting. The warm air soothes my joints, but it’s family that has begun to mend my grief.

I still talk to my children and grandkids. They worry, but they can hear my peace. I miss them deeply, but here I’m never alone. I’m happy. My family remembers me from childhood, has welcomed me with open arms, and given me strength I thought I’d lost.

Maria F.

We’d travelled to Costa Rica for years, always joking that we’d retire there “one day.” Then one February, halfway through shovelling the driveway together, Helen looked at me and said, “Why not now?”

Six months later we were living in a small town near Tamarindo.

Our days are filled with ocean breezes and howler monkeys. We’ve joined a community of retirees from Canada, the U.S., and Europe. We all say we traded snow tires for surfboards. (I surf badly.) Helen paints beautifully. Together we volunteer at a local animal rescue.

Our kids and grandkids remain in Alberta, and yes we miss them, but they visit every Christmas. Life feels lighter here. We say “Less hurry, more wonder.”

Carlos R.

I didn’t move abroad for adventure… I moved because I wanted my retirement savings to stretch. After researching places with good healthcare and a reasonable cost of living, I settled on Penang in Malaysia. What I expected to be a practical decision ended up opening a vibrant new chapter in my life!

I rent a small apartment near the water. I spend my mornings walking the promenade and my evenings browsing open air food stalls humming with conversation. I’ve met retirees from around the world. Some are here for the food, some for the weather, some, like me, for the prices.

Leaving my grown children in Alberta was the hardest part, but they’re planning their first visit soon. I miss them, but I don’t regret the move. Here, my pension goes further, my health feels stronger, and I’ve built a life that’s simple, social, and sustainable.

Peter M.